TOMOKO IDA paves the way for more female music producers: Billboard Japan Women in Music Interview

Grammy-nominated music producer TOMOKO IDA spoke with Billboard Japan about their Women in Music interview series, featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry. The WIM Japan initiative was launched in 2022 to honor artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work.

One of the few female music producers in Japan and abroad, TOMOKO IDA co-produced the first track 'obstáculo' on Puerto Rican music producer Tainy's debut album DATA in 2023, which was nominated for Best Urbana Music album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. As the first Japanese woman to be nominated for a Grammy as a music producer, TOMOKO IDA shared her thoughts on why female producers are a minority in the music industry.

How did you become a music producer?

My mother was a music teacher and I took piano and dance lessons from the age of six. When I was in second or third grade, the (J-pop) dance and vocal group ZOO was popular, and I was interested in 90s hip-hop and new jack swing. I also longed to go to New York after watching music videos and dreaming of working in the US someday. Time passed and I started DJing, after a few years I started playing as a beat maker using an MPC in a two woman duo. It was rare to see women playing with a sampler at that time, and people were excited to see our performances when we performed abroad. When it came time to get a job after college, I thought about working at a regular company, but my mother said, “Why not go into music?” and he encouraged me, so I chose to work part-time and focus on making beats.

Why did you decide to become a music producer rather than a performing artist, even though you first appeared in a duo as an MPC player?

Performing live with a sampler and DJ requires flexibility and instant response on stage, but I've always loved making things and I'm better at taking my time to create something. Plus, I hadn't heard of too many female music producers, so I wanted to spearhead it. By 2016, I started focusing more on production.

You have created music for famous J-pop artists such as AI, Daichi Miura, SixTONES and EXILE TRIBE, as well as music for fashion advertisements. Could you tell us what you do as a music producer?

I feel that the definition of a music producer changes with the times, and is also different from country to country. In Japan, the definition seems to refer to people who produce everything from the concept to the selection of members [of an idol group]like Yasushi Akimoto and Tetsuya Komuro, but in the US, if someone makes a track, then that person is often called a music producer. In my case, I'm often asked to produce music by artists who have already established their careers, so as a music producer I try to produce music that will make those artists shine brighter.

Many of the songs you produce for Japanese artists are powerful. Do you think there is a difference in the ideal image of women in Japan and America?

It has a different feel depending on the country. For example, I have a feeling that Japanese men find fragile women attractive. Maybe that's why there are many songs and lyrics that lean in that direction. But in the US, strong women are more popular.

You achieved a remarkable feat and became the first Japanese female producer to work on a Grammy-nominated album. From your position, do you have any thoughts on how things could be improved to make it easier for women to work in the industry?

I still think it's essential for precursors [like us] to open the way. For example, in Japan's hip-hop scene, Awich is currently leading the way and doing well as a female rapper. I think opportunities for women will expand if there are more people like her, so I would also like to do my best as a music producer to make it easier for more women to follow her example. I would like to see more Japanese people come out into the world because in the producer and songwriter community in Los Angeles where I currently live, we are very few compared to other Asians.

The skills required to both play with a sampler and be a music producer don't seem very physically demanding, so why do you think there aren't too many women in these fields?

It is said that women producers make up less than 3% of the total even now. We use machines and computers, so maybe people think they are mechanical and science oriented. I don't think it's a difficult job for women, but there are so few women that people seem surprised when they see me in the studio. I also seem to surprise people in a good way with my skills because apparently Asian girls look young for their age.

What advice would you give yourself in the first year of your career?

I'd say, 'Keep making music.' It's not always easy to choose your songs when you work as a music producer. Even when you're personally offered an opportunity, only a few of the songs you write will make the cut. It may seem like a glamorous world, but it takes a lot of quiet dedication and you just have to keep at it.

What are your next goals?

I was able to become a Grammy-nominated producer, so I want to be a Grammy-winning producer someday. I don't know when that will happen, but I'll keep making music for that goal.

—This interview with Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan