5 Q&A With Kenda Sperow
What was the creative process like for this particular track?
I wanted to create something that combined the nostalgic groove of Tame Impala’s Lost in Yesterday with the dramatic rock energy of Inokori Sensei by Honeyworks. Blending songs I love as creative starting points is a technique I use often — I’m always curious about how one track might sound if filtered through the DNA of another.
How did you approach the arrangement and composition of the music for "Divine Glitch (神様のバグ) feat. Hatsune Miku?”
I started with the opening guitar riff and worked pretty linearly from there, writing one section at a time. When I hit a wall on the chorus, I ended up listening to the Team Plasma theme from Pokémon Black and White — the first two chords stood out to me, so I borrowed the progression and developed it into the chorus. I also love writing solos, so I recorded a guitar solo really slowly to a metronome, quantized it, and then sped it up for the final version.
What impact do you hope this track will have on your audience?
For Japanese listeners, I hope the lyrics connect emotionally — this marks the beginning of my work as a Japanese lyricist. I’ll also be providing an English translation, so even if the lyrics aren’t understood directly, I hope the underlying themes still resonate. One of my goals is to reframe schizophrenia not as something purely “in your head,” but as an experience shaped by outside forces as well. I believe there’s truth in every experience, and my schizophrenia is no exception.
What inspired you to pursue a career in music?
I didn’t grow up in a musical household, so I discovered music relatively late. Around 13, I started listening to video game soundtracks, and by 15 I was making music using a tracker for a site called Battle of the Bits. I quickly became obsessed. Music turned into an irreplaceable source of joy — and obsession is a pattern for me (first video games, then music, then Japanese, now music again). Even when I take breaks from creating, I never stop listening. I believe we can become whoever we want to be, and that the world will make space for each version of ourselves. That belief is what keeps me walking the narrow path — with kindness and truth as my compass.
What role do emotions play in your music, and how do you channel them into your performances?
My emotional range isn’t dramatic — I’m generally calm, and I tend to avoid overstimulating environments like crowds or loud venues. I don’t really see myself as a performer. But that doesn’t mean my music lacks emotion — it’s just more subliminal. I draw from my lived experiences, from the truths I uncover, and from the ideals I’ve formed along the way. Creating music is how I process those things and share them with others.
