Name: Marina Sakimoto aka Shunkan
Nationality: American
Occupation: Singer, songwriter
Recent release: Shunkan's new album Kamikaze Girl is out via Rite Field.
Recommendation for Los Angeles: All Things & More. It’s my favorite local thrift store, and its chaotic/vibrant energy is all thanks to the owner Zach. He always asks how I am and makes sure to feed me (typically with tamales). He is just so full of life and love.
Things that I am passionate about but rarely get to talk about: There are certain movies that have either been forgotten or dismissed, but for some reason they have a soft spot in my heart.
Mac and Me is absolutely one of them. Everyone thinks it’s a movie funded by McDonald’s, but it’s not! It was supposedly funded by their supplier Golden State Foods. There are a lot of weird sponsorships in that film, including a Japanese bank chain that doesn’t exist in the US, but McDonald’s was not directly involved.
E.T. is one of my favorite films of all time, so I’m definitely not saying that Mac and Me is breathing the same rarified air, but there are some genuine movie moments that my heart can’t deny. Seeing it with a crowd is nothing but blissful joy.

If you enjoyed this Shunkan interview and would like to stay up to date with her music, visit her official website. She is also on Instagram, and bandcamp.  



There can be many different kinds of energy in art – soft, harsh, healing, aggressive, uplifting and many more. Which do you tend to feel drawn to most?

I find myself drawn to this heartfelt aggression. I love it when art can challenge me and my boundaries.

I’m an LA-native and was raised with a Japanese father, so I’ve been told plenty of times that I’m “too polite”, but I’m trying to break that down a bit with this record.

I have had a hard time explaining that listening to death metal calms me down. When you listen to a song with a particular energy, does it tend to fill you with the same energy – or are there “paradoxical” effects?

I totally get it! Sometimes music isn’t necessarily adding anything, but rather mirroring the listener and how they’ve been feeling that day.

When you feel seen like that, of course you’re going to feel more at peace.

In as far as it plays a role for the music you like listening to or making, what role do words and the voice of a vocalist play for the transmission of energy?

As a listener, it’s important, sure. Words aren’t necessary to convey something emotionally.

However, I’ve always loved layering vocal melodies, but they were typically hidden away on demos or I didn’t have the time/budget to record everything I wanted to in a studio. So I was happy when I was able to include vocal harmonies on “Prettier”.



It’s so emotionally satisfying – maybe even more than yelling.

When it comes to composing / songwriting, are you finding that spontaneity and just a few takes tend to capture energy best? Or does honing a piece bring you closer to that goal?

It can feel like capturing lightning in a bottle.

If a melody or phrase strikes in my head, I have to immediately go somewhere to mumble it into my Voice Memos. I may accidentally hear another melody on the radio or something and then it’s gone – but I do think the strongest melodies will stick around. If it’s in your head for a few days, that could be a sign it’s worth working on.

I remember that’s how it was with “Usual Suspects”, at least.



For your current release, Kamikaze Girl, what kind of energy were you looking for?

I think I was looking for an energy that felt nostalgic to me.

It’s a little hazy, fuzzy, and things are romanticized … but it would feel dishonest to get totally lost in that.

How do you capture the energy you want in the studio?

For this album, it was just me most of the time with either Alex or session drummer Aaron Farinelli and I loved it.

There’s something about being in an incredibly peaceful environment to make loud music.

What role do factors like volume, effects like distortion, amplification, and production in general for in terms of creating the energy you want?

Those elements can really make up most of the energy. It really defines the personality of each song.

I wasn’t sure about the track “Talk is Cheap” until I heard the final mix. It suddenly felt like it had some sort of personality to it, and that was all thanks to the production.



In terms of energy, what changes when you're performing live on stage, with an audience present, compared to the recording stage?

I guess it depends on the crowd. I’ve played shows where I feel like a goldfish in a bowl and everyone’s just standing around gawking at you, but it’s most exciting when you see people lock in.

They’re in it with you, and you can feed off of it. That’s the best kind of live energy.

Would you say that you prefer to stay in control to be able to shape the energy or do you surrender to it and allow the music to take over? Who ultimately has control during a live performance?

I’ve always been someone who lets the music take over. I like getting lost in it.

The energy that music is able to generate can be extremely powerful. How, do you think, can artists make use of this energy to bring about change in the world?

I don’t think artists necessarily have the answers or should be looked to for guidance, but artists are best when they focus on making something that feels authentic and honest to themselves.

I want to connect to art that feels authentic, textured, lived in, and that gives me some sort of hope for the world because that piece of work exists.