Brooklyn’s quietly rising indie-jazz voice Mei Semones will make her Australian live debut this June, bringing a pair of intimate headline shows to Sydney and Melbourne. The singer-songwriter will perform at The Lansdowne Hotel on June 11 before heading to The Corner Hotel on June 14.
The tour follows the release of her 2025 debut album Animaru, a record that introduced Semones’ distinctive blend of jazz harmony, indie pop textures and bilingual songwriting that shifts fluidly between English and Japanese. The approach feels instinctive rather than calculated, reflecting her background studying jazz at Berklee College of Music and absorbing everything from classic standards to contemporary indie songwriting.
Her music moves in quiet, curious directions. Chord progressions glide through bossa nova and jazz influences while her vocals remain light and conversational, often turning small everyday observations into something gently reflective. That sensibility continues with the upcoming EP Kurage, due April 10. A preview of the project arrives in the form of ‘Koneko’, a collaboration with British-Brazilian artist Liana Flores. The track leans into soft bossa nova rhythms and celebrates the ordinary pleasures of friendship, from slow walks along canals to afternoons spent drinking tea with close friends.
Semones has already built a growing international audience, performing headline shows across Japan, the United States, Europe and the United Kingdom while sharing stages with artists including Elephant Gym and Kara Jackson. Critics have also taken note, with outlets such as The New York Times, Pigeons & Planes and The FADER highlighting her as an emerging artist to watch.
Her Australian shows promise to mirror the intimacy that has defined her live reputation so far: small rooms, carefully arranged songs and a voice that sits comfortably between jazz tradition and modern indie storytelling. For Australian audiences encountering her for the first time, the June run offers a close-up introduction to a songwriter still at the beginning of an intriguing trajectory.
Presale tickets will be available from March 5, with general sale opening March 6.
Go HERE for tickets.
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