Yukimi Nagano (of Little Dragon)

Photo by Fredrik Egerstrand

You know those moments where you feel a sense of gratitude towards the people who’ve been in your life for a long time? That’s how I feel about today’s guest, Yukimi Nagano of Little Dragon. I’ve been very lucky to have crossed paths with her throughout the years, but beyond that, I’m also a massive fan of the music that she makes. There’s a sincerity, confidence, and resolve that comes across her art that constantly leaves me astounded, and those feelings have reached critical mass when it comes to her debut solo album, For You (which is out now). On today’s podcast, I chat with Yukimi about what the album's songs largely center around: the unexpected necessity of experiencing ego death and how it allows you to better serve society, especially in the context of making art. The songs of For You are some of the most emotionally rich and revealing songs that Yukimi’s ever written, and I really wanted to explore “why” with her; why she needed to write these songs and put them out into the world.

After you hear the episode, be sure to check out Yukimi’s track Break Me Down on the official New Exchange Playlist. Also, be sure to follow Yukimi Nagano on Spotify and Instagram.