After years of being known as part of Kep1er and now MADEIN, Japanese singer Mashiro officially stepped out on her own on August 19th with her first solo EP, 24/11. Technically, the project has six tracks, although two are instrumental versions of “HOTLINE” and “MAKE UP,” leaving four original songs to really introduce us to soloist Mashiro. She participated in writing all four, which makes the release feel like a fitting opportunity for her to establish what her own music looks and sounds like outside of a group.

The project sounds like it is something that should have been playing in a Barbie movie from 2005. It’s bright, feminine, nostalgic, and a little whimsical, with glossy electronic production tying much of the project together. The title 24/11 is meant to take the familiar idea of 24/7 even further, representing how much time and effort Mashiro has put into her growth, but the music itself feels much lighter than that intense explanation might suggest.

Three of the EP’s four original tracks immediately took me back to my early-2000s days of racing home from school to watch Winx Club, Tinkerbell, and the latest Barbie movies. The magic of Pixie Hollow, the vibrant colors of the Winx, the glittery transformation scenes throughout Barbie – listening to this EP made me think back on all those things, along with the commercials where a group of girls would giggle together while getting ready before a magical event. Very girlhood. Very 2000s children’s movie in the best way.

“MAKE UP” is my favorite track and the perfect example of that glitter-covered sound. The synths are easily the most interesting part of the production, particularly once the chorus hits and again toward the end, where they seem to illuminate the whole track. The lyrics give the title a little more weight, too. Mashiro uses makeup and color as part of a larger idea about figuring herself out, trying new things, and deciding what her own story should look like.

“Painting my map of journey” is a simple line, but it gets the point across. For a solo debut, a song centered on self-discovery makes sense, especially from someone who’s already spent years moving through different groups and stages of her career.

Vocally, though, I think the song works best when Mashiro keeps things lighter. Personally I believe her voice is much stronger when the delivery sits more comfortably within the song instead of reaching upward.

The lighter side of Mashiro’s voice also suits “Bubble Trouble,” which carries over most of that same sparkly energy while focusing more directly on a crush. The lyrics reference cherry soda, lip gloss, racing heartbeats, and overthinking a text at night, making everything about the song feel sweet and deliberately youthful. The production is similarly bright and polished, and even though it isn’t as memorable to me as “MAKE UP,” it helps clarify the EP’s overall identity. If “MAKE UP” is the magical getting-ready montage, “Bubble Trouble” is definitely playing once everybody finally gets to the event!

Then there’s “Toothbrush,” which – like the previous two tracks – includes plenty of synth in the production. And while it still fits into the whimsical world established by the previous two tracks, this track has a retro gloss that made me think of ‘80s pop more than anything else on the EP.

I wouldn’t call the whole song ‘80s-inspired based on that alone, but the synth tones definitely pull me in that direction. Lyrically, it’s probably the most interesting song here. Mashiro moves away from the straightforward butterflies of “Bubble Trouble,” and into a relationship she’s struggling to define and let go of. The recurring toothbrush becomes this funny, oddly mundane reminder of somebody she’s trying to get out of her head.

Then there’s “HOTLINE,” featuring iKON’s BOBBY. It’s actually the EP’s opening track, but I saved it for last here because it feels the least connected to everything that follows.

The Afrobeats-driven dance-pop track has an easy, relaxed rhythm and a summery feel, and BOBBY’s verse gives it some extra personality. On its own, I like it. However, I kept thinking about Tyla’s “Water” and “Truth or Dare.” The resemblance in the groove and production was noticeable enough that it distracted me throughout the song, and once I had made the comparison, I couldn’t really unhear it.

That doesn’t make “HOTLINE” a bad track, but it also feels like an unusual opener once you hear the rest of the EP. “MAKE UP,” “Bubble Trouble,” and “Toothbrush” all seem to live inside the same sparkly, dreamy, girly little universe, while “HOTLINE” sounds like it wandered in from a different summer playlist entirely.

Still, 24/11 works well as Mashiro’s first introduction as a solo artist! Three of its four original songs are tied together by that shimmering, nostalgic sound, while the lyrics move from self-discovery to the excitement of having a crush, and eventually, the much messier process of trying to move on from somebody.

For listeners who miss the sugary electronic pop and aggressively girly fantasy worlds of the 2000s, there’s a lot here to enjoy. And 24/11 has made me curious about where Mashiro will take her solo music next. If this is only the starting point, I’d like to hear her lean even further into the gleaming production that makes the EP feel most distinctive.