Changing Tunes

My livestream got its start when I was playing a game with friends in a Japanese online community, and I turned on my mic and began playing covers of songs from anime series on the piano. Now I have a weekly two-hour livestream. I play half anime covers and half jazz. The stream gives me motivation to learn new songs, practice and keep my audience interested.

Playing piano is completely different from science, and that’s the point. When I’m doing music, my science brain turns off. I have to focus on the music because I have to think about the next chord, where my fingers go next and the lyrics. It’s a good distraction. It helps me de-stress.

Science is a central part of my life, and I genuinely enjoy the work I do. At the same time, having a piano in the lab has created a different kind of connection — with colleagues who stop to listen or play, and with other scientists I make music with outside of work. Through my livestream, I’ve also built a small community that exists beyond my scientific identity. Music doesn’t replace science for me; it complements it, offering a space for creativity, connection and balance.