INTERVIEW: Tomonori shares new single “Lantern”

Dublin-based Tomonori is a Japanese-Irish artist crafting a highly original sound that’s equally experimental and accessible, blending intricate musicianship with emotional context. His music stands at the crossroads of pop, art rock, afropop and electronica, where melody and meaning collide in harmonic fashion. Drawing inspiration from pioneering figures like Björk and Donald Fagen, as well as jazz legends Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, he creates soundscapes that balance sophistication with sincerity.

Onstage, from Dublin Modular’s Spectrum at Rua Red to Whelan’s with Akrobat, Tomonori’s performances reveal an artist who treats sound as a vehicle for storytelling, something profoundly human and thoroughly immersive. His debut album, 2022’s Immense Dwelling, established him as one of Ireland’s most inventive new voices via a record built on intimacy and experimentation, translating complex emotion into engaging musical moments.

Since then, he’s continued to share well-received releases as well as collaborating with French certified platinum producer YDTHXGRT. Their creative partnership has become a defining part of Tomonori’s sonic story, leading to his most ambitious project yet, his sophomore album Hypernonchalant, a kaleidoscopic exploration of emotion, culture and connection.

Now he brings us the perfect taste of his forward-thinking sound with his recent single titled “Lantern,” the lead single lifted from his latest record, which was co-produced with frequent collaborator YDTHXGRT. The track serves up a stunning fusion of Afropop grooves, shimmering indie pop melodies and slick electronic production, all threaded together by Tomonori’s alternative R&B style vocals and art rock aesthetic.

Opened by the soft warble of woozy synth textures, glistening tones glide through the mix before the hop of rustling percussion sets the track in motion. With Tomonori’s expressive voice spinning catchy melodic leads over the groove of shuffling percussion and big bouncy basslines, the track flows with the intricate rhythm of funky guitar notes and drifting sweep of atmospheric elements, forming a superb sound that’s energising, dreamy and fiercely unique all at once.

Peppered with delicate instrumental flourishes and propelled by infectious grooves, “Lantern” delivers a compelling jam that’s memorable and unlike anything else. As he continues to go from strength to strength on his exciting musical adventure, Tomonori once again lays down an epic display of his originality and visionary sound that’s sure to charm listeners all over the world.

We caught up with Tomonori to find out more about his musical journey so far, his new single “Lantern” and what he’s got lined up for the future. Check out our interview with Tomonori below.

Hey Tomonori, how’s things?

Things are great, thank you! I’m currently riding the wave of the new album release, which is a mix of relief and healthy curiosity about what I’d like to do with it next. It’s exciting to finally have the music out there, especially after a long enough gestation period. Thanks so much for having me.

How did you find making your new single “Lantern”?

Conceptually, “Lantern” was one of the clearest tracks I’ve ever worked on. It was incredibly visual, almost palpable, in my head from the start. The inception begins with a character, wide-awake at night in bed, who finds their feet, like feelers, searching for comfortable patches to rest. They touch the edge of a blanket or sheet, and that specific sensation turns into one of sand, which in turn becomes a kind of portal to the deep sea. It’s a multi-modal (hence everyday) experience, and while it might technically be described as a dream, you are so conscious of every detail, which creates that feeling of being “light and hyper-vigilant.”

Paradoxically, this made it one of the toughest songs I’ve written or sung. My co-producer, YDTHXGRT, and I were both pushed outside of our comfort zones, especially with the beat, which was definitely beyond my original vocabulary. Now, looking back, I feel the process has come full circle. I picked this one as a single after the album completion, as I thought it could serve as a symbolic and spiritual entry point—it would probably be the eye if the entire album were a creature.

What message did you want to get across with this release?

I tend to think of it less as a fixed ‘message’ and more as an embodied concept or experience. I’m not really good at handing out messages or answers through my songs. Instead, I try to capture a detailed snapshot of this complex yet peculiar concept and present it as best as I can. In a way, a concept took shape in the form of music, and I played the role of a sculptor. Or, to put it simply, I didn’t want the music to be a medium for me; rather, I strove to be a medium for the music itself.

If I were to give a meta-message as the author, I wanted to convey that such a concept exists, and to be affirmative about it. For example, acknowledging that trauma exists and then shedding a 21st-century, contemporary light upon it.

How else do you find inspiration for your music?

Inspiration is usually found outside of music itself, and this project wasn’t an exception. My album Hypernonchalant is a song cycle specifically themed on trauma in a 21st century light. I’m endlessly fascinated by concepts that are hard to grasp or define, such as the phenomenon of inherited experience, self-other boundaries, and particularly by how concepts like trauma and perhaps even neurodivergence are being discussed and framed more widely today. These are phenomena that have long existed, of course, but the vocabulary and understanding around them are certainly evolving.
So much literature and so many tropes have accumulated around these ideas, but I wanted something palpable and contemporary enough to snapshot that concept—specifically depicting trauma in a non-soldier-connoted way (i.e., moving beyond ‘shell shock’, ‘2000-yard stare’, or maybe even the more common ‘fight-or-flight’) and as something more prevalent and not limited to specific wars or genders. I often see my music as trying to embody these philosophical or psychological concepts, just like any art form can do.

Which artists do you draw most inspiration from?

As far as this latest release is concerned, I actually curated a playlist as a reminder of this project, which I think answers this effectively. I named it “Quarry of Global Flow,” which mines the core inspirations and influences behind my album (Hypernonchalant), plus some relevant expansion of those ideas. At the foundation, you have the boundary-pushing Art Pop attitude of Björk and the profound Neo-Soul spirit and flow of D’Angelo.

For this project, the real novelty lies in the fusion, which was heavily influenced by my co-producer, YDTHXGRT. We pushed to blend that intimate, complex vocal delivery with rhythms that don’t usually accompany it—specifically drawing on Amapiano and Afro-Rhythm. So, artists like Sha Sha, Rema, or PHABO were crucial in helping us forge a deeper, global flow, injecting a rhythmic energy that’s entirely new to my sound. It’s about fusing those unexpected elements to create a fresh musical space.

How has your own style and sound evolved since you started out?

It’s become much more flow-conscious (as in, in terms of melodies, choruses, lyrics, and perhaps the state of mind while I was working on it, too), which I largely owe to collaborating with YDTHXGRT. Initially, my approach was perhaps a little too rigidly structured. Working together has introduced a much-needed fluidity and consciousness into the mix. I may still be a huge nerd about structure, but now it breathes a lot more. I feel like I’ve finally used my unused core muscles.

What would you say is the perfect setting for listeners to enjoy your sound?

For this album, and probably my sound in general, I’d suggest it’s best enjoyed as a sort of philosophical companion on an insomniac night. It’s music for introspection and late-night orbits. (Of course, I leave its potential totally open if someone dances to it or drives with it, as the gestation period is over!)
It’s not trying to give an answer; it might provoke questions for some people. Maybe it’s chill but not so chill as to be background music. I tried to write it in a way that hopefully changes the way it appears itself—though it may be this peculiar, finite audio data, it’s as if the same stain can symbolise a ‘B’ or a ’13’ or else, depending on the context.

What’s the main thing you want people to get out of listening to your music?

Truly, I don’t believe there’s one thing people get commonly, but I hope it reaches someone and helps them feel affirmed in whatever complex, unnamed feeling or experience they might be sitting with. If my music provides an abstract, yet relatable, vessel for their own internal world, even for one person, then I’ve succeeded.
I believe art is a catalyst for dialogue: dialogue with a piece of art, dialogue with oneself, dialogue with others…. I hope my music can play such a role for someone, somewhere.

What’s been your highlight of 2025?

Undoubtedly, the highlight has been the release of the album, Hypernonchalant. It’s been a long journey (though it’s kinda normal for me), involving a dedicated internal process of realising my own sense of flow. The inception originated back to late 2021, so finally having it out there is a huge milestone for me, like one less thing off my body.

What do you love about the Dublin music scene?

The Dublin scene is fascinating because it allows you to dig to find the core scenes, even if you’re not operating in the traditional singer-songwriter or rock/indie lanes. And once you find those pockets, they are incredibly supportive and vibrant. I’ve had amazing experiences, whether it was playing a gig at Dublin Modular’s Spectrum or playing synth with the brilliant Akrobat.
Culturally, though, what I genuinely adore is how seriously, yet nonchalantly, art is taken here. I can’t overgeneralise, of course, but it’s simply common, like a staple, a natural part of people’s lives. It exists as it should, rather than being treated as some kind of exclusive luxury.

Who would be your dream artist to collaborate with?

Okay, this is where my inherent shyness kicks in! If I’m being honest, I’d rather just watch my dream artists perform live before my very eyes than ‘collabing’ with them in the traditional sense.
However, if I could manifest a wish around my music, it would be to experience a production with someone like James Blake. Alternatively, I’d love to see a song of mine redressed, restyled, or rearranged by more jazz-oriented musicians—Jacob Collier for his sheer, wondrous genius, and Esperanza Spalding for her incredible sense of harmony and groove.
Or, the very thought of it is already making me feel so humble. Put it another way, I would like to continue developing myself until 60, 80, or even beyond, hopefully, and one day I’d like to say thank you to them for their pushing boundaries.

Finally, what do you have lined up next?

The immediate (or not so immediate) plan is to set out and play my songs, not necessarily aggressively gigging everywhere, but slowly and steadily. The studio (or rather, “room & wire,” because we worked remotely) versions are one thing, but I’m really curious to see how my songs shapeshift, transform, and evolve arrangements, when given space to breathe and stretch in a live setting, solo or with someone trusted.

Listen to Lantern below