Saya (ex Okinawa Electric Girl Saya)
Born in Okinawa Prefecture in August 2000.
Currently based mainly in Tokyo, she creates a wide range of music rooted in Okinawan music, spanning pop, dance music, folk, ambient, noise, and techno.
As of 2026, she has released five albums and four collaborative albums.
Active since her teens, she has hosted a five-hour Okinawa Electric Girl Saya special on the music streaming program DOMMUNE, performed in the band “Sayakaidan” with Hijokaidan, Japan’s world-renowned noise band, composed the official theme song for Nakano Broadway, the mecca of subculture (released in February 2021), and toured 17 cities across Japan.
Highly acclaimed overseas, her works have been released through labels in Indonesia and Europe.
An Asia tour (South Korea, China, Taipei) and a European tour planned for March 2020 were canceled due to the spread of COVID-19 (only the South Korea, Taipei, and European dates were postponed).
In August 2020, her own radio show “Tokyo no Yoru no Oku kara” (From the Depths of the Tokyo Night) began airing on FM Naha.
In October 2020, her album “Kuro no Tenshi” reached #1 on Russia’s iTunes J-Pop chart. In March 2021, “Sogenji ~Gusuku Nu Nkashi~” topped the iTunes J-Pop chart in the UK.
In June 2021, she streamed a solo live performance hosted by the Swedish Arts Council.
Her track “Himitsu no Vanilla” reached #1 on the iTunes Instrumental charts in Canada in September 2021 and in Sweden in November 2021.
In August 2021, she joined AUTO-MOD DTD, the new band of the legendary AUTO-MOD, whose former members include Tomoyasu Hotei.
On January 26, 2022, she released the album “doomsday ~Shumatsu~,” centered on songs written during the pandemic, with guests including Tabito Nanao. To mark the release, DOMMUNE streamed “Okinawa Electric Girl Saya: Weaving a New Generation of Okinawan Music” on January 27.
In April 2022, she formed the unit “Seiko” with Keiji Haino, a master of the global avant-garde, and released an album in July.
In July 2022, she arranged “SPACE GATE 2022,” the 2022 theme song of the professional wrestling promotion DRAGONGATE, and wrote the lyrics for and sang “Yuki Diamond,” the theme song of D’Courage.
In January 2023, she completed a successful tour of Taiwan.
In January 2024, she performed live in the Netherlands.
In April 2024, she wrote, composed, and sang the theme song for “Kuchu Suizokukan” (Aerial Aquarium) at Nakano Sun Mall Shopping Street.
Her album “Saya” was ranked #9 in Music Magazine’s J-Pop/Kayokyoku Best Albums of 2024.
In April 2025, she performed at a BANDAI NAMCO festival in Shanghai, China, and headlined a successful solo show in Shanghai.
In June 2025, she starred in and provided music for “Osanai Hi no Kioku” (Memories of Childhood), a musical marking 80 years since the end of the war, in Yomitan Village, Okinawa.
In July 2025, she headlined successful solo shows in Tokyo (Koenji HIGH) and Osaka (Yogibo HOLY MOUNTAIN), and closed the Nakano Champuru Festa as the headliner for the second year in a row.
In January 2026, she released “island feat. Saya,” a collaboration with Naoto, leader of ORANGE RANGE, as a digital single.
Currently based mainly in Tokyo, she creates a wide range of music rooted in Okinawan music, spanning pop, dance music, folk, ambient, noise, and techno.
As of 2026, she has released five albums and four collaborative albums.
Active since her teens, she has hosted a five-hour Okinawa Electric Girl Saya special on the music streaming program DOMMUNE, performed in the band “Sayakaidan” with Hijokaidan, Japan’s world-renowned noise band, composed the official theme song for Nakano Broadway, the mecca of subculture (released in February 2021), and toured 17 cities across Japan.
Highly acclaimed overseas, her works have been released through labels in Indonesia and Europe.
An Asia tour (South Korea, China, Taipei) and a European tour planned for March 2020 were canceled due to the spread of COVID-19 (only the South Korea, Taipei, and European dates were postponed).
In August 2020, her own radio show “Tokyo no Yoru no Oku kara” (From the Depths of the Tokyo Night) began airing on FM Naha.
In October 2020, her album “Kuro no Tenshi” reached #1 on Russia’s iTunes J-Pop chart. In March 2021, “Sogenji ~Gusuku Nu Nkashi~” topped the iTunes J-Pop chart in the UK.
In June 2021, she streamed a solo live performance hosted by the Swedish Arts Council.
Her track “Himitsu no Vanilla” reached #1 on the iTunes Instrumental charts in Canada in September 2021 and in Sweden in November 2021.
In August 2021, she joined AUTO-MOD DTD, the new band of the legendary AUTO-MOD, whose former members include Tomoyasu Hotei.
On January 26, 2022, she released the album “doomsday ~Shumatsu~,” centered on songs written during the pandemic, with guests including Tabito Nanao. To mark the release, DOMMUNE streamed “Okinawa Electric Girl Saya: Weaving a New Generation of Okinawan Music” on January 27.
In April 2022, she formed the unit “Seiko” with Keiji Haino, a master of the global avant-garde, and released an album in July.
In July 2022, she arranged “SPACE GATE 2022,” the 2022 theme song of the professional wrestling promotion DRAGONGATE, and wrote the lyrics for and sang “Yuki Diamond,” the theme song of D’Courage.
In January 2023, she completed a successful tour of Taiwan.
In January 2024, she performed live in the Netherlands.
In April 2024, she wrote, composed, and sang the theme song for “Kuchu Suizokukan” (Aerial Aquarium) at Nakano Sun Mall Shopping Street.
Her album “Saya” was ranked #9 in Music Magazine’s J-Pop/Kayokyoku Best Albums of 2024.
In April 2025, she performed at a BANDAI NAMCO festival in Shanghai, China, and headlined a successful solo show in Shanghai.
In June 2025, she starred in and provided music for “Osanai Hi no Kioku” (Memories of Childhood), a musical marking 80 years since the end of the war, in Yomitan Village, Okinawa.
In July 2025, she headlined successful solo shows in Tokyo (Koenji HIGH) and Osaka (Yogibo HOLY MOUNTAIN), and closed the Nakano Champuru Festa as the headliner for the second year in a row.
In January 2026, she released “island feat. Saya,” a collaboration with Naoto, leader of ORANGE RANGE, as a digital single.
Artist Interview
What are your musical roots?
Debussy / Ryuichi Sakamoto / BUCK-TICK
Which artists or labels are you most excited about right now?
- 1.AURORAI'm drawn to her blend of electronic and Nordic music, and to her voice and lyrics. She's truly one of a kind.
- 2.yeuleI love their tracks, their world, and their singing voice. Their look is art in itself, and I never get tired of looking at it.
- 3.KalandraA band from Norway and Sweden. I especially often listen to their albums The Line and Kingdom Two Crowns: Norse Lands Soundtrack.
Tokyo's Local Scene
What is happening in your local music scene right now?
The music I make is so unique that there are few shared-bill events that suit it, which is a real struggle.
What local spots would you recommend?
Listening Bar
小粋 / Koiki— 高円寺 / Koenji
The food is original, fun, and delicious.
Café
ネルケン / NELKEN— 高円寺 / Koenji
A historic café where classical music plays. Time flows very slowly there.
Which local DJs/artists would you recommend?
DJ Isao a.k.a Lucas
isao_aka_lucasShowcases
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