Latest news with #Sasami
Japan Times
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Japan Times
Sasami is in her pop era, and she's not overthinking it
What stands out most to Sasami Ashworth about Japan? The hairstyles. 'I was just in South Korea, and it seems like most of the men have perms there — but it's not a trend here,' she says. 'There's just not as much perm action.' It's about two hours before the 34-year-old American artist, who records as Sasami, plays her first-ever Japan show — an acoustic set at Tower Records Shibuya. She's recounting her latest observations of a country she's always felt a connection to. Her mother's side of the family is Zainichi Korean and has lived in Japan for years. On this trip, she plans to hit up Tokyo DisneySea, explore Shibuya and soak in the city. But first, there's a show to play. 'I'm excited. I mean, I'm kind of nervous because the shows I just played in Seoul were ticketed club events, so they sold out in a few days,' she says. 'I knew people were coming. But tonight? I have no idea.' Her worries turn out to be unfounded. The in-store set is packed, with fans crowding in to hear stripped-down versions of songs from her latest album, 'Blood On the Silver Screen.' Released on March 7, her third album explores pop songcraft from the perspective of a classically trained musician. Sasami's latest album, "Blood on the Silver Screen," sees her moving into the pop genre, after getting her start in rock and shoegaze. 'I think pop has this reputation of being kind of trashy or simple, but if you think about it, because the chord structures are so basic and repetitive, it actually makes space for the melodic trajectory to be much more complex.' It's the latest stylistic shift from an artist eager to try new sounds. Ashworth got her start in 2015 as the synth player for rock band Cherry Glazerr. She stepped away in 2018 to focus on a solo career, which saw her veering toward shoegaze-tinged rock on her eponymous debut. By 2022's 'Squeeze,' she'd pivoted to something harder, flirting with nu-metal. For her latest challenge, she wanted to write songs where the verses and choruses had the same chords. 'I'm such a lifer musician that I like to feel challenged and learn a lot with every venture,' she says. 'I really wanted to learn about pop music, and that's why I was adamant about writing the songs myself. Even if they weren't the best songs ever written, it was important to go through the process of challenging myself.' 'Blood On the Silver Screen' came together in less than a year, and Ashworth says this was done in part so she wouldn't overthink things. 'I wanted to make a pop record that was very earnest and dramatic, without being overly precious about it,' she says. She's happy with how it turned out, but for whatever comes next, she plans to take her time and keep it 'close to my chest.' Sasami says she wanted her third album, "Blood on the Silver Screen," to be "earnest and dramatic." | Andrew Thomas Huang For now, she's just enjoying her time in Japan, a country whose culture has always been part of her life. 'Since my grandma and mother were born and raised in Japan, Japanese culture was embedded in my life.' That meant the language ('I knew I was in trouble if my mom wasn't speaking English') and TV shows like the Y2K-era J-drama, 'Trick' ('Japanese comedy is like some of the best television in the world'). Music, too. 'I'm super influenced by a lot of Japanese music. I love city pop, and when I was growing up, I listened to a lot of Yellow Magic Orchestra and all of the members' side projects.' Her mother introduced her to even more through karaoke, where she'd sing traditional folk songs. She admits she's not as up to date on current Japanese artists, though she does have a soft spot for rising idol group f5ve . Japan has left its mark on her visuals as well. The 'Squeeze' album cover features a yōkai (ghost), and the video for her single, ' Slugger ,' nods to the 1977 cult horror film 'House' — specifically, the part where her head flies off. Ashworth hopes to be back in Japan soon for bigger shows or a festival (discussions are ongoing). In the meantime, she's focused on taking in Tokyo — and keeping an eye out for new hair trends along the way. For more information, visit
The Guardian
07-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Sasami: Blood on the Silver Screen review – a quirky move to the mainstream
Sasami Ashworth's gentle indie rock debut, Sasami (2019), felt reasonably familiar to fans of her previous band, Cherry Glazerr; the bracingly industrial metal of 2022's Squeeze less so. Now the California musician has moved into sprightly, shiny pop for her third solo album, picking over matters of the heart. And the groin – apparently, Lana Del Rey-alike Nothing But a Sad Face On is about Eve's mixed emotions after being 'banished from the Garden of Eden for fucking a snake'. Don't fret if you can't recall that precise bible story; Ashworth has plenty more relatable tales of compromised, messy modern-day dating. Pop may not always come naturally to her. Most of Ashworth's choruses linger on the ear no longer than a lost ladybird, and the deft Taylor Swift via Grimes-sounding production can't conceal a dearth of durable material. But Slugger is surefooted, summery pop with a shock opening, when she calls herself 'a cancer'. Honeycrash and the marvellous The Seed introduce intriguingly metallic textures. 'I'll come if you lick my scars,' she promises/warns on Love Makes You Do Crazy Things, and that sort of memorable weirdness adds a welcome tension to the radio-friendly aesthetic.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Sasami, Clairo, Julien Baker, Torres & More
The 2025 Grammys are nearly here! With a record number of LGBTQ+ nominees at Sunday's show, take some time to get ahead of next year's ceremony with these new tracks from your favorite queer artists. Billboard Pride is proud to present the latest edition of Queer Jams of the Week, our roundup of some of the best new music releases from LGBTQ+ artists. From Sasami's excellent collaboration with Clairo to Julien Baker and Torres' new ballad, check out just a few of our favorite releases from this week below: More from Billboard Here's the 2025 Winner of the Harry Belafonte Best Song for Social Change Award Chappell Roan Thanks Fans for Making Her 'Feel Like a Rockstar' Ahead of the Grammys Queer Jams of the Week: New Music From Shygirl, Kesha & More The best collaborations are the ones that put two artists together and push both of them to create a new sound within the context of a single song. That's exactly what Sasami and Clairo accomplish on 'In Love With a Memory,' the gorgeous new track off the former's forthcoming album Blood on the Silver Screen. From the jump, the vibe of 'Memory' is immediately pared down from the moody electropop Sasami has become known for, while also providing a jolt of energy to Clairo's softer offerings. The result is a reflective mid-tempo pop track that sees both artists expertly blending their vocals to make a cinematic portrait of a relationship at its end. Speaking of successful collaborations, Julien Baker and Torres are back with yet another excellent example of their combined power. Where 'Sugar in the Tank' felt like something of a thesis statement for their forthcoming country album, 'Sylvia' leans into the pair's respective singer-songwriter roots, as they sing an ode to Torres' canine companion. Still sticking to their folksy, rooted sound, Baker and Torres manage to create something both nostalgic and fresh with this beautiful ballad. Sometimes, you just have to say exactly what it is you're singing about in the title of a song. UK pop artist Cat Burns has already made plenty of waves for her frank songwriting and buttery vocals, but 'Girls!' adds even more dimensions to the singer's artistry. This bubbly new track sees Burns sharing her admiration for all things female — including 'different energies,' the spectrum of 'masc and femininity' — all while letting her sound explode into a burst of funky guitars and cascading synths on the delirious post-chorus. For anyone looking for a pseudo-pop rap alternative to Travis Scott this week, may we humbly recommend this delectable new single from Skaiwater. 'Pop' feels like a distillation of all the facets that have make the rising artist a critical darling into one 3 minute package. Disjointed beats manage to sync up perfectly with their digitized voice, as the rapper narrates the tale of a relationship that just cannot possibly work out. Skaiwater makes 'Pop' sound like a stream-of-consciousness confession happening in real time, but just one listen tells you that their attention to every detail of their sound is what makes a record like this so deeply fascinating. Penting up emotions tends to lead to an explosion down the line. 'Fist,' the latest track off Miya Folick's upcoming album Erotica Veronica, takes that idea and translates it as literally as possible into music. Starting out with a simple acoustic guitar and soft vocals, Folick lets her partner know that all is not what it seems from the opening line: 'I've been cooking dinner/ Hoping you'll forgive me for not wanting to swallow you.' As the intesity builds, so does the instrumentation — guitars are plugged in, drums are added and eventually, there are no more words to describe how Folick is feeling. Only a guttural scream in the song's last 90 seconds can encapsulate the whirlwind of emotion from this cathartic banger. Maddie Zahm is ready to burn it all down on her latest single. A fiery bassline and small chorus of backup singers bring some weight to 'Sheets,' but no production elements can evoke as strong an image as Zahm's growling voice as she confronts her ex about how quickly they've moved on. The party is over and Zahm is ready to say it exactly how it is, bringing a 'f–k around and find out' attitude we've yet to see from her. If you ever hurt someone bad enough to get them to write the phrase 'did you tell her how you'll kiss her 'til a new b–ch has you on your knees,' maybe take a moment to reflect on your choices. Nigerian-American singer-songwriter Dreamer Isioma has always been interested in creating an aesthetic that no one has ever seen before with their performance. They've never been more successful at that feat than on their pair of new singles 'Did You Ever Care' and 'Dead End.' Swinging wildly between gothic pop and angsty rock, Isioma spends two songs painting a portrait of unrequited obsession followed by painful realization, all rendered through the prism of their otherworldly voice. If you haven't managed to board the Dreamer Isioma hype train, now is an ideal time for you to get on board. Want to get in on the groud floor with a very talented new artist? Looking for good songwriting and killer production? Need something silly to cut some of the darker parts of being alive right now? Charlie Houston checks all of those boxes and then some on her debut album Big After I Die. Over the course of 9 songs, the singer-songwriter tackles everything from love that almost makes you scared of yourself ('Lighter') to a love for organizational charts ('Slut for Excel'), Houston brings a lifetime of observations and idiosyncrasies into this winking LP, and it's well worth every single one of its 30 minutes. Check out all of our picks below on Billboard's Queer Jams of the Week playlist: Best of Billboard Kelly Clarkson, Michael Buble, Pentatonix & Train Will Bring Their Holiday Hits to iHeart Christmas Concert Fox Plans NFT Debut With $20 'Masked Singer' Collectibles 14 Things That Changed (or Didn't) at Farm Aid 2021
