For our City Stories Season Finale, we’re shining the spotlight on MEEVA, an emerging artist stepping into her musical journey with her debut single, “BREAK THE CHAIN.”
Blending emotional melodies with rap, MEEVA introduces an honest and expressive sound that reflects the desire to break free from expectations, pressure, and the limitations placed upon us. Through her music, she embraces individuality and the courage to choose her own path.
With BREAK THE CHAIN marking the beginning of her journey, MEEVA invites listeners to discover her voice, her story, and the artist she is becoming.
Get to know MEEVA as she shares her inspirations, creative journey, and the meaning behind her debut in this special City Stories Season Finale feature.
For readers who are discovering you for the first time, could you introduce yourself and tell us about the meaning and story behind the name “Meeluvme”?
I’m MEEVA, an artist based in Japan. I express myself in many different ways, mainly through music, but also through fashion, dance, and social media.
Rather than thinking of myself only as a singer, I see myself as an entertainer who wants to make
people feel something through music and fashion. My MBTI type is also ‘The Entertainer,’ by the way!
(laughs)
Before I became MEEVA, one of my biggest personal challenges was learning how to truly love and take care of myself. During my teenage years, there were many times when I felt like I was losing
sight of my goals or failing to value myself.
That is where the idea of ‘Me Love Me,’ meaning to love and take care of myself, came from. I first chose ‘MEE,’ based on the word ‘me,’ to represent becoming my true self.
However, ‘MEE’ alone sounded a little too cute, so I added ‘VA’ to give it more strength and edge. I also liked how the shapes of the letters V and A looked sharp, almost like thorns. That is how the name MEEVA was born.
What inspired you to pursue a career as a singer-songwriter? And when did you decide to seriously pursue music?
I have loved singing, dancing, and performing in front of people since I was young.
I decided to seriously pursue music during my second year of high school. At the time, I was attending an academically focused school, but I transferred to a school where I could study music. That was when I first began to seriously think of music as my future.
Later, from around the age of 19, I spent approximately three and a half years taking lessons and practicing almost every day. I also performed as a member of a girl group. During that time, I started asking myself, ‘Is this really the kind of music I want to make?’ I wanted to express myself more honestly, and that eventually inspired me to begin my journey as a solo artist.
I do not want to limit myself to being only a singer-songwriter. I want to be an artist who expresses herself through singing, rapping, dancing, fashion, and every other creative form available to me.
If you could describe your music style in three words, what would they be?
Hope, authenticity, and trauma.
A lot of my music comes from real experiences and painful moments in my life. I want to include not only bright and enjoyable emotions, but also my weaknesses, doubts, trauma, and honest feelings.
At the same time, I never want the story to end with pain. I want people to find a sense of hope in my music.
I hope they enjoy the sound, but when they read the lyrics, I also want them to feel the emotions behind MEEVA.
Where do you usually draw inspiration from when creating music?
I often find inspiration in my own experiences, the emotions I am feeling at the time, and the person I hope to become.
My relationships and the struggles I experience while pursuing my dreams inspire me, but small
moments in my everyday life – such as makeup, nails, clothes, or conversations with friends – can also become part of a song.
I do not want to write only about an idealized version of myself. I also want to value who I truly am
right now. I try to write honest lyrics that feel grounded in my real life, rather than writing as if I am pretending to be someone else.
I tend to feel things before I think about them, so I make a point of writing down the emotions and words that come to me at the moment. When I am working on a happy song, I might visit a place that makes me feel happy.
When I need to reconnect with a past emotion, I sometimes return to a place
connected to that memory.
Among the songs you have released so far, is there one that holds a particularly special meaning for you? Please tell us why.
“BREAK THE CHAIN” is a very important song to me because it represents a sense of closure.
It expresses my decision to choose my own life instead of continuing to perform the version of myself that other people expected me to be. Rather than continuing to look back at painful experiences and cry over them, I decided that I would stop looking backward and begin reclaiming myself.
For me, the song is not about rejecting my past. It is about accepting that pain as part of who I am and taking a new step forward.
At the same time, my second single, which I will be announcing soon, is also very special to me. It highlights the bright, playful side of my personality. It has a real “entertainer” energy, and I hope it naturally makes everyone who hears it feel happy and excited.
The two songs are meaningful to me for very different reasons.
Compared to when you first started your career, how do you feel your sound and songwriting have evolved and grown?
I only recently made my solo debut, so I do not feel that my sound or songwriting style has changed dramatically yet.
However, almost everything I am doing now is a new experience for me. Every time I try something new, I discover a side of myself that I did not know before. I feel that I am gradually evolving through those experiences.
Right now, I am enjoying those discoveries and allowing them to shape my music.
Moving forward, I want to bring everything I genuinely love into my work – not only through the music itself, but also through my words, fashion, costumes, and visuals – and express it all as one complete world.
What feelings or messages would you like listeners to take away from your music?
I hope my music can give someone the courage to move forward.
I believe it is important to try things without being too afraid. I am the kind of person who tends to take action before overthinking, so I hope that part of my personality and energy comes through in my music and gives someone else courage.
I have also experienced times when I compared myself to others, lost confidence, or struggled because I was trying to live up to other people’s expectations.
Because I have been able to move forward from those experiences, I want to tell people, ‘Even if things are painful right now, you can get through them,’ and, ‘You do not have to be perfect.’
You do not need to be understood by everyone. What matters most is being able to remain true to yourself.
I want to be an artist whose music understands how people feel and gently encourages them to take their next step.
Are you interested in performing overseas? If so, are there any particular countries you would especially like to visit and meet your fans in?
Absolutely. Performing overseas is one of my biggest goals.
Through social media, I already have people supporting me from countries such as the Philippines
and Indonesia, so I would love to visit them and meet them in person someday.
I would also love to perform in Korea and the United States. Even if people cannot understand every
word, I want to create a live experience where everyone can feel connected through the music,
dance, and energy.
Ultimately, I want to bring the world of MEEVA to people in many different places, regardless of
country.
Could you tell us about your creative process, from the moment an idea is born to the completion of a song?
I usually begin by organizing what I have been feeling recently and understanding the emotional state I have been living in.
Much of my music is based on my own life experiences. I turn everything into music, from painful experiences and trauma to genuinely beautiful memories.
From there, I might decide that I want to write about a specific event. I begin collecting keywords, phrases, reference sounds, colors, and even seasons that match the feeling of the song.
I share those ideas with producers and beatmakers, and through our conversations, we gradually develop the melody and lyrics.
I also think about the styling, cover artwork, music video, and how the song will be presented on social media. All of those elements come together to complete one piece of work.
I believe that experiencing painful times can make us appreciate the happy moments that come afterward even more.
I want to value every part of my life – the good and the bad – and express those feelings honestly through music.
Are there any artists, bands, or life experiences that have had a major influence on your music?
I am influenced by many artists, so I do not usually name one person as my single favorite artist. Rather than limiting myself to one artist or genre, I find inspiration in many different forms of music and expression, including the high level of performance in K-pop, the freedom of international pop music, and the way artists create a complete world by combining music and fashion.
However, I think the greatest influence on my music is my own life experience. My experience of pursuing a debut in Korea, my long period as a trainee, my time as a member of a girl group, and everything I experienced before becoming a solo artist have all shaped the way I think and the music I create today.
As an independent artist, what has been the most rewarding moment you have experienced so far?
The most rewarding moment was completing the lyrics for ‘BREAK THE CHAIN’ entirely by myself. Before that, I had never written all the lyrics for an entire song on my own. Being able to transform
my own thoughts and emotions into a complete piece of work gave me an incredible sense of accomplishment.
As a solo artist, nothing begins unless I take action myself. I had many fears and doubts, but I
completed the song and released it. Some listeners told me that it felt as though the song was telling
their own story, while others said that it gave them courage.
Knowing that a song created from my own experiences and emotions could reach someone’s heart and give them strength made me truly happy.
What has been the biggest challenge you have faced in your music career, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest challenge was making the decision to start again on my own.
There was a point when I no longer knew what I truly wanted to do. I had to stop thinking about what
other people expected from me and reconsider my own feelings, one by one. Eventually, I chose to create my own music and move forward as a solo artist.
I would not say that I have completely overcome everything. I am still moving forward, little by little, while turning my experiences and emotions into music.
Is there a particular live performance or milestone in your career so far that you will never forget?
Moving from Fukuoka to Tokyo, pursuing a debut in Korea, debuting as a member of a girl group, and releasing my solo debut song as MEEVA have all been major milestones in my life.
I especially remember the decision to move from Fukuoka to Tokyo during the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the time, I felt that nothing would change if I remained in the same environment. For the first time,
I had a serious conversation with my mother about my future and told her that I wanted to move to
Tokyo. Making that decision became a major turning point in my life.
Every experience has been an important step that led me to who I am today. My solo debut was
particularly meaningful because it allowed me to begin again – not as a version of myself defined by
someone else, but as my true self.
When I experience a creative block, I try to step away from whatever I am working on for a while.
I go shopping, change my nails, talk with friends, travel, or visit a place I have never been before. I
try to go somewhere where I might encounter new people, ideas, or emotions.
Ideas often come to me suddenly when something moves me emotionally in everyday life. Instead of putting too much pressure on myself to create something perfect, I begin again by writing down small
words, thoughts, and emotions.
Are there any artists from Japan or overseas that you would love to collaborate with? What makes you want to work with them?
Rather than naming one particular artist, I would love to collaborate someday with people who once pursued the same dream alongside me.
As I continue to grow and become able to collaborate with more artists, I want to remain humble and
never forget my gratitude for the people I have met along the way.
I would also love to work with artists who have backgrounds and perspectives that are different from
mine. I think something completely new can be created when two very different personalities and
creative styles come together.
As you continue to grow as an artist, what do you value most in expressing your authentic self?
I always ask myself, “Is this something I genuinely love?”
When you are working as an artist, it is easy to become too focused on numbers or other people’s
opinions. However, if I try to make everyone like me, I may eventually lose sight of who I am.
I listen carefully to advice from the people around me, but I believe the final decision should come
from my own feelings. I also make sure that the things I truly love are reflected not only in my music,
but also in my fashion, words, and visuals.
When you experience a creative block or lose motivation, how do you find your way back to inspiration and creativity?
When I experience a creative block, I try to step away from whatever I am working on for a while.
I go shopping, change my nails, talk with friends, travel, or visit a place I have never been before. I try to go somewhere where I might encounter new people, ideas, or emotions.
Ideas often come to me suddenly when something moves me emotionally in everyday life. Instead of putting too much pressure on myself to create something perfect, I begin again by writing down small words, thoughts, and emotions
What role do your fans play in your music and creative journey?
My fans are people who support not only the finished version of me, but also the person I am becoming along the way.
I am still in the middle of pursuing my dreams, and there are times when I feel lost or make mistakes.
Even then, knowing that people are supporting me gives me the strength to try again.
It is not only about me giving energy to my fans. I also receive so much strength from them. They feel
like friends and teammates who are helping me create the future together.
Are there any new songs, live performances, or upcoming projects that you are currently preparing that you can share with us?
I am currently preparing my next song as a solo artist.
With “BREAK THE CHAIN,” I expressed the feeling of breaking free from the things that had held my past self back. In my next release, I want to show the brighter and freer version of myself that exists
on the other side of that experience.
It is a pop and energetic song that I hope will naturally make people want to dance. I want people to
enjoy not only the music, but also the choreography, music video, and fashion surrounding it.
As I continue releasing new music, I also want to create a live show that people will attend specifically
because they want to see MEEVA.
What do you think are the most appealing or unique aspects of Japan’s current indie music scene?
I think one of its greatest strengths is that more artists are creating freely without being limited by genre boundaries.
Through social media, artists in Japan can share their music directly with listeners around the world.
Even without belonging to a large organization, we can create our own music, videos, and fashion
while building independent communities around our work.
At the same time, it can be challenging because we have to think about everything ourselves, from production to promotion. However, that also makes each artist’s individuality and way of thinking much more visible.
Finally, what message would you like to share with your fans around the world, as well as with those who are pursuing their own dreams in music?
When you are pursuing a dream, there will be times when your hard work does not produce the results you hoped for. You may even begin to wonder whether you are suited for it at all. I have experienced those feelings many times myself.
However, even if the path you originally imagined closes, it does not necessarily mean that your dream is over.
Sometimes, taking a different path can lead you to a place where you are able to be even more true to yourself. It is okay if not everyone understands you. Value your own feelings and continue moving forward at your own pace.
I am still pursuing my dreams too, so I hope we can continue growing together.
Be Loud. Be Yourself. Be MEEVA.
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