Now based out of Denver, Simon is a true DIY artist who can't help but make music. Known on socials as whoistokiyoh, he began making music at sixteen with a passion for hip-hop and production. "I didn't have any idea I wanted to do electronic stuff at the time," he says. "I started making beats in my bedroom."
Many hours passed toiling away over beats and exploring all the experimental possibilities. Now he struggles to confine his work within one genre. "In some shape or form, I make experimental bass," he says. "It's very hip-hop-esque, a little slower. Almost R&B-electronic, that very late-night city sound. I'm trying to be one of one."
Simon began attending University of Colorado Denver in 2017 to study music. "I got a lot of important information, but you can't just go to music school to become a musician," he says. After some immersion and exploration into the Mile High scene, Simon shifted his focus toward electronic music, though his love for hip-hop still fuels much of his creative fire.
"At the end of the day, I still want to be in hip-hop. I think the electronic world is a good avenue because if you are a good electronic producer and you can make crazy experimental stuff. you can make hip-hop beats," he says. "I honestly just want to be able to make any kind of music. Once you get a bit more into the scene and people start recognizing you, then they'll give you a chance."
With these long-term goals in mind, Simon is grinding away at his craft and devoting all his time to developing the Tokiyoh persona. "I make a lot of music at my home studio, but sometimes I'll drive up to the side of a mountain and park my car and turn my phone on airplane mode to lock in. That's a big thing, just turning your phone off," explains Simon. "I feel inspired by nature, by many things. I'll go to a coffee shop and just do it there, because at home there is just too much around me that I could be doing."
With lifelong ties across the Colorado music scene, Simon interned over at Evergroove Studios in Evergreen.
Mia Eaglechasing
"When I drop the dance stuff, Germany likes it; I drop the bass stuff and then Denver loves it," says Simon. This exciting global prospect is something Simon will no doubt continue to engage with. Bringing his Denver sound across the continents an adventure waiting to happen.
In the meantime, the producer devotes much of his time to another important aspect of the Tokiyoh project: handmade merch. "I screen print everything," he says. "I enjoy it, I have more of a creative touch on it." In his early career, Simon used merch to interact with the crowd after shows, selling the few items he brought along each night. As his fan base grows, this hands-on sales approach is becoming more difficult. But locals still have a chance to experience a personal interaction at Denver shows, before he moves on to tour in other countries.
"My goal for this year is to have 24 songs ready to go. I'm going to drop once a month, maybe more," says Simon. "I really want art to pay the bills. That would be fantastic. That's very hard to do, but we're getting closer every month."
Preparing for his performance at Lost Lake, Simon is putting together a moody set for the holiday mixed with a showcase of some unreleased music. The show on Friday, February 14, will be an evening of wavy electronic sounds, as Tokiyoh opens for headliner Nealson alongside EIGHKAE and RHAINDROP. As Simon looks forward to the show, he reflects on the dedication that made it happen.
"If you're consistent, people see that," says Simon, feeling more settled into his artistic path. "That's actually probably the most important part: just don't give up."
Tokiyoh, Nealson, EIGHKAE and RHAINDROP at 8 p.m. Friday, February 14, Lost Lake, 3602 East Colfax Avenue. Tickets are $20 to $25.
