The latest installment of Japanese virtual artist KAF’s collaborative “Suite” series finds her linking up with one of Japan’s rising singer-songwriters. On “Hug Me,” the boundary-blurring creator teams with Soshi Sakiyama to create a delicate and dashing number with a tender heart at its center.

“Hug Me” serves as the latest song in KAF’s second set of “Suite” songs. Here, she connects with singer-songwriter Sakiyama, who has bridged acoustic rock sounds with more uptempo dance-pop flourishes in recent years en route to becoming one of the nation’s most exciting young players. He contributed an ending theme to the popular anime series Jujutsu Kaisen and embarked on a successful European tour earlier this year. On this song, Sakiyama’s ability to fuse acoustic instrumentation with electronic elements works in tandem with KAF’s distinct vocals to create a song both exhilarating and vulnerable.

Debuting in 2018, KAF uses an anime-style avatar to present herself to the world, while creating music centered around her versatile and powerful voice. She’s become one of the most prominent virtual singers in Japan, with her original songs and covers earning millions of views. In March 2023, she released her third full-length album, further showing her artistic growth and ability to capture the complexities of growing up in 21st century Japan. She’s performed at some of the country’s most celebrated venues, including a sold-out night at the historic Nippon Budokan in Tokyo and the first-ever arena show by a virtual artist in January 2024.

KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO, founded in 2019, is a Tokyo-based creative agency and management company at the cutting-edge of technology and entertainment. The group counts a variety of forward-thinking artists as part of its roster, including many virtual singers blurring the lines between the digital and real world.