From June 24–26, 2025, NFT NYC 2025, one of the world’s largest Web3 events, was held in New York City. On that stage, I gave my very first speech as a Japanese singer-songwriter, had five of my NFT artworks showcased in Times Square, and performed live in NYC!
In this post, I’d like to share not only the highlights, but also some behind-the-scenes stories and my preparation process.
NFT NYC is one of the world’s biggest Web3 gatherings, and in 2025 it brought together about 5,000 participants and around 1,000 speakers. I was honored to step onto that stage as a Japanese singer-songwriter for the first time.
The theme of my talk was “Strengthening connections through Music NFTs in the Web3 Era”
Last year, in 2024, I attended NFT NYC and organized a side live event. This year, I thought I might take part again through music or some other involvement, but I decided to go further and applied as a speaker.
With only a limited amount of time on stage, I prepared carefully to share:
- My activities so far
- Why I began working with NFTs
- My personal story
- And what Music NFTs can bring
I focused on how I could express my feelings and thoughts as clearly as possible, making that the core of my preparation.
Between working on my speech and rehearsing for my performance, the days were hectic leading up to my departure for New York City.
I even created a special postcard for the event!
And then came the 13-hour flight—arriving with determination and excitement (and a bit of nervous laughter).
After arriving in New York, Day 1 began with the reception party.
On the flight I thought, “This time I’ll be fine with jet lag!”—but of course, it hit me hard. I arrived around noon and planned to relax at a café before the party, but once I reached my hotel I couldn’t move. Somehow, I dragged myself out and barely made it to the venue. 😂
The party was already buzzing with people, and the hosts’ speeches had begun.
Soon after, I reunited with Jayohcee and Peso, who I had collaborated with in 2024. I also met friends from the metaverse community as well as many new people, and it turned into a very enjoyable night.
Then came the long-awaited Times Square showcase. Over the course of an hour, multiple works were projected. During that time, five of my NFT works were displayed, and one of them was even shown twice.
- Sparklers
- Sparklers 2
- 5am
- You are my light
- The Place of Beginning
- Weakspot
Seeing my works projected in New York City—in Times Square of all places—was such an emotional and unforgettable moment.
On the second day, I attended friends’ speeches, reconnected with people I had met last year, and later that night went out with friends to a hip-hop show.
And then came the third day—finally, the day of my speech and live performance.
So many people listened to my talk, and hearing them say it resonated with them made me truly happy. A Japanese friend living in NYC, whom I had met last year, also came to see me.
I’ll be uploading the full speech separately, so please check that out as well.
That evening was supposed to be my live performance. However, the person who had been helping me find a live show to perform at suddenly stopped contacting me after I arrived in NYC. For a moment, I thought the performance might not happen at all.
On the day of the show, everything was chaotic and stressful. But eventually, I managed to speak with the venue owner, Tom, at Cowboy Tom’s Bar, who was incredibly kind and supportive. Thanks to him, I was able to overcome the setback and successfully perform.
Many people from NFT NYC as well as locals came to the show, and the feeling of everyone coming together as one was so powerful. Music doesn’t need language—all of us can connect and celebrate together. That feeling of connecting through sound is what I love most, and I was reminded of it once again.
I want to perform in more countries and share the delicate sounds of Japanese music with the world. I also want to expand worldwide, and I am currently working on new songs and preparing a new music video that will be uploaded soon! Please look forward to it.
My experience at NFT NYC 2025 was truly priceless. From here, I will continue building bridges between music and Web3, and between Japan and the rest of the world.
🔻 NFT Works
https://moonlight-tyo.com/nft
🔻 2nd Album “日々 / Hibi” NFT / Song Digest
https://youtu.be/Np0eIaLOa_o?si=3mHl98z-Y8uY1sin