BY IRVIN RIVERA

Tokyo born singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist SENA KANA is a powerful emerging voice that breaks barriers. Sena, noted as “The first solo female Japanese artist to hit gold status in the United States,” is all bout self-expression, and shining the light- creating music that inspires her audience, lifting them to positive heights as they immerse themselves in her world. Her sound is familiar, yet fresh at the same time. Her music envelopes AND places you in a state of peaceful trance. Sena Kana’s enchanting appeal and intriguing notes perfectly travel across the ever changing landscapes of pop music.

In 2017, she made her debut with a global hit, which soared to #1 on EU iTunes and accelerated her rise. A year later, she captured #1 on the France Digital Song Sales chart as the name Sena Kana expanded internationally once more. Continuing to hone a soaring signature sound, she broke boundaries between borders and styles on the 2019 breakthrough “Up” [feat. Sheppard & Wiz Khalifa].  

This year, Sena Kana is back with her new single “SHOW ME” – an electrifying single that fuses R&B, hiphop, electronic, pop and classical notes all paired with her lyrics on love, sincerity, commitment and intentions. In “SHOW ME,” the artist linked up with mega-producer Poo Bear (Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Usher) as well as featured artist, hitmaker and multi-instrumentalist Ty Dolla $ign for the worldwide release.

In this exclusive interview, we spoke with SENA KANA on the stories behind her successful singles “UP” and “SHOW ME,” her creative process, collaborations, challenges, and breaking barriers through music by creating universally appealing sound that knows no borders.

What’s the story behind your single “SHOW ME?”

This single "Show Me" is meaningful to me, as it symbolizes who I am now. The message of this song is, when you are in a difficult situation where you can't see the future, if you continue to express yourself and actively try to communicate your feelings to others, the light will surely shine.

How would you describe your music and your sound?

I think my music has a sound that envelops the listener, and I feel that the message I put into my music is what makes me stand out. It may not be standard pop music, but I think that's what makes me Sena Kana.

How is it to be the first solo female Japanese artist to hit gold status in the US?

The single "Up" was a hit, and I was surprised by the great response from fans, especially to the music video. I'd be happy if my songs could inspire as many people as possible to reach even higher! I also believe that the success of "Up" has given courage to other Japanese artists who dream of going global. If you have faith in your work, the light will surely shine on you!

Where do you get your inspirations whenever you create music?

I don't have anything specific in mind, but I always find inspiration from music, art, and the beautiful scenery of each season, as well as many other things. Also, in my daily life, my family, friends, and fans' support are my biggest inspiration.

How’s your creative process like? Can you walk us through your process?

I give the composer an image of the song's message, etc., and we discuss different paths and put a lot of work into it. The most important thing to me, that I am constantly working toward, is to make sure that my message is convincingly represented in the song.

Does music run in your family?

There was no one in particular who worked in music, but my whole family loves singing and music. Their presence, growing up, was a big reason I became a musician.

Your music has this universal appeal that transcends across a wide audience. Why do you think it’s important to get past the boundaries of nationality?

Bringing peace and light to the world is the most important thing that I can sing about. I sing to create a beautiful and kind world where people all over can have confidence in themselves, and where that confidence is respected. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to overcome the barriers of nationality.

When you create your music, do you think of yourself, your emotions and whatever you’re feeling, or do you think of the fans and what they would love to hear from you?

Rather than focus on my own personal experiences and feelings, I try to put universally relatable emotions in my songs.

Collaboration seems like one aspect of creation that you value a lot. How important is collaboration for you?

Collaboration itself has never been that important to me, but in the process of creating a song, when I feel that I can expand the scope of the work by collaborating with other artists, I start gravitating towards it.

Which artists inspire you?

To be honest, I don't really have a specific artist or sound that has influenced me the most. I take inspiration from all the music I hear; Big names like Michael Jackson and the Beatles, and more contemporary artists who are working in the same era and field as me.

How did your music journey begin?

Since I was a child, I often stayed home alone to watch musical movies and Disney movies. This is where I started to feel, sing and play music.

From the time I was in elementary school, singing became my emotional salvation, whenever I had a hard time or was sad. The next thing I knew, I developed a desire to save people with my singing and decided to follow this path.

What are the highs and the lows of your career so far?

Even if you accomplish something, there is always another big goal ahead of you. I hope that I can continue to constantly discover new peaks, and at the same time continue to overcome the challenges in my way. Each time I do that, I hope that even one more person can be cheered up by my songs.

How were you able to rise above these challenges?

I believe that overcoming difficulties is the essence of my music, and with the constant support of my team members, I have a lot of the pain alleviated when taking on a new challenge. I am always conscious of putting my best effort into everything I do.

What’s a valuable lesson that you’ve learned from your career that you think is universally relevant?

I don't believe in being swayed by fads and trends. In this day and age so much information is presented to you, and I think it is important to have confidence and to be true to yourself.

Are there any advice that you can provide to any aspiring creative individual who wants to break into the industry and establish themselves as a business?

I think the best advice is to have confidence in yourself and keep the faith without getting too carried away. If you keep believing, the light will surely shine!

If you were a book, what book would you be and why?

If I were to compare myself to a book, it would be the fantasy book Big Fish by Daniel Wallace. I hope my story is colorful and vivid, while I work hard every day to achieve my dreams and goals.