Michael Azuma on Clubhouse

Bio

Born in 1998 and hailing from Pleasanton, California, Michael Azuma got hooked on DJing and production during his early teen years. Armed with his first DJ controller at the age of 13, he began weaving and layering vocals and instrumentals to create mashups, slowly learning the basics of music production. In high school, he was inspired by the sounds of Skrillex, Porter Robinson, and Madeon, sparking his interest in making his own electronic music.

Over the next few years, his sound evolved due in part to his time in Los Angeles and wide exposure to new sounds. Throughout college, he started three artist projects, each capturing a different facet of his musical tastes and identity:

AZU [東], an electronic project that draws on complex synth layering, foley elements from nature, and atmospheric pads, to create beautiful, immersive, and passionate soundscapes.

WABI-SABI [侘寂], a Lofi / Electronic project based on the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi / 侘寂 — a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection.

Club Yokai [妖怪], a Japanese-American producer duo crafting their own unique blend of R&B and Hip-Hop with sounds imported from Japan and America.

Since graduating from USC’s Thorton School of Music with Honors, Michael has been pitching demos for the Japanese, Korean, and Chinese markets while working on his various artist projects. He continues to develop his own multifaceted sound, never tied down to a single identity, genre, or project.