Priscilla Totiyapungprasert

Willful Creature

Asobi Seksu’s Yuki Chikudate on growing up and getting better.

Writer Priscilla Totiyapungprasert

On stage, Yuki Chikudate’s energy threatens to overwhelm her petite frame. She tosses her head in a trancelike rapture, hands dancing on the keyboard. In another moment, Chikudate takes over the drums to bang away in a frantic fury.

Chikudate is the sprightly front woman and lead vocalist of Asobi Seksu, a New York noise-pop duo that also consists of guitarist and backup vocalist James Hanna. The band likes to play with contrasts, stacking Chikudate’s dreamy, bright vocals on textured instruments and synthetic sounds.