Billboard Japan

J-pop songstress JUJU spoke to Billboard Japan for its latest Women in Music interview featuring trailblazing women in the Japanese music industry. The initiative launched this year in the same spirit of Billboard’s annual Women in Music issue that began in 2007, with a mission to produce interviews, live performances and panel discussions focusing on women who continue to break new ground in Japan’s music business.

The 19-year veteran of Japanese showbiz continues to make great strides this year, including her new song “Hana” (Flowers) written as the theme for the movie Motherhood, which hit Japanese theaters in November. The pop star who has inspired legions of fans with her powerful vocals throughout her music career shared her thoughts on self-acceptance and celebrating individuality in this latest interview.

Have you ever felt that being a woman was an obstacle in your career?

At the moment, not at all. This year marks the 19th anniversary of my debut as a singer, but I don’t think I’ve experienced anything where I felt that it was difficult to accomplish because I’m a woman. When I look around me, however, I do feel the need to change the system. The way society works was mostly established more than 60 years ago during the period of economic growth in Japan, and is out of step with the times. Even the systems that were created specifically for women need to be updated by assessing what we really need. For example, a blanket rule for maternity leave isn’t enough, don’t you think? People have completely different potentials whether they’re a woman or a man, in terms of physical strength and family environment and such, but the disadvantages may be greater if everyone is bound by a set of rules that aren’t flexible.

Since you mentioned maternity leave… Your latest song “Hana” is the theme of Ryuichi Hiroki’s new movie Motherhood, which depicts the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters.

The movie is a story that revolves around women, but the title of the theme song “Hana” expresses the idea of respecting all individuals as we live our lives as people, including being women. We all grow up knowing that there are many different kinds of flowers, right? From the kinds we don’t know the names of that bloom on the roadside to the ones in a magnificent bouquet made at a florist, flowers bloom at different times and in different ways, but they’re all splendid. The spirit of the lyrics is, “Wouldn’t it be great if we each could bloom in the place of our choice, in the way we decided, and in the color we want to be?” I hope this song inspires listeners to reflect on whether they’re being true to themselves. I’d like people to remember that it’s OK for you to be who you are.

I get the impression that you firmly believe that people are diverse in their own ways. When did you start thinking this way?

Ever since I was a child, I think. There were a lot of weird adults around me growing up. My family and the other grown-ups around me didn’t care that there were children around and never hid anything from me. Even topics that people would normally be like, “Don’t let kids hear that!” would be openly discussed. Maybe they figured, “If she’s going to eventually hear about it elsewhere, she might as well hear it from us.” Like, “If she doesn’t understand something, she can ask an adult around her on the spot. That way, she won’t end up misunderstanding.” People would come to our parents’ gatherings crying and asking for advice about their problems. Because I grew up in such an environment, I was able to imagine that even those who normally seem happy can have such problems, and I came to think, as a kid, that being a grown-up can be hard.

I spent some time in New York later on, a place where people of different races and languages gather, but I realized that in the sense that people have various worries and problems even if they don’t show it on the outside, the world is no different from the one I’d seen growing up.

How have you dealt with your own worries and problems?

Whenever I’m in a difficult situation, I think back to a letter a friend sent me long ago. It said, “A day is a day, no matter how you spend it.” Things happen as you live your life and sometimes it can be hard. Still, the days go on, and no matter how you spend it, the same amount of time will pass. Then let’s try to not take it too seriously, so that we don’t spend all our time on the hard things. That’s the message I got from the letter. I mean, today is the youngest day of our lives. And tomorrow we’ll be a day older and maybe wiser. So I’m not afraid of getting older, and it’s never too late to start something. After all, a day is a day no matter how you spend it. That’s why I try to think that things will work out no matter how I do it. Though sometimes it’s not good enough even when I do try to think like that.

You know it, but sometimes it’s not good enough. Is there a way to cope when you can’t bring yourself to think, “A day is a day no matter how I spend it?”

I’m the type who doesn’t know when to give up, so I can’t give up on myself when I’m in a bad situation. What inspires me when I want to pull myself up again is a line from Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All”: “I decided long ago / Never to walk in anyone’s shadows / If I fail, if I succeed / At least I’ll live as I believe / No matter what they take from me / They can’t take away my dignity.” I sing this verse out loud when I want to fire myself up.

I’m sure there are many people who are inspired by the way you motivate yourself to perform on stage and by hearing your voice.

I’d be happy if that were so. Even if we have to go through some painful experiences, it’d be nice if we could learn a lot from them. I’ve loved to sing since I was a child and always wanted to be a singer and was lucky enough to make that dream come true. Still, there are times when I feel bad or sad, but each time I think, “Oh, now I have one more thing I can sing about,” so I’m able to continue without breaking down. I think everyone has their own way of putting things into perspective like that, even if they’re not singers.

—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Japan-based boy band ONE N’ ONLY — consisting of members EIKU, TETTA, REI, HAYATO, KENSHIN, and NAOYA — recently digitally dropped its bouncy new single “Good Day.” The six-member dance and vocal unit has been steadily expanding its global fanbase, particularly in Asian and South American countries, through their unique style of music they’ve coined “JK-pop” that blends the best qualities from both genres.

Billboard Japan caught up with the members for the first time since they performed in front of their fans in Brazil at the end of July. The members chat about “Good Day” and share their thoughts on the danceable tune, plus give away some behind-the-scenes details about its recording and choreography in this latest interview.

You recently released your new song “Good Day.” Could you tell us a bit about this cheerful, uplifting number?

NAOYA: It’s like we’ve added another track to our repertoire of cheerful numbers such as “Video Chat,” “LUCKY” and “HOLIDAY.” “Good Day” is a song that really looks great performed live and can be presented in a different way from the other songs I just mentioned. It’s just a lot of fun to dance to. It brings out the members’ genuine expressions. It’s also unusual in that it starts and ends with the A melody (first verse). I’m pretty sure it’ll becomeone of our signature songs in the future. 

It’s very addictive.

REI: Yes, it is. I think it’s a song that really goes straight into people’s hearts. I want it to be the kind of tune where people think, “Yes!” when they hear the intro at a concert.

EIKU: I really like the choreography of the chorus. The part where the members dance facing each other just makes me smile, and I tried to make the song feel fresh and spontaneous in my own way when we recorded it. 

You make eye contact one-on-one?

KENSHIN:  We do, a lot!

NAOYA: I’m on the outermost end of the formation, so I get to make eye contact with KENSHIN, then look other way and make eye contact with SWAG [the group’s fans]. It’s one of the fun parts of the song, so I’m looking forward to performing it live as much as we can.

How do you feel when you face each other individually like that?

KENSHIN: It cheers me up! I love seeing the other members faces close up like that. But when I make eye contact with EIKU, I always crack up.

EIKU: He twitches his eyebrows. He tries to make me laugh.

KENSHIN: I also make eye contact with NAOYA, and he looks at me like, “How’s this?” [Laughs] We goof off like that, so fans are encouraged to look out for those moments.

REI: HAYATO is over there looking like he has nothing to do with this conversation, but he’s the one who makes the weirdest expressions.

HAYATO: I don’t deny it. [Laughs]

TETTA, anything you want to add about the track?

TETTA:  I really like the A melody(first verse) too. Actually, I heard that our choreographer came up with the dance for this part by imagining me dancing to it. The soft spot I have for this part has grown even more after hearing that. Besides, the choreographer praises me every time I dance to it.

KENSHIN: We all tend to thrive on praise.

TETTA: Yeah! Praise us! 

Do you all often praise each other? 

REI: We often praise TETTA after he finishes singing. Also, HAYATO’s rapping is really awesome. I was surprised at how much he evolved during the fall tour. But in Sapporo, he called SWAG “twag.” [Laughs]

HAYATO: I did my best to pretend it didn’t happen. [Laughs] That was my first time performing a solo on stage, and since it was my own idea, I was still sort of pondering what to do. That was part of the reason why I got nervous onstage and blurted out “twag.” It was pretty vexing so I was super careful during the rest of the performance. [Laughs]

KENSHIN: No, you really did better with each performance. The final was even more amazing with the added emotion.

REI: You’re always quick to praise, KENSHIN.

TETTA: The momentwe finished “STARLIGHT~Mirai no Tobira~,” you came over to tell me it was great and it made me so happy.

KENSHIN: I can’t hide my feelings. I want to communicate my thoughts every time.

Getting back to the subject, HAYATO, tell us your favorite part of this song.

HAYATO: I like the part where REI sings, “Life goes on, risou o koete (beyond ideals).” His voice matches and it feels so good. It really does go “beyond the ideal.” I’d like everyone to listen carefully to that part along with the lyrics.

REI: Sweet. You pointed out what I was aiming for! Actually, that part is deliberate and I’m singing at full volume while staying relaxed.

HAYATO: So that’s why it feels “beyond the ideal”! After that, you tighten it up with “ready.”

REI: Thanks for saying all that. [Laughs]

HAYATO: The cadenced way you handle the ending of each line is really cool, too.

REI: I learned that from TETTA.

Did you decide who sings which parts by yourselves?

TETTA: The writer of the song had all the parts laid out at first, but we discussed things among ourselves and changed it while were recording it.

REI: My part we spoke about just now used to be EIKU’s at first, right?

EIKU: Yeah. But REI’s voice fits better, and since I’m in charge of the beginning of the chorus, it’s better to have someone else do it. REI’s voice adds a really nice touch to the song.

KENSHIN: It turned out really well. It’s really great because EIKU’s chorus brims with encouragement and respect for those who live and work hard every day, and it can be interpreted as us saying, “Let’s keep on growing together from now on.” It’s heartening and uplifting so I recommend listening to it in the morning.

NAOYA: First thing in the morning is good.

KENSHIN: Recently I’ve been challenging myself to play this song the moment I wake up and get ready to leave the house during the three minutes it takes to finish. Everyone should give it a try!

NAOYA: That sounds pretty thrilling. [Laughs]

—This interview by Kana Yoshida first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Official HIGE DANdism‘s latest single “Subtitle,” released Oct. 12, has become a record-breaking hit in Japan.
On the Billboard Japan Hot 100 songs chart dated Nov. 9, 2022, “Subtitle” took the No. 1 position for a third consecutive week. In its streaming metrics, which serve as signposts of major hits, it came in at No. 2 on the chart dated Oct. 19 (with 9,905,294 streams), No. 1 on Oct. 26 (18,116,526 streams), No. 1 on Nov. 2 (20,781,069 streams), No. 1 on Nov. 9 (21,044,966 streams), and No. 1 on Nov. 16 (21,377,507 streams).

The number of streams just keeps going up and up and up. For the week tracking Nov. 7 to 13, the song had 29,935,364 streams — the second-highest number of streams for any song on the chart ever, surpassed only by BTS‘ “Butter,” which was released on June 2, 2021. It’s also the first time in Japan Hot 100 history that a song has had over 20 million plays for three weeks in a row. There’s no question that “Subtitle” is one of the leading hit songs of the Japanese music scene in the latter half of 2022.

“Subtitle” is a winter ballad written as the theme song to the dramatic TV series silent. The members of the band read the script treatment and actual script for the show, which are completely original. The story and the show’s message resonated with the band, which is why they decided to write the show’s theme song. silent is a love story focused on protagonist Tsumugi Aoba (played by Haruna Kawaguchi) and her former boyfriend, So Sakura (played by Snow Man’s Ren Meguro). The bittersweet and endearing tale of Sakura, who begins to gradually lose his hearing at the age of 18, Aoba, who works to accept the changes he is undergoing and rebuild her relationship with him, and Nana Momono (played by Kaho), who was born deaf, has attracted a diverse audience. The show itself has become one of 2022’s outstanding programs, with playback numbers that sweep away previous record-holders on TVer, the television broadcast service for over-the-air broadcasters. The synergy between the show and its opening theme is boosting the hit’s trajectory. It’s an ideal tie-up.

The choice of the name “Subtitle” for the theme song of this drama about meeting again in a soundless world shows the respect they have for the series.

“Subtitle” begins with the line “‘Pouring the sun into your frozen heart’ and ‘That’s what I’ll be for you,’” sung by Satoshi Fujihara (vocals and piano). The way the song launches straight into the vocals without an intro shows a modern sensibility, but the structure of the song itself is pure J-pop: verse, bridge, chorus, soft chorus, middle eight. HIGE DAN’s strengths, like chord progressions which make effective use of modulation and dramatic melody lines, are taken to a new height, producing a song that is pleasant yet never goes stale. Care was also taken with the arrangement, and the colorful guitar phrases and rhythm line, with its deep bass tone, make quite the impression. Another of the appeals of this song is the musical skill shown by Daisuke Ozasa (guitars and chorus), Makoto Narazaki (bass and saxophone), and Masaki Matsuura (drums and chorus).

Coming in at over five minutes, the song is unusually long for a modern song, but thanks to the quality of the melody and the intricacy of the song’s design, it never overstays its welcome. The reason the number of plays keeps rising is that the song has so much depth — every time you listen to it, you discover something new.

What enthralls listeners the most about “Subtitle,” though, are its lyrics. The core of the strong is the powerful love the singer feels toward “you,” and the frustration they feel about not being able to convey that love. The lyrics artfully express how words spoken to convey one’s feelings vanish the moment they are uttered, as epitomized in the phrase “words are like snowflakes.”

This emotion peaks in the line “Even more than saying I love you, I want to say wait, just a moment more, until you feel my love.” The struggles faced by the singer end, unresolved. They do not take any concrete action. But the love the singer feels for “you” is true and without question, and the singer wants to share their feelings, moving “your” heart. Listening to the song, you feel these emotions ring pure and clear.

Immediately after the song’s release, people started posting their interpretations of the lyrics on social media and in YouTube comments. “I love the lyrics. I’d rather feel the kind of love where two people support each other than love that’s a one-way street. If I have to experience the lowest of the lows in life, that’s the kind of life I’d rather lead.” “I feel like the lyrics to ‘Subtitle’ really affect the way I see love…but shift them a little, at the same time.” “No matter how you try to express yourself, if your emotions aren’t of the same intensity, your ability to communicate your feelings will suffer. But you can’t give up on sharing what you feel in your heart.” Comments like these are testament to how the words to “Subtitle” resonate with the experiences and memories of listeners, and how they feel like the song is their own song.

Official HIGE DANdism has produced countless hits, including “115man Kilo no Film,” “Pretender” and “I LOVE…” “Subtitle” will surely become one of their new standards, thanks to the quality of its music and the profundity of its lyrics. It will become a leading J-pop winter ballad of the 2020s, continuing to enthrall listeners for years to come.

—This article by Tomoyuki Mori first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Kenshi Yonezu‘s recently released new song, “KICK BACK,” was created as the opening theme of the TV anime series Chainsaw Man. Yonezu wrote the music and lyrics himself, and Daiki Tsuneta (King Gnu, millennium parade) joined him to work on its arrangement.

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“KICK BACK” has taken the charts by storm. The song debuted at No. 1 on the Oct. 19-dated Billboard Japan Hot 100, and is creating waves around the world, having become the first song by a Japanese artist to make it into Spotify’s Top 50 Global daily song ranking.

Chainsaw Man, based on a comic by Tatsuki Fujimoto, is the story of Denji, a Devil Hunter, who enters a contract with a Chainsaw Devil that enables him to turn into “Chainsaw Man” to fight devils and Fiends. Part 1, the “Public Safety Arc,” was published in Weekly Shonen Jump starting in 2019, and Shonen Jump+ began publishing Part 2, the “School Arc,” in July 2022. The anime adaptation has drawn a great deal of interest because it was produced by MAPPA, which is also responsible for Jujutsu Kaisen, Yuri!!! on Ice, and Attack on Titan, and because the ending themes of each of its 12 episodes were written by different artists, such as Vaundy, Zutomayo, and Aimer.

In the interview below with Billboard Japan, Kenshi Yonezu discusses the creative process behind “KICK BACK.”

What was your initial response when they asked you to write the opening theme to Chainsaw Man?

Yonezu: I’d always wanted to write it. When I read the comic, I’d often think about what kind of theme I’d write for it if they made an anime adaptation. When it was actually decided that I’d be the one creating the theme for the show, I was overjoyed. I’d been thinking about what kind of song I’d write before anyone had even brought up the possibility of my actually writing it.

What do you like about Chainsaw Man?

Yonezu: In the comic, demons are constantly hurting people in grotesque ways. The world it depicts is a very serious one, but the central character, Denji, is, how should I say this…just an idiot. Denji’s presence turns this negative environment and serious story into a comedy. That makes it really fun. It’s about a guy with no education working really diligently and seriously and just making a total mess of things. I’d never seen anything like that before, and it’s just delightful.

You said that even before you were approached, you’d been thinking about what kind of music you’d create. What were your first ideas?

Yonezu: First, I wanted to go with drum and bass. There’s still a bit of that in “KICK BACK,” but during the demo stage it was crazy drums with long synth phrases, true drum and bass style.

How did you start actually going about writing the song?

Yonezu: I started by meeting the director and the people on the anime production end. I remember the director asking that I “make the song like a roller coaster.” Lots of transitions, with dramatic changes between parts, so it felt like different songs. A song with big differences between the highs and lows. He wanted a song that would fling you around, and before you knew it the song would have ended. At first, it felt like he was talking about something really difficult, but when I thought about it more, I realized that the word he used, tencho, could be used to refer to both a change of key and also to a change in the tone of the music. I didn’t know which one he was asking for, so I decided to do both.

Chainsaw Man can be looked at from all kinds of different directions. Which aspects of it did you try to express through music?

Yonezu: The thing that jumps out at you first about Chainsaw Man is its grotesqueness. Denji rips apart all kinds of things and kills devils in gory ways, and those blood-spattered depictions stand out. Since I was writing the opening theme, I thought it would be good to make a song that unfolds Chainsaw Man and provides an overview of the story.

Also, Chainsaw Man‘s story is one of betrayal after betrayal, and at the heart of this story you have this complete idiot, Denji. It constantly skates the line, teetering on the edge of completely breaking down with this really pop sensibility. It’s a really thrilling comic, so I thought it might be great to express that feel in the music. 

Kenshi Yonezu

Courtesy Photo

“KICK BACK” has a line, “Doryoku, Mirai, A Beautiful Star” (“Hard Work, Future, A Beautiful Star”) that’s from the Morning Musume. Song, “So Da! We’re ALIVE.” What gave you that idea?

Yonezu: Pure intuition. I don’t know why, but I just wanted to do it. I had my heart set on using that line no matter what.

The song came out in the year 2000. Did you listen to it back when it was new?

Yonezu: Yes. It was the music of my generation, so I listened to it a lot when I was in elementary school. During the chorus of “So Da! We’re ALIVE,” they sing “Shiawase ni naritai” (“I want to be happy”). The way they sing it is like “Shi—yawase.” That really jumped out at me when I was a kid. Instead of pronouncing it “shiawase,” they pronounced it “shiyawase.” Sometimes when my friends and I were playing, we’d just sing that part at each other, and it really made a strong impression. When I started working on the opening theme to Chainsaw Man, I remembered that. Once those two things connected, the rest flowed faster. I listened to the Morning Musume. song again and I was like “It’s gotta be this.” If I was going to write the opening theme for Chainsaw Man, I had to sample this, there were no two ways about it.

The chorus has lyrics like “fill it up with happiness” and “fill it up with luck.” Would you say that “happiness” is a key word?

Yonezu: Denji was born in just dire circumstances, and I think when people are confronted with that kind of misfortune, they stop thinking about specifics. It’s more like “I just want to be happy.” They don’t think as far as “Well then, what should I do to become happy?”  That’s why I felt I needed to go with simple words like “happiness” and “luck.”

You and Daiki Tsuneta worked together on the arrangement of the song. You two have long been close friends, but what led you to working on this song together?

Yonezu: Once, when Daiki and I were drinking together, we got to talking about Chainsaw Man, and we were like “It’s awesome! What a great comic!” One day, after they approached me to write the opening theme, I went drinking with Daiki again, and I said, “Hey, come to think of it, I’m doing the music for Chainsaw Man. Do you want to do it together?” It was a really casual process that lead to the collaboration.

What essence did Tsuneta add to the song?

Yonezu: I was really impressed with him yet again. My demo took a stoic drum and bass approach, but he gave it an extra boost by adding a rough, hoodlum-like feel.

Kenshi Yonezu

Courtesy Photo

KICK BACK is already creating quite a stir in Japan and overseas. What are your feelings on reactions to it, including its activity in the charts?

Yonezu: I’m happy to see it. Above all else, I think Chainsaw Man is wonderful. The opening animation, especially — I’d say it’s the best of any anime I’ve ever seen.

I’m sure that there are people overseas who’ve learned the name “Kenshi Yonezu” thanks to this. You, as an artist, have been highly influenced by young adult comic and animation culture. I think one of the notable features about modern Japanese pop culture is having musicians like you writing the theme songs for anime. What do you think you’ve taken from young adult comic and animation culture? What aspects of that culture do you carry on in yourself and your work?

Yonezu: I’d originally wanted to be a comic creator. It’s not so much a case of comics influencing a musician as someone who wanted to be a comic artist but ended up being a musician instead. So, inside me, I still have that child, that pre-teen, that wanted to be a comic creator. I drew comics since I was little, but then I switched to music, so I’ve never really experienced failure in my comic aspirations. If I’d really tried to become a comic creator, I’d have had all kinds of different experiences. Maybe I’d have brought my creations in to an editor, who would point out problems and issues, and I’d think, “I guess I just don’t have any talent when it comes to comics.” But I’ve never experienced that, so there’s still a part of me that thinks that maybe I am a comic creator — that maybe I’d be better at comics than at music. I don’t feel like a musician that was influenced by comics, but more like someone who has kept writing music as if he were writing comics. So the two are tied up really tightly together.

You drew the Chainsaw Man illustration on the artwork of the single. What meaning or ideas went into it?

Yonezu: The first version had three figures on it — Denji, Aki Hayakawa, and Power. But when I looked at the finished version, I thought, “No, that’s not right.” So then I decided to go with a movie poster-like visual, which is what led to the final jacket illustration. The composition, with the arm, was influenced by the poster for Parasite. On the Parasite poster, there are these legs jutting into the poster from the side. I like the disturbing feel that creates. When I applied that sense of disquiet, that cool tone, and that feeling of miserableness to Chainsaw Man, the jacket illustration is what came out.

What are your feelings on the style Tatsuki Fujimoto uses in Chainsaw Man?

Yonezu: There are elements of the story that really evoke sympathy. Partly because we’re around the same age, I feel like we’ve seen similar things in our lives. He has an amazing imagination, and the artistic ability to bring it all to life. He creates things that only he could. I think he’s a rare genius.

–This interview Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan.