Eri Blossom is a NYC based singer, rapper and songwriter wrapping up people’s minds like petals of Japanese Cherry Blossom with an R&B and hip-hip rooted sounds. Her words flutter between Japanese and English with a sassy attitude and a rawness that comes from her soul. Her music is strongly influenced by Japanese and American culture, which shows listeners a view they’ve never seen.
Growing up in Japan with parents who loved American and British culture, it wasn’t difficult for her to get into classic R&B and Hip-Hop such as Chaka Khan, Whitney Houston, TLC, Tupac, Janet Jackson, and more. After she moved to Tokyo from her hometown to continue her music study, she had opportunities to sing at night clubs and was able to visit NYC to take the class by the daughter of Ray Charles, Sheila Raye Charles.
During the trip, she had some opportunities to do street performances and interact with the audience. This experience convinced her to move to NYC. Since her move, she has earned a bachelor’s degree in Jazz studies from the City College of New York where she expanded her influence to Jazz music. She has also performed in open mics at well-known music venues in New York City, such as Village Underground, Ashford and Simpson’s Sugar Bar, Harlem Nights, The Groove and Negril BK.
1. You started your musical journey at the age of three and grew up in a household that loved American and British culture. How did this early exposure shape your musical tastes and aspirations?
That is correct! I have been familiar with English since my childhood and started speaking a bit of English while I grew up in this environment. Additionally, my mother took me to a performance school where I discovered 90’s Hip Hop and R&B which became a big influence on my music. I still remember when I saw the performance of the song “When You Believe” by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey on TV. I totally felt like I found what I wanted to do and decided to be on the stage like them. Since then, I’ve been into singing and music. I even moved to Tokyo to pursue my music career. This aspiration brought me to visit NYC in 2012 to take a lesson with the daughter of Ray Charles, Sheila Raye Charles, which made me decide to move to NYC.
2. Eri, “Breakthrough” is a powerful blend of Japanese and American musical influences. What inspired you to merge these two distinct cultures in your music?
At first, I used to write songs only in English but for this song, it was necessary for me to include Japanese sounds and language since I wanted to talk about a Japanese issue. I looked for instrumentals/beats that had Japanese type of influences and found the track for the song. At that time I was looking to be more authentic as an artist and had been struggling with self-acceptance quite a bit. I asked myself: “Who am I?” and “How can I love myself for real?” One day, I realized I was denying my nationality, which meant I was denying who I really am. When I just moved to NYC, I wanted to be Americanized to show how “cool” I am but this song gave me an opportunity to access my Japanese side, which helped me to accept myself.
3. Your song tackles the complex theme of women’s roles across different societies. Can you share what sparked this focus, especially within your own Japanese culture?
Since I moved to NYC, I’ve realized how much I felt pressured as a woman in Japan. Sadly, at work I realized there was an invisible wall I would never get over due to gender. In my personal life, the media or Japanese traditional culture made me feel subconsciously pressured to get married or fit into the Japanese ideal of a woman which is quiet, conservative, and elegant. This never appealed to me. In my country, people tend to care about your age more than in western culture, so they constantly mention your age to show the limit of being able to get married or get pregnant. For example, Japanese girls are given traditional Japanese dolls which are called Hina Dolls. They are used to wish good health for girls at an annual Girl’s Festival on March 3. There is a saying that the girl will get married late if you don’t put away the doll right after the festival. I grew up hearing these messages and it pressured me subconsciously. I decided to include this in the song “Breakthrough” because in NYC, I’ve seen so many inspiring women who pursue their careers, and this encouraged me. It made me realize that there are many Japanese women who feel the same way as me and I can support them by sharing my experiences through my music.
4. The Will Smith incident at the 2022 Academy Awards seems to have been a catalyst for this track. Can you elaborate on how that event influenced your perspective and ultimately led to “Breakthrough”?
When the incident happened, I was curious how Japanese people reacted to it. So, I checked Twitter (currently X). I saw some Japanese people (including women) support what he did, which shocked me. They posted comments like “He is the man!” or “It’s normal that men protect their women” and treat women like children. Some Japanese people still think women can’t do anything without men. The craziest part is that some women accept it. I was surprised that feminism in Japan is way behind. I believe that it’s a remnant of Japanese traditions that women must trust her man and just follow him. It comes from the Edo era, about 300 to 400 years ago. It has been handed down through generations. These views don’t match modern life and must be changed. That’s why I wrote this song.
5. Your lyrics switch between Japanese and English. What’s the significance of this choice, and how do you think it impacts the listener’s experience?
I wanted to express my honest frustration as a Japanese woman in this song. I knew that I had to write it in Japanese and wanted to share my message with Japanese women but also with English listeners because I want to let them know what’s happening to Japanese women. This made me decide to write it both in Japanese and English. In some lines I mix Japanese and English like “can you pass me shouyu? (Soy sauce)” I realized it sounded more authentic to me.
6. The song challenges traditional notions that women should blindly follow men. Can you talk about any personal experiences that fueled this message?
Fortunately, I didn’t grow up in this kind of family. My father was quiet and respectful to me. My parents were flexible and supportive if there was something I wanted to learn, like piano, painting etc. So, I had a hard time when I faced limitations outside. For example, when I was in elementary school, I was assertive and was the only girl in the class who raised a hand to answer the teacher’s questions. The rest were always boys. Eventually boys started making fun of me because of that. But my mother told me that they just liked me, so I didn’t stop doing it. Haha
Even after I grew up, older women sometimes told me that I would be popular with guys if I shut my mouth. The situation isn’t as bad as before, but this idea still exists in the modern era. They just know how to hide it better.
In the US, I have some experience with the Japanese woman stereotypes. When I had a disagreement over mixing with a music engineer, he imposed his idea and didn’t listen to me at all. I got the feeling like he assumed that I would keep quiet due to my nationality. I had to make extra effort to impart my vision for my song.
7. You’ve got a sound that’s been compared to Missy Elliot, Ludacris, and Chaka Khan. How do these artists influence your work, if at all?
To be honest with you, this is my first ever rap song. When I wrote this song, I studied Ludacris and Missy Elliot. I really love the aggressiveness of Ludacris’ approach to songs and I thought about how I can apply it into my music. It was a little challenging yet very interesting to discover the Hip Hop spirit inside of me.
8. You stand at the crossroads of different worlds, both musically and culturally. How do you navigate this duality in your life and in your art?
I’m grateful that I was exposed to different cultures and music from an early age. It has expanded my horizons with my musical development. It allows me to access different thoughts and cultures from around the world. Learning jazz music in NYC is one of them. It has a strong influence from Latin and Brazilian music, which has given me inspiration for my music. I also started to brush up on my knowledge of Japanese culture and language, which is making me realize there are many amazing Japanese artists. It has opened my world and has been helping me to grow as a person and an artist.
9. Your journey from Japan to NYC is a story in itself. How has this geographical shift influenced your music and your views on gender roles?
When I lived in Japan, I always felt like an outsider because my assertive personality never met the ideal of a Japanese woman. I felt worthless, which made me think that I must conform. But after I moved to NYC, my personality became stronger which allowed me to increase my self-acceptance and enjoy myself. This experience made me confident in myself and encouraged me to make music to share my stories. I like that there are more resources and communities that support women artists here in the US. Sadly, Japan is not like that yet. While in the USA, when I was making music and had problems with a male music engineer, I was able to get advice from other female artists. They mentioned that female artists are often given a hard time because the music industry is culturally male-centered. It made me aware of the issues women face within the work environments of the music industry and that inspires me to think about how to improve the situation in Japan.
