Kabutomushi + Tsukino

Description

At 23 years old, singer, guitarist, and composer Mei Semones delivers a delicate and instinctive fusion of jazz, bossa nova, and math rock. Originally from Michigan and now based in Brooklyn, she draws on her favorite genres to craft cathartic and singular music that is both technical and sensitive. Trained in jazz at Berklee, she surrounds herself with former classmates – including string instrumentalists Noah Leong (viola) and Claudius Agrippa (violin) – to enrich her tracks with orchestral depth. On her first single with Bayonet, “Wakare no Kotoba” (“farewell words” in Japanese), she blends complex arpeggios in odd meters with lyrical arrangements to tell the story of the end of a toxic friendship in an “anti-love song” that is as refined as it is heartbreaking. Singing in English and Japanese, Mei Semones explores romantic obsession, vulnerability, and the quest for authenticity with a discreet yet captivating virtuosity. After a critically acclaimed EP in 2022 and an initial tour alongside Raavi, she continues to carve her own path at the intersection of genres, balancing intimacy and sophistication.