Mao Sasagawa, born on November 25, 1995, is a Japanese singer-songwriter and former Vocaloid producer who originally went by aliases such as "Tofuya" and "nagisa" before adopting the names mao sasagawa. Initially uninterested in music, her passion was sparked in high school after discovering the band Ling Tosite Sigure. Gifted a guitar by her composer uncle, she began composing music and eventually explored Vocaloid production after being inspired by artist saiB. During his college years, she joined a light music club, performed in a local band named Bungaku Syojyo, and became influenced by melancholic rock acts like BURGER NUDS and syrup16g. She dropped out in her third year to pursue music full-time and lived with fellow artist Tatsuya Kitani until 2020. As mao sasagawa, she contributed songs to regional idol groups, but found the industry constraining, leading her to release more personal music under her real name. Her early solo works, such as "Nee Mama / From the New World" (2019) and Kanno to Houshoku, were featured by several streaming services. In 2019, she released her debut album Atarashii Karada. Her 2025 release, STRANGE POP, marks a new chapter in her genre-bending, emotionally rich style.
