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What genres did you listen to when you were growing up? How do you think your environment shaped the music you make now?

I grew up with pop, jazz, and operatic pop. Yes, my environment definitely shaped the music I make now. 

Did your familial history or ancestral lineage have any effect on your music?

My entire family loves to sing, including my mother and both grandmothers.

What are your favorite music genres and why?

My favorite genres are pop, jazz, and operatic pop. I like operatic pop because, in my view, it's a classier way of singing. It's a subgenre of pop music that is performed in an operatic singing style or a song, theme, or motif from classical music stylized as pop.

Any singers/songwriters that inspired your creativity? Dream collab?

I’m inspired by my life experiences, including my interactions with friends as well as my personal feelings. Would love to collaborate with Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, and many more artists.

What stories do you wish to tell through your singing/songwriting? What do you want your audience to know about you?

I guess each song tells a story. It could be about love or about broken heart...or about different motivational ideas, we are all going through this pandemic so people can find themselves immersed in some of my music.

Do you have any other artistic forms of expression?

Yes, I love to paint.

What's the story behind Magic World? Is there a man that inspired you to write about your relationship?

What I can say it’s all about pure feelings and real-life moments and experiences with friends.

Do you see yourself performing live in the near future and/or going on tour? With the pandemic it's hard to plan ahead, but what are your thoughts in general?

It’s hard to say about touring but I do intend to have live performances, hopefully, this will happen soon in NYC.

Do you play any instruments? Do you wish to learn to play any instruments?

I used to play piano but I wasn't in love with the instrument.

How do you create music? What's your process and what inspires you the most?

Could be a sound or a voice but usually, I will have a dream or idea of a line or verse, I'll wake up, quickly write it down and then go back to sleep. Or I create directly in the studio.

What was the defining moment for you that solidified your decision to sing, personally and professionally?

I always loved to make music but I was busy with my modeling career. When the pandemic hit, I took the opportunity to work on my music.

What does music mean to you? What do you want your audience to gain from your music?

I feel that through music, the human soul is bared. Someone will resonate with my music, and someone else won't. That's perfectly fine.

What do you want your fans to know? Any messages for your supporters?

I'm working hard on new music and soon I hope to have a live concert in NY.

Your stage name is Mateia, what's the meaning behind the name? 

It’s just my second name Matei(a) easier to remember.

INTERVIEWED: ZANNA SHAPIRO 

PHOTOGRAPHY: CHAMA

STYLING: HISSA IGARASHI

MAKEUP: MIZU

MAKEUP: MICKA 

HAIR: YOHEY NAKATSUKA 

HAIR: KAZU KATAHIRA 

MODEL: ELENA MATEI 

PHOTO ASSISTANT: NAO FUKUI and MOEKA ONOSE

EDITED BY KAREN YABUTA