Next Wave: Miso Extra Is An Extra Special Upcoming Star In Pop
One of the best things about pop is that it can come from anywhere. Any singer can aspire to sing songs with nice melodies and clean production while having a generally positive sound, but the hardest thing to do is to stand out. Miso Extra has been standing out so far in her earlier career, and that is mainly down to the wildly creative direction she takes her sound in.
Her wonderful blend of pop, dance, and electronic elements never makes her sound repetitive, allowing her to even be experimental with how she performs, whether that be with a turntable and headphones or on an open stage with a microphone in hand. The singer/producer recently released her debut album, Earcandy, this year, with it being a significant sign of progression for the artist, as she is due for so much more. The “Misoverse” is expanding.
Using Stereotyping to Create
Miso Extra is Emily Takeuchi-Brown’s music alias. Being born in Hong Kong to an English father and Japanese mother and growing up in Buckinghamshire, England, Miso did not get the best treatment as a kid. Getting many taunts because of her looks, Miso took the racist comments into a more uplifting light: Miso Extra. This then spawned the “Misoverse,” in which the music Miso Extra makes lives. Her record label, Transgressive Records, explains her character amazingly.
“Miso Extra is a peace-loving warrior who leans away from violence, but will engage in conflict if necessary. She chooses to see the good in people and values real talk, but isn’t so naive as not to see the truth from them. Miso Extra is hopeful; a character who values love and sees insecurities as learning curves for us to push through.”
Her first instrument was the violin, before she switched over to choir. As she grew up, she would experiment with making music in her bedroom. Luckily enough, COVID-19 gave her the perfect downtime to truly attempt to make some music. With some help from record label Beatnik Creative, Miso’s first EP, Great Taste released in 2022.
The five-track EP had all but one of the tracks released as singles before. It introduces Miso’s sound softly, but effectively. The first single, “Adventures of Tricky N Duke”, has a more lo-fi and calming sound, showcasing Miso’s ability to sing and even rap in Japanese. Her biggest track came up next, with “1013” mixing in English over an accordion sample with simple percussion that creates such a strong groove.
The rest of the EP gives small tastes of what was to come. Some dance and electronic influences on “Deep Fried”, some promising synth work on “Great Taste”, and more experimental vocal effects and looping on “Tadori”. The EP also demonstrated Miso’s amazing art direction for her project, with the infamous Nissin Cup Noodles being branded with Miso Extra. This trend with her next EP, MSG.
You can probably guess what Asian-specific object she branded over this time. This reclaiming of objects seen as stereotypical to Asians is why this reclaiming with her alias is so great. The best part about it is that the music is just as good. MSG contains some of the best tracks in her smaller discography. “Space Junk” was the first single and opens with those wormy synths she loves using, before dropping into a perfect groove with an amazing bassline. The chorus is immediately catchy (not in the annoying way), with her singing someone to “get over me”.
The EP included “50/50”, which has an absolutely breathtaking animated music video, done by Taku Mikami. The video has Miso dripped out in her (now) typical Miso Extra-branded Japan soccer jersey, riding motorbikes, swinging a katana, and sitting at the bar. Those synths come in once again and are all over the EP. They bring a more head-bopping energy to MSG compared to the more swaying nature of Great Taste.
Next came the more experimental electronic pulses of “2nd Floor” and “Constant Surprises”. The grinding loop of “2nd Floor” is very different from the rest of her discography, showing an edgy side to her sound. “Constant Surprises” takes the edge back for a more laid-back song, definitely belonging on the dance floor towards the end of the night. “Constant Surprises” was also released with another wonderfully animated video by Taku Mikami, with Miso walking through a space-inspired backdrop in a full suit of armor.
After two successful EPs, it was time for Miso to finally start on her debut album. She had a lot to combine for her first album: an overarching visual, pop-inspired but unique sounds, and catchy but entertaining tracks. With a title like Earcandy, it is not surprising to see that she did it all excellently.
Miso Fully Becoming Sweet to the Ears
Even though “Slow Down” is technically the first single released for the album, the first single to fully be a part of the concept was “Good Kisses”. The tickling hi-hats and clean synths immediately create this bright energy. Miso’s light vocals and another catchy chorus definitely make it out to be a more pop-focused direction. The cover is a simple close-up of Miso’s lips, but it was not until her next single that the art direction came in for the covers.
The cover for “Certified” is Miso in her new blonde hair, hazy, out of focus in front of a blue background. The dancey pop track has this very lighthearted nature that is carried on from “Good Kisses”, which is definitely a theme within the album. The track would live perfectly somewhere on a Dua Lipa album, maybe just a little lighter in the production. Both tracks also carry the same settings in their music videos, with Miso playing her own game in an empty office space.
After the release of “Ghostly”, a more structured and synth-heavy electronic-focused track, “POP” was next, which continued the light energy. The lively and lovey-dovey song with lyrics like “Oh, I just wanna squeeze you till you POP” became an instant favorite among fans. The track even landed Miso a performance on the well-known YouTube series, A Colors Show.
All of this made the release of Earcandy in May seamless. Besides being very much pop-focused, there are still so many new elements. The album opens with “Love Train”, featuring a more afrobeat-style of production, and plainly showcasing the theme of the album: love.
Of course, there was still some electronic experimentation, as “Playboi” has these bubbling and winding synths while taking multiple small instrumental breaks. “Don’t Care” is a perfect dance-pop track, as the simple kick and drum pattern makes you immediately want to move. Each track absorbs the Earcandy label of the album, being absolute delights to the ear, making you hungry for more.
Miso Extra, of course, has been super busy this year with the arrival of Earcandy. She has gone on tour with Kelly Lee Owens, done a photoshoot with Adidas, performed at Glastonbury, headlined her own tour, and supported Sabrina Carpenter at Hyde Park. More than anything, she has shown she is truly an artist, in terms of fashion, lifestyle, and most importantly, music. Her style can be felt throughout the “Misoverse”, and it will not be long till we are all happily a part of it.