Explore the genre-defying musical journey of Akira Galaxy, who weaves dream pop with indie rock and draws inspiration from unexpected places.
Isabel Neumann, Photos by Erica Snyder
Indie rock and SXSW artist Akira Galaxy’s journey into music began at the age of 3 when she attended her first concert. Surrounded by melodies, inspired by her father’s expansive record collection and fueled by a creative impulse that ignited at a young age, Akira embarked on her journey as a musician.
Akira reminisces about her formative years, recounting how she penned her first song at the age of 10, utilizing a simple voice transformer. “I’d just sit on the couch and mess around with it with my brother, so the first song I ever wrote was to him,” says Akira. Immersing herself in the world of simulation game Rock Band with neighborhood friends sparked her passion for music. Formal guitar lessons at 10 years old marked the genesis of her musical odyssey, leading to stints in rock bands throughout high school. “I wrote my first ‘real’ song in a closet using Garage Band, recording the drums and guitar and adding vocals later.”
Her musical evolution was eclectic, weaving through various genres yet defying categorization. “I find genres so bizarre,” she says. “People make up so many subgenres that just feel right, so I feel like it’s time for me to do that as well.” Akira refrains from pigeonholing her sound. She muses on the genre fluidity in today’s musical landscape. Because the general population does tend to categorize music, however, many naturally see hers as a blend of dream pop and indie rock.
Delving into the realms of poetry, Greek mythology and even the origin of colors, she draws upon a plethora of sources to infuse her lyrics with depth and nuance. “I’ve been really into finding the most interesting ways to describe feelings, so I try to push myself to do that, no matter how abstractly that’s done.” Poetry, in particular, emerges as a cornerstone of her lyrical prowess, with authors like Anne Carson leaving an indelible mark on her craft. She has found herself romanticizing colors and shapes, “trying to find ways to describe the way I’m feeling in a very abstract but relatable and detail-oriented way.”
Akira also draws inspiration from her father, as he introduced her to vinyl in the first place. “I find myself listening to [his]vinyl collection and transporting myself back to where he was as a child.” She is inspired by “little bits and pieces, sounds, chunks of songs.”
Akira’s recent foray into mime further underscores her commitment to intentional performance. “A lot of it has to do with choreographing to my lyrics and to the rhythm, all in an intentional way,” says Akira. Trained by the esteemed Lorin Eric Salm, Akira imbues each performance with a deliberate sense of purpose and expression, as inspired by Marcel Marceau.
Akira describes her whirlwind experience at SXSW as “touring bootcamp. [It] taught me to let go of nitpicking because things are happening so fast that you don’t even have time to think about them.”
As she embarks on her longest tour to date, traversing new cities and stages, Akira radiates an enthusiasm for the journey ahead. Going into her next tour, instead of overthinking, she goes into this new adventure thinking, “All right, let’s just let this be what is. We’re not gonna think about it at all. We’re just gonna do it, and it’s gonna be amazing.”
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