At an age when most children are just mastering elementary school math and playground games, one young Japanese artist is already an internationally recognized techno phenomenon. Nine-year-old DJ Rinoka holds the official Guinness World Record as the planet’s youngest professional DJ — a title she claimed at just 6 years old — and has built a growing fanbase for her high-energy, bold performance style across Tokyo’s entertainment scene.
Rinoka’s path to DJing began by chance when she was 4 years old, after scrolling YouTube and watching performances from iconic techno artists Amelie Lens and Nina Kraviz. Captivated by their cool, dynamic stage presence, she knew immediately she wanted to follow in their footsteps. For Christmas that year, she asked her family for a beginner Pioneer DDJ-200 DJ controller, kicking off her journey into electronic music. Today, she favors the fast, intense, hypnotic style of acid techno that has drawn crowds to her sets again and again. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, she summed up the joy of her craft simply: “It’s fun when people get excited at the live performances.”
Unlike the stereotype of club-focused DJs, Rinoka’s daily life blends professional performance commitments with all the ordinary joys of childhood. She keeps her last name private, and her parents have chosen to stay anonymous to protect their only child’s ability to grow up as normally as possible. Outside of rehearsals and shows, she takes weekly hip-hop dance classes, creates handmade crafts from paper and aluminum foil, and keeps up with her elementary school assignments. She is an avid reptile lover with a pet gecko at home, and maintains a large collection of stuffed animals — her favorite toy dog Korochan travels with her everywhere, even joining her backstage at major events.
Her performance resume already rivals that of artists many times her age: she has played sets for crowds at official events for the Yomiuri Giants, Tokyo’s beloved professional baseball team, and shared lineups with far more experienced, adult DJs at high-profile industry events. Footage of her sets shows a young artist with complete, unshakable confidence: she bobs along to the pounding beat, adjusting dials and pressing controls with easy familiarity, building a groove that gets crowds moving every time.
Originating in American electronic music hubs like Detroit in the late 20th century, techno is defined by its driving kick drum, heavy use of electronic instruments (including the highly sought-after Roland synthesizers that remain a staple of the genre), and its ability to get listeners dancing. The genre has spread globally over the decades, evolving into countless subgenres including the high-intensity acid house that Rinoka prefers. For the 9-year-old prodigy, techno’s universal appeal transcends age and geography: when asked about the future of her favorite genre, she says simply, “The music will continue.”
Even with her rising fame, Rinoka remains unapologetically a kid first. When asked to choose between a lifelong career as a DJ and working as a full-time gecko caretaker, she did not hesitate to answer. “The geckos,” she exclaimed, “They are so cute.”