Illumi Maeda, known on the decks as DJ ILLU, grew up in a household where music was omnipresent. Her mother, a violinist, played everything from pop to classical while the family drove around with earbuds. The rhythm of the kitchen and the hum of the car became Illumi’s first soundscapes.
On a humid July evening, the club’s main stage lit up for Illumi’s debut. The audience, a mix of locals and tourists, filled the 300‑seat venue in Yokohama. She spun for 65 minutes, battling a malfunctioning mixer that briefly cut off her set. “I felt nervous but thrilled,” she said after the set.
Club owner Takashi Sato said the venue had never hosted a child of her age. “The crowd was captivated,” he told reporters, noting that the applause lasted longer than the set itself.
The club’s management announced a new initiative: a monthly youth‑DJ night to nurture local talent, slated for the following month. Illumi hopes to headline that program and, one day, run a record‑breaking remix at a global music festival.
Illumi’s dream extends beyond music; she plans to open an ice‑cream shop where she can DJ for customers, blending culinary delight and sound.