Known as the singer of “Suzume feat. Toaka” from the Golden Globes nominated anime film “Suzume,” 21 year-old singer-songwriter Toaka came into music like many others her age. She first caught attention on TikTok, via covers of other songs and eventually her originals, leading to major-label looks, produced by Yojiro Noda (RADWIMPS), and a chance to work with Japanese rock band RADWIMPS. Growing up in Tokyo, Toaka was surrounded by music, with some of her formative memories coming from listening to ‘80s-era Japanese pop alongside Western acts such as Queen and Billy Joel in her family’s car. As she grew up, she explored her own creativity, from joining her school’s brass band club to starting a rock group with fellow students Already gaining attention online, Toaka’s big break came when she had the opportunity to audition for a guest vocalist spot on a song composed by Japanese band RADWIMPS for director Makoto Shinkai’s 2022 animated feature film Suzume. She landed it and contributed a performance highlighting both the understated and soaring side of her voice on the movie’s title track. In Feb. 2024, Toaka released her 1st major EP Boku Dakeno Ai, where she showed the range of both her artistry and personal self. The EP serves as an introduction to one of the most engaging voices of an emerging generation. With “NEW ERA” and “Dear my dawning,” her most recent releases, Toaka has just begun writing a new chapter in J-pop.