She sells out large venues, is feted by legends – and adored for her euphoric songs. The remarkable Japanese musician talks about magical islands, sonic sorcery and playing gigs with her eyes shut

When Ichiko Aoba stood up to perform at London’s St Martin-in-the-Fields in September 2024, most people couldn’t actually see the Japanese singer at first. The Georgian parish church has no stage, just a postage stamp of a red platform. And Aoba is not that tall. “I was a bit nervous,” she says. “Venue staff had told me it would be difficult for people to see, so I kept thinking about how I might massage people, loosen them up.”

Aoba, 35, is speaking over video call from Tokyo. Her vibe in conversation is much the same as on stage: quiet but not shy, thoughtful, funny and direct. At St Martin’s, she walked down the aisle, guitar in hand, sat down on the flagstone floor, big white skirts billowing up like powdery snow, and started to sing, unamplified. The audience hushed. Aoba said, “Come closer”, and everyone who could did.