Next-Gen TikTok Pop Icon Sasane Talks Creative Roots & Playful Spirit: Billboard Japan Monthly Feature Interview

Billboard Japan interviewed Sasane, the rising 18-year-old pop icon, for its monthly series highlighting artists making an impact. Sasane gained attention with her debut single "mosi mosi?" since March 2025, which has over 3 billion plays on TikTok and topped Billboard Japan's JAPAN Heatseekers Songs chart. She started posting acoustic guitar cover videos on TikTok around that time and began her original song journey shortly after.

Sasane's journey in creativity began with dance training at age six, inspired by her mom and her love for hip-hop. She enjoyed expressing herself through movement and receiving reactions from the audience. Her earliest music-related memory was listening to TLC, which made her want to dance to their playful tunes.

Sasane started playing guitar when she began posting cover videos, as a way to practice. She believes the line between boredom and staying interested lies in whether it's fun or not, and that getting reactions from social media motivates her. During her high school years, she studied design, which influenced her video backgrounds and presentation. She emphasizes the importance of putting out many ideas and keeping the ones that excite her.

Sasane's singing voice was not always a source of confidence, but she now embraces it as a strength. In creating "mosi mosi?", she aimed for a nostalgic yet fresh feeling, inspired by her cover of HALCALI's "Otsukare SUMMER." The song's lyrics, including "Even if the cat hates me, even if Mom scolds me," came from a personal experience shared during her collaboration with producer Tamico Mukoda.