Local’s Lounge with PAPRIKA

Each month we spotlight a local regional Victorian musician, songwriter or band killing it in our scene.

Get to know the multicultural mix of spicy city-pop band, PAPRIKA. The Japanese, Italian and Australian act have been building a name for themselves in the live music scene as well as growing their catalogue with their latest release  Tomorrow Was A Good Day.

Find out more about the band who are mixing it up!

Explore more incredible music makers from our Locals Lounge series here.

Who is PAPRIKA?

PAPRIKA is a Japanese/Italian/Australian four-piece alternative city-pop band based in Melbourne/Naarm, reimagining city pop for a new generation. Blending the genre’s nostalgic warmth with touches of hip-hop, R&B, blues, and Western pop, they craft a sound that feels both familiar and entirely their own. The band has built a dedicated following through their distinctive sound and magnetic live performances. They’re now stepping into their most ambitious chapter with the release of their debut EP, Tomorrow Was A Good Day (December 2025). This new era sees PAPRIKA leaning into honesty and vulnerability, stripping back the idea of the “star” and embracing the everyday. Their performances are intimate, energetic, and deeply connective, reflecting a band unafraid to grow in front of their audience.

How long have you been playing music?

The band has been playing music together for the better part of 4 years. Brought together by their shared love for city pop, their early years were spent gigging, writing and excavating a unique sound. After a single release and multiple sold out shows in Melbourne between 2022-2023, the band took a year away in 2024 to curate a string of releases for 2025, starting with I WANT IT/MOVIN ON and culminating with their debut EP, TOMORROW WAS A GOOD DAY. These releases allowed PAPRIKA to explore the breadth of sounds they’re capable of and assert their unique identity within the scene.

 

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How did you discover your passion for music making and performing?

The members all came from a diverse musical background. Informed by rock, jazz, blues, city pop and funk, and when they started jamming, they knew they had something special. Akira (drummer) and Max (guitar, vocals) grew up together and spent their afternoons making beats in their adolescence. Growing up in Japan, Daimu’s (keyboard, vocals) childhood was soundtracked by 80s city pop, and Akira was similarly exposed to city pop from a young age through his mum. Oscar (bass) began making beats in early high school and was originally a piano player before picking up the bass. Daimu, Max and Oscar all met at the Victorian College of the Arts while studying jazz.

What have been the biggest milestones in your music career to date?

PAPRIKA’s first major milestone was selling out their debut headline show at the Toff in Town alongside their first single release, “Lost In Translation” (Feb, 2023). After a hiatus In 2024, the band returned in 2025, making history as Solace Bar’s first ever live act (sold out), and further played their debut domestic tour spanning Melbourne to Sydney (sold out). PAPRIKA also released a collection of singles complemented by their own individual promotional campaign. The band collaborated with BAV, a team of likeminded creatives within the audio-visual industry, to create their first ever live music video for “COPYCAT GURL”. The band received a first play on Triple J’s Prism hosted by Tiffi. The year ended with a trilogy of events, including the band’s debut EP release, TOMORROW WAS A GOOD DAY (Dec 4 2025), an EP Launch Party at Wax Music Lounge (Dec 5 2025), and a Music Video for “SYNTHESISER LUV”, directed by Caleb Ribates and his team (Dec 6 2025).

 

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Walk us through your catalogue.

In 2025, PAPRIKA released a double single (‘I WANT IT’/’MOVIN ON’), 4 singles (‘HOLD YOU DOWN’, ‘COPYCAT GURL’, ‘SYNTHESIZER LUV’, ‘SUPERNATURAL’), a double release (a live recording of ‘COPYCAT GURL’ as a collaboration between SHAN, BAV production house, and PAPRIKA), and an EP TOMORROW WAS A GOOD DAY.

What is the story behind your new material?

TOMORROW WAS A GOOD DAY is a culmination of all of the sounds the band have been exploring in 2025. It has essences of city-pop, J-pop, internet-pop, R&B and hip hop. 

PAPRIKA’s lyricism is inspired from their musical idols such as Prince, D’angelo, and Michael Jackson. With an ode to their inspiration, PAPRIKA sings about living in the city and searching for real love. 

Who did you work with on your latest release?

PAPRIKA’s latest EP has been a really awesome collaboration between lots of different melbourne creatives. PAPRIKA have written and recorded all of the music themselves, however, the mixing and mastering of most of the tracks was done by Trae Tuohy (ayotrae) who notably is the engineer for Lithe. For the production of their visual content, PAPRIKA has had the chance to work with Melbourne director, Caleb Ribates, who helped the band with their creative concept for the release. Accompanied by heavy weights such as Tavis Pinnington, Gina Song, and Hamish Ryan, just to name a few, the group produced a short film for their EP TOMORROW WAS A GOOD DAY, and lead single SYNTHESIZER LUV. The group have also worked with photographer Joshua Nai (0ojin), BAV studios (creative audio visual company) and Jack Ly, also getting help from Ava Villella and many more to help refine their vision for each one. 

 

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Give us a gear rundown. What are you currently playing both live and in the studio?

Oscar plays an NS 5-string bass live and on half of this year’s records, and the other half are on his very first Squier P-Bass, which plays like shit but will forever sound timeless. Max plays a Fender Stratocaster and a Gibson SG running through a Fender 68 Custom Pro Reverb. Akira plays a Pearl Professional Maple series kit with Soultone, Istanbul, Zildjian cymbals. Live, Daimu plays a Yamaha YC-61 and a Micro Korg, but the records from this year include keyboard/synth performances from both Akira and Daimu on a Kronos, Yamaha DX-7 and MOOG Little-Phatty. All of their records are self-produced in Ableton.

What does a typical day of creating music look like for you in the studio, in rehearsals and on the stage?

PAPRIKA is always trying to push new boundaries by taking the familiar and innovating on top. Rehearsing, exploring new sounds and always considering ways to pioneer ideas is crucial to what makes their music. This goes for both recording in the studio and live performances as well.

What is the gateway song for new fans to listen to to introduce your sound?

SYNTHESIZER LUV, the first single from the EP, resonates with the sounds of pure City Pop. The song is simply about navigating a dilemma between you and your unrequited lover. But the production, musicality and performances are anything but simple. From the start, PAPRIKA are firing on all cylinders, and it’s clear from the first chord that this is who they are. An electrifying synth solo brings this track to its climactic conclusion, and after one last triumphant chorus, it fades into the first demo ever recorded for this song. Nostalgia, longing for a memory you never had, this is PAPRIKA.

What has been the biggest challenge you face as an artist and how are you pushing through that barrier (if you can!)?

A big obstacle the group experiences involves promoting their music on social media. Understanding the complex landscape of the digital marketing world has been something they have been trying to learn particularly this year – often taking away from their main focus (the music!). While it’s not what you sign up for as a musician, it is a crucial part of the craft and should not be neglected.

How would you characterise the music ecosystem in regional Victoria? (who is creating, what are they creating and what kind of outlets are there to support this?)

Both Oscar and Daimu grew up in regional areas: Oscar in Woodend, Macedon Ranges, and Daimu in Geelong. While it is often a smaller pond of musicians, the communities are always tight in regional Victoria, and it can be a very supportive place to cut your teeth. While the band eventually relocated to the city, Oscar still has a strong foothold in the regional scene as managing director of Creative Ranges, a not-for-profit based in Woodend that supports young creatives through performance opportunities, education, and community. Oscar sees many talented young people who often don’t realise the opportunities available to them, and finds it extremely rewarding to show them the doors they can open 

How has being based in regional Victoria elevated your music practice? What kind of support have you received?

Having members based both regionally and in the metropolitan area means that PAPRIKA has an intimate relationship with venues and communities across Victoria. There are some really good initiatives out there for regional acts to be put in the spotlight, and some awesome regional venues like the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine, Major Toms in Kyneton, or the Barwon Heads Hotel in Geelong. 

What does 2026 look like for you?

PAPRIKA just released their debut EP and played a sold out show at WAX music lounge for their launch. They just dropped their first music video to accompany this and are looking forward to creating more music throughout 2026.

 

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Who is your biggest music crush of 2026?

Korean RnB Duo SUMIN and SLOM, have had a substantial impact on us and how PAPRIKA has gone about writing, recording, and performing our new music! Such an inspiration.

Where can we find you?

Get in touch and keep up to date here.