Ichiko Aoba

Since Ichiko Aoba's 2010 debut, Razorblade Maiden, the Japanese singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist has released seven albums, founded her independent label hermine, has performed in a  growing list of territories worldwide. Her music, often composed on just her classical guitar or a simple synthesizer, is simultaneously intimate and boundless; fragile and unyielding; virtuosic and understated. 

Her seventh album, Windswept Adan (2020) introduced lush orchestral arrangements to create a "soundtrack for a fictional film" that took the world by storm. From TikTok to internet music forums, Windswept Adan revealed the breadth of Ichiko Aoba's worldwide appeal. Yet her live performances are often stripped down affairs - guitar and voice, unadorned - that still manage to captivate and enthrall audiences. 