理芽 (RIM) has been running her 「あたしが好きな歌を歌うね」 (“I’ll sing the songs I love”) cover series for years now, and entry number 197 is a genuinely interesting one. She’s chosen MERMAID by Meg Bonus — a 2026 indie release that’s fresh enough that a lot of listeners might be hearing it for the first time through this cover. That’s exactly what makes RIM’s series so good. She doesn’t just cover the expected songs.

MERMAID: The Original and What RIM Does With It

MERMAID is a dreamy, floaty track with a cool emotional undercurrent — the kind of song that feels like it exists slightly outside of time. Meg Bonus has a distinct aesthetic as an artist, leaning into hazy, introspective indie pop, and MERMAID is one of the clearest expressions of that. It’s a song that suits RIM almost suspiciously well. Her voice — that combination of transparency and depth that she’s known for — fits the watery, drifting quality of the track like it was made for her.

The arrangement was handled by Yuichiro Takahashi and Sosuke Oikawa, and they’ve done something smart here: they’ve kept the ethereal character of the original while giving it a slight lift that lets RIM’s vocal sit naturally in the front. Mixed by Kensuke Maeda, the whole thing is clean and immersive. Nothing is over-produced. It breathes.

RIM’s Vocal Performance on MERMAID

This is the kind of cover where RIM doesn’t try to transform the song — she just inhabits it. Her vocal delivery is unhurried, almost weightless in places, and it suits MERMAID‘s mood perfectly. There’s an intimacy to how she handles the quieter passages that draws you in. KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO singers tend to have a lot of technical skill behind the restraint, and you can hear that here — nothing sounds effortful, but everything sounds intentional.

The illustration is by KU, keeping the visual tone in line with the song’s dreamy, slightly melancholic feel.

Why This Cover Matters for RIM

理芽 (RIM) is one of the founding virtual singers of 神椿スタジオ (KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO), debuting in October 2019 alongside the label itself. She’s also part of V.W.P, the five-member virtual artist group that includes 花譜 (KAF), 春猿火 (Harusaruhi), ヰ世界情緒 (Isekaijoucho), and 幸祜 (KOKO). Beyond her group work and original songs, her cover series has become its own thing — a consistent, personal window into what she actually loves as a listener. Picking a 2026 indie track like MERMAID while she’s also working on solo live Blu-rays and album releases says something about how seriously she takes it.

This cover also drops as part of the CHOCOLATE LIVE 4 release — her 4th cover live album — which means MERMAID gets a proper physical home too, not just a YouTube upload.

If you haven’t heard Meg Bonus yet, this is a great reason to go find the original. And if you’re already a RIM fan — you already know this is exactly what you wanted.

Track Credits

• Title: MERMAID
• Vocals: 理芽 (RIM)
• Original Song: Meg Bonus — MERMAID (2026)
• Arrangement: Yuichiro Takahashi & Sosuke Oikawa
• Mix: Kensuke Maeda
• Illustration: KU
• Label: 神椿スタジオ (KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO) / Phenomenon Record
• Released: June 9, 2026

▶ Watch: 理芽 (RIM) — MERMAID (Meg Bonus Cover) on YouTube