01Profile
A Mayu Kitazawa Photo
Mayu Kitazawa
Model / Actor — Tokyo
03Interview
Name, here are you from?
Mayu Kitazawa, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.
What do you do?
Model / Actor.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
The Chemical Brothers and their 2019 show at Glastonbury. We all watched the video at a friends’ place. The visuals just seemed to jump right out of the screen and it was crazy how many people were in the crowd. I remember thinking that must have been one hell of a party.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Event flyers have influenced me a lot. I have the book UK Rave Flyers, which compiles dozens of flyers from UK events. The way they were designed back in the day was really cool. A friend also showed me a photobook from the UK rave scene, which was really fun to leaf through. I was inspired to take my own pictures after seeing all those images.
Of all the venues you’ve visited, which is your favourite?
I like the Omotesando club, VENT. The sound is great and there is this industrial feeling about it with the dark and blue atmosphere.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
I’d like to travel back in time ten years and see The Chemical Brothers. I’d be next to them dancing, wearing something outrageous. I hear a lot of stories from some of my older friends, so I’d like to experience that time for myself.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to do a shoot with Sophie. I loved her sensitivity and neutral fashion sense, and I’d like to do a shoot similar to the album 'Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides'. I don’t think an hour would be enough, though.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
That would probably have to be Sophie, again. She became really famous, but I knew nothing about music when I first moved to Tokyo. It was my friends who told me about her. The first time I heard her, I was like, “what am I listening to?” I remember that fresh and exciting feeling of listening to something completely new.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Latch' by Disclosure (ft. Sam Smith). I think the first song I consciously listened to was 'Latch'. I was around 18 at the time. A house DJ friend introduced it to me.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Born Slippy' by Underworld. I first heard it during my secondary school days after watching the film Trainspotting. Everyone goes wild when that track comes on.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'Last Flowers' by Radiohead. It was on the soundtrack to a film I like; Kokuhaku (Confessions). I like the feeling I get when listening to it—like I’m being swept away to a deep place.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen. A song I end up singing along to. Queen aren’t my generation, so I didn’t know much about them. However, I watched the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' film and I looked them up when I got home. The “Mama…” line makes me want to burst out singing (lol).
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
That’s probably most of the songs on my playlist. The music I like is all electric—a lot of acid techno tracks. I don’t really talk about the music I like, so just by answering this question, people might be a bit surprised.
New bands you are listening to now?
Some of the songs on my playlist are from the UK label Shall Not Fade. The art is really cool—it’s stylish mixed with strength. I love that kind of style.
03Interview
Name, here are you from?
Mayu Kitazawa, Aichi Prefecture, central Japan.
What do you do?
Model / Actor.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
The Chemical Brothers and their 2019 show at Glastonbury. We all watched the video at a friends’ place. The visuals just seemed to jump right out of the screen and it was crazy how many people were in the crowd. I remember thinking that must have been one hell of a party.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Event flyers have influenced me a lot. I have the book UK Rave Flyers, which compiles dozens of flyers from UK events. The way they were designed back in the day was really cool. A friend also showed me a photobook from the UK rave scene, which was really fun to leaf through. I was inspired to take my own pictures after seeing all those images.
Of all the venues you’ve visited, which is your favourite?
I like the Omotesando club, VENT. The sound is great and there is this industrial feeling about it with the dark and blue atmosphere.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
I’d like to travel back in time ten years and see The Chemical Brothers. I’d be next to them dancing, wearing something outrageous. I hear a lot of stories from some of my older friends, so I’d like to experience that time for myself.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to do a shoot with Sophie. I loved her sensitivity and neutral fashion sense, and I’d like to do a shoot similar to the album 'Oil Of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides'. I don’t think an hour would be enough, though.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
That would probably have to be Sophie, again. She became really famous, but I knew nothing about music when I first moved to Tokyo. It was my friends who told me about her. The first time I heard her, I was like, “what am I listening to?” I remember that fresh and exciting feeling of listening to something completely new.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Latch' by Disclosure (ft. Sam Smith). I think the first song I consciously listened to was 'Latch'. I was around 18 at the time. A house DJ friend introduced it to me.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Born Slippy' by Underworld. I first heard it during my secondary school days after watching the film Trainspotting. Everyone goes wild when that track comes on.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'Last Flowers' by Radiohead. It was on the soundtrack to a film I like; Kokuhaku (Confessions). I like the feeling I get when listening to it—like I’m being swept away to a deep place.
Best song to turn up loud?
'Bohemian Rhapsody' by Queen. A song I end up singing along to. Queen aren’t my generation, so I didn’t know much about them. However, I watched the 'Bohemian Rhapsody' film and I looked them up when I got home. The “Mama…” line makes me want to burst out singing (lol).
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
That’s probably most of the songs on my playlist. The music I like is all electric—a lot of acid techno tracks. I don’t really talk about the music I like, so just by answering this question, people might be a bit surprised.
New bands you are listening to now?
Some of the songs on my playlist are from the UK label Shall Not Fade. The art is really cool—it’s stylish mixed with strength. I love that kind of style.