Kimiko Glenn is Putting Herself Into Focus

As an actress, and voice actress, Kimiko Glenn has become well known for giving life to a diverse array of characters. Now, recording music as KIMIKO, she’s ready to give life to the most important character of all – herself.

“I always have had my own unique perspective,” she says, “but I think finding the courage to share things has been a battle, or an exercise in pushing forward through the the uncomfortable feeling, because I never shared my stuff. I was like – this is private. This is like what I really feel, and think.”

Kimiko officially launched her music career quietly in July of 2025 with the release of the song “Oh Honey,” but kicked things into high gear four months later with the release of “Hang Out Forever?” and its accompanying video.

She recently released a third single, “Emotional Whiplash,” with her debut EP, Modern Dance, due out May 29th.

“It’s really, really vulnerable to be yourself,” she says, “(but) now that I’m sharing it, I feel really excited, and empowered.”

I caught up with Kimiko to find out more about her musical side, as well as how she wound up behind the camera for her videos, and her thoughts on the current state of modern romance.

After years of acting, and voice acting, what inspired you to dive into music? 

Well, I have always written music. It’s something that I have done since like 2014.

I learned guitar when I was like 20, 21, just to seem cool to guys, and also to accompany myself. I was dedicated to getting good at it, and once I was pretty solid I was feeling big, frustrating feelings about this relationship I was in. I sat down, and wrote a song, and I was like – I was pretty good at that. Like, that wasn’t that hard, and that was kind of cathartic.

Then anytime I was feeling frustrated, or had to process something, or just had this tension inside of me, I’d go to my Notes app, and write out my feelings, and they’d start to rhyme. Then a melody would pop into my head, and I would write songs, like maybe like a verse and a chorus, then I’d be like – feeling done. I would just move on with my day. It wasn’t for any purpose of like, “I’m going to be a star,” but I always had the thought – I guess I could try and pursue the music industry.

I think because I started my career touring, the first job I had was a Broadway tour that toured for two years around North America, and it was hellish – I am the type of person who needs to be rooted down. I need to have my things. I need to have my people. I need to have my home – the lifestyle never appealed to me, so I just never pursued it.

I would just write songs all the time, and then during COVID, I sort of got brave, and started sharing some stuff I had written with a person or two who I thought was safe, and they were like, “You should do something with this.”

I became friends with a producer, and I was like, maybe we should like do something.

Slowly but surely, like once every two months, we’d meet up in the studio, and when we finally finished a song I was like, oh my gosh, this was like magic, and I got really excited.

A couple years ago I started pursuing it. I was like – you know what, I’m going to just try, because I have all these songs that I think are good.

What’s nice about it is now I’m forced to finish a song instead of just leaving it after the feeling is done. It’s forced me to like kind of process the full feeling, and the scope of it all.

Really live in the feeling. 

Yeah, and come to a conclusion about it.

It’s really helpful in me processing it, and feeling validated in my feelings, too.

That’s how it came to be.

When you picked up a guitar for the first time in your early 20s, who were your guitar gods? Who were you like, “I want to sound like them”? 

There were my aspirational people, and there were my people where I was like, this is inspiring because it’s so doable because they’re doing it.

I loved watching St. Vincent because she just shreds on the guitar, and she’s so insane, and does the weirdest stuff. She’s very unconventional in how she plays, and such a rock star. She’s like such a cute little skinny hipster beauty, and I was just like, wow, I admire that so much. I could never be that. I would love to, though.

I felt confident in how I was playing because I learned to play a bunch of Taylor Swift songs. Taylor Swift uses the same chords basically, and moves the capo around, and keeps rhythm differently in every song.

That helped me build my right hand, my rhythm hand, because I didn’t have to think so much about the left.

So she really was influential in me learning how to play the guitar a bit better.

You directed the video for your latest single, “Emotional Whiplash.” Will this be an aspect of your music career as well, the visual aspect of things? 

Yeah.

What’s funny is initially I was just going to drop some music. I wanted it to be really low key. I was like, I know I have a bunch of followers on Spotify, I’ll just be like, “Oh, by the way, here’s an EP,” because I don’t like to draw a ton of attention to myself. Then I this guy was dating last year did the most for me for my birthday. It was so sweet. He was so thoughtful, and I was like, oh, my gosh, I really have to give him a great birthday present.

I started writing this song about hanging out forever, like this concept, so I thought I might as well finish that thought, and that’ll be his birthday present.

I started working on the song, and as I was working on the song, I was like, this is a really earnest song, how do I make it not so earnest? Then I was like, oh, my gosh, what if I did a music video, and I like held the guy hostage, and it was a captor situation?

I got so pumped on that silly idea, and the juxtaposition of the sweetness of the song versus the visual sinisterness of it all that I ran with it.

Then we broke up, and it gave me a bit of an extension on it.

I released it, and then I was like, oh, shoot, now I’ve done this in such a big way, I feel like people are expecting something, or I’m sort of expecting this of me, and honestly, it would be good for me, because I am in the visual medium. I’m an actor, and I’m giving myself an opportunity in a time where there is so little work.

So it became part of it by accident, but now I’m really pumped on it because I’ve always wanted to. My dad has always said, “You should be a director.” I’ve always had a very distinct opinion, and perspective, and being an actor has been pretty tricky because I feel like I have to keep my mouth shut a lot. Being able to be the driver of the ship has been really exciting.

You’ve been releasing singles so far, with an EP titled Modern Dance due out May 29th. You mentioned in a social media clip that the music straddles genres. Break that concept down for everyone. What has gone into your sound? 

My inspiration isn’t pulled from anything specific. (There’s) nothing sonically I want to emulate. It’s just based off of, I start writing a song, and then I’m like – what is the best way to support this song?

I always want to make the weirder choice, and do the unexpected.

The next song that’s coming out is a little more acoustic, and then has a turn at the end, which is kind of fun. It’s more organic than some of my other music.

I have a song that’s a little bit hip-hop, and then the titular track is like bubblegum pop, kind of sparkly, shimmery, feel good, fun stuff.

I’m also working on a project now where I have a rock song.

I feel like I just do whatever I feel, and my voice is the through line.

I just don't want to be held back by any notions that I need to do one thing.

I read the EP is about relationship woes. Since modern romance seems to be an oxymoron right now, what do we need to do to make things better? 

Boy oh boy, I think every man is going to hate my answer.

I think, honestly, men need to touch grass.

What I’m experiencing as a woman is it feels like a lot of men are getting sucked into certain ideas, the manosphere is kind of like an extreme example of this, but I feel like I hear bits and pieces of well-adjusted men kind of regurgitating things that are low-key problematic, and I think there’s an accountability issue.

It’s very difficult for me and all my single girlfriends who are incredible and successful and well-rounded to find someone who matches our energy. That’s kind of what I’ve been experiencing.

It’s not always the man’s fault. I’m not blaming men in entirety, but it seems to be a trend, especially with the male loneliness epidemic happening. I just think so much of it is because we are getting sucked into our phones. We’re getting sucked into YouTube, and not interacting with people enough, not getting deep and close with people anymore because we’re all so busy.

We all are just, I think, struggling with the current state of the world, and ways to survive, numbing out by scrolling endlessly. We all do it.

But you’re still out there. You’re still trying … 

Well, actually, no.

OK, You’ve given up. You’re a nun. It’s all good. 

I’ve given up entirely, and it’s been so peaceful. I hate it.

I would love to have a partner. I would love that, (but) honestly, I’ve found that my life feels way more in balance when I don’t, when I’m not chasing after someone.

Single, and not ready to mingle. 

No, not really, but I’m ready to open up to friendship, and connection, and real conversations.

I’m not saying I can’t have men in my life, I just don’t necessarily want to date them. Not right now, anyway.

Speaking of a man that was in your life, you appeared in the video for Bleachers’ “Wanna Get Better” in 2014. Now that you're a musician yourself, could a Jack Antonoff collaboration be in your future? 

Jack Antonoff has gotten so big since then, so (it’s) doubtful, but I have seen him around since, and he’s so sweet, and so wonderful.

If that were to be the case, I would be so thrilled, because some of my favorite pop music that’s coming out lately has him involved.

So I’m like obsessed with what he’s doing. I would love that.

There are a lot people who are enamored with youth when it comes to artists, but let’s flip that – in what ways do you feel your maturity has been a commodity, and how not being a teenager has been an advantage while launching your music career? 

You know, it’s funny because it is kind of late for me to be doing it. I’m in my 30s, not my early 20s, but I would say the thing that’s helpful is perspective.

I don’t know if it’s necessarily helpful to the outside world that I am older, and wiser. I mean, I think probably my perspective is a little more mature. I’m a little more fearless, oddly. You’d think that it would be the other way around, but … I think that has allowed for me to be more honest with my lyrics.

Also, when I was younger, I was very concerned about my family’s perception of me, and I was nervous to be successful because my sister used to pursue theater, and I didn’t ever want to make her feel bad.

She’s always been successful in her own right, and I’ve always admired her, but I think letting go of that in some ways was a bit tricky.

I think we’ve developed a better relationship surrounding that.

Also, my sexuality, and how I view things, I think I was always so nervous to say it because I’m like, my parents are gonna see. Then, you know, they watched Orange is the New Black, and I’m like, ah, whatever.

At that point, yeah. 

There’s been so much stuff that it’s like, I have to just pretend like it’s gonna all be OK, and honestly, it has been. They’ve always been so supportive.

There’s no reason to be scared of how they view me, because they love me no matter what.

That’s beautiful. Finally, you’ve done a plethora of TV shows – what’s the most unique piece of swag, or fan gift, you’ve received from one of your gigs? 

Oh my gosh, that is a really good question, because there’s been a lot.

The Hazbin Hotel fans are pretty incredible. They’re always bringing such interesting gifts. Like someone crocheted this Adam with Niffty, my character, stabbing him in the back, which is just so funny to me. I love it so much.

One that I received from Titmouse, the production company, was a big mug, like a goblet that looked like you could smoke pot out of the handle.

They tend to send a lot of 420 related items, which I think is like really fun, and silly. I keep a lot of it.

That’s awesome. 

So many different fun things.

Although I gotta say, not feeling good about a character of yours stabbing someone named Adam. 

Not you, not you. I promise.

For more KIMIKO, follow her on Instagram.