Creatives of the City Series by Grace Stokoe
Japanese-British, hyper-pop diva MARiMARi has taken the North West music scene by storm. Gaining recognition through relentless TikTok posts, showcasing her unique sound and style, the 23 year old singer-songwriter played her first festival in August 2026, ticking it off as one of her main goals. “Y Not Festival was the biggest stage I’ve played, which was really cool,” she tells Liverpool Noise.
MARiMARi describes her aesthetic as “2000’s nostalgic, bubbly, alternative” and the same can be said for her music. “I draw from a lot of maximalist J-Pop that I listened to growing up,” she says, “I love mixing it together with western hyper-pop soundscapes.” Having moved from her Japanese primary school to Yorkshire, the artist implements elements of both cultures, emanating immense pride in her roots. “I’m really close with my mum who’s Japanese,” she shares, “I want to integrate it into my music for her – a really big part of what I associate with girlhood comes from my relationship with my mum.”
From a young age, MARiMARi’s passion for music was clear, as she initially took up the violin. “I know, classical queen,” she jokes, “the kid hiding in the music room at lunch, that was me.” Moving to Liverpool for university, she studied at LIPA, where she discovered her distinct identity as a songstress. “I fell in love with electronic music, the ability to make and record songs from home,” she reminisces, “my ideal evening is just me, my laptop, keyboard and a cup of tea recording. I don’t need a big, fancy space, uni taught me I can be self sufficient.”
Like most successful creatives, MARiMARi finds herself eternally “drawn to the arts,” knowing “it’s always been that or nothing”. Determined to make it in the industry, she posted her music on TikTok every day, twice a day, for three years straight at the beginning of her career. “Electronic music holds an internet fanbase, so consistent socials are really important for reaching them,” she explains. It wasn’t until No Regrets – a song from her first EP – was aired on Radio 1 in January 2024, that she felt her hard work was starting to pay off. “One day I woke up to a post where they tagged all the artists who were getting played that night. It’s a core memory,” she recalls.
Following her spin on Radio 1, MARiMARi’s journey truly began. Receiving an Instagram DM from Bronnie – an artist she’d been “following for a while” – she was asked to support her on tour in February 2024. “My first show outside of the uni canteen was the O2 Academy in Liverpool,” she says, “it felt like, okay, we’re making moves. My social media looked really professional and people started reaching out.”
As the climb to success continues, MARiMARi teaches music alongside her personal projects. “I teach a lot of summer programmes and after school clubs,” she shares, “it’s nice getting to teach younger kids pop music which isn’t really taught in schools, giving them the skills to be a songwriter – that creative aspect I was craving when I was younger.”
Themes of female empowerment run heavily through MARiMARi’s songs, as she aims to “create a space for the girls and the gays.” Having dealt with difficult situations within the industry, she admits, “I’ve been in so many studios where I feel like I can’t take control of my own song. I want the girls to know they can do anything.” Featuring iconic lyrics such as ‘suck my MP3, you’re nothing but an NPC’ and ‘Lara’s boyfriend’s a loser, I wish she’d leave him sooner,’ her tracks are hilariously unserious, while maintaining a clear message of sisterhood and allyship. She describes her lyricism as “very fun satire,” taking an “on the nose” approach and rejecting vagueness.
Having released her first album – MARi GO ROUND – in May 2026, the singer reflects on the two year process as a “big highlight.” Recording the music video for POP SHUVIT! allowed her to “be on the other side of the music – sourcing extras, location scouting and helping with styling.” However, her favourite song of the project is Fashionably Late, due to its double entendre and her experiences performing it live. Working alongside her videographer and best friend, MARiMARi surrounds herself with fellow driven creatives. “I love people who work three jobs but are playing gigs until 3am, just for the love of the game,” she says, “we all bounce off each other’s energy and get to see different perspectives.”
The artist has already made appearances in Birmingham, London and Liverpool on her MARi GO ROUND UK Tour, adding a bonus gig in Manchester for September 2026, following the overwhelming reception from her fans. Playing at the legendary Rough Trade for her hometown show, she ticked off another bucket list venue. “I did a meet and greet,” she explains, “and it was so cute seeing the little queue. Everyone had cool outfits on – stuff that I’d wear – and I was like where did you get that?!”
MARiMARi’s two-page spread in BOOT MUSIC magazine was available to pick up for free at the Rough Trade gig, celebrating her album release. “It’s nice to have a physical copy of something,” she says, “I love physical media like CDs, tapes, DS games – I’m a bit of a hoarder, so I like having magazines to keep for the memories.”
As her final show of the MARi GO ROUND UK Tour approaches, at The Deaf Institute, Manchester, MARiMARi is already working on her next collection of songs. Exploring “more of a mature palette,” she jokes, “now I’m in my mid-twenties, I should probably grow up a bit.” The new project is set to include “songs just in Japanese” and depicts a softer side of the artist. Using colour schemes as her starting point, she explains, “the last album was very hot pink, black, silver and brash. This one feels more pastel, cute, Neapolitan ice cream vibes. My brain is very Pinterest coded.”
Taking things back to basics, she is working with her two close friends, Harry Paynter and Wolf Cutt, to produce the bank of tracks. “It feels very intimate, just how I started four years ago,” she reminisces. Aside from this, the singer is hopping on some features – “I love sprinkling a verse and being like okay, that’s me done” – as well as confirming more support tours and shows. From TikTok posts to post-festival blues, it appears that MARiMARi is just getting started. If the next chapter is just as unapologetically her, the Liverpool music scene is in for a wild ride.
Follow @xomarimari on Instagram and @xomarichan on TikTok for updates.
