Global
Page: 16
A new generation of artists are pushing the envelope in Arabic music, striving to explore new ground. Among them is Ayed, who humbly claims no desire to be a pioneer. Instead, he insists that his work merely carries forward the rich legacy established by the many artists who came before him. This young talent has achieved remarkable success in Khaleeji (Gulf) music while becoming the most-listened-to artist among his peer group. As of this publication, he holds the No. 1 position on the Top 50 Khaleeji Songs chart with his hit, “Lammah” (Hints), and ranks No. 9 on Billboard Arabia’s Artist 100. Despite these significant strides, he embodies the humility of the Khaleeji music legends that preceded him, utilizing modern production tools and techniques, which he credits for expanding the reach of his music.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
When asked about his musical style, one that combines the rhythms and melodic structure of Khaleeji music but delivered through a sound that is very much Ayed, he says, “I don’t think I’ve done anything that different. It’s just a continuation of the music of my predecessors; I’ve followed in their footsteps. But let’s say we’re in the digital age now, and maybe that’s what has changed [regarding the sound]. But that aside, it’s the same kind of music.” Ayed aims to continue enriching the Khaleeji pop landscape, hoping to make a lasting contribution to its history. As a fan of the genre, nothing is stopping him from cementing his contributions to the genre as he strives for the excellence of the artists that inspire him be it Mohamed Abdu, Abdel Majid Abdallah, Rabeh Saqr or Rashed Al Majid.
Trending on Billboard
The year 2024 has been remarkable for Ayed, who graces the cover of Billboard Arabia’s September issue. It started with a bang: he netted the “Male Musical Artist of the Year” at the 2024 Joy Awards, a ceremony organized by the General Entertainment Authority that honors achievements in the Arab artist community.
Following this accolade, Ayed collaborated with Khaled Al Muthafar, a Kuwaiti performing artist, in the song “A’lam al-U’shaq” (The World of Lovers). Initially composed for Al Muthafar’s play, “Al’uwl Min Nweih” (The First of its Kind), the duo recorded it together when Ayed heard the song. The song proved a hit, finding virality across social media platforms and climbing the ranks of Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100 and the Top 50 Khaleeji Songs chart.
“I expected the song to be successful, but I didn’t expect this overwhelming success all over the Arab world,” says Ayed. “We were meant to collaborate on a project long ago and thank God I was able to work with him on this project and I hope this is the start of many successes for us together.”
Hot on the heels of this success, “Lammah” (Hints) also went viral a month after its release, quickly climbing to the top of Billboard Arabia’s charts. As of this article, it has held the No. 1 position on the Top 50 Khaleej Songs chart for eight consecutive weeks. It has broken into the top 10 on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100, prompting Ayed’s return to the top ten on Billboard Arabia’s 100 Artists chart. Ayed always believed in the song’s potential, and its performance on the charts has validated his assumption.
Ayed’s artistic journey began at a young age, with the 2015 launch of “Nasitini” (You Forgot Me) on Instagram. It was remastered and rearranged in January 2016, tallying upwards of 16 million views on YouTube at the time of publishing this article. The song remains close to Ayed’s heart, as he’ll rarely forgo an opportunity to mention it: “It’s special,” he says, “because it marked my beginning. I think your first song always has a special place, regardless of what else you make. It’ll never be a disappointment. If my work ever comes up, that song’s inevitably mentioned, too.”
Ayed continued to evolve his craft in the next eight years. This evolution can be traced through the EP Bel-Mout Ja (A Hard Time Coming), then the two LPs, Thaman Al-Alam (The Price of Pain) and Kol Al-Khata (All the Mistakes), as well as several singles like “Rdy” (transliteration for “Inferior”), a late 2023 release that achieved remarkable success and propelled Ayed to the top of the charts. “Rdy” landed him his debut on Billboard Arabia’s Hot 100, landing the No. 4 spot in the week of Dec. 11, 2023. “Rdy” sparked curiosity about the artist’s love life, prompting Ayed to reaffirm on social media at the time that he keeps his personal life separate from his professional one.
In an exclusive reveal to Billboard Arabia, Ayed says that he is preparing to release an album, “The album will feature songs that, God willing, you will enjoy,” says Ayed. “The composers are diverse, with noted composer Rakan taking the lion’s share, followed by Yasser Buali and Saham. Most lyricists involved are part of a new generation of talent.” The composers Rakan and Yasser Bou Ali have been key to Ayed’s journey, shaping his sense of sound over the years. They’ve allowed him to deliver the essence of the voice of the generation preceding him, like Abdul Majeed Abdullah and Rabeh Saqer, while allowing it to take on a contemporary and dynamic style. Their continued collaboration on Ayed’s upcoming album reflects his commitment to the partnerships he has established and his belief in repeating his successes by drawing on the talent that enabled it.
Ayed
Designlesss/Billboard Arabia
Fifty-eight artists and 29 DJs took the stage at a special outdoor venue in Odaiba, Tokyo, over the weekend (Sept. 21 & 22) for the hip-hop festival THE HOPE. Day 2 headliner Awich performed a blistering nine-track set, including her latest single “Are you serious?” being featured as the theme song for the Netflix series […]
Hinatazaka46’s “Zettaiteki Dairokkan” blast in at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Sept. 25.
The J-pop girl group’s 12th single sold 546,483 copies in its first week to rule sales, while coming in at No. 16 for downloads, No. 98 for radio airplay, and No. 82 for video views to take the top spot on the Japan Hot 100 by a narrow margin. The single is Hinatazaka46’s seventh No. 1 hit and the first since “Bokunanka,” which topped the tally in June, 2022.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” rises a notch to No. 2 this week. Streams for the former No. 1 hit are up 104% from the week before, while downloads are up 124%, video up 108%, and karaoke up 110%. The track has been cruising along at No. 1 for streaming for 14 consecutive weeks, and also tops video for the fourth. Total streams for the track is currently at 249,797,859, and is expected to sail past the 250 million mark next week.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
The three-man pop band released the film Mrs. GREEN APPLE // The White Lounge in CINEMA in theaters on Sept. 13, which may be why the group’s catalog has climbed the chart this week. 15 songs are charting on the Japan Hot 100, with 13 including “Que Sera Sera,” “Ao to Natsu,” and “Dance Hall” increasing in points from the previous week.
Trending on Billboard
Last week’s No. 1 song, back number’s “to new lovers,” drops to No. 3 this week. While points for sales are down following the CD release week, streams have shown only a slight decrease (97%), and karaoke is on the rise (117%).
Three songs including this week’s chart-topper debuted in the top 10 this week. Pandadragon’s major label debut single “Night Before A Dance” bows at No. 5 and FRUITS ZIPPER’s “NEW KAWAII” at No. 10.
Outside the top 10, Kenshi Yonezu’s “Sayonara, Mata Itsuka!” jumps four rungs this week, probably because the highly acclaimed historical legal drama it serves as the theme — Tora ni Tsubasa — is ending this week and a special program focusing on the series and the hitmaker’s songwriting (Tora ni Tsubasa x Kenshi Yonezu Special) recently aired. Downloads for the former No. 2 hit nearly doubled (1.9 times) compared to the week before.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Sept. 16 to 22, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
With P1Harmony‘s new album Sad Song released on Friday (Sept. 20), the K-pop boy band continues to rise in creative maturity and chart success. Last summer’s Harmony: All In debuted at No. 51 on the Billboard 200 to mark the group’s first appearance on the albums chart, while their first full-length LP Killin’ It, released in February, peaked at No. 40 entry and secured their first No. 1 on Billboard’s World Albums chart. The Christopher “Tricky” Stewart–produced “Fall in Love” earned them a certified top 40 on the Pop Songs airplay chart and, now, the sextet is taking even bigger steps—on stage as well as behind the scenes.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
For Sad Song, P1Harmony took a more hands-on approach than ever. “We’ve never been this involved with an album before,” the group’s leader Keeho explained to Billboard during an early album preview in Los Angeles. “It’s a huge stepping stone from the other albums.”
Trending on Billboard
Keeho and his band mates Jiung, Theo, Intak, Soul and Jongseob say the late-summer weather of September marked the perfect chance to finally experiment with Latin music on the title track single, while the EP also brings their first sub-unit track with “WASP,” a standout rap cut performed by Intak and Jongseob.
“Now that we’re becoming more senior, we’re starting to hear the company listening to what we have to say and trusting us a lot more,” Theo says of working closer with their agency, the influential K-pop agency and talent management firm FNC Entertainment. “I’m in a much more comfortable of a position to really talk to our in-house staff about what we want to do .”
Beyond the actual music itself, Intak stepped up to help develop the stage choreography for “Sad Song” (“I really wanted to capture, ‘How can we look more emotionally invested?’” he says). At the same time, Theo’s expanding role into a musical director of P1Harmony’s live shows specifically inspired Jiung to produce the EP’s rock concert anthem, “Last Call.”
As P1Harmony look to climb higher on the charts, diving deeper into their creative instincts is producing more confident and comfortable energy in the boy band who aren’t afraid to speak up for their interests without abandoning what has made them unique since Day 1.
Read on for more into P1Harmony’s process of producing their latest EP, Sad Song.
Billboard: Tell us about “Sad Song” and how this title track single fits within the album?
Keeho: I’m sure you already know, but P1Harmony loves to experiment with new genres and try to mix in different types of vibes. I feel like we never want to stay in one place. We’re always trying to move around, but also add P1Harmony’s color into it, right? The whole Latin inspiration was something that we really wanted to experiment with and I feel like we really brought it out with this title track [single]. It’s out in September so I feel like it’s right when it’s still warm, but starting to get cooler — I feel like with the weather’s vibe, it’ll just suit the song so well.
Especially with this album, we did a lot, a lot, of experimenting within the the songs in the album as well too. We’ve never been this hands-on with an album before. It’s a learning curve, so we’re also very scared. We have one song called “WASP,” which is Intak and Jongseob’s [as a] sub-unit, so the two of them are just rapping. Actually, it’s one of my favorite songs on the album. You’ll listen to the album and it’ll be a completely different vibe. So, it’s like really cool that they have that in there. Also, Jiung and I did separate songs for the album. He did “Last Call,” and I did “It’s Alright.” Mine is a little bit of a reggae-like guitar vibe, but he is more like a band guitar vibe.
On the albums before, we usually only had one song where we would be very involved in its production, but this time, we’ve had three. So, it’s a huge stepping stone from the other albums; we’re really excited to see what the fans are going to think. I’m a little scared, but we’re really, really excited. And this is the first time where our mini album has seven tracks. So we’re including the English version of “Sad Song” in the album as well, so that’s three out of seven tracks that we are very deeply — like whole foot in — involved.
But P1Harmony has always been involved in music, especially when it comes to songwriting. What was so different this time?
Keeho: Before, I think it was more like, “We want to have a song that’s this vibe” and we kind of just write to the tracks. But this time, we were really in the structure of it, so we talked to producers and were like, “This is a vibe we want, this is a melody we want,” and we would actually be in the song camps with like other really great amazing writers and producers. We would sit down with them, bounce off each other’s ideas and really be a part of this song-making process. Whereas [the past] was kind of like, “This is the vibe; you guys kind of just write on top of it.” And I feel like Jiung and Jongseob also have a lot to say about it because, while I wouldn’t say they were restricted, I would say that there’s definitely a limit to what they wanted to do creatively. But I feel like this time they were allowed to kind of run wild and be able to really just do what they want. This is our first time having a unit song as well, in general, too; I mean, creatively, they gave us a lot of freedom this time.
Jiung: Actually, I talked a lot about our album with Theo. Because he does a lot of things for the stages of our concerts and tours. So, I asked him, “What do we need for our concert? What do we need for the next tour?” he said, “We need a song that can hype people up — make people enjoy us on stage even more and just jump.” I then made the concept of the song [“Last Call”], then I talked with our producer and the top liner from the very beginning of the process. Knowing that we would use it for a certain occasion, it was a lot easier for me to create my song and map out what I wanted to make sonically. Theo is really the one who sets up our whole setlist for our tours and conceptualizes and creates the whole show.
Theo, have you always been interested in musical direction, or is this a role you naturally stepped into?
Theo: I’ve always been interested in musical directing and loved the idea of musical shows and concerts. It’s not something I did out of the blue, but I’ve been coming up with ideas and communicating with the company since the beginning. And now that we’re becoming more senior, we’re starting to hear the company listening to what we have to say and trusting us a lot more in what we want to do for shows, so a lot of my ideas have come to life. Now, I’m in a much more comfortable of a position to really talk to our in-house staff about what we want to do for our next tour, the current tours, and what we’re doing right now. I think we’re gradually expanding our horizons.
Keeho: Yeah, they’re really listening a lot now, and Theo is always at the forefront of that.
I love that. Sad Song is your seventh mini album. Previously, you had three Disharmony EPs, three Harmony EPs, Killin It was a full album. Is this the beginning of a new era or trilogy?
Keeho: I think our trilogies, like Harmony and Disharmony, and then what’s happening after Killin’ It are very two different things. I had talked to our people because I’m a part of a lot of the visualization and conceptualizing of the albums. With the storytelling aspect of it, I told our company that it’d be really dope to not make trilogies anymore but kind of make it, like, a standalone project each time. That way for each album, we can really bring in something new and different without having to feel like we need to tie everything together. It gives us more freedom to creatively create something new just for the album without having to be like, “Okay, but how is this going to tie into ‘Killin’ It’?”
Visually, it’s very different too. But as you know, we debuted with a movie and the whole story of the six of us being superheroes that are coming together to save the world figuratively, and also literally at the same time with our music, I wanted to keep that concept going. So, even if the songs and the concepts are different, I still wanted to bring [the idea] that we’re still superheroes. Visually, I think you’ll be able to see it in the music video and the concepts. That’s the one thing that we’re keeping consistent.
Tell me about creating the choreography and what we should look out for?
Soul: By the time of KCON in July, we had learned all the choreography for Sad Song tracks. Difficulty-wise, “Sad Song” is not that difficult compared to our other releases because I feel like in the chorus, there’s a simple point choreography that anyone can really just look at and kind of understand. Intak was very involved in how the choreography was made this time.
Intak: Yeah, when I listened to the song, I really wanted to capture, “How can we look more emotionally invested in the stage?” So, I thought about how it’s called “Sad Song,” but there’s also a lyric where it says “mad song,” and we repeat those two lyrics a lot. When creating the choreography, I wanted to be able to portray that on stage as well so that when people see they can just understand the sadness and the madness in the choreo. I talked to our performance director back in Korea and we really kind of curated this choreography to hopefully portray that emotion.
Keeho: And if I put my little two cents in, we actually get “skeleton” choreographies from, like, four different dance teams. That’s what’s really fun about K-pop. I don’t know if other people do it too or if other dancers do it, but we’ll pick out choreographers that we really think are super cool and good at what they do, and ask them to create a choreography for the song. Then, we’ll have four different choreographies for the same song. And Intak and the creative director would then sit down, look at the videos, and sort of mix and match to see which choreo suits us best and how we can make it better, right? Intak was super, super involved in that process.
I remember when P1Harmony started, you shared how it was very important for you not to lose yourselves or feel like you’ve sold out. As you go more global and experiment with different genres, how have you stayed true to yourselves?
Keeho: Honestly, I don’t think it’s that difficult anymore. I feel like it’s become really simple and easy for us because we really understand that no one can be us — and we can’t be anyone else. As long as we’re really in tune with what we think is cool, what’s hot, and what we feel is good, that automatically becomes P1Harmony.
So, no matter what you throw at us — it can be rock, pop, R&B, jazz, Latin — if it goes through us, it still comes out as P1Harmony. And I feel like that’s so simple and easy now because we’re so confident and so in tune with what we know our strengths and our weaknesses are; I feel like it’s not something we have to think about; whatever we do, there’s always that feeling of P1Harmony in there.
Since we’re almost four years into our careers now, I feel like it’s more of a subconscious thing. A couple years ago, I would be like, “Okay, how do we make this ours?” or “If this is this experimental, how do we make it without sounding like someone else?” That was always something in the back of our heads, but now it’s coming through subconsciously.
HyunJin, ChanYeon and JiSeok came together as Big Ocean to debut in April this year as the first Deaf/Hard of Hearing group in K-pop. The group’s warm embrace onto the scene by superstars, production and executives across Korea points towards a more inclusive global music scene. Brought together by Korea’s only agency representing talent with […]
A smiling Big Ocean greet you for a nighttime Zoom call with shaking hands — the American Sign Language translation of applause and cheering — which encapsulates a palpable energy bursting from a K-pop trio unlike any other pop group.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
HyunJin, ChanYeon and JiSeok came together as Big Ocean to debut in April this year as the first Deaf/Hard of Hearing group in K-pop. The group’s warm embrace onto the scene by superstars, production and executives across Korea points towards a more inclusive global music scene.
Brought together by Korea’s only agency representing talent with disabilities Parastar Entertainment, Big Ocean sees three stars with different backgrounds and hearing abilities as a sign of hope and possibility.
Trending on Billboard
The group’s main vocalist Park HyunJin lost hearing in his left ear after a childhood accident, but a cochlear surgery led him to learning to play the piano, speak some English, and break out as a YouTube creator and TV personality educating viewers about hearing disabilities. Main rapper Lee ChanYeon, who underwent cochlear implant surgery for both ears, developed his musical interest after experiencing the positive side effects of music therapy. Meanwhile, youngest member and main dancer Kim JiSeok was born Hard of Hearing and attended a special school for those with disabilities before becoming a professional ski racer for Seoul skiing team.
Big Ocean admits that the members’ varying auditory perceptions can present challenges when it comes to learning choreography, singing in rhythm and performing live, but it’s inspired innovative ways for the group and their Parastar team to find new ways to rehearse successfully like utilizing vibrating smartwatches as metronomes or flashing lights for rhythmic counting.
While the definition of a K-pop act has expanded from Korean-born pop singers to artists representing a range of different countries, cultures, and languages, Big Ocean not only look the part of handsome, shining stars with international appeal but align with one of the core messages within in K-pop to instill inspiring messages to listeners both with their stories and music.
“The message from our song ‘Slow’ is that if you move forward and continue, slowly and steadily, you can do anything,” HyunJin says of the group’s latest single released last month that features Young K of chart-topping K-pop rock outfit DAY6, marking their latest venture to share more personal storytelling through their songs.
“Not only our seniors but also people from outside the company are giving us a lot of support, so we are really thankful,” adds JiSeok. “If we didn’t have that help, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
“Not only our seniors but also people from outside the company are giving us a lot of support, so we are really thankful,” adds JiSeok with a special shoutout to the group’s fans, known affection as PADOs. “If we didn’t have that help, we wouldn’t be where we are today.”
With recognitions from members of Stray Kids, ITZY and even the President of Korea, read on for more from Big Ocean’s story and why they are a group to watch as Billboard‘s K-Pop Rookie of the Month for September 2024.
Congratulations on your debut this year and being named Billboard‘s Rookie of the Month! Overall, how has 2024 been for you?
JiSeok: I was really worried if we could do well. I was concerned, “Are we going to be okay?” But fortunately, so many people and so many senior idols gave us a lot of support and help. Not only our seniors but also people from outside the company are giving us a lot of support, so we are really thankful. If we didn’t have that help, we wouldn’t be where we are today.
HyunJin: And even today, we got an opportunity to meet with the President of Korea. We are also getting tons of invitations from outside of the country, so we’re getting so much love and support. So we are really, really grateful.
ChanYeon: And so many of our fans, PADOS, from so many countries, are sending us love and then recognizing us. So, we are really thankful and I feel like we have to pay back with even greater performances.
Thank you for taking time while you’re so busy. Congratulations on your latest single, “Slow,” featuring Young K of DAY6. It’s such a great collaboration; how did it come together, and how was your experience?
HyunJin: The message from our song” Slow,” is that if you move forward and continue, slowly and steadily, you can do anything. And in the process of making this song, we made a proposal to DAY6’s Young K that featuring his voice would sound great and work great with our song. He said “Yes” immediately, so that’s why we were able to release the song successfully and we’re so grateful for it. Thanks to him, we were able to feel even more support and we feel he really has our back.
JiSeok: We were really hoping that we could thank him in person, [but] because Young K was very busy preparing for the [new DAY6] album, we weren’t able to do so. But if we could meet in person later, that would be really great.
Are you guys fans of DAY6? Their latest album is topping the charts in South Korea.
HyunJin: We listened to one of the new songs released from their album, “Melt Down,” and really, really loved it. We wanted to pay back our debts for Young K featuring our song, so we took the highlight of the song and turned it into a challenge on social media with sign language.
JiSeok: The song is doing really great and is really popular — we really want to congratulate them!
I was curious about how you create your sign language challenges and incorporate signing into your performances. Are you the ones making the moves? Do you work with a team?
ChanYeon: When we do a simple sign language challenge, we discuss among ourselves and make it. But when we’re choreographing or releasing something like our official music videos where we are mixing Korean and American Sign Languages, we actually get reviewed by sign language experts to make sure everything is expressed in the most precise way.
Some readers might be surprised to learn that Deaf or Hard of Hearing people can sing, dance, rap and more. Can you tell us about your different backgrounds with just music?
JiSeok: I go to a special school for people with hearing disabilities. At the time when I was in school, RM from BTS sunbaenim actually made a large donation to help the school’s music education. It was thanks to that donation that I actually got a lot more interested in music; I learned about dancing for the first time, I had a lot of opportunities to learn different musical instruments. So, that’s how I was able to fall in love with music and able to dream of becoming an idol.
HyunJin: When I was nine years old, I had an accident and lost hearing ability in my left ear completely. I had a surgery that allowed me to hear sounds; however, afterward, it didn’t really sound natural to me anymore; it sounded very artificial. I felt very uncomfortable hearing any kind of or type of sound.
At the time, I was also learning piano and attending an academy. Listening to the actual piano was very pretty and the only pleasant sound to me. So, as I played piano, sound felt positive, not negative anymore. So that’s when I started to become more interested in music because the piano was the only sound that made me feel good. After I grew up and became an adult, I became a YouTube creator and made many videos about breaking the barriers regarding misunderstandings and prejudices regarding hearing disability. I started making TV appearances and that’s when I actually learned about my current agency, Parastar Entertainment, so I naturally challenged myself to be an idol.
ChanYeon: In my case, I wasn’t really interested in music at all. Only after I got the surgery for cochlear implants for both my ears did I go through a lot of music therapy, and music actually really helped me. That’s when I found my interest in music.
As a boy band, how do you interact with music to perform as a group? Can you share the different ways you overcome any challenges?
HyunJin: Because the level of hearing is different in each one of us, the way we perceive beats and rhythms is also different. So, our company came up with the idea of using smartwatches and vibrations from the smartwatches as metronomes. That’s how we were able to feel the beat and rhythm in sync — and it made it so much easier for us to feel the music.
We also developed a “beam monitor” that flashes lights in sync with the music. So, that was another way. We also continuously film ourselves dancing to the music and constantly monitor ourselves and review to see who feels the beats differently or if we’re not in sync. And we continuously practice. And that’s how we can move in sync.
You’ve performed on Korea’s weekly K-pop music programs like Show! Music Core, Inkigayo, The Show, Music Bank and more. These shows are famously very fast-paced. How was your experience, and could they meet any accommodations you needed?
JiSeok: Our first time going on music programs, they were aware of the fact that we had hearing difficulties, so they always made sure to use hand gestures, give visual signals for cues to enter the stage, or whenever they wanted to send us some type of message. They were really nice about it; very, very kind. They constantly asked us whether we had any problems hearing or listening to the music. So, thanks to them, we could put up a good performance.
HyunJin: If the set or environment is too loud or noisy, we might have trouble listening for the start of the song. So, during rehearsals and the actual shooting, they made sure to ask for the audience’s understanding and to be quieter than usual so that we could actually hear the music. They were very generous for that. Also, our dancers make sure the choreography opens with a starting dance move. The background dancers initiated the choreography so then we knew the performance had started.
ChanYeon: And even our staff members ensured that everyone at the TV stations and on-site knew we might have trouble communicating or listening. So, they ensured everyone was aware, and I think we had no trouble. We’re really grateful for everyone being so considerate.
I saw you met with Felix from Stray Kids backstage during the shows to learn the “Chk Chk Boom” challenge. Tell me about that experience.
JiSeok: After the broadcast, I met Felix for the first time. I thought he was a complete angel — I really thought he was an angel. As soon as I met him, he greeted me with American Sign Language. He prepared it himself and showed us that he learned “Nice to meet you” and “How are you?” It really impressed us. We did the dance challenge together — I was so nervous, soo nervous! — but I was happy and really appreciative of everything. I thought about how I should practice and work even harder to perform even better.
After the dance challenge, Felix gave us [Stray Kids’] album as a gift. I was so grateful; I can’t even express it in words. I really want to see him again and meet him in the future.
I saw a recent announcement from Parastar Entertainment that Big Ocean is auditioning new members. Could we see the group expand in the future?
HyunJin: We have three members, right? We think three of us is too small and that our group is not big enough. That’s why we’re we’re hiring new members. If you come to our website of the company you can apply for the audition 24-7 so please come! We’re definitely looking for more members to apply.
Any other messages you want to share with your international fans at this time?
HyunJin: So three days after this interview, it will be five months since we debuted as Big Ocean so I really want to say thank you to all the fans and people who made Big Ocean possible and gave us a lot of support. To our fandom, PADOS, who are continuously supporting us, promoting us, and even doing all these activities to attract more PADOS on social [media] communities — I really want to say thank you. We will do our part and work harder to show you even greater performance and activities.
JiSeok: Thank you so much for such this great opportunity. Also, in November, we’re trying to release another song, so we will really work hard with our company. If we do release our new song, please send us a lot of support. We will work hard.
HARU NEMURI will launch the U.S. leg of her Flee from the Sanctuary Tour on Saturday, Sept. 28. Her U.S. tour will kick off from Seattle, following into San Francisco, Los Angeles, Dallas, Brooklyn, and finishing at Reggies in Chicago on Oct. 15. Tickets are now on sale for all shows here. “When I felt […]
back number’s “to new lovers” returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Sept. 18, scoring its second week atop the tally.
The theme song of the drama series Umi no Hajimari (“beginning of the sea”) was released digitally on July 15 and hit No. 1 on the chart dated July 24 after topping downloads (24,432 units) and radio airplay and coming in at No. 4 for streaming (7,532,578 weekly streams). The veteran three-man band’s latest hit gradually slipped 5-7-8-9-14-16 on the list, then returned to the top ten last week at No. 7. The CD single dropped Sept. 11 and powered the track back to the top spot with 25,170 copies sold in its first week. Other metrics for the poignant ballad have gone up as well, with streams at 102%, radio at 489%, video views at 154%, and karaoke at 112% week-over-week.
WEST.’s “Maaikka!” debuts at No. 2. The 23rd single by the seven-member boy band that celebrated its tenth anniversary on Apr. 23rd topped sales with 246,731 copies sold. The track also ranked No. 36 for radio and No. 73 for video.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” slips to No. 3 after scoring its second week at No. 1 last week. While it drops a few rungs on the tally, overall points for the track have increased, with downloads at 102%, radio at 193%, and video at 101% compared to the week before.
Trending on Billboard
Bowing at No. 4 is OCHA NORMA’s “Chihayaburu.” The Hello! Project girl group’s fourth single sold 108,690 copies to hit No. 4 for sales, while coming in at No. 19 for downloads and No. 100 for radio.
HKT48’s 18th single “Boku wa yatto kimi wo shinpai dekiru” (“I can finally worry about you”) launches at No. 5, selling 152,017 copies to hit No. 2 for sales, but didn’t enter the top 100 in any of the other metrics of the chart’s methodology.
Elsewhere on the chart, Southern All Stars’ “Jeanne d’Arc ni yoroshiku” debuts at No. 11. The theme song for TBS Sports 2024 topped downloads and radio this week.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Sept. 9 to 15, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative began in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work. The WIM interview series has highlighted female players in the Japanese entertainment industry, with the first 30 conversations released in book form as a Billboard Japan Presents collection by writer Rio Hirai.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
As the project strives to shed light on the status quo of the Japanese entertainment industry and to explore ways the working environment can be improved for women and everyone involved, it welcomes views from people of diverse backgrounds. For the latest installment, Hirai interviewed Kiyoshi Matsuo, an award-winning music producer who began his career as a music writer from his university days and switched to producing in the late 1990s.
A prominent figure in the industry as one of the driving forces behind the R&B and soul music movements in J-pop, Matsuo has contributed to numerous hits including those by MISIA, Hikaru Utada, SPEED, and more. Also known for his opinions on politics and other topics often avoided by the majority in the business, the outspoken music producer and writer shared his views on some of the issues he sees in the Japanese entertainment industry while opening up about the journey of how he formed his current stance on the topics he feels strongly about.
Trending on Billboard
You speak out on various social issues inside and outside the entertainment industry while working as a music producer. When did you first become aware of such issues?
Until the late 1990s, I used to work mainly as a writer and journalist introducing Western music to Japan. I’d spend a third of the year in the U.S. and U.K. doing interviews and then bring the material I collected back to Japan to write articles. I used to incorporate almost all of what I covered in my writing, but it was hard to find media that would carry articles with political and social content.
When I was doing those interviews, the most exciting discussions I had with artists were about politics and social topics. For example, even when I made the appointment to talk about a new album, if the U.S. presidential election was coming up, the topic of conversation would be all about the election. The music I was fascinated with — R&B and soul — is the music of African Americans. For them, the matter of who would become the leader of the country was very important, and they probably always felt the connection between politics and society and their own lives.
Not being able to write about what those artists felt was important back in my own country was frustrating, but I gradually became busy with my career as a producer and stepped back from doing interviews. Ever since then until now, I’ve felt at various times that something was wrong with society, and now that I’m at this age, it’s like I finally feel it’s about time I said something about it.
You hail from the southern island of Kyushu, which is one of the regions in Japan that’s said to have a wide gender imbalance. Why did you become interested in gender gap issues even though you were born and raised as a privileged, healthy male in such an environment?
Vessels like the family you were born in or the company you work for aren’t the only things that nurture a person’s spirituality. Regardless of the environment you were raised in, I’m sure you encounter many people who bring you awareness even after you reach adulthood.
In my case, I got into soul music through jazz, which my father liked, and then encountered hip-hop, considered to be the newest music at the time, and became interested in African-American music in general. Eventually it became my job, and as I engaged in dialogue with people from various walks of life, I began to learn and think about the history and thoughts in people’s backgrounds. I’m a Japanese man living in Japan, married with children, and sometimes people say I’m living the life, but through music, I’ve always tried to imagine the views of the oppressed and those being controlled.
I see, so your perspective on society changed through music.
In my case, yes. But Japan today might not be too different from those days when I couldn’t write about artists’ political views as a journalist. Writer and philosophy scholar Ataru Sasaki tweeted on X the other day about how “after repeated calls to ‘not bring politics into music,’ we’ve brought the worst kind of politics into music.” Instances where Japanese acts come under fire for creating music videos using historical figures that instigated invasions and massacres are precisely the result of having eliminated social perspectives from music. I’m an optimist at heart, but I think the notion to “not bring politics into music” is probably connected to the country’s loss of international competitiveness.
From the late 1990s you shifted your focus to producing music, and it feels like the artists you helped launch their careers — SPEED, MISIA, Hikaru Utada, etc. — sang about themselves as self-reliant individuals, which was a clear departure from the trend of the “idol” singers that had been the mainstream up to that point.
Songs by idol singers at the time were mass products aimed to become mega-hits, so they reflected the largest common denominator of the public’s preference. So it could be said that those songs were heavily tinged with the thinking around gender roles in Japan at the time.
On the other hand, if the female R&B singers I helped as part of the team had one thing in common, you could say they all seemed to be walking on their own two feet. R&B itself is of course a genre that’s been around for a long time, and in the late 1990s when it was first gaining momentum in Japan, the top 10 songs on the U.S. pop charts were almost entirely dominated by R&B. Japanese artists were also looking up Janet Jackson, Lauryn Hill, and TLC in their heyday. And those new J-pop artists weren’t being made to sing songs that other people wrote, and that probably led to that sense of being self-reliant.
I wonder if one of the reasons why the gender imbalance in the Japanese entertainment industry continues to exist is that the public doesn’t seem to be very interested in mature female artists, meaning it’s a matter of capacity and literacy on the side of consumers.
People who grow up watching Japanese idol singers in their adolescent years, being taught that “this is how girls are supposed to be,” most likely aren’t going to start listening to mature female artists after they outgrow those idols. I feel that nowadays, people prefer songs that are easy to understand rather than those with a mature perspective. I like lyrics written by Rokusuke Ei (“Ue wo muite aruko,” aka “Sukiyaki” etc.) and Michio Yamagami (“Tsubasa wo kudasai” etc.), and they often depict profound emotions that make you feel like you’re watching a movie in a three-minute song. Sometimes I want to try that kind of approach, but don’t get the kind of reaction I’m hoping for when I do, perhaps because people aren’t looking for perspectives with depth and delicates gradation in new songs.
There’s also the long-standing reality of management positions in the Japanese music and entertainment industry being dominated by men. What do you think is necessary for women to thrive in the business?
I think it’d be better to institutionalize a system to guarantee a certain percentage of women, like the French Parité Law (that mandates the equal inclusion of men and women on lists of candidates). When I was interviewing artists in the U.S. in the ‘80s and ‘90s, I sometimes heard from African Americans in their 30s and 40s that they were the first among their relatives to be admitted to college through affirmative action, even though they came from families that had been forced into slave labor long ago. They told me passionately that their mission was to write songs about what they’d seen as someone living in such an era. Affirmative action means taking positive steps to eliminate discrimination, and in Japan where the gender gap index is so low, I think that’s necessary.
Yes. Like the way music opened your eyes to the distortions of society, it can be a very effective approach in changing people’s minds. That’s why the structure of the industry that produces it must change.
During the pandemic, we often heard the phrase “fuyou fukyuu” (unnecessary and non-urgent). It’s true that music and entertainment can be considered unnecessary and non-urgent. But if politics and economics are the major arteries, music gives flexibility to people, like capillaries. A society that lacks flexibility and openness is cramped and suffocating, don’t you think?
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
Milan reconfirmed itself as Italy’s capital of music by hosting the first Italian (and European) edition of Billboard Women In Music, the award ceremony that celebrates the most influential women in the music industry.
Explore
Explore
See latest videos, charts and news
See latest videos, charts and news
Kickstarting Fashion Week, the event took place Monday (Sept. 16) at Teatro Manzoni, with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan and Camera della Moda, the association of Italian fashion brands.
Opened by a video message from the mayor Giuseppe Sala, the show was hosted by two protagonists of Italian cinema and TV, Cristiana Capotondi and Maurizio Lastrico. With their sympathy and energy, the two hosts introduced the honorees and the special guests who took the stage.
In addition to the awards, the first edition of Billboard Italia Women in Music also saw special performances by Gaia (Hitmaker of the Year, who sang her summer hit, “Sesso e Samba”), emerging talent Bu Cuaron, Federica Abbate (Songwriter of the Year, who sang a medley of some of the biggest hits she wrote for others) and Ariete.
Trending on Billboard
At the end of the show, Rinascente, Italy’s top luxury store and one of the main partners of Billboard Italia Women In Music, welcomed guests to a spectacular party on the rooftop of the iconic store in Piazza Duomo, where the music continued with DJ sets by Anfisa Letyago (DJ of the Year) and Margherita Grechi and live performances by Alexia and Gaia, who sang “Sesso e Samba” again but this time with the surprise participation of Tony Effe.
Bu Cuarons on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.
Elena Di Vincenzo
In addition to Rinascente itself, the sponsors were Rabanne and Bellissima, which presented the “Stylist of the Year” award.
Radio 105 was the official radio station of Billboard Italia Women in Music and presented the “Hitmaker of The Year” award, in addition to animating both the event at Teatro Manzoni and the aftershow with its speakers and DJs.
Billboard Italia Women in Music was created with the support of the collecting society SIAE (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori) and produced in collaboration with Vivo Concerti, with direction by Gianlorenzo Mortgat. Ticketmaster Italia was the ticketing partner of the event.
Below is the complete list of honorees, with the official reasons for their respective awards.
ANNA, Woman of the YearHer new album, Vera Baddie, broke several records, some unbeaten for almost 20 years, occupying the first place in the Italian chart for nine consecutive weeks. Since 2020, she has been breaking down the gender gap in Italian rap like never before.
Laura Pausini, IconShe’s the artist who, more than anyone else, in her 30-year career, has held the flag of Italian music high in the world. A globally recognized talent, Pausini is an artist who, despite having achieved all possible goals, never stops putting herself on the line.
Elodie, Performer of the YearHer tour in the arenas was explosive and entirely sold out, with a live show that was a manifesto of freedom. With two dates in the stadiums already scheduled for next summer in Milan and Naples, she will be the third Italian female artist to take the stage of San Siro Stadium and the first woman to perform at the Maradona Stadium.
Gaia on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.
Elena Di Vincenzo
Gaia, Hitmaker of the Year by Radio 105An artistic vision that leaves nothing to chance and steals nothing from her naturalness. Gaia is synonymous with freedom of expression, in music but not only. This summer she was an absolute protagonist with “Sesso e Samba” feat. Tony Effe. That refrain is exactly what we can’t get out of our heads.
Rose Villain, Impact AwardFrom her debut album Radio Gotham onwards, she has established herself on the Italian charts. Rose Villain has never stopped expressing her opinions, from the topic of environmental sustainability to that of the inequality of treatment between men and women in music and all other professional sectors.
BigMama on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.
Camilla Pisoni
BigMama, BreakthroughWith an explosive participation in the Sanremo Festival, where she honored women with a performance in which the key words were “sisterhood” and “female power,” Italy was able to get to know her music and her personality better. BigMama is the most disruptive revelation of 2024.
Clara, Rising StarA rising star of Italian music, she introduced us to her talent as a singer and as an actress, obtaining impressive results in a very short time, from the success of the TV series Mare Fuori to her participation in the Sanremo Festival. For this reason, Clara is the Rising Star at Billboard Italia Women in Music.
Federica Abbate on September 16 during the first Italian edition of Billboard Women in Music.
Camilla Pisoni
Federica Abbate, Songwriter of the YearHow many hits of the last few years in Italy bear her signature? Many. Federica Abbate is a singer-songwriter who a year ago published her first album of unreleased songs, Canzoni per gli Altri. From pop to rap, everything her pen touches turns to gold. Or rather platinum, and in one case, even diamond.
Anfisa Letyago, DJ of the YearA true pride of the Italian electronic scene, Anfisa Letyago has climbed to the top of the international dance scene with her engaging DJ sets and her sophisticated productions. Now she is touring the world but her heart stays in Naples, a city that never ceases to give her ideas and inspiration.
Marta Salogni, Producer of the YearShe’s the producer and sound engineer who makes Italy proud on a global level. Björk, Depeche Mode, Animal Collective and Bon Iver are just some of the artists who have had the pleasure of having her in the control room. For this reason, Marta Salogni is Producer of the Year of Billboard Italia Women in Music.
Marta Donà, Manager of the YearFrom the courageous choice to start a managerial career on her own, very young, in 2012, to the most recent milestone of Angelina Mango’s victory at the Sanremo Festival, from the strength of her all-female team to the passion she puts in her work: this is why Marta Donà is Manager of the Year of Billboard Italia Women in Music.
Sara Potente, A&R of the YearShe discovered new talents of Italian music and with determination worked alongside them until she achieved the success she deserved. Now she is the director of Numero Uno, the historic label (part of Sony Music Italy) that was founded by legendary Lucio Battisti and songwriter Mogol.
Ramona Tabita, Stylist of the Year by BellissimaShe takes care of the image of some of the most important protagonists of the Italian music scene and beyond. She is a creative consultant for several brands. She is undoubtedly the name that best embodies the connection between music and fashion, and that is why Ramona Tabita is Stylist of the Year by Bellissima.