FROM HEARTACHE TO DANCE BEATS: ENA MORI’S NEW SINGLE AND UPCOMING SHOW

FROM HEARTACHE TO DANCE BEATS: ENA MORI’S NEW SINGLE AND UPCOMING SHOW | Daily Tribune

Filipino-Japanese pop sensation Ena Mori has opened up about her insecurities with friendship. The ultra-talented, award-winning indie-pop artist recently shared at a press conference how it hurts her when friends don’t open up to her or turn to her in times of need. This vulnerability is the foundation of her latest single, “Trust Me” — a catchy, danceable bubblegum-synth-pop track, following her earlier release, “Heartache Generation.”

“The song is really about having that insecurity that, you know, this person doesn’t really trust you, or that person doesn’t have my name on their list of emergency contacts,” Mori shared. She confessed that she “almost values trust more than love or interest” from friends.

The chorus of the song, where Mori pours out her angst, captures this feeling: “All I ever really want is / To feel a little better about myself / No more hurting / I just want you to trust me.”

“‘Trust Me’ is about yearning for somebody’s trust when you don’t feel like you have it,” Mori explained. Reflecting on her friendships through the years, she noted how challenging it has been to build trust, especially during her teenage years when friendships could be fleeting.

Direct and honest

Compared to her previous work, Mori says that “Trust Me” is “not simple,” but “more direct and honest.”

“I’ve always experimented with different styles,” Mori, who was trained in classical piano, said. “For this song, it really resonated with me because it’s different. I love to decorate my songs with flowery words, and sometimes vague words work, but for this one, I wanted to be very honest in telling the story.”

The music video reflects this honesty through her usual surreal style. Mori, front and center in the frame, wears one of her signature whimsical outfits — this time, bunny ears and a ruff. Like a disheveled aristocrat rabbit, she sings about her frustrations and determination, like a self-therapeutic performance.

‘Ena Matsuri’ 2024

During the press roundtable, Mori teased her upcoming birthday show titled “Ena Matsuri,” which will happen on 21 September in Makati, which she’s producing herself. Unlike last year’s outdoor edition, this year’s event will take place indoors, with an art market.

“With aircon!” she laughed. “You can dance as much as you want and not worry about the rain!”

The venue is the Justin Bella Alonte Studio, a photography space that will be transformed into a techno club for the night. It’s an intimate celebration of Mori’s subgenres — EDM, hyperpop, rave and rhythmic beats — with guest artists Crwn, KINDRED, UDD, T33G33 (Alyana Cabral) and Hideki Ito. Mori herself will perform a longer set.

Mori co-produced, curated and conceptualized “Ena Matsuri” with the help of Offshore Music and GNN Entertainment Productions.

No Writer’s Block

Despite her busy schedule, Mori admits that she never experiences writer’s block. She ensures that she writes daily, even if it’s just “mediocre” entries in her notebook. This regular exercise helps her stay creative, and she often revisits these notes when writing songs. All of her creative energy flows while working in the privacy of her bedroom.

In 2022, Mori’s pandemic-time reflections resulted in her debut album, DON’T BLAME THE WILD ONE! (yes, stylized in all caps). The album earned her the Awit Award for Album of the Year and NME’s Best Asian Album of 2022.

Exciting performances ahead

Mori’s schedule is packed, with October set to be a particularly busy month. After performing at SXSW Austin last year, she’s thrilled to play at SXSW Sydney this year.

“I’ve never seen the music scene there, so I’m very excited to explore, see other artists and potentially collaborate with Australian musicians,” she said. She also mentioned that she’ll be performing in Fukuoka next.

But her eyes dazzled even more when she talked about her upcoming show on Saturday, which she describes as her “passion project.” She’s particularly excited about the “new setup” for this year’s “Ena Matsuri.” “They have their own lights simulating with the synth, so it’s going to be a different experience,” Mori explained.

Recently honored as Rule Breaker at the first Billboard Philippines Women in Music event, Mori is eagerly anticipating this year’s “Ena Matsuri” and its club-like atmosphere. “Electronic music has been a huge part of my artistry and inspiration,” she said. “I always yearn for electronic music whenever I need to release stress and all of that.”

“It’s really about enjoying music without thinking of other things,” she added, reflecting on how music is truly home for her. “Whenever I listen to music and feel euphoric, it’s something I can’t replace with anything.”