Kohei Kondo describes Chima’s music as something out of a fairy tale; soft-spoken yet layered with emotion. Watching them perform together, it’s clear how their crafts complement each other: Chima’s delicate voice weaving stories, while Kondo’s brush captures them in real time. I met them in The Netherlands, where they recorded a quiet, intimate session that includes a cover of Azure Ray’s Sleep. The song, with its hushed melancholy, seems a perfect fit for Chima’s restrained delivery. Meanwhile, Kondo’s strokes on canvas mirror the ebb and flow of her voice, a visual echo of the music’s atmosphere.

Chima’s journey into music began with an ear for melodies in commercials and film scores. “As a child, I was drawn to the music in commercials and movies,” she recalls. Her fascination deepened at ten when she discovered musicals and classical compositions. My father likes movies and music, but I don’t remember him playing music at home because he was always busy. My mother was a nursery teacher before I was born, so she could play the piano. My parents were watching Michael Jackson’s Thriller, and I vividly remember the presence of music in the images.”

Despite initially pursuing veterinary studies, Chima’s path shifted when she encountered the vast musical landscape at university in Hokkaido. By twenty, she began writing songs. “I started writing lyrics for songs written by a friend from the same university. At first, I simply enjoyed matching sounds with words,” she explains. Over time, her lyricism evolved. “I started liking being Japanese and appreciating the Japanese language more, and started leaving a little space rather than saying everything outright and choosing words with an awareness of their beauty.”

Influences from Hokkaido and beyond

For Chima, music is deeply visual. “I’m inspired and moved by the colors and scenery that music evokes,” she says. Voices, too, captivate her: “When I listen to a song, I first focus on the beauty of the voice and how it’s produced.” Among her influences is the Hokkaido band sleepy.ab. “Seeing them live reminded me of the clear, blue beautiful scenery of home,” she shares. “I realized that I could express my favorite scenery through music, and it was like I was waking up.”

She also admires Azure Ray, recalling how she first discovered their music in a film. “There was a backlit scene in the movie and it was really beautiful. Then I looked for the song because I wanted to remember that scene, and the lyrics were beautiful, so I liked it even more. Singing it calms my mind.”

Chima’s music is not just about personal expression but about connection. “Thanks to music, I’ve met so many wonderful people and places,” she reflects. Her recent tour in the Netherlands was a testament to that. “I want to continue creating and expressing myself with all the friends I’ve met until I’m a grandmother.”

Kohei Kondo: Painting in harmony with sound

Kohei Kondo discovered painting at 29, finding a form of expression beyond words. “Painting made it easy for me to express something that was outside of my words. The intuitive expression of painting was appealing,” he explains. He describes his work as improvisational, shaped by the music, audience, and venue atmosphere.

Japanese comics and anime, especially the works of Hayao Miyazaki, influence Kondo’s art, as do traditional Japanese ink paintings and impressionists like Sesshu and Monet. “My paintings style is improvisational art created through the collaboration of music, the audience, and the atmosphere of the venue.”

But it’s Chima’s music that plays a crucial role in his live painting performances. “Her songs are like fairy tales – with a beautiful, whisper-like singing voice, she sings of kindness, sadness, and sometimes absurdity,” he says. “I hope to be able to paint pictures that have a high affinity for such a fairy tale world.”

For Kondo, live painting is about synchronicity. “Each piece is different depending on the music and location,” he explains. Touring the Netherlands last year felt like a dream come true. “I hope to bring live painting to even more countries.”

Photos

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