Yukimi Nagano has been giving us glitchy, out-there, transformative music as a member of the Swedish outfit Little Dragon for nearly two decades. But anybody familiar with her work knows that the singer-songwriter has been a talent to reckon with well beyond her time with the group. Even with her many guest features, though, she’s never embarked on the solo path. That changes now as she steps out as simply Yukimi with her debut single “Break Me Down.”
Yukimi isn’t making this step without some major help, though. “Break Me Down” is produced by her LD bandmate Erik Bodin (who also plays drums, keys and bass on the cut) and has a songwriting assist from none other than Lianne La Havas (who also plays guitar). With the high level of talent involved, it’s no surprise that “Break Me Down” is a perfect introduction to Yukimi’s solo endeavors.
The bombastic electronic production sounds fittingly epic as the singer vows to stand in defiance against whatever the world has to throw at her. “Every day I’m reborn like a new reveal / Don’t judge me so simply by the way I feel,” she proclaims and commands on the opening verse. “Don’t put me in a box with the facts you steal / As I break through the wall, as I scream in a hall / As I stand at the top of a peak with the sun in my hands.” She then further stakes her claim on the chorus, singing, “No one’s gonna break me down.”
For the song’s video, she takes inspiration from Ingmar Bergman’s classic The Seventh Seal, even going as far as to shoot the clip on the same beach as the film and re-enacting one of the film’s most iconic scenes. It’s both a love letter to her home of Sweden and a declaration of her strength and her independence.
Yukimi is off to a great start in her solo journey with “Break Me Down,” and we can’t wait to see what’s next. Stream the song in full, and watch its music video below. As well, if you happen to be in New York City, Oakland, Los Angeles or Santa Ana, California at the beginning of December, you can watch the singer on her first set of solo shows. The flyer for the four shows and dates can be found below and ticket info can be found at Yukimi’s website.
Yukimi North American Tour dates:
December 2 – New York, NY @ Le Poisson Rouge
December 5 – Santa Ana, CA @ Constellation Room
December 6 – Oakland, CA @ New Parish
December 9 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
