Trilingual Gen-Z singer ASA Wu is a rising star. The artist has roots in Taiwan and Japan, and the gap between her powerful voice and cute baby face is attracting attention from both the music industry and other creative fields. Since the release of her debut song Bloomer in April 2021, she has continued to gain momentum, debuting her first EP omen alongside the music video for MO-MO, a sexy electronic dance hit making waves worldwide.

ASA Wu’s highly-anticipated new single Uncolor was released on April 8, 2022, and is currently being featured as a part of the Artiswitch anime project. Artiswitch, a collaborative anime series made by SUNRISE (Mobile Suit Gundam, Love Live!) and ASOBISYSTEM, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s agency, premiered on YouTube on May 28, 2021. The series brings together a wide range of content pulling from fashion, art, and music trends, especially those found in Harajuku.

MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON recently sat down with Asa Wu to chat about her career, her charm, and to get a closer look at her true self. 

The Artist’s Early Interest in Music

“I’ve been singing since I was a kid. I’d sing at home and put on shows by myself. When we’d sit down for dinner, I’d tell my parents I was going to put on a dinner show. When I lived in Taiwan, before I’d go to bed, I’d ask my grandma to listen to me. But honestly, the praise I got didn’t mean much to me as a little girl. I knew a lot of kids who would do their best to help around the house just to get praise, but for me? I just wanted to make everyone happy by singing.” ―ASA WU

ASA Wu’s journey into the world of music began early in her childhood. As a young girl, she was overjoyed to see her family enjoying her singing, inspiring her to chase a music career. Her family remains her primary motivation to this day. Her voice has a warm quality to it, and it’s clear when speaking to ASA Wu that singing comes naturally to her.

Music and ASA Wu

“This might be cliche, but if I had to describe music to myself, I’d say “NO MUSIC, NO LIFE.” It’s like, when I’m sad or stressed, what do I do? Everyone has their own ways to clear their mind or destress, but for me, it’s only music. Music is easy–it can instantly change your mood. It can make you feel happy, it can motivate you. Just listening is such a simple thing to do, but it can really change your behavior and your actions. That’s what I aim to do for people with my music.”

―ASA WU

For ASA Wu, music is akin to life itself. No matter what troubles or challenges life brings, music is there. Music can conquer stress and offer clarity when her emotions are muddled. When writing lyrics, the singer defaults to taking an emotional approach, drawing inspiration from characters in the stories she writes in her head, or from the life lessons she writes in her notebook each day. Through her music, Wu wants to share feelings that people may have never been able to express before. Just as music has supported her, she only wants her music to support others.

Uncolor Music Video

About the New Track, Uncolor

During the songwriting process for her new track Uncolor, Wu decided to express a world in which darkness and light coexist, utilizing an already-created story and beat. The singer says that her favorite lines in the song are “Feeling Sad, you were in that lonely-colored sky,” and “No matter the color, I can’t see the Night Sky.” When asked why, the singer responded candidly. 

“The sky at night may look black, but depending on the state of a person’s mind, it could really look like any color. I just put that thought into words. In the lyrics, I also included the phrase “my friends,” because I wanted to reach out to everyone on earth. We’re all friends.”

During the recording, Wu was conscious of how she could share her feelings through her singing voice. The thought inspired her to darken the room in the hopes that her song could add color to it.

Uncolor is a collaboration between ASA Wu and NANCY SNAKE, an illustrator known for her psychedelic pop worldview that combines realism and romanticism. The collab was made for the ongoing Artiswitch project. 

For ASA Wu, collaboration is a means of discovery, where each artist’s individual colors overlap to create something completely new. She also sees it as an encounter with another self–someone new, born from working with another person. Expectations are high for Wu going forward after seeing how much progress she has made as an artist already.

“I hope that I can convey with my voice what I want to convey with my music, and what I feel like so many of my listeners also want to convey to the world,” the singer said to those who have listened to her songs.

“When I read messages from fans, I really try to understand what they’re thinking. I often empathize with their emotions, and I want to put those emotions into my music,” Wu says. “I want people to hear my songs and think “wow, I’m so glad ASA sang this!” I hope to become an artist worthy of all of this praise, and I want people to be glad that they supported me. Look forward to what’s coming next!” The artist finished the interview with a wide smile. 

ASA Wu has already inspired an army of fans with her Gen-Z outlook, warm vocals, and one-of-a-kind sound. Try taking a deep breath while listening to her new song Uncolor. Maybe there’s a message in there for you.

TEXT: Natalie（MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON）

ASA Wu

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