Kyoto’s Eulalie on ‘Ippo’, Escapism, and Finding Beauty in Imperfection

Emerging from Kyoto’s experimental underground, Eulalie has steadily carved a distinct space in the electronic landscape — one that hums with vulnerability, cinematic atmosphere, and quiet euphoria. With her upcoming *Escapism* EP on Paris-based label Ano Ano, the Japanese producer, vocalist and artist steps deeper into her world of dreamlike sound design and introspective songwriting. Her new single “Ippo” (“one step” in Japanese) captures that motion — a gentle yet determined stride toward acceptance, resilience, and reflection. Co-produced with Pierre Hoepffner and mixed by Kincaid, the track fuses glitchy textures with tender chords and crystalline vocals, bridging Japanese pop sensibilities with European electronic minimalism. We spoke with Eulalie about her creative beginnings, the balance between cultural influences, and how she transforms emotion into immersive performance.

Your new single ‘Ippo’ means “one step” in Japanese - what was that first step for you creatively when making this track, and how does it set the tone for the rest of Escapism?

I made the demo a long time ago, so I'm not sure if my memory is accurate but I think I made the first demo, with the simple chord progression and detailed percussion. I was listening to Loraine James' *Reflection* a lot at the time and trying to make a track that combined those glitchy sounds with melancholic chords. In the demo it was more of a slow IDMish beat. I came up with the first lyrics and melody in a matter of ten minutes and I hardly moved from there. It probably came straight from my mood at the time.

The EP blends Japanese pop sensibilities with European electronic textures. How do you navigate those two worlds—culturally and sonically—when you’re creating?

It's difficult to answer. I honestly don't see myself as an artist of the J-pop genre. I understand that I am certainly Japanese Pop because I use Japanese. But maybe it's because I'm in Japan, but I feel like there are so many rules that need to be followed in Japanese pop songwriting, like table manners, and I'm not able to follow them at all. The most distinctive thing about J-pop is the complexity of the chord progression and the development of the song, and J-pop tends to have quite extreme chord changes before the biggest climaxes. But I'm not very good at listening to or writing music like that. I'm more into minimal techno, club music, African music and other repetitive, step-by-step changes that create a sense of euphoria, which is what I tend to focus on when I compose. If someone hears that kind of fusion in my music, it may be from a combination of the rhythms and chords I like, and my exploration.

You’ve been compared to artists like early Grimes and FKA Twigs, but there’s something distinctly Kyoto about your sound. How has your environment shaped the way you write and perform?

I love FKA Twigs and Grimes so much! That's very nice of you! It's not exclusive to Kyoto, but as you know, I live in Japan, so when I walk down the street or go into a restaurant, for example, the first thing I hear are mainly Japanese songs. The sounds that surround me in my daily life accumulate in my body. The sense of J-pop melodies and sounds is an inseparable part of my life. Also, Kyoto in particular has a bigger indie rock and punk scene than electro, so I think I might be influenced in the sense that I like that kind of lo-fi soundscape.

I often include processed guitar sounds and field recordings as textures. When I'm making a song, I often want to add a little bit of human imperfection rather than a clean, fully digitally processed sound. --- ### Your live shows are known for their immersive, almost cinematic feel. How do you translate the emotional world of *Escapism* into a performance setting? Thank you very much! I always want my live performances to be more than just a performance, but more like a work of art that can be experienced. I like to start with a gentle sound and gradually dive deeper into the music.

Depending on the atmosphere of the event, I may do a set centered around dance music, or I may do a concept that is exactly like a movie. But I always think about the overall flow of the event in my own way. I use various sampling and elements in addition to my own music to create a live set. I want the flow of the music to be smooth, so that there is no element that catches your attention and brings you back to reality. When I go to a music club or a live concert, I want to feel like I am in another world for a little while.

Escapism feels deeply personal but also universal—a world built around emotion, sound, and atmosphere. What do you hope listeners take away when they step into that world with you?

Well, to be honest, I don't really like to present what I want people to feel from my work. I sometimes talk about the concept behind the production as a backstory, but that's just information. In the end, you can listen to the music the way you like and feel something the way you like. In my opinion, the artist can only control the release of the work, not how the listener perceives it. So I think it's okay if what they feel doesn't always match up with what I had in mind when I was making the music. I actually get a lot of feedback from people who listen to my songs, and I get a really wide variety of opinions. Sometimes I get new inspiration from them, and I enjoy the diversity of feedback. I always make songs based on my personal feelings. If listeners feel something when they listen to these very personal songs, I'm very happy and I'm very grateful for these miraculous moments.