Shima, a former Japanese pop star turned DJ, made her Coachella debut on Sunday, April 20, fulfilling a personal promise she made six years ago.
“This is my first time ever going to Coachella,” said the Tokyo-born artist. “When I moved to L.A. six years ago, I told myself I wouldn’t go unless I played here. It’s finally happening.”
She performed a one-hour set at the Do Lab stage during the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Her music blended genres like trap, hip-hop, house, techno, Latin, and Asian beats. The set reflected her diverse cultural background and got early festivalgoers dancing.
“It’s definitely experimental electronic music,” Shima said. “Growing up in Japan, I try to include traditional Japanese sounds. I sample folk songs and traditional instruments to create something that feels both exotic and familiar.”
The crowd responded positively to her sound.
“I loved it,” said Sienna Garcia of Pasadena. “It was trance-like and super chill, but still made me want to dance. I’m going to follow her now.” Garcia had not heard of Shima before the performance.
Although new to the Coachella lineup, Shima has been in the music industry for years. She began her career at age 14 when she signed with a Japanese label and joined the J-Pop group FAKY. But she soon realized the group didn’t match her musical taste.
“I actually didn’t like J-Pop,” she said. “I was listening to Beyoncé, Björk, Christina Aguilera, and indie electronic artists like Crystal Castles and Nicolas Jaar. I also went through a Nirvana phase.”
Frustrated by a lack of creative control, Shima left the group to pursue a solo path. That journey led her to producing and DJing, and ultimately to her dream performance at Coachella.
“I feel insanely stoked that this is the stage I get to play,” she said.
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