Akuma Nihmune, also known as Numi, is an independent VTuber who primarily streams on Twitch. She released her latest music project, Winter Blooms, in December, 2022. During the same month, she held her very first subathon and debuted a brand new model, Numi 3.0.
What kind of vibe were you going after with Winter Blooms? What inspired the album?
I was definitely going for a darker vibe when creating Winter Blooms. I was feeling a little gloomy towards the end of the year, as a lot of stress began to pile up nearing the end of the year, so I thought I’d channel that into the new album! Additionally, I wanted to create an album that fit the vibes of my new model I released.
What was your vision for the “Don’t Know Yet” music video? What was the process like to bring that to life?
The music video for “Don’t Know Yet” was meant to coincide with my lore video that I released with my new model. I worked with many different artists to create the lore video, and worked with my friend to sync up the soundtrack from the lore video to directly match the “Don’t Know Yet” song. It was one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever done so far. It felt like I was creating a whole world. Growing up, I loved directing and writing scripts, so seeing everything come to life was surreal.
What is the story behind the cover illustration for Winter Blooms?
The cover illustration for Winter Blooms follows a story of my journey as a Vtuber. For those who don’t know, my major albums were all illustrated by the same person, my friend, Stella. We worked closely together each time I worked on a new record to have it go along with the songs well. In this case, the illustration should make the listener feel a little gloomy, yet hopeful. I’m hoping that got through, haha!
You described “Vegas Woes” as the most “Numi song” on your previous EP. Which track takes the title this time around?
The most “Numi song” on this album has to be “Don’t Know Yet”, but in a completely different sense! I’d say “Vegas Woes” fit the more goofy side of me, while “Don’t Know Yet” is the more angsty side. It’s a fun switch up from Spring to Winter!
What was your personal favorite song on the album?
My personal favorite song on the album is “Beach Nights”. That song is extremely important to me, as I wrote it about how I felt growing up with my best friends and how we’d always console each other during those tough nights growing up. Additionally, I think it has one of my favorite choruses. It’s a little different from most songs I’ve written– but I love it all the same.
Is there anyone you would like to collab with on a song?
It’s a long shot, but if my shyness ever disappeared and I had the confidence to collab with anyone it’d be Mori Calliope. She’s the reason I decided to become a Vtuber and is the reason why my life has changed for the better. Creating a song with her would be a dream!
Do you have any projects lined up for 2023?
I have a whole bunch of projects coming up music wise as well as streaming wise! Can’t give too many hints, but the fans know I am aiming to release 4 albums this year. Wish me luck!
What was the inspiration behind your new outfit?
Many people have guessed it, but the new outfit was heavily inspired by Tifa from Final Fantasy 7. I thought her outfit was really cool and felt it would fit the vibes of a Demon Girl, haha.
What is your favorite feature of Numi 3.0?
My favorite feature of the new model are the horns. They’ve always been really cool to me, but this time one of the horns is messed up after rescuing the Noombas from my lore video. The model is meant to be the Numi from the past, so it’s in general my favorite design so far!
Will we ever see Numi 2.0 again?
The answer to that is a maybe. Who knows? The Numiverse is grand and full of mystery and… Weird demon girls.
What is your fondest memory of the subathon?
My favorite moment during my subathon was when my friends and fans sang happy birthday for me when the clock struck midnight. Having thousands of people wish you a happy birthday truly made me feel loved in a way I’ve never felt before. It reminded me of how incredible my community is. So many of them have made friends, met partners, and just feel safe within my community, so it was an immensely warm feeling to have them there with me to celebrate my birthday. I was so happy.
Who or what are your biggest inspirations at the moment?
My biggest inspirations to me at this point are my fans. It’s a little cheesy, but literally everything I do right now is to hopefully let them feel even an ounce of the happiness they make me feel. I love them with all my heart, and I hope I can continue to make them proud.
Winter Blooms is now available for streaming via nihmune on Spotify. We interviewed Numi in June 2022, where she spoke about anime and her EP Carry me Home. She can be found on Twitch, Twitter, and Youtube.
