Mei Semones has taken out the prestigious Anchor Award at the Reeperbahn Festival in Hamburg, marking a career-defining moment for the rising Japanese-American artist.
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 2000, Semones grew up surrounded by music. She began on piano before switching to guitar at eleven and immersed herself in a strong high school jazz program before studying at Berklee. That early jazz training continues to pulse through her work, even as she blurs the lines between indie rock, J-pop, bossa nova, math rock and emo.
Her early EPs, Tsukino and Kabutomushi, hinted at a singular style built on bilingual lyrics, genre-bending arrangements and adventurous musicianship. But it was her debut full-length Animaru, released this year through Bayonet Records, that showed the full scope of her vision.
On Animaru, Semones balances technical dexterity with emotional weight. “Tora Moyo” plays as a love letter to her guitar, full of intricate electric and acoustic interplay. “Donguri” slows the tempo for a meditative duet of guitar and bass, while the closer “Sasayaku Sakebu” builds into a six-minute epic that swings from waltz to soaring chorus before dissolving into a lullaby. Across the album, her jazz sensibilities are never far from the surface, expressed through fluid harmonies, rhythmic shifts and improvisational flair.
The Anchor Award is about originality, live power and international promise. Semones was selected ahead of nominees Cara Rose, Carpetman, RIP Magic, Soft Loft and Sorvina, with the jury including heavyweights such as Suzi Quatro and Laurie Anderson.
For young jazz fans, Semones is an artist to watch. She translates the improvisational spirit of jazz into unexpected contexts, expanding its language while making it accessible to new audiences. Mei Semones is one of the most exciting new voices reshaping the sound of modern jazz-infused music.
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