From Hiatus to Horizon: Akio's Next Chapter Begins
By. Alicia Zamora
A Conversation with Akio
As the music industry continues to evolve, artists who lead with honesty and intention naturally rise to the surface. One of those voices is Akio, a Hawaii-born artist whose journey has been shaped by growth, reflection, and patience. Now based in Los Angeles, Akio has spent the past few years learning not only how to develop his sound, but how to trust himself more fully. In an exclusive interview with Alicia’s Studio, Akio opened up about his creative and personal evolution, sharing how closely the two are intertwined. His journey isn’t just about releasing music — it’s about self-awareness, intention, and learning to move through life with more kindness toward himself.
Akio’s recent release, “easier,” represents a significant moment in that growth. Written during a time of self-doubt and internal pressure, the song reflects his desire to stop being so hard on himself and to let things unfold more naturally. Throughout the creative process, Akio has become more aware of what he wants to express and how he wants his music to make people feel. For him, growth as a person directly shapes the music he creates — the two are inseparable. His work doesn’t come from chasing a sound, but from being honest about where he’s at.
Known for tracks like “tonguetied” and “easier,” Akio continues to show versatility while staying true to himself. One song that stands out most is “A-Team,” a personal favorite, for how effortlessly it balances vulnerability and restraint. His music feels lived in — emotional without being overstated, thoughtful without trying to prove anything. That sincerity is what allows his songs to connect so naturally with listeners.
As he continues to grow, Akio remains focused on creating from a place that feels authentic rather than pressured. He moves with intention, surrounding himself with the right people and trusting the pace of his journey. His approach serves as a reminder that success doesn’t come from following trends, but from staying grounded and telling real stories. With more music on the way, Akio is quietly building something meaningful — and doing it on his own terms.
Diving In
Alicia: Welcome back! It’s been a while, but we’re back in a new studio, different vibes, and a new guest.
Akio: Hey, I’m Akio. I’m a musician from Hawaii, but I’ve been living in LA for about five years now. I’m happy to be here—excited.
Alicia: For someone discovering you now, how would you introduce who Akio is in this chapter of your life?
Akio: I’d say the music I’m putting out now is honest and really reflective of the past couple of years of my life. I think I’m a lot less afraid than I was a few years ago. I’m actually having fun with it now.
Alicia: There was a point where you stopped releasing for a while. At the time, did you know you were stepping away, or did it just slowly happen?
Akio: It wasn’t a conscious decision. I was really in my head about the music I was making and didn’t feel like any of it was good enough to put out. I kept making music, but nothing ever felt ready. That slowly turned into two years of not releasing anything. Before the last two songs I dropped, my song Nosebleeds came out in December of 2023.
Alicia: I kind of feel the same way. I took a break, and now that I’m back, it feels scary. I hate that I crashed out and deleted everything, because it feels like I had to start all over. Now I’m just like, what am I doing? And yet… here we are.
Akio: Yeah, it is scary, but it’s also kind of fun. When you don’t put stuff out for a while, you forget how good it feels to release something and hear people respond to it. People discover it, say nice things, and it reminds you why you do this. Putting your work and your art out there is actually really fun. I think that part gets lost when you’re overthinking everything.
Alicia: Yeah, that’s exactly where I’m at. I’m trying to do this because it’s fun—not because I’m forcing myself back into it. I’m just letting it be whatever it’s going to be.
Akio: I think that’s the best way to approach it. There’s less pressure. You’re doing it because you enjoy it—and if people like it, that’s a bonus.
Alicia: During that break, what was the hardest part of not creating—or of questioning whether you’d come back at all?
Akio: I think during that little hiatus, I was really in my head. I kept thinking, What if people don’t really care? What if no one gives a fuck about what I’m putting out? But after a while, I was like, dude, it doesn’t really matter. I’m making all this music for myself anyway. What’s the worst that could happen if I just let it go? If no one cares, that’s fine. If no one hears it, it’s just sitting on my computer. So I figured—might as well. And yeah.
Alicia: I think that’s such a good way to look at it. I feel like my issue is that I’m always thinking about how people are going to perceive me once something’s out. Before this, I was doing studio interviews, but it was a different vibe. I’m super awkward—I try not to be, but that’s just who I am. I’m working on it, but even today I feel so awkward. I’m so sorry.
Akio: No, it’s okay. I actually think that’s kind of endearing. Not everything needs to be super polished, because most people aren’t just bam, bam, bam—like they have all their shit together. Most people are a little awkward, me included. So I think it’s nice when something goes wrong, or there’s a funny moment. That stuff feels real.
Alicia: I’m working on it, though. I catch myself a lot—it’s definitely a work in progress.
Alicia: Going into “easier,” it sits in this space where sadness is masked by warmth. Was writing it a way of protecting yourself, or revealing yourself?
Akio: I’d say a little bit of both. Honestly, a lot of my writing kind of just manifests. It sounds corny, but I made the beat pretty quickly and thought, okay, I’ll just get a little idea down. I wasn’t thinking too much about it. I sang some stuff, wrote the first verse, and realized I was just talking about what I was going through. Then I basically finished the song and was like, wow—this is really sad. It’s such a happy, summery beat, but the lyrics are depressing. I thought maybe people wouldn’t notice, or wouldn’t care. But looking back, I think it’s fun. It’s an interesting contrast—a dichotomy. That’s a good word.
Alicia: Yeah, I noticed it—and I liked it. It was such a vibe. I found your stuff on TikTok and was like, bruh, this is good. When I find new music, I usually start searching for the artist. I found your Instagram and was like, oh shit, okay. I wanted to ask you for an interview, but I was really contemplating it. I kept thinking, fuck, do I really want to come back right now? Is this the time? But then I was like, if I don’t do it now, I won’t get back into it. So I just went for it.
Alicia: And honestly, I appreciated you being open to it, because I couldn’t find an email anywhere. I’m so used to emailing people—it feels more professional to me. You didn’t have an email in your bio, so DMing felt like my last resort. I was like, fuck it. Email feels so stuffy sometimes, but it’s just what I’m used to.
Akio: That’s fair. Email definitely feels more professional. But honestly, I’m pretty open—if people want to reach out, just hit my DMs. There’s not a lot going on in there anyway. *laughs*
Alicia: You’ve talked about masking sadness with warmth. Do you feel like “easier” was part of that mask, or was it one of the first times it slipped?
Akio: That’s a good question. I’ve expressed how I was feeling in my music before, but I think “easier” was definitely a mask. I was hiding behind a really happy instrumental. In my other songs, I think I was more straightforward—I wasn’t really hiding in the same way. But there was something about “easier.” I also made it a long time ago, like in 2022.
Alicia: Yeah, I read that in an interview. Your computer got stolen, right?
Akio: It did get stolen. Yeah, that was devastating. I lost all the music I made in 2023 and at the end of 2022. I only had a demo of “easier,” and it was basically the only song that was close to finished from that era. So I was like, I might as well put it out.
Alicia: You didn’t have anything backed up?
Akio: They stole my hard drive too. I was like, bro, what are you even gonna do with my $60 hard drive?
Alicia: That actually sucks. I wouldn’t even know what to do.
Alicia: Coming back to music after your break, did “easier” feel like a goodbye to that version of you—or a bridge into what comes next?
Akio: I don’t think it’s a goodbye. I still feel that way sometimes, and I don’t think it’s something that ever really gets answered. But I think you just learn more over time. That was three years ago, and I’ve learned a lot as a person since then. I still have the same questions I talked about in the song—you just find different answers, and those answers change. So I wouldn’t say it’s a goodbye. I’m just different now than I was back then, which is a good thing. If I were the same, that would probably be a bigger issue.
Alicia: Yeah, I think it’s good not to stay stuck in one mindset. Anyway, I say that because I do stay stuck sometimes. And maybe that’s hypocritical of me to say, but I think it’s okay to give advice even when you’re still figuring it out yourself. My mindset is just… complex. It’s a lot of self-doubt mixed with anxiety, and it’s been like that forever. But trust, next year I’m working on it. It’ll get better.
Akio: Yeah, self-doubt and anxiety—that’s a brutal combo. I feel that.
Alicia: It really is, especially when you’re doing all of this.
Alicia: If you could speak to yourself in 2022—the version of you who wrote “easier”—what would you want him to know about patience and self-trust?
Akio: I’d tell that insecure man, dude, it’s okay. I promise you, mixing the song 30 times isn’t going to make that big of a difference. No one can tell. Let it go. Put the song out. It’s okay—you can make another song. That’s what I’d tell him. You can always make another one. I think that’s good knowledge to have.
Alicia: Do you still take a long time with music, or is it more like one take and you’re cool with it now? How does your process look?
Akio: No, no. My process is me sitting in my room doing the same line over and over again. Then I’m like, nah, that was ass, and I do it again. My roommates probably think I’m insane. If you filmed me recording, I’d look like a psychopath—just repeating the same line, stopping, saying it’s ass, and redoing it again and again.
Alicia: That’s honestly so real. I went to the studio with a friend once, and they redid the same song so many times—like 25 takes. In my opinion, I didn’t notice any difference at all. It sounded the same to me every time. But he kept saying, no, it’s not right. And I’m like, it sounds exactly the same to me. But I’m also not an artist, so I can never tell what you guys are hearing. I’m just like, what are you on right now?
Akio: Yeah, it’s gotta feel right. But realistically, yeah—they all sound the same. All the takes sound exactly the same.
Alicia: Yeah, no, I get it. I’m the same way with writing. When I’m doing reviews, if I don’t like how the intro sounds, I’ll rewrite it, then rewrite it again—and sometimes I just don’t post it at all. It just sits there.
Akio: Yeah, it’s really similar. I think most artists are just hypercritical to a fault.
Alicia: But I feel like you kind of have to be. It sucks, but if you’re not, you probably won’t put out your best work.
Akio: That’s true. Most of the time, if I’m making a song, I try to get as much of it done in the same day as possible—especially if I have the idea. Production, building out the beat, everything. If I come back to it days later, it doesn’t feel the same. I’m in a different mental space. That’s kind of rare, though. Usually, it still takes a while to finish.
Alicia: How long does it usually take?
Akio: Honestly, the past couple of songs have taken a few months. I’ll make something, come back to it, and feel stuck. Then I’ll wait until something comes to me. That process is really tiring, and I end up with a lot of half-baked ideas. So I’m trying to change that.
Alicia: I feel like burnout is so easy to hit.
Akio: Yeah, especially when you’re not putting stuff out. Before I started releasing again, I was just making a bunch of things and sending them to friends. But they’re not really gonna say, this is ass. If it’s really bad, maybe—but usually it’s just…
Alicia: A nice compliment?
Akio: Yeah.
Alicia: Yeah, same. I’m like, okay, cool—but are they lying to me? And then you just get in your own head. Like, how are you supposed to tell someone their music sucks? I’d feel terrible saying that. If someone sent me something and I was like, this is ass, that’s just mean.
Akio: I mean, sometimes you need that, though, because it lights a fire. You’re like, okay. It’s either you try to get better or you quit. If you really like it and you actually want to keep going, you’ll try again. If you’re not really into it, you’ll probably quit. And here we are—we both tried again.
Alicia: Exactly. Coming back to something like this is so exhausting. Just knowing it’s something you have to keep showing up for. For me, it’s a hobby, but it’s also my thing. It’s so time-consuming—everything is. But yeah, we’ll see how it goes.
Alicia: Coming out of that period, what does making music without trying to fix yourself look like now?
Akio: I think it’s a lot more freeing. Lately, the time from starting an idea to finishing a song has been a lot shorter. It’s still longer than I’d like, but it’s definitely cut down because I’m trying to do less. I’m not aiming for perfection anymore. I still make sure I like everything in the song, but I’m not overdoing it like I used to. I’m not trying to write the craziest verse or the perfect hook. If it sounds good, that’s good enough—for now, at least.
Alicia: Is there something you’re letting yourself explore in these upcoming releases that you wouldn’t have trusted yourself with before?
Akio: Yeah. I’m using my voice in different ways—production-wise and vocally. I’m singing more and doing things I didn’t really do before. I’m just exploring more of my vocal style and range and seeing where that goes.
Alicia: You’ve talked about wanting listeners to meet the person behind the music. What parts of yourself are you intentionally letting show more in this next run of releases?
Akio: I think I’m showing people more of who I used to be—especially in relationships. I’m talking about issues I’ve worked through, but I’m painting them throughout the songs. It’s kind of like creating a character, or revisiting a version of myself. I’m describing situations from how I used to act—not necessarily in a good way, but that was how I was operating at that time.
Alicia: Even now, when doubt shows up again, how do you keep it from taking control the way it used to?
Akio: I think it’s about self-awareness—constantly recognizing when you’re slipping into patterns you don’t want anymore. When you catch yourself doing that thing again, you have to be like, okay, that’s not good. Let’s try to avoid that. Easier said than done, though.
Alicia: Yeah, heavy on the self-awareness. I’m like, dude, my self-awareness is crazy—and I still repeat the same things every time. But it’s a work in progress.
Akio: Yeah, for sure. Some days are better than others.
Alicia: What’s something you don’t have figured out yet, but you’re finally okay sitting with?
Akio: I think it’s being okay with uncertainty—like if I say something in a song that doesn’t fully make sense at the time. A lot of the time, I’ll listen back later, or even after the song is out, and other people will find meaning in it. Sometimes I’ll write a lyric that doesn’t really make sense to me, and people will ask about it. I’m like, oh, I never thought about it that way. So I’m learning to be okay with the idea that it might not make sense right now, but it will later—or it will to someone else. And that’s pretty cool.
Alicia: Yeah, I think that’s one of the coolest things about music. Everyone has their own interpretation. You write something one way, and someone else hears it completely differently. They’ll be like, this is the saddest song ever, and you’re like, this is one of the happiest songs I’ve written. It’s cool seeing those different perspectives and how people connect to your music.
Akio: Yeah, it’s really interesting. Someone once asked me about a song—I don’t remember which one—but they were asking about the production, like, did you do this in the outro for this specific reason? And I was like, honestly, no—but that’s a really cool way to look at it. I might just start saying yes.
Alicia: Yeah, I love that. I think about it the same way when I write reviews. Sometimes I’m probably way off from what the artist actually meant, but that’s how I’m experiencing it as a listener. And I think that’s valid.
Akio: Exactly. It’s different for everyone listening, and that’s what makes it cool. I’m learning to be okay with that. If I like how it sounds and I understand the idea—even if not completely—I think that’s okay to put out into the world.
Alicia: If you could sit with a younger version of yourself—before the doubt really set in—what would you tell him about patience, insecurity, and trusting his own timing?
Akio: I’d tell him to stop comparing himself to everyone else. You don’t need to be like them—they already exist. You’re not going to be better by trying to copy them. Just work on your own thing. But honestly, you kind of have to go through that phase. Sometimes you need to chase different paths or try to be like other people just to figure it out. But eventually, you realize it’s okay to just do what you want to do. You don’t have to be like everyone else.
Alicia: Yeah, that’s really good advice—and it hit way too close to home. I have a really bad habit of comparing myself to other people, and I think that’s why I took a break in the first place. The way people perceive my work matters way more to me than it should. A lot of the time, people don’t really understand what I’m trying to do because it’s my own idea—and that’s scary. I’ll see someone who started not that long ago doing really well, and I’m like… I’ve been doing this for over a year. I don’t really stop to look at my accomplishments. I just feel stuck in the same place. That comparison mindset is real.
Akio: Yeah, it’s really hard not to compare yourself—especially being in LA, surrounded by it, and constantly seeing it on social media. You’re like, damn, they’re doing so well.
Alicia: Yeah, it’s scary. The music industry itself is super intimidating. I’ve gone to shows where I’m shooting, and people just aren’t friendly—and I hate that. I’m really timid, so it’s a lot. There was one time at a show at the Echoplex where this girl was pulling my hair while I was in the pit. I remember it so vividly because I told my sister about it right after, and she got mad for me. Stuff like that makes it hard. I hate confrontation—I’m very avoidant for a reason. The industry can be really mean. I’ve met a lot of people who just aren’t nice, and that honestly scared me and contributed to why I took a break.
Akio: But we persevered, though.
Alicia: Exactly!! Looking toward what’s next, what are you hoping this next stretch of music becomes for you?
Akio: I just want it to be fun. I’m not really worried about an aesthetic or making everything super cohesive right now. I want to put out whatever—stuff I’ve made recently and things I made a long time ago—and just let it exist. In the past, I overthought everything. So for now, I want to be free with it. Maybe later in the year I’ll work toward something more cohesive, but for now, I just want to release whatever feels right.
Alicia: I feel like not overthinking is the way to go. The more I think about something, the more I end up hating it. I’ll reread or replay it just to double-check, and then suddenly I’m like, yeah… no. And it gets scrapped.
Akio: Yeah, I’m the same. I have a pretty addictive personality, so I’ll listen to a song over and over, try to tweak it endlessly, and by the end I’m like, I actually hate this.
Alicia: You’re too relatable. *laughs*
Alicia: Coming to the end of this interview—thank you so much for coming today. Is there anything you’d like to end off with?
Akio: Thank you for having me. “easier” is out now, and there’s more music coming in January.
