We first discovered KAGAMI during a live show in Eindhoven in an intimate setting with unexpectedly big, electrifying energy. What began as a solo project by keyboardist and producer Rotem has grown into a fully formed duo with a bold, retro‑futuristic identity, blending city pop, French disco and Italo grooves. We spoke with Lucas and Rotem about the meaning behind their name, their love for vintage synthesizers, their sci‑fi inspired storytelling, and what’s next for them.
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Introduction
What does ‘Kagami’ mean?
“KAGAMI” means “mirror” in Japanese. We actually released an EP with that title four years ago, working with two Japanese musicians who helped write and translate lyrics. We noticed the word “KAGAMI” kept popping up in the translations and so it became a recurring theme. When we decided to change the name of the project from my (Rotem) solo act to something more collaborative, we thought: the name was already there. Let’s just steal it back from the EP and make it the name of the band.
How would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard you before?
We call it cosmic funk – retro-futuristic groove music. Our sound blends Japanese city pop, French touch, Italo disco, Brazilian MPB… basically, any genre rooted in funk and rhythm. It’s not bound to one country or culture. Instead, we draw from a global palette of sounds. This groove music was everywhere, and each country had it’s own interpretation of it. We try to combine it and create something that’s danceable.
What are your songs about?
We do not write deep personal or emotional stories. No heartbreak songs. No ballads. Instead, we lean into fiction. Stories about time travel, sci-fi worlds, surreal experiences. It’s like writing a soundtrack for a movie or novel that doesn’t exist yet. We want people to be fully in the moment, not distracted by anything else – to let go and enjoy.
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Roots
How have your backgrounds influenced your music?
What’s interesting is that our influences come from places we’re not from, we discovered all of it later in life. That outsider perspective gives us a fresh way of hearing it. We’re not recreating a nostalgic sound from childhood, we’re curating and merging styles we’ve come to love with a third-person curiosity.
How did you shape your own sound?
The inspiration really came from a shared love that we each discovered in our own way. It took quite a while to shape it into what it is now. The sound we’re making today wasn’t there from the beginning, but it slowly crystallized over time. A big shift came when we changed formats. We used to be an eight-piece band with three vocalists. We weren’t singing ourselves, as we were mostly in the background. But when we started performing as a duo, with live synths and a DJ-style setup, everything changed. The music became more danceable, less ballad-heavy, and more focused on rhythm, energy and flow. This new live setup influenced the sound massively. It allowed us to focus purely on the groove. That’s really how the current KAGAMI sound was born.
Do you use traditional instruments in your live sets?
Not traditional in the folk sense, but we’re obsessed with vintage synths. We both studied keyboards and music production, and our sound is built around classic 70s/80s synth textures. The Juno-106 might as well be our “traditional instrument.” That retro analog warmth is at the core of what we do.
What does the word ‘fusion’ mean to you?
We don’t use the word much ourselves, but it’s unavoidable today. In 2025, everyone has access to global sounds. Whether you realize it or not, you’re influenced. Music genres are blending constantly. For us, fusion is less about combining opposites and more about tracing back to a shared root. Many cultures have their own version of groove-based music and our sound connects the dots between them.
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Live
What do you want people to feel at your live shows?
Joy. Optimism. Pure presence. We’re not trying to deliver heavy messages. Our goal is simple: make people dance, forget their worries, and feel good. That’s what KAGAMI is about. No overthinking, just energy.
What’s a live show you’ll never forget?
Definitely our mini tour in South Korea this past summer. It was our first time there, we were jetlagged, had only one rehearsal, and two brand new songs to debut. We didn’t know what to expect. But the crowd energy blew us away. People connected with the music, and even the new songs landed better than we imagined. It gave us confirmation that our direction was right and it felt amazing to feel that in such a different place.
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Inspires
What’s next for Kagami?
We just got the great news that we’ll play Eurosonic Noorderslag, which is a big moment for us. After that, we shift into full studio mode this winter. We’re working on a full-length album, and everything we’re playing live right now is part of that. We’ll bring in guest musicians, book studio time, and go deep. The plan is to release the album in late 2026 and play more festivals – hopefully even return to Asia.