iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Reposted by Evelyn Rivera

Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

hey everyone! little update on my hiatus, on the state of being a musician in 2026, and what’s next. thanks so much for the continued support—see y’all in October (and beyond) ♡

Hey everyone, just wanted to give a quick update on what I’ve been up to and what’s planned for the future!

I’ve been enjoying my hiatus from producing music as Coffee Date as well as spending time away from social media. Instead, I’ve been able to take this time to compose music, write stories, and spend time with my loved ones. It’s been such a wonderful, and much needed, break. Thank you all so much for your support.

When I announced the hiatus a few months ago, I also shared that I would be releasing one more album as Coffee Date while I’m on break. That album is fully finished and mastered, and slated for release this October. Each song is a heartfelt reflection of my experience with these pieces of music and the games they’re from, and I’m very excited for this album’s release.

I wanted to take a second to talk about one of my other reasons for taking a break. While working on this last album, AI began to aggressively take over the music space, and I had to think about where I fit in the music industry because of my stance on AI. I personally have always been strongly against the usage of AI. Not only are there environmental and ethical reasons that I am against it, but I also believe it takes away the artist’s control in their creative projects, their unique voice as an artist, and the joy derived from the act of creating art. I can assure that no AI has been used in any aspect of the music I make, and never will. My collaborators and I put a lot of hard work and love into each and every track, and using AI takes away the human connection of working together, and the enjoyment that the listeners get from hearing those projects come together.

That being said, making music is how I make a living, so I will still continue to release music while I’m on hiatus from Coffee Date. Earlier this year I soft-launched an original, independent lofi project called Rubber Gecko, and I plan on releasing more music soon under that name. I already have a few singles and a full-length album in progress, so if you’ve enjoyed my work as Coffee Date, this project should be right up your alley—I hope you’ll look forward to it!

I know that my fellow artists are having a hard time with how the music industry is transitioning, but if we continue to come together as people and focus on our experiences and relationships with each other, I’m certain that we will all find a way through these developments. I’m excited to share what’s next, and thank you for always supporting!

Evelyn

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

people ask me “but why did you call it Rubber Gecko” and the honest answer is that the name came to me in a dream and it was too funny to pass up. also because it makes me think of this GIF

static.klipy.com

Dancing Lizard

Alt: Animation of a CG lizard. Standing on its hind legs, it dances and waves its arms in the air as the camera pushes in rhythmically

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

heads up: i have been extremely burnt out lately so to anyone who has tried to get in touch with me recently, thank you for your patience. i am not purposely ignoring anyone, just really tired 😭

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Glitch @glitchxcity.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

Hi, I'm a human artist that's been producing VGM remix covers for the last 15 years WITHOUT USING AI. I run a 24/7 lofi radio featuring solo & collab tracks I've made, & also paid a human artist for the animation! 🎵 Playlist: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis... 🎵 Radio: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGfM...

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 10/03/2026

happy MAR10 day! 🍄⭐️ my new album MARIO TAPE is here! 🥳 featuring 10 tracks from the super mario series, songs both old and new ❤️ stream anywhere 🎶 vgm.fm/mariotape 💿 out now @gamechops.com 🎨 art by me

Album artwork for Mario Tape. On a planet in Good Egg Galaxy from Super Mario Galaxy, the Coffee Date mascot sits under a tree. She is dressed in a red shirt and hat with blue overalls. Her eyes are closed contentedly as she holds a tape player (labeled JUMPMAN).

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GameChops @gamechops.com · 10/03/2026

Counting down the days until the Super Mario Galaxy movie? 🌠 "Mario Tape" by @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social is out now! A whimsical, handcrafted lo-fi journey through the galaxy. ✨ 🎧 Stream: vgm.fm/mariotape #SuperMarioGalaxyMovie #GameChops #NintendoLofi #VGM #CoffeeDate #MarioTape

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

♡ new music! ♡ here's a look at my new collab with Sleeping Phoenix, "Route 201" (from pokémon diamond/pearl) ♡ stream the full track wherever you listen to music! ♡ ffm.to/route201

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 28/12/2025

i was going to do another roundup of the best books i read this year, but unfortunately i had a lot more not-great reads than good ones 🥲 so instead, here's a list of my favorite new and new-to-me books, games, and movies that i enjoyed in 2025! (here's to finding better reads in 2026 😅)

Peter S. Beagle - The Last Unicorn
Ursula K. Le Guin - The Tombs of Atuan
John Gwynne - The Shadow of the Gods
T. Kingfisher - Hemlock & Silver
John Scalzi - When the Moon Hits Your Eye

Super Mario Galaxy 1+2 (Nintendo Switch)
Final Fantasy IX
Mario Kart World
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

Pan's Labyrinth
Sorry to Bother You
Stardust
Vampire Hunter D
Matilda

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

in honor of clair obscur: expedition 33 sweeping the game awards, here's a little sneak peek of something i've been cooking up ♡

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

here's a little bit of one of my favorite tracks from the new zelda album, "Sheikah Tower" ♡ these minimalistic themes are always so much fun to re-interpret and expand on ♡ check out this one (and the full album!) wherever you listen to music: vgm.fm/hyrulecafe3

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

♡ HYRULE CAFÉ 3 ♡ my new zelda album is here, jam-packed with chill vibes and good energy ♡ vgm.fm/hyrulecafe3 out now @gamechops.com art @artbyriana.bsky.social (🎶 "Tal Tal Heights" featuring the amazing @sheaviolin.bsky.social )

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Shea's Violin @sheaviolin.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

My track with @msevelynrivera.bsky.social on her "Hyrule Cafe 3" album is out today! I was so excited for the opportunity to work with her on this. She's such a fantastic musician and shares so many of my feelings about music. Check it out! open.spotify.com/track/2UN0Lj...

open.spotify.com

Tal Tal Heights

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 15/09/2025

hyrule café 3 releases TOMORROW @gamechops ♡ so excited for y'all to hear this album! here's a sneak peak of the first track, "hyrule field" (from ocarina of time)! i had so much fun arranging this one ♡ hope y'all love it! ♡ pre-save on spotify here! open.spotify.com/prerelease/1...

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 30/08/2025

i am 32k words into the first draft of this novel (a lot of which will probably be cut down/streamlined) and this is SO much fun. it feels so creatively fulfilling to see a concept from my brain directly materialized into words, and everyone should give it a try at least once in their lives

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

finished Clair Obscur — 7/10, FANTASTIC gameplay, great music, but some pacing issues and missed opportunities with the narrative and character development. the endings made me cry. overall would recommend

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 15/06/2025

MAGStock 2025 @magfest.org was an absolute dream ♡ thank you so much to everyone who hung out for my and @djcutman.com 's sets! it was so wonderful to meet you all 🥹 can't wait to do it again!! ✨

A selfie of Dj Cutman (right) and Coffee Date (left). Cutman is wearing his helmet and armor, and Coffee Date holds an electric violin upright.

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Lofi Cody @loficody.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Just dropped a new Artist Uncovered article with the legendary Coffee Date blog.humblebeats.com/p/artist-unc...

blog.humblebeats.com

Artist Uncovered: Coffee Date

The Weaver of Strings and Beats

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MAGFest - The Music and Gaming Festival @magfest.org · 01/06/2025

Next up is quite a treat, we're really excited about this special surprise! @gamechops.com comes to MAGStock for a chill pool party vibe Saturday afternoon! @djcutman.com and @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social join forces for a live lofi set at the pool stage fresh off their Stardew and Chill 2 release!

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Harpsona (Nile/ないる) @harpsona.com · 30/05/2025

It’s my birthday and also the tail end of #AAPI heritage month! 🎂 ✨ If y’all would like to celebrate with me, consider sharing the Kickstarter for Tournament Arc with a friend! ✨

Photo of Nile Matsuda (Harpsona) with a box of the game Tournament Arc

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

worked with Shea recently—not only is she incredibly skilled; she's lightning-fast, great to communicate with, and infuses so much emotion and texture into her playing. highly recommended!

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Reposted by Evelyn Rivera

Shea's Violin @sheaviolin.bsky.social · 29/05/2025

My partner is burned out at work and needs to take a couple months of FMLA unpaid starting next month. If anyone needs some remote session recording (violin/viola/erhu/guitar), arrangement, transcription, or composition help, I'm looking for more work! (I also have a patreon and kofi!)

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 22/05/2025

here's a little bit from the opening track of Stardew & Chill 2, "it's a big world outside" ♡ for this album i really wanted to lean into organic, acoustic instrumentation, and for this song in particular, i wanted to adapt it for live strings. so happy with how it turned out ✨

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

not gonna lie i've got some butterflies in my stomach around today's release — Stardew & Chill was such a pivotal album in my career, and this second album encapsulates all the growth from the past three years. here's to many more 🎉

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

♡ STARDEW & CHILL 2 ♡ it's such a pleasure to present this album on the third anniversary of the original Stardew & Chill—hope you all love it ♡ out now 🌟 @gamechops.com streaming everywhere 🌱 vgm.fm/stardew2 album artwork 🖼️ @artbyriana.bsky.social

Album artwork for Stardew & Chill 2. A blue chicken rests in a pasture by a stump, its eyes closed contentedly. Atop the stump sits a plate of cookies and a steaming mug of coffee. In the background stands a farmhouse, and beside it, a stone well and a field of strawberries.

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

started writing a novel as a pet project and honestly: making time to create something just for myself, without any obligation/expectations to profit or share it, has been one of the best decisions i've ever made for my mental health as a full-time creative 🥲

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Share the last 4 games you've played and expose your gaming habits. (currently borrowing my friend's PS5 to play the first two games, reeeaally enjoying Clair Obscur so far!)

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 23/04/2025

here's a little look at "grandpa's theme"! ♡ during production on this album i finally got a viola, and knew it would be perfect for this track ♡ out now everywhere! vgm.fm/grandpastheme pre-save the album on spotify: open.spotify.com/prerelease/3...

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 22/04/2025

this one is out today! ♡ vgm.fm/grandpastheme

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 06/04/2025

after almost three years since the release of Stardew & Chill, i'm so happy to finally announce Stardew & Chill 2 will be releasing on the original album's third anniversary, May 19th, 2025 ♡ first single releases on April 21st; pre-save the album on spotify here: open.spotify.com/prerelease/3...

A Nintendo Switch set on top of the vinyl jacket for Stardew & Chill. The screen shows a screenshot from Stardew Valley. The screenshot is of an in-game letter reading, "Coffee Date- Wait for my return on the dawn of your third year. - Grandpa".

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

the nintendo switch 2 direct has cured my burnout and restored my will

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

not an april fools' joke — my next album is officially shipped and coming next month ♡ keep an eye out, more info to come soon!

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

i seldom recommend things here but if you get the chance — go see the new looney tunes movie The Day The Earth Blew Up!! i haven't had this much fun at a theater in a long time and it's such a shame it didn't get any marketing budget. feels really good to see great 2D animation on a big screen too ✨

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 19/03/2025

not gonna lie i'm feeling pretty demoralized by the state of the world/current events, but these really cool collabs i'm working on for my next @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social album are really helping to give me that extra push that i need to keep my head up 🥲

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Harpsona (Nile/ないる) @harpsona.com · 10/03/2025

⭐️ Happy Mario Day! ⭐️ #MAR10day #Mario

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 03/02/2025

sneak peek from my instagram story 🌟🎻 so happy i got to give the viola a little love on this one ✨

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

made a couple of clips to highlight some tracks on Poké Tape 4 ♡ first up is Lavender Town! 👻💜 the original is so haunting, and for my version, i really wanted to lean into the melancholy side. i reharmonized the chords, added wispy vocals, and played electric violin for extra emotion & texture ♡

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

poké tape 4 is out now! ♡ for my take on @gamechops.com 's poké tape series, i wanted to highlight all the themes that are most dear to me personally ♡ hope y'all enjoy! stream everywhere ♡ vgm.fm/poketape4 artwork by @jramseyi.bsky.social

Album artwork for Poké Tape 4. Light streams in through a window framed by ivy and houseplants and onto a desk, upon which an Eevee rests. Eevee is curled up comfortably beside a cup of coffee, a pair of headphones, cassette tapes, and a tape player.

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 15/01/2025

sneak peek of some strings that i recorded today ❄️🎻

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

♡ GOTTA CATCH 'EM ALL! ♡ from pokémon indigo league i have so much nostalgia for this tune ♡ featuring piano, electric guitar, violins, and a fun hip hop beat! out now ♡ @gamechops.com stream anywhere ♡ vgm.fm/catchemall

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 19/12/2024

i've been wanting to for a while, but this year, i finally got back into reading! ended up reading 50+ books between july and now — a lot of classics, popular books, and new releases alike, and found a bunch of new favorites! ✨ here's all of the 4+ star books that i read 💙📚

Patrick Rothfuss - The Slow Regard of Silent Things
R.F. Kuang - Yellowface
Brandon Sanderson - Tress of the Emerald Sea
Trevor Noah - Born A Crime
Ray Bradbury - Fahrenheit 451
T. Kingfisher- Nettle & Bone
J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit
T. Kingfisher- A Sorceress Comes to Call
Robin Hobb - Assassin's Apprentice
Octavia E. Butler - Parable of the Sower
Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn: The Final Empire
Ursula K. Le Guin - A Wizard of Earthsea
Antoine De Saint-Exupéry - The Little Prince
Genzaburo Yoshino - How Do You Live?
Maya Angelou - I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
T. Kingfisher- Thornhedge
Patrick Rothfuss - The Narrow Road Between Desires
T.J. Klune - The House in the Cerulean Sea
Mizuki Tsujimura - Lonely Castle in the Mirror
Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

surprise! ♡ my next album has been revealed! my take on @gamechops.com 's Poké Tape series will be releasing in january ♡ pre-save on spotify (and catch a sneak peek at the tracklist!) here: open.spotify.com/prerelease/2...

The Spotify landing page for pre-saving Poké Tape 4. There is a countdown, showing 38 days until release. The album artwork depicts an Eevee curled up on a desk by a window framed by houseplants. Beside the Eevee, there is a tape player with headphones and a steaming glass mug of coffee.

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 04/12/2024

my spotify wrapped message ♡ thank you all for making my music a part of your 2024 ♡ (and especially to the 2k listeners who had me as their number 1 artist 🥹😭) additionally, thank you to the wonderful team @gamechops.bsky.social for their support with every step of the way! see you all in 2025 ♡

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GameChops @gamechops.com · 03/12/2024

Hi BlueSky! We're GameChops, a record label devoted to video game cover songs with high quality mixing and mastering. We've got a catalog of over 1,000 songs from game series like Legend of Zelda, Pokémon, Final Fantasy, and many more. www.gamechops.com

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Katie Chrzanowski @minikitty.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

You've been visited by the Panda of Prosperity. Retweet for a good year and healthy crops in 2025.

Panda the cat, fluffy and majestic as ever, sits and stares at the cameraman, awaiting his next feasting time.

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

hello to all the new followers ♡ thanks for following — i'll be sharing plenty of updates and more over here! here's a clip from a little while ago, a sneak peek of what's currently in production! 🎻

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Adriana Figueroa @adrianafigueroa.com · 07/11/2024

"If you tend to a flower, it will bloom, no matter how many weeds surround it." I wish you all peace and love today. I believe in our capacity to overcome hatred with hope and love very much. They cannot stop spring from coming, no many how many petals they try to pick. 🌷

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 31/10/2024

happy halloween ♡ here's a little sneak peek of my next project!

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Evelyn Rivera @msevelynrivera.bsky.social · 22/10/2024

figured i should introduce myself here! i'm Evelyn, and i'm a composer, music producer, and writer! most of the time you can find me making chill VGM covers as @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social . i'm pretty quiet otherwise, but offline i have a lot of projects in development ✨ it's good to be here! 😌

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Coffee Date @coffeedatelofi.bsky.social · 19/10/2024

joined the viola club today 🎻 can't wait to use it in the new music i'm working on! ♡ (violin on the right for scale, feat. my '70s basement carpet lol)

A viola (left) and violin (right) beside each other against speckled red carpet

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