Eiko Ishibashi’s new album, Antigone, is nearly here! Eiko and her band approach pop, funk, jazz, ambient and electronic zones on this extraordinary new work, mapping out an altered-reality odyssey as the listener traverses through Eiko’s mind. Today, Eiko prepares to unveil Antigone with a new music video for “Mona Lisa” directed by Hitoshi Omika.
“Mona Lisa” is a dreamy ballad, with Eiko’s delicate lead vocals decorated by plush saxophones, gentle guitar strums, and additional vocals from ermhoi. The music video stars a lovely 90-year-old woman named Mutsuko-san, who is performing karaoke to “Mona Lisa” at Eiko’s neighborhood community center. Locals enjoy karaoke there every Tuesday afternoon; it is where Eiko first saw Mutsuko-san sing. As Eiko describes it:
“Her voice makes me think of her history. I was completely captivated by her and wished to become a singer like her. I thought a music video starring her would be the ultimate expression of my aspiration.
I asked some friends I could share this admiration and her charm with — Director Omika, Jim O’Rourke, Momoko Nakamura, and Mari Fujimori, who first invited me to this karaoke club — to help me produce the video.
Mutsuko-san wanted to practice singing this song. I took the CD to her house and sang it together.
“Who wrote this song?” Mutsuko-san said,
and when I told her it was me, she said,
‘You’re in the potato chips commercial, right? You should do something.’
Of course, I am not in a commercial.
But I would gladly make a commercial for potato chips for her.
Thanks to the Karaoke Club, Mutsuko, Mr. Fujimoto, Director Omika, Momoko, and Mari.
I will go back to the karaoke club next Tuesday.”
— Eiko Ishibashi, 2025
Antigone is out March 28, 2025. Following the album’s release, Eiko Ishibashi will perform at New York’s Knockdown Center for the 2025 edition of Outline.
Eiko Ishibashi 2025 Performances
Mar. 29 – Knoxville, TN @ Big Ears Festival*
Mar. 30 – Queens, NY @ Knockdown Center (solo)
Apr. 1 – Toronto, ON Canada @ The Garrison (solo)
Apr. 3 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s (solo)
*GIFT: A Live Score by Eiko Ishibashi X Film by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
