Yumi Nu Returns to SI Swimsuit After Groundbreaking Year

The accolades include two Vogue covers and new music releases.

Yumi Nu was photographed by James Macari in Montenegro in 2022.

Yumi Nu is often described as a barrier breaker. And it's easy to see why. The Japanese-Dutch personality is a popular model and a recording artist, influencer and budding entrepreneur in the fashion world. Now, 2022 is poised to be another incredible year for the creative beauty. Not only will she appear in the SI Swimsuit Issue, but she is also releasing brand new music after a brief hiatus from production. We caught up with Nu to learn about her experience working with SI again and where she finds her musical inspiration.

How does it feel to be returning to SI Swimsuit?

“When I got the call, I was so excited the team wanted to have me back! I knew it would feel different than my rookie year. I felt more confident and less afraid going into it, which brought a new energy to my shoot. I still had those big-shoot jitters, but everyone at SI is truly family now, so all nervousness went away so fast.”

What has the experience been like for you this time?

“My 2022 shoot was in Montenegro, which I’ve never been to before. It was probably the most beautiful place I’ve ever shot in. I kept on having these moments of awe during my shoot. It was so hard to stay focused at times because these breathtaking views were all around me. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have been asked back and then to go to beautiful Montenegro!”

How does it feel to often be described as someone who breaks barriers?

“I feel that when I show up to work every day, I don’t think that I’m shattering boundaries at that moment. Sometimes it’s really hard, and I don’t feel worthy enough to be there. But, a lot of the time, it’s in the after-effects of when those shoots come out and I see how they affect people—that’s when it really hits me. I’m truly honored that people feel that way about me, and all I want is for people to feel empowered to break their own barriers, too.”

Where do you find inspiration for your music?

“I’m a very honest songwriter. If something happens to me that really affects me, I will write it exactly how it makes me feel. Over time I’ve gotten more and more vulnerable to the point where I really do consider writing songs my art therapy.”

What career goals do you still have?

“So many. I want to work with big designers. I want to dive into the Japanese fashion space. I want to launch my clothing line and one day launch big stores. I want to release albums of songs and tour the world. Every day I think of new possibilities of where I could and want to go, but at the end of the day, I want to keep creating because it makes me so happy.”