Danish-Japanese singer/songwriter Mina Okabe shares her new single “Always Hurts” — a poignant and powerful track revealing the more painful side of her uniquely worldly upbringing.
Her first new music of 2025, “Always Hurts” is the fourth song released from the rising global star’s eagerly awaited sophomore album (due out this spring via Capitol Records).
Made with multi-platinum-selling, two-time GRAMMY®-nominated producer Leroy Clampitt (Dua Lipa, Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber), “Always Hurts” gracefully showcases Okabe’s diary-like songwriting as she reflects on the heartbreak of impermanence and the beauty of true connection.
“I grew up with a Danish dad and a Japanese mom and in different cities,” says Okabe. “I’ve lived in London, New York, and Manila but now live in Copenhagen. Although I’m very grateful for the experiences it has brought me, and I somewhat got used to leaving places and people behind, there are some people in my life I never want to leave and never would be able to say goodbye to. This song is for and about them.”
Recently named a Spotify Borderless Artist for 2025, Okabe opens “Always Hurts” with a stark arrangement of hushed vocal work and gently driving acoustic guitar. Over the course of the understated but spellbinding track, the 24-year-old artist speaks her truth about the emotional cost of moving on from the people she adores.
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Fresh off a sold-out tour of Japan, Okabe recently garnered a nomination for the 2025 Music Moves Europe Awards, which found her taking the stage at the world-renowned Eurosonic Festival in the Netherlands earlier this month.
Go HERE to stream “Always Hurts” now.