Born in New Zealand. Grown in Australia with Japanese roots. Lived and learned in Berlin. Youka Snell is a musician with a point of view.

A classically trained violinist since age 10, Youka found herself drawn to improvisation, delving into all genres from jazz to flamenco to hip hop. She completed a BMus in violin performance and a MMus in composition & production at Queensland Conservatorium. Now living and working from her studio in Berlin, Youka collaborates with artists and composers from around the world.

Beyond the violin, Youka is a skilled Tsugaru shamisen player (Japanese banjo). She is a student of Hibiki Ichikawa and leads Japanese neo-folk band Mitsune.

Youka also performs as a vocalist in live bands and recordings, and has worked as a VO artist. Her voice appears on the soundtrack for Golden Lion winner All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (2022) and on the theme song of international hit TV show Bluey. She has recorded violin and string arrangement for nearly 80 episodes of Bluey.

Currently based in Berlin, Youka maintains an active presence in the local music scene, as well as touring regularly around Europe with Mitsune.

Youka welcomes collaboration opportunities and offers remote recording services from her Berlin studio.