Single reviewsThe Other Side Reviews

Yoyo Nagase – i don’t care (2022)

While embracing your culture is important, this can sometimes be easier said than done. That is something that Yoyo Nagase is intimately familiar with and weaves into his music, including his latest single ‘i don’t care’. Embracing western pop traditions, he joins forces with fellow Asian artists, Pluto Koi, Pretty Havoc and A Kid Named Rufus, to help others connect with an identity that is underrepresented in pop.

Each artist adds their unique sound to the track, creating a stunning combination of sounds, styles and identities. Pulsing through the music is a strong message that we all need to hear, powered by styles that span pop, rock and punk. Inspiring and endlessly engaging, the single is one that fills you with a sense of connection whether you share the identity of the artists or not.



There is a really chilled vibe to the opening of ‘i don’t care’ that instantly puts a smile on your face. The movement of the low levels of the melody have you swaying to the sound while feeling the urge to close your eyes and soak up the vibes. You can feel the stress and worries of the world lifting off your shoulders and floating away on the breeze created by the music. While there is a really undeniable light vibe to the music, there is a moving thread woven in that comes through more as the track continues. You can hear the touches of each artist’s musicality shine through the sound, from the shuffle of the beats to the rise of soft rock that takes you into the fantastic sound of the horns. The climb to the crescendo in the latter parts of the track have you twirling in the sunlight of the sound, before gently putting you down to meander into the distance with a whistle on your lips.

It is not only the music that lifts your worries and fills you with good vibes. The vocals enter against the sunny tones of the music with a delicate touch. He reaches out to someone who isn’t physically with him and eases any rough edges that the separation has created. The chorus is like a soft sigh as you sink back into the melody and soak up the good vibes. There is a really positive message woven into the lyrics that settles something you never knew was out of place in your soul. Later in the track, there is a swing in vocal performance as each artist gets a chance to shine. At this point, a light growl is added to the soundscape bringing a fantastic texture that highlights the differences in musicality each artist brings.

Yoyo Nagase teams up with Pluto Kai, Pretty Havoc and A Kid Named Rufus for the easy, chilled and incredibly addictive softness of ‘i don’t care’. The music fills you with the chilled and relaxed vibe of the single before floating your worries away on a delicate breeze and meandering off to the sound of horns and whistles. Each vocal performance brings a unique touch to the track while enhancing the messaging of the single.

Find out more about Yoyo Nagase on his website, Instagram and Spotify.