diff --git a/frontend/src/components/KiraAvatar.tsx b/frontend/src/components/KiraAvatar.tsx
index be2e9e3..5a814ea 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/KiraAvatar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/KiraAvatar.tsx
@@ -223,25 +223,40 @@ export default function KiraAvatar(props: Props) {
         </div>
       )}
 
-      {/* Expression indicator */}
+      {/* Expression indicator + Talk button */}
       {live2dReady && (
-        <div className="mt-1 flex gap-1.5 flex-wrap justify-center">
-          {EXPRESSIONS.map((expr) => (
-            <button
-              key={expr}
-              onClick={() => {
-                try { modelRef.current?.expression(expr); setCurrentExpression(expr); } catch {}
-              }}
-              className={`text-[9px] px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full font-medium transition-all ${
-                currentExpression === expr
-                  ? 'bg-kira-pink text-white'
-                  : 'text-kira-plum/30 hover:text-kira-plum/60'
-              }`}
-            >
-              {expr}
-            </button>
-          ))}
-        </div>
+        <>
+          <div className="mt-1 flex gap-1.5 flex-wrap justify-center">
+            {EXPRESSIONS.map((expr) => (
+              <button
+                key={expr}
+                onClick={() => {
+                  try { modelRef.current?.expression(expr); setCurrentExpression(expr); } catch {}
+                }}
+                className={`text-[9px] px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full font-medium transition-all ${
+                  currentExpression === expr
+                    ? 'bg-kira-pink text-white'
+                    : 'text-kira-plum/30 hover:text-kira-plum/60'
+                }`}
+              >
+                {expr}
+              </button>
+            ))}
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Talk button — mic toggle */}
+          <button
+            onClick={props.onTalkToggle}
+            className={`mt-2 flex items-center gap-2 px-5 py-2 rounded-full text-sm font-bold transition-all ${
+              props.isListening
+                ? 'bg-red-400 text-white shadow-lg scale-105 animate-listening-pulse'
+                : 'bg-gradient-to-r from-kira-pink to-kira-lav text-white hover:shadow-lg hover:scale-105'
+            }`}
+          >
+            <span className="text-base">{props.isListening ? '⏹️' : '🎤'}</span>
+            {props.isListening ? 'Listening...' : 'Talk to Kira'}
+          </button>
+        </>
       )}
 
       {/* Status bar */}
@@ -251,6 +266,16 @@ export default function KiraAvatar(props: Props) {
           {props.isSpeaking ? 'speaking...' : props.isListening ? 'listening...' : live2dReady ? 'here with you' : 'loading...'}
         </span>
       </div>
+
+      <style>{`
+        @keyframes listening-pulse {
+          0%, 100% { box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 rgba(248, 113, 113, 0.4); }
+          50% { box-shadow: 0 0 0 12px rgba(248, 113, 113, 0); }
+        }
+        .animate-listening-pulse {
+          animation: listening-pulse 1.5s infinite;
+        }
+      `}</style>
     </div>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/MusicPlayer.tsx b/frontend/src/components/MusicPlayer.tsx
index bba899f..df1ad32 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/MusicPlayer.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/MusicPlayer.tsx
@@ -1,27 +1,87 @@
-import { useState, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useState, useRef, useEffect, useCallback } from 'react';
 
-const LOFI_PLAYLISTS = [
-  { id: 'lofi-girl', name: 'lofi hip hop radio', url: 'https://www.youtube.com/embed/jfKfPfyJRdk', icon: '🎧' },
-  { id: 'lofi-chill', name: 'Chill lofi', url: 'https://www.youtube.com/embed/5qap5aO4i9A', icon: '🎵' },
-  { id: 'lofi-synth', name: 'Synthwave lofi', url: 'https://www.youtube.com/embed/MVPTmgNG4x0', icon: '🌃' },
+interface Playlist {
+  id: string;
+  name: string;
+  videoId: string;
+  icon: string;
+}
+
+const LOFI_PLAYLISTS: Playlist[] = [
+  { id: 'lofi-girl', name: 'lofi hip hop radio', videoId: 'jfKfPfyJRdk', icon: '🎧' },
+  { id: 'lofi-chill', name: 'Chill lofi', videoId: '5qap5aO4i9A', icon: '🎵' },
+  { id: 'lofi-synth', name: 'Synthwave lofi', videoId: 'MVPTmgNG4x0', icon: '🌃' },
 ];
 
 export default function MusicPlayer() {
-  const [active, setActive] = useState<string | null>('lofi-girl');
+  const [activeId, setActiveId] = useState<string>('lofi-girl');
   const [volume, setVolume] = useState(0.3);
-  const iframeRef = useRef<HTMLIFrameElement>(null);
+  const [started, setStarted] = useState(false);
+  const wrapperRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
+  const playerRef = useRef<any>(null);
+  const apiReady = useRef(false);
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // Post volume to YouTube iframe when it changes
-    const timer = setTimeout(() => {
-      if (iframeRef.current?.contentWindow) {
-        iframeRef.current.contentWindow.postMessage(
-          JSON.stringify({ event: 'command', func: 'setVolume', args: [volume * 100] }),
-          '*'
-        );
+  // Load YouTube IFrame API on first user interaction
+  const startPlayer = useCallback(() => {
+    if (apiReady.current) return;
+    apiReady.current = true;
+
+    const tag = document.createElement('script');
+    tag.src = 'https://www.youtube.com/iframe_api';
+    const first = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
+    first.parentNode?.insertBefore(tag, first);
+
+    (window as any).onYouTubeIframeAPIReady = () => {
+      const active = LOFI_PLAYLISTS.find((p) => p.id === activeId);
+      if (!active) return;
+
+      playerRef.current = new (window as any).YT.Player('kira-youtube-player', {
+        height: '0',
+        width: '0',
+        videoId: active.videoId,
+        playerVars: {
+          autoplay: 1,
+          controls: 0,
+          loop: 1,
+          playlist: active.videoId,
+          enablejsapi: 1,
+        },
+        events: {
+          onReady: (e: any) => {
+            e.target.setVolume(volume * 100);
+            e.target.playVideo();
+          },
+        },
+      });
+    };
+  }, [activeId, volume]);
+
+  // Handle play button click (first user gesture)
+  const handlePlay = () => {
+    if (!started) {
+      setStarted(true);
+      startPlayer();
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Change station
+  const changeStation = (id: string) => {
+    setActiveId(id);
+    if (playerRef.current && (window as any).YT) {
+      const active = LOFI_PLAYLISTS.find((p) => p.id === id);
+      if (active) {
+        playerRef.current.loadVideoById(active.videoId);
+        playerRef.current.setVolume(volume * 100);
+        playerRef.current.playVideo();
       }
-    }, 500);
-    return () => clearTimeout(timer);
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Volume
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (playerRef.current) {
+      playerRef.current.setVolume(volume * 100);
+    }
   }, [volume]);
 
   return (
@@ -44,18 +104,16 @@ export default function MusicPlayer() {
         </div>
       </div>
 
-      <div className="flex gap-2 mb-3">
+      <div className="flex gap-2 mb-3 flex-wrap">
         {LOFI_PLAYLISTS.map((p) => (
           <button
             key={p.id}
-            onClick={() => setActive(p.id)}
-            className={`
-              flex items-center gap-1.5 px-3 py-1.5 rounded-xl text-xs font-medium transition-all
-              ${active === p.id
+            onClick={() => started ? changeStation(p.id) : setActiveId(p.id)}
+            className={`flex items-center gap-1.5 px-3 py-1.5 rounded-xl text-xs font-medium transition-all ${
+              activeId === p.id && started
                 ? 'bg-kira-lav text-white shadow-md'
                 : 'bg-white/50 text-kira-plum/60 hover:bg-kira-glow'
-              }
-            `}
+            }`}
           >
             <span>{p.icon}</span>
             <span className="hidden sm:inline">{p.name}</span>
@@ -63,19 +121,25 @@ export default function MusicPlayer() {
         ))}
       </div>
 
-      <div className="relative rounded-xl overflow-hidden" style={{ height: 80 }}>
-        {active && (
-          <iframe
-            ref={iframeRef}
-            src={`${LOFI_PLAYLISTS.find(p => p.id === active)?.url}?autoplay=1&controls=0&showinfo=0&loop=1&enablejsapi=1`}
-            className="absolute inset-0 w-full h-full pointer-events-none"
-            style={{ transform: 'scale(1.5)', transformOrigin: '0 0', opacity: 0.01 }}
-            allow="autoplay"
-          />
+      {/* Hidden YouTube player container */}
+      <div id="kira-youtube-player" ref={wrapperRef} className="hidden" />
+
+      {/* Play button / status */}
+      <div className="relative rounded-xl overflow-hidden bg-white/30" style={{ height: 60 }}>
+        {!started ? (
+          <button
+            onClick={handlePlay}
+            className="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center gap-2 text-kira-plum/50 hover:text-kira-plum/80 hover:bg-white/20 transition-all"
+          >
+            <span className="text-lg">▶️</span>
+            <span className="text-sm font-medium">Start Lo-Fi</span>
+          </button>
+        ) : (
+          <div className="w-full h-full flex items-center justify-center text-kira-plum/40 text-xs gap-2">
+            <span className="w-2 h-2 rounded-full bg-kira-mint animate-pulse inline-block" />
+            <span>playing {LOFI_PLAYLISTS.find((p) => p.id === activeId)?.name}</span>
+          </div>
         )}
-        <div className="absolute inset-0 flex items-center justify-center text-kira-plum/30 text-xs">
-          {active ? '🎵 streaming...' : 'pick a station'}
-        </div>
       </div>
     </div>
   );