Originally born in Boston but raised in Paris, with two shrinks for parents, Onsen pulls his inspiration from a variety of different influences. He’s done everything from doing public policy for Google and working production in television, to exploring Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil in a 1982 VW Westfalia as a journalist writing on environmental issues and the rights of indigenous communities’. As an artist, he does all his own stunts on the new project, playing guitar, keys, bass, singing and producing. Onsen resides in Silverlake and is fluent in English, French, Spanish and some Portuguese.
Throughout his music, Onsen uses his personal experiences to examine the unusual world around us. With each of his tracks on Keeper, he explores a new singular experience, many related to love and loss in the queer world of Los Angeles.
Tell us about the genesis of your project. How did you get to where you are now?
Many years ago I was a simple office drone, when my friend asked me to play in a country band. After a year or so of playing in it, I started writing my own music and applied to do an MFA in music at Calarts. In the midst of that, I was traveling in Japan and saw the name Onsen everywhere (it means hot springs or even just hot tub) and I loved the word. I started writing the delicate, sad, songs about longing, heartbreak and coming out and that was my first record. Since then I’ve started playing in some other bands like Harmless and my side project Elio. But Keeper, which just came out a few days ago, is the first record where I sort of felt like I knew what I was doing. I really love it.
How would you describe the highs and lows of being an artist?
Welllll, I think the intermittent crippling self-doubt is probably the low part. Especially, during the period between finishing an album and putting it out there can be this sense of what am I doing? Is any of this good? It can get a little dark. But then there’s this moment I’m at when you finally get to share your work and listen to it all over again with your friends and you realize that maybe it was good all along.
What’s a musical guilty pleasure of yours?
Hmmm. Late 90s/Early 2000s clubby euro pop like Alice DJ and Sonique 
What are some sources of inspiration for you?
Cold noodle soups, unexpected breezes, pretty boys, linen, Kazuo Ishiguro, pretty girls, Brian Eno, disco, psychedelics (the good kind), Tilda Swinton
Who is an artist that you look up to more than others today?
Robyn probably. She’s so clear about what she wants to do as an artist and her sound is always paving the way while also remaining so listenable and catchy. She’s kind of the ultimate at combining experimentation and pure pleasure.
Favorite activity to blow off some steam?
I like to get a little physical. Rock climbing, hiking, swimming, or even my good ol fashion gym.
Tell us about your latest release and how it came about
Keeper was a long time in the making. It came from a period where I had a real sense of urgency around the people I was dating. A good chunk of the songs are me releasing those feelings. I think anyone who lost a parent young as I did or for anyone queer there’s an added intensity around loss or people leaving your life. I got really into experimenting with electronic sounds and synths during that period so while these songs still have a lot of that beachy 60s sounds there’s a lot of weird electronics in there too. And some world music. That’s mostly what my parents listened to when I was growing up so there’s a lot of that lodged deep in my brain.
What are some things you do to deal with anxiety and creative blocks?
This is a very important question. I try to meditate or take walks. Sometimes I’ll call a friend. Anxiety is a tricky beast but sometimes it really helps to just slow down and breathe. For creative blocks, I’ll usually switch gears creatively. I write as well and have ended up doing some work in architecture so switching to one of those outlets and not trying to push too hard through a block can sometimes help me clear things out.
What inspires your visuals, videos, looks etc?
For the album cover I wanted something that felt like a cross between a Dutch Masters portrait/still life and suburban horror a la Gregory Crewdson or Halloween. I liked the idea of someone sitting behind an untouched feast. There’s something unsettling about a vast uneaten meal in an empty(ish) room.
What is the most embarrassing memory and most proud moment of your career so far ?
One of the early shows I played I learned about monitoring the hard way. I could barely barely hear the other band members or my own voice. After the show people were like ‘um that was uh, well good for you for getting up there.’ Honestly the proudest moment is putting this record out. Not to be corny but I’ve never felt so good about something I’ve done creatively, especially as a solo artist.
What is the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Go west young man.
Where do you think the music and entertainment industry is headed after this past year?
I’m really really hoping there’s a massive swing to live shows and excitement about seeing music live. I think there will be (Covid-willing) but that would be a welcome change back towards the communal aspect of music. Also, I’m dating myself a bit here but I’m loving witnessing the way there’s so much dialogue around music or even specific sounds on Tiktok. I’m still extremely JV at it but my favorite thing is to scroll through videos that are all using the same sound and are mostly in conversation with each other. There was one where it’s just a guy saying ‘i’m so proud of you, you’re doing amazing’ and people were posting videos of their old dogs before they died. Kind of a tear-jerker.
