Q&A: Asha Imuno on Supporting BLK ODYSSY's The Fantasy House Tour
ASHA IMUNO RADIATES CURIOSITY — he is one of those people you would like to talk to for hours, to dissect their brain and better understand how they see the world. Throughout our conversation, Imuno captivated me with his deep respect for the music he creates and consumes, the team of friends and collaborators he surrounds himself with, and the role artists play in society. He is an artist who takes their role seriously — he acknowledges that performances are not just a casual form of entertainment, but instead, an opportunity to connect with people from different backgrounds through a common love of music. His performances are raw, energetic, and joyful. They feel like a house party, where you are comfortable letting loose and enjoying the company of friends and strangers alike. He creates community in his performances, bringing everyone together and encouraging them to practice presence.
Originally from Moreno Valley, California, Imuno moved to LA to pursue music in 2020. Since then, he released his mixtape, Good News, and his debut album, PINS & NEEDLES. Each body of work reflects his growth as an artist and a person navigating their early twenties. He is humble and relatable, but not afraid to drop subtle wisdom on you.
To him, it’s all about the art and community, not the accolades. That doesn’t stop him from constantly winning and leveling up.
In the past two years alone, Imuno performed and sold out his first headline show in LA called WAITINGROOM, opened for AG Club’s LA Show in 2022, supported Berhana on The Nomad’s Tour, and supported BLK ODYSSY on The Fantasy House Tour. He also garnered critical acclaim on Pigeons and Planes’ 24 Artists to Watch in 2024 list. Recently, Mastercard selected him as a participant of the Artist Accelerator program, a program in partnership with OnesToWatch, designed to empower emerging artists through mentorship, creative resources, publicity, and touring support. While his growth is impressive and fast, Imuno does not seem to be in a rush — he practices gratitude and collects inspiration with every step he takes. He is in this for the long run and shows no signs of stopping anytime soon.
Luna sat down with Asha Imuno to discuss his preparation for shows, his dream performance collaborations, and what he has in store for his fans soon. Read below to learn more about this striking young artist!
LUNA: Congratulations on supporting BLK ODYSSY on The Fantasy House Tour. For those who are not familiar with your music, how would you describe your sound?
IMUNO: I would say it is a blend of soulful sounds but through the lens of something modern. The pace changes, but it's always something that has an organic and natural feel to it, even when it's more electronic. It’s very genre-bending — from alternative, to funk, to R&B, & rap. Of course, the foundation is in hip-hop, but it's something that could get you moving, something that could soundtrack your day, your night when you're crying, when you're happy, when you're with your family, and when you're on your own.
LUNA: What does your ideal day leading up to a show look like?
IMUNO: I have to have my routine correct for the energy of the show, because at the end of the day it's an energy exchange. If the sound goes out or [we experience the] worst-case scenario on the technical side, my energy has to be right. So I wake up and immediately get in my stretches. On a perfect day, I'll get to go for a walk to be in nature or in the city, and get lost in some music for a minute. I listen back to the songs of the set, then I come back to the house and connect with the guys.
Leading up to the show, we're all goofy as hell, so sometimes it's hard to remember to rest my voice. I'm constantly drinking tea, but not even really tea anymore. I started drinking straight hot water, maybe with a little honey. It’s good for my throat [and] stomach. I'm pretty light on eating on show day — I'll eat way before the show, and by the time it's time for stage, I'm super light on my feet. I like to do something that's completely unrelated to the process, whether it's watching a cartoon or just studying my favorite artists, something for 20 or 30 minutes. I also talk to my family.
LUNA: Where has been your favorite city to perform so far? Or, what city are you looking forward to most?
IMUNO: I feel like BLK ODYSSY’s crowd is really good. So in every city, we were like, “No, this might be the best one!” Toronto is definitely my favorite city to visit, just because something about it feels very still and calm. Everything is brown and wooded and old, and it's just awesome. I [also] really like Tim Hortons.
As far as the shows, I might say DC. DC was a lot of love! A lot of people were like, “Yo, we've been waiting for you to come back over here on tour!” And a lot of people were like, “I have never seen you and I wanted to catch you.” So there were a lot of people who already fucked with us, and people who never heard of us before, but got locked in.
LUNA: What is an artist you’d like to support you on a headline tour?
IMUNO: Dang, for openers…it's interesting because there are a lot of artists who are peers of mine that I would love to do collaborative shows or events with. [For example], Destin Laurel out of Atlanta, Sol ChYld, Wakai out of Baton Rouge, or even people who have a really big base, like ovrkast. A lot of my friends come to mind.
Being on tour with my friends as my team, and just getting close to the ODYSSY guys has been a really special experience. So building on relationships with people who I already have a lot of collaborations with and a lot of respect for, would be really dope.
With Benji, we're label mates but we hadn't really gotten acquainted until we hit the road. He's also seasoned, he is part of Spillage Village and chilled with Kudi. [So] he's telling us tour stories, and my eyes are big. Along with meeting fans, experiencing wanderlust with my homies and making friends on the road have been the most special parts for me. We also all had the mindset of trying to raise the bar. Especially the first few days of tour, it was like, “Man Benji is killing this, we gotta come correct!” It was just an honor to share the stage and provide that energy!
LUNA: What is a project, collaboration, or event you are looking forward to in the future?
IMUNO: We have a lot planned! We're starting to get the wheels turning on stuff. So it's going to be a busy rest of the year and all next year, whether it's shows, touring, or my next project that's coming up, BLKSUGAR. We put out “eXCiTING :)” in August, the first single off the project, and we're just gonna keep the ball rolling. It has been cool to be on the road and soak up inspiration and record more; I’m excited to pour it back into the project. We're just about to get back into it through the rest of the year, and ahead of next — with more events, more shows, it's about to be a lot. People who fuck with me are about to eat!
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