Mina Okabe presents a new direction with “It’s A New Day,” the first single from her upcoming third album. The track marks a step away from the dreamy, singer-songwriter-infused pop that has characterized much of her music so far, while retaining the personal perspective that has helped her songs reach listeners worldwide.
Okabe is a Danish-Japanese artist whose music has amassed more than 500 million streams. Since her debut single in 2020, she has built an international profile. The debut album Better Days achieved 4× platinum status in Korea. She has also been named a Spotify RADAR artist and Apple Music “One to Watch,” and was awarded the Japan Gold Disc Awards prize for newcomer of the year in 2024. Among the festivals she has performed at are Roskilde Festival, Seoul Jazz Festival, and Summer Sonic.
Her second album, Papaya, was developed between Copenhagen, London, and Los Angeles together with multi-platinum producer Leroy Clampitt. For the next step, Okabe reportedly wanted to challenge her own notions of how her music should sound and try new ways to use her voice. Rock, folk, and indie pop have now become part of the broader palette. Among her sources of inspiration are Joni Mitchell, HAIM, Alvvays, and The Velvet Underground.
Bright surface, more complex feelings
“It’s A New Day” makes the change audible through contrasts. The bright, playful melodies coexist with lyrics about trying to get out of a heavy state of mind without finding an immediate solution. The song’s emotional core is less about a sudden turnaround and more about allowing time to pass and approaching oneself with patience. Okabe has described the song as cheerful in tone but sad in words, with an encouraging tone toward the end.
The balance between lightness and vulnerability also gives an early sense of the upcoming album’s character. Okabe has said she is glad that the single introduces the new material, since its playful production and the sarcastic elements in the lyrics reflect the expression she is exploring. Instead of abandoning the sincerity associated with her earlier songwriting, she now also gives space to humor and a willingness to experiment.
The change goes beyond the sound itself. Okabe has previously likened her songs to diary entries; in the new work, she has drawn more inspiration from conversations with friends. The talks can range from embarrassing stories after a night out to serious discussions about life and the future. This gives her a new source of detail, while her interest in everyday feelings and how people describe them to each other remains.
Okabe wrote “It’s A New Day” together with Nick Madsen and Mads Koch, who also contributed to several songs on Better Days. When they returned to the studio, an established creative relationship gained new perspectives. The working method differed from Okabe’s usual approach: rather than laying the foundation of the song in a single session with guitar or piano, the trio continued to rework and arrange it over several days, trying different versions.
Okabe has described the process as a puzzle and said that the experience made her more comfortable with a songwriting style that takes time. The desire to take a song apart and rebuild it reflects the broader creative reset behind the single. While Better Days and Papaya captured experiences from her early twenties, she now approaches the stories on her next album with fewer ideas of what form they must take.
For Okabe, the new chapter can be summed up in three words: playful, honest, and emotional. “It’s A New Day” unites these qualities in an open and infectious song that does not deny its harder feelings. It marks a new step in her music, in which a desire to experiment shapes the expression while personal observations remain at its core.
