Photo credit: YAR
Japanese-born singer-songwriter Grace Aimi returns today with her vivid, emotional debut album, If, out now via Capitol Records. The project’s 12 tracks are all intricate, meditative pieces of eclectic pop, each with its own unique themes, moods, and identities. Aimi’s core message rings true over every shining sound. “I want to show people there’s a way to go through something bad and still come out happy,” she says. “I can feel sad or lonely, but there’s a perfect world out there that I just need to go find.”
“While writing this album I was going through a lot in my personal life and my mental state wasn’t the best at times, but I started getting tired of being in that negative cycle so I found peace in writing about negative situations either ending in a positive way or seeing it in a positive light. My favorite songs I’ve written are always the happy sounding sad ones.”
Aimi explores this reflective, inspiring tone with the lead single “If,” on which she rhythmically rattles off her experiences with fake love yet stands firm in her refusal to settle until she finds the real thing. She knows she’s worth it. “My love is a drug, it might be lethal,” she sings in the chorus. “But I swear you the trip is no compare.” The slow-burning, soulful August single “What’s Perfect?” again showcases Aimi’s intoxicating melodies and a soothing lo-fi vibe that she originally explored on the evocative March ballad “True Feelings”—which shines anew in its place on If. Each song is a little different, but they all add new colors and textures to the otherworldly pop Aimi has dedicated herself to making over the last few years.
“My favorite lyrics from the album is definitely from my song “What’s Perfect?” It goes “Grass is greener on the other side but is that the only thing you’re seeing? Man the only thing that keeps on growing is the side that you keep feeding”. When I first wrote that line it had me cheesing hella hard because it felt like I gave myself an answer that I had been looking for. This line is also my family’s Number one.”
“My second favorite lyric is one is from my song “OHAYO”.“毎日が幸せ Happinessはただで”
This line translates to “Everyday is happy and happiness is free.” I wrote this line when I was in high school and at the time all we would do is go to the beach and chill, never spent any money yet we never failed to have a great time. I think I would always take like 20 dollars for the whole day and some days I would come back without anything spent. This showed me that no matter how many riches you have it doesn’t mean you’re the happiest. I always live with this mind set.”
