2022 might be winding down but LA-based musician Wallice is just getting started. Today she shares her new song “Japan” via Dirty Hit(the 1975, Beabadoobee, Rina Sawayama). The song is released today alongside a music video as well as a Japanese version where Wallice sings in Japanese. Wallice is never afraid to get personal with her clever and introspective lyrics but here we see her get into deeper, emotional territory. The result is a stunning track, sure to pull on the heartstrings and remind us all about the importance of family and we need to truly treasure every moment. 

Wallice explains her connection, telling us “My father was born and raised in Tokyo and lived there until he was 27, and my mother lived there for a couple years in the 90s, so Japanese culture has heavily influenced my identity. I don’t know my father’s family in Japan at all. I’ve only met them once when I was little at my grandfather’s funeral, and since then my grandmother has passed. Recently my mother moved across the country from California to Georgia which has left me without that familial sense of home. This song explores where home is and why I am so drawn to Japan.”

Wallice also shares the music video for the single. On the video, she notes “This video is really special. It is my first time back in Japan after covid, so almost four years. I absolutely love Japan- it’s my favorite place in the world. I feel like over covid and just growing up, I have lost touch with my culture. I don’t stay for weekends at my dad’s house like I did when I was little, which means I don’t actively listen to or speak Japanese anymore. I feel like I have lost a lot of my comprehension of the Japanese language, so it was nice to go back and after a few days realize a lot was coming back to me. I have family from Japan, but it’s still such a place of wonder and unknown, and I hope this video can capture Japan’s beauty and mystique.”

This marks Wallice’s first new single following the release of her EP, 90s American Superstar, earlier this year. The indie pop wunderkind has swiftly become one of Gen Z’s most exciting new voices for her tongue-in-cheek, self-effacing anthems that capture the anxiety of growing up. Wallice is also hitting the road for a string of headline shows which kicks off in Chicago on November 30th, followed by stops in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

Photo Courtesy: Nicole Busch