Grammy-nominated producer Tomoko Ida is paving the way for the next generation of female producers, and she’s also the driving force behind some of Japan’s biggest names. The producer is now beginning her tenth year in the industry, and as she celebrated a decade of producing.

For those unfamiliar, Japan’s music market is one of the biggest in the world. Complete with a fiercely loyal domestic fanbase, the Japanese music industry has established itself as one of the best in the world, and has only barely scratched the surface. However, its new generation is seeking to move abroad, proven by the international success of artists such as PSYCHIC FEVER, Fujii Kaze, and BABYMETAL—and they’re backed by some of the best producers in the game.

Leading the charge is Tomoko Ida, a pioneer for both Japan and female producers everywhere. Ten years ago, she hadn’t imagined herself enjoying Los Angeles’ inviting weather year-round with a Grammy nomination under her belt—she just wanted to make music. “My mom was a music teacher, so we always had a piano and a synthesizer at home,” the Tokyo native tells us from where she’s set up camp in L.A. It’s her second year living in the US, where she’s spent her time collaborating with some of the best talent in the industry. 

She smiles fondly as she recalls her early days. Having first picked up DJing as a college student, she hadn’t gone in with any expectations until she joined Beat Connection, an event organized by Sony Music Publishing at Yokohama Arena. The event allows talent old and new to showcase their skills, and Ida first caught the label’s attention by not only attending, but winning the “Best Sound” award.

“That was an important moment for me because it was my first connection with Sony Music Publishing. So after this, I worked for about five years as a performing audience using an MPC, and I performed live beats on the stage, and developed my own style,” she recounts. “In 2016, I signed a producer contract with Sony Music Publishing Japan—that was the start of my professional career.”

It’s rare to see Ida without a smile on her face, a testament not only to her demeanor but her true love for what she does. It's clear her passion is what has carried her this far and, despite her journey not always being easy, she’s still managed to create a path (and sound) all her own. Over the years, she’s worked with artists spanning multiple genres, including J-pop, K-pop, and Latin. “I have to show them where I'm from,” she says, enthusiastic about incorporating elements of her Japanese heritage into her production. It’s important to strike a balance, she explains, adding that she usually does a discography deep-dive of an artist to find a sound that both fits their artistic vision and expresses her personal flair. It’s a sound that remains front and center in songs like “RED ZONE” by LiSA, “Wonderland” by CHANMINA, and “곡선 (Curve)” by SUNMI. 

She finds it paramount as a producer to always put the artist’s vision first, sharing that her personal taste can be “super different” at times: her playlist is primarily home to 90s hip hop and R&B, which stands opposite the heavy electronic work you can find throughout her many producing credits. She cites EMPD, Biggie, and Nas as some of her early influences, amongst others, though she’s leaned into the blend of trap, EDM, and hip hop that J-pop often favors. It’s only natural, then, that she hopes to work on more R&B projects in the future, and striking a cultural balance is of utmost importance to her. She hopes to work with Black American producers to find a sound that is authentic to both genres—a perfect blend of J-pop and R&B birthed from the best of both cultures. 

Her experience spans across the globe, and it’s her multicultural mindset that ultimately landed her a Grammy nomination. An introvert by nature, Ida stepped out of her comfort zone by sending an Instagram DM to Puerto Rican producer Tainy, someone whose work she greatly admired. “I didn't expect him to reply, because he's huge. But he replied to me right away, like [within] a few minutes,” she recalls, still marveling at the timing of it all. Just a few days later, he would reach back out asking her to contribute to an upcoming project, a song titled “obstáculo.” The name translates to “obstacle” in English, making Ida’s credits on the song almost symbolic of the mountains she’s climbed to make it to where she is today.

She laughs remembering how she’d discovered the song had received a Grammy nomination on the way back from dinner with friends. “On the way to home, I think I remember I [was] in the taxi, then I saw [it] on X.” What followed was a whirlwind of events that she can only describe as “unforgettable.” She had been preparing to move from Tokyo to L.A. at the time, and only one week after touching down at L.A.X, she attended her first Grammys. “I wasn't expecting that Grammy at all, so it felt like a miracle that both things happened at the same time.”

Ida undoubtedly deserves her flowers—it’s been a long road, and she acknowledges that her gender has, at times, made it difficult to do things like find female role models and mentors within the industry. “Sometimes the hard part is not the music,” she admits, “but in a positive way, I think the women who stay in the field are very strong.” As she’s continued to build out her portfolio over the years, she’s also expanded into opportunities in sound design, most recently working on a project for AFEELA by Sony Honda Mobility. “This [was] a new challenge for me,” she shares about the venture. She explains that in comparison to production, where sounds are layered and built into minutes-long pieces, sound design requires the creation of a single auditory element, often only a few seconds long. Even so, she’s never been one to back down from a challenge, and she hopes to continue growing her skills in sound design as time goes on.

Throughout her decade in the industry, Ida has taken the time to carve out a path for others to follow in her footsteps. The journey has been lonely at times, but she’s found her perseverance to be her greatest strength. As Japan’s talent begins to seek out a future abroad, Ida will undoubtedly continue to spearhead this effort, driven by pure grit and passion.