Born in Japan and raised in Seattle, Washington, Tomo Nakayama is an artist whose melodic, complex, and emotionally compelling music has been praised by NPR, New York Times, and The Stranger. After two critically acclaimed indie-folk albums, Fog on the Lens and Pieces of Sky (named “Best Folk Act” by Seattle Weekly), he surprised his fans by releasing the synthpop album Melonday (on Seattle label Porchlight Records). Co-produced by Yuuki Matthews (The Shins, Teardrops, Sufjan Stevens) and mastered by Dave Cooley (M83, Paramore, Tame Impala), Melonday was named one of the Top Albums of 2020 by Seattle Times, KEXP, and Seattle Met Magazine, and debuted at #1 on the NW Charts. He has toured across the US and Japan, sharing the stage with Cornelius, Wye Oak, Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Ben Gibbard, Damien Jurado, and Shugo Tokumaru. He has collaborated with Dave Matthews, Sera Cahoone, Jherek Bischoff, and Jeremy Enigk (Sunny Day Real Estate). An active, longtime member of the Seattle music and arts community, Tomo has also curated and produced events for Forterra (Ampersand Live) and Town Hall, where he also served as Artist in Residence. He also composed music and appeared as an actor in the Lynn Shelton film Touchy Feely with Elliot Page and Rosemarie DeWitt.

Sound Clips
  • Drawings from Concord 2nd graders: a kat and a dinosaur, a dog with hearts, a baseball and bat, and a green dragon
    Tomo Nakayama - The Feelings Song
  • Tomo Nakayama playing guitar in front of several students in a classroom.
    Lowell Poetry and Song 2022: A Song Is a Poem
  • Drawings from Concord 2nd graders: a kat and a dinosaur, a dog with hearts, a baseball and bat, and a green dragon
    Concord Poetry and Song 2022: The Feelings Song
  • Grand Hallway - Yes Is the Answer
    Grand Hallway - Napoleon's Left Shoe
Education Projects
Drawings from Concord 2nd graders: a kat and a dinosaur, a dog with hearts, a baseball and bat, and a green dragon

Concord International Elementary: Poetry and Song 2022 READ MORE >

Tomo Nakayama playing guitar in front of several students in a classroom.

Muchas Gracias, Poems! Lowell Elementary Poetry & Song 2022 READ MORE >