Taking inspiration from her dual British-Japanese heritage, UK-based rapper and singer, Miso Extra, blurs the lines between genres and language to create her own unique flavour of music and style! We chat to Miso about the best places to go in London for a Japanese experience, career highlights and her current anime obsessions!
Hi Miso, thanks so much for joining us today. To start, please tell us a bit about yourself and what you do!
はじめましてMiso Extraちゃんです! I’m a dual language musician based in the UK and I make umami for the ears. It’s my own brand of addictive to listen to music where I sing and rap in both English and Japanese.
A peek behind the scenes; Miso during rehearsals
We love the play-on-words with ‘Miso Extra’! Tell us, how did ‘Miso Extra’ come into being?
The name came about as a way for me to reclaim ownership of what was previously used as an insult in popular Western culture. It now serves as a nod to my personality and my love for delicious food.
What would you recommend to someone looking to have a Japanese experience in London?
For something to do I would say visit the British Museum who frequently host a free Tea ceremony demonstration or visit Doki in Harrow who have a beautiful selection of ceramics.
For food I would suggest getting Onigiri and black sesame lattes from Toconoco in Hackney or getting looseleaf tea and ichigo shortcake from Katsute 100 in Islington.
What is the proudest moment of your creative journey so far?
Supporting Thundercat at Brixton and headlining the BBC Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds festival were some big moments for me but truthfully I’m proud of every moment. The whole journey of being allowed to create is honestly a huge honour.
We’ve been told that you’re an anime-lover and that you grew up watching it. What anime would you recommend to someone who’s looking to get into it but is overwhelmed by choice?
I love anything Studio Ghibli! I was actually invited to see the RSC adaptation of Totoro at the Barbican which was honestly magical. I can’t recommend it enough. Aside from that I would have to recommend my current obsessions which are The Disastrous Life of Saki K or SpyXFamily.
We also heard you have family in Nagano. If you had to recommend a place or experience in Nagano to someone who is visiting for the first time, what would it be?
The Onsen and snowsports!
What is the one thing you would import into the UK from Japan, if you could? (can be an item, a custom, a phenomenon etc)
Daiso, FamilyMart and Kotatsu.
What’s the best way that people can check out your music and/or see you perform?
You should be able to find my music on most streaming platforms and I’ve just released a song with an artist called Harve which you should definitely check out. As for live shows I’ve not got any in the diary yet but new music is on the horizon so stay tuned!
The famous hot-spring-bathing snow monkeys of Jigokudani, Nagano
What are the next career goals for you?
Always aspiring to make music I’m proud of.
Thank you for talking with us!
To hear more music and the latest updates on when and where you can see Miso performance, be sure to follow her on YouTube, Instagram or Twitter.
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