Osaka-born, London-based singer-songwriter the Po has released their debut single and music video, ‘Uh-oh’ (‘おっおー’). The video dropped on July 14th, with the song following on streaming services the next day.
‘Uh-oh’ is a breezy, gentle track about identity and the pressure to be what other people expect, with doubts and reassurances scattered throughout. the Po wrote both the lyrics and the music, doubling down on the very personal themes of the song.
Vocals were recorded at Select Recording Studio in London, which also appears in the video. Arrangement came from Ryuta Tsunoda of duo MONONKVL, who has worked with Little Glee Monster, Chara, and WONK, and recently played bass with Ikimonogakari on their tiny desk concerts JAPAN appearance, also handling its sound production and arrangement.
On piano and organ was Jun Miyakawa of LAGHEADS and MILLENNIUM PARADE, who has also played with Kenshi Yonezu on his 2025 world tour, JUNK, and with Fujii Kaze at his FUJI ROCK set last weekend.
On drums is Fumihiro Ibuki of rock band OOPS! PIG PALE ALE INC. He appeared last year on an EIGHT-JAM drum special with Yotch (Yoshihiro Kawamura) and former CHAI drummer YUNA. Toshihiko Kasai of the Shuta Hasunuma Philharmonic Orchestra mixed the track.
Shot around London and in Rye, a small, idyllic East Sussex town, the video mirrors the doubts and reassurances of the lyrics: quiet cobbled streets near the coast set against the hectic capital. It swings between grey rain and bright sunshine too which, British weather being what it is, may not have been entirely planned.
The video brings together a Japanese creative team based in England. Director Genta Komatsu, a now London-based cinematographer, has credits including ELLE x Burberry and FASHIONSNAP, while photography came from Ayaka Endo, whose clients include Harper’s Bazaar, ELLE, i-D, and them.
Textile artist and researcher Ayumi Kajiwara, who works in wearable sculpture, provided the outfit the Po wears in the video’s closing scenes and promotional photos. The white, layered piece appears to symbolise the Po’s self-acceptance, worn as they frolic on the beach under a blue sky.
Alongside the release, the Po shared a statement on Instagram announcing the start of their career as an artist.
“To everyone who has supported me,
the Po
I’m excited to share that I’m officially beginning my journey as an artist!
Living in the UK while pursuing music has strengthened my desire to stay true to my own expression while also creating music that resonates with others. From here on, I’ll keep putting my heart into every piece I create and continue challenging myself as an artist.
As the first step on this journey, I’m happy to announce that my debut single, “おっおー (Uh-oh)”, is out today. I hope you’ll give it a listen.
Thank you so much for your continued support. I hope you’ll join me on this new chapter!”
While no further releases have been announced, you can keep up to date with the Po on their socials, and watch the video for ‘Uh-oh’ below.
About the Po
A bilingual artist whose roots are in Western music and musicals, the Po composes on guitar and piano and writes lyrics in both Japanese and English, aiming for expression that reaches listeners across the language barrier. They moved to London after finishing high school and have continued working on music while living in the city, amassing more than 20 demo tracks to date.
Before that, the Po began by posting covers on YouTube, where their bio notes they are “always open to song recommendations!”. Previous covers include RADWIMPS‘ ‘4645’, Mrs. GREEN APPLE‘s ‘Soranji’, and Sakanaction‘s ‘Music’.
the Po
Uh-oh
Release Date: 15/07/2026
Label: Independent
Stream: Links
