MIREI Releases Liberating New Single ‘Let Me Be’ via Cool Japan Music / The Orchard

Japanese electronic-pop and R&B songstress MIREI is back with her second offering of the year “Let Me Be,” a dreamy, groove heavy, ‘90s-esque tune produced and co-written with Zak Leeker (a classically trained musician who’s earned support from industry heavyweights like Diplo) and mixed by DJ Shiftee (a two-time DMC World Champion). “Let Me Be” turns intensely soulful as she muses on power imbalances between genders, while the single at its core is about being true to yourself and holding onto your independence. In their exclusive premiere, The 405 admired MIREI’s sleek ability to pay homage to her influences while cementing her own vocal style unique to her Japanese and New York City upbringing. They said: “bringing the urban energy inherent in her beyond bustling home base[s], the young singer mines nostalgia from the last few decades, equal parts Destiny’s Child and Ciara.”

When asked about the new single, MIREI said: “Let Me Be is about letting go of a relationship that’s holding you back from following your own path. I often feel suffocated while I’m in a relationship, and I was wondering why… I realize it’s because there isn’t balance in it and I’m not given the space I need to be the best version of myself. Traditional relationships used to focus on a man’s expectations of a woman and the way a woman would cater to him, build a family with him, but that’s changed with our generation. A healthy relationship should be an equal partnership, where both people in it are able to pursue their goals and dreams while supporting each other.”