New EP, New Era: An Interview With Mei Semones About Her Latest EP, Sukikirai 好き嫌い
Released (fittingly) in the month of May, Sukikirai 好き嫌い is the latest endeavour in the ever-expanding universe of Mei Semones’ eclectic musical discography. Though the EP develops heavily upon the blended jazz and atmospheric nature of her first EP, Tsukino 月の, released in January of 2022, the subtle infusion of indie-rock undertones only further illustrates the diversity of Semones’ musical influences and lyrical aptitude. If Tsukino 月の was the soundtrack to “sunlight shining through the foliage in a quiet forest,” Sukikirai 好き嫌い sounds like raindrops outside a cafe on a city park bench—quiet and contemplative.
Editor Caitlin Andrews had the wonderful opportunity to speak with Mei about her latest EP, Sukikirai 好き 嫌い, her chosen aesthetic presentation (bunny hats included), and what she would like to learn if she were given the opportunity to see the future! For even more fun facts about Mei, including a conversation about her earlier releases, you can read this interview with her, previously published in February 2022.
Caitlin Andrews: Hey Mei, welcome back to Periphery—it’s so good to see you! How have you been since the last time we hung out?
Mei Semones: “Hi! Thank you so much for having me again. I have been pretty good! It’s been a busy time, doing classes, rehearsals, and shows. I just finished my last semester at Berklee College of Music, and I’m super excited about that, and I’m looking forward to having more free time this summer.”
CA: After having a bit of time to process the release of your debut EP, Tsukino 月の in January 2022, how do you feel the release went? Were there any parts of the process that you would have liked to change, or that you unexpectedly enjoyed?
MS: “The release went really well; my audience grew a lot after the release of my first EP, which I’m really happy about. I’m so grateful for all of the love and support I received regarding my songs after the release of Tsukino 月の, and I couldn’t have asked for anything more. In terms of what I would change, I think I can continue working on my promotion and PR skills, and try to be more proactive about getting my music out there. I also think recording my new EP, Sukikirai 好き嫌い, has given me a lot of insight in terms of what works for me in the recording process, and I want to incorporate that as I start planning my next project. Something that was unexpected for me was all of the amazing feedback I received and the overall increase in my presence as an artist and the connections I’ve made through that.”
CA: Speaking of your debut EP, in a feat worthy of The Flash, you just released another EP, Sukikirai 好き 嫌い , in May! What’s the process like for producing these tracks? Do you ever struggle with procrastination or lack of motivation, and how do you deal with it if so?
MS: “Making Sukikirai 好き嫌い was so much fun. I wrote the songs in the summer and fall of 2021 and started recording them right after. The project was produced through an organization at Northeastern University called Greenline Records. They provide recording, mixing, mastering, marketing, PR, and design services to local artists here in Boston. The engineer I worked with there, Kai Tsao, was so much fun to work with, and the process of recording and producing the EP was efficient and easy thanks to him. Another reason the process of creating the EP went so smoothly was because of my band – they are all such excellent musicians and bring so much to the songs when we play live, as well as when we’re recording in the studio. I definitely struggle with both procrastination and lack of motivation sometimes, but it honestly doesn’t happen too much when it comes to my artist project! In general, I feel like starting something is the hardest part, so once I get over that first hurdle, it’s easier to be motivated and keep the momentum of whatever I’m working on.”
CA: Previously, we’ve spoken about how your close friends see you as a person, which included lovely descriptions like “a beautiful angel coming from the stars,” but how would you describe yourself? Based on your affinity for pink bunny hats, do you have an emotional affinity for any animal in particular, and do you think it says anything about you as a person?
MS: “I would describe myself as dedicated and hardworking, but I think I’m also very specific about what I like and how I do things, which can make things difficult. I also try my best to be a kind and understanding person, but there are always things I can work on. I definitely have an affinity for bunnies, as well as dogs and cats. And honestly, most animals, haha! This is probably related to why I am vegetarian – I just have respect for animals and I think they are so cute. Whenever I move into a household that doesn’t have a cat, I plan to get a bunny. I’m not exactly sure what this affinity says about me as a person, but I think I admire their innocence and ability to simply exist and be themselves in a carefree way. I think as you grow older, it’s hard to avoid becoming cynical, but I want to make sure I appreciate all of the amazing things that I have experienced and acknowledge the privilege of my situation.”
CA: Several of the themes involving the release of Tsukino 月の included “dawn,” “solitude,” and “infatuation,” but what do the tracks in Sukikirai 好き嫌い represent? How do you feel you’ve progressed as an artist, or as a person, between the release of these EPs?
MS: “The track titles of Sukikirai 好き嫌い translate to “One Step,” “Likes and Dislikes,” and “Beast” or “Creature.” Ippo一歩, the first song, is a love song, talking about wanting someone to be vulnerable with you and letting go of your pride to take that step. Sukikirai 好き嫌い is a song about what it meant for me to grow up and a reflection on my relationship to music throughout that process. It’s also a love song in some ways, and again touches on vulnerability, as well as wanting to become more dependable. Kemono is slightly different from the other songs in that it has more of a narrative – it tells the story of a creature in the forest that wants to hide from everything, and, drawing from the lyrics, is playing “a game of solitary hide and seek.” The song expresses a feeling that I sometimes experience of wanting to hide from everything, even though no one is looking for me.
As an artist, I think I’ve progressed a lot in my songwriting and have more clarity about the way I like to write songs as well as the way I like to put them together with my band. I think this EP has more indie-rock and indie-folk influences, as opposed to the bossa nova influence that was central in my first EP. I also think my voice has grown a lot, and it feels like I can do more with it than when I recorded my first EP.”
CA: As someone who works hard to cultivate an aesthetic presence online, what do you think draws you to participate in visual and musical expression specifically? Is there any aesthetic presentation that you couldn’t live without (e.g. makeup, aforementioned bunny hats, lots of pink), and when do you think you look the most like “you”?
MS: “I think I’m drawn to visual and musical expression because it comes naturally—I write music that I like and I wear whatever feels most comfortable and authentic to me. I think visual and musical expression go hand in hand, especially in today’s music industry. It’s so important to develop both aspects. In my own aesthetic presence and presentation, I do what feels comfortable. It’s interesting because on a day-to-day basis, I wear very baggy clothes and wouldn’t be surprised if I was mistaken for a “boy,” but I also feel very comfortable presenting in a more “feminine” way. Gender is just so fluid, and however I present myself, I am just a person. I feel like myself either way, and I feel good about that because it never feels like I am dressing up for something or trying to look a certain way for any reason other than for myself. I definitely can’t live without pink and animal ears – these are things that I find to be so cute, and I love feeling cute.”
CA: Given the almost mystic nature of your lyricism and soulful jazzy influences, if you were given the opportunity to learn anything about the future, what would you want to know?
MS: “That is such an interesting question. Something that I would be interested in knowing is how music is going to evolve – I wonder what popular music is going to sound like 100, 1000, years from now, and what type of influence music will have in society. What will artists look like? Will music be made by computers? It’s already happening now, so I wonder if that will become the norm.”
CA: Though unlikely to be the cause, mental health issues and depression seem to be a recurring issue for those who play jazz, including that of some of your idols, like John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk. Would you consider yourself a happy person? For you personally, what emotional state is most conducive to producing good art?
MS: “I would consider myself a happy person at this point in my life. There have definitely been times where I would’ve said otherwise, but I think I’ve grown a lot and have learned to be secure and comfortable with who I am, which I think has a lot to do with music. I have written some of my best songs when I’m really sad, but I would say that I have also written some of my favorite songs from a place of love and joy, albeit not as many. I think either of these emotional states is conducive to writing good songs, and aside from the emotion, I think it also has a lot to do with being in a creative mindset. I have written a lot of my favorite songs when I am inspired by a specific voicing or arpeggio fingering I learned on the guitar or a cool harmonic technique I just learned at school.”
CA: One of the best parts about getting to do this interview series is getting to learn all sorts of wild and funky facts from our guests, one of my personal favourites being your discovery that cows actually have best friends! Since the last time we spoke, have you learned any more quirky cow-or-non-cow-related fun facts?
MS: “Something that I recently found out is that some cats have opposable thumbs. My friend recently got a cat named Bean, and his paws are so so cute because they look like little mittens, and he can kind of grab things with his paws thanks to his thumbs.”
Caitlin Andrews: Where can our readers find you? (If they aren’t following you already!)
Mei Semones: “They can find me on all major streaming platforms under the name Mei Semones, on Instagram @mei_semones, on TikTok @meisemones, and can find more info on my website, meisemones.com. Thanks again so much for having me. I’m a huge fan of Periphery Magazine, and so excited to be featured again :).”
Periphery Magazine thanks Mei Semones for her contribution, and wishes her luck with her future releases! You can find her on social media and streaming platforms here:
Instagram: @mei_semones
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCycFxp-bzbl6k182IpAUMnw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3Cp20KSVlMlFuOdqiqHFGR?si=8Io5RRHZTt-4s0lGo8MGJA
Website: https://www.meisemones.com/
If you are interested in being featured in Periphery Magazine’s interview series surrounding interesting people in creative roles, please contact Madison Case at: theperipheryzine@gmail.com.