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Grammy-nominated music producer TOMOKO IDA spoke with Billboard Japan for its Women in Music interview series, featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry. The WIM initiative in Japan launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work.
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One of the few female music producers in Japan and abroad, TOMOKO IDA co-produced the first track “obstáculo” on Puerto Rican music producer Tainy’s debut album DATA in 2023, which was nominated for Best Música Urbana Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards. As the first Japanese woman to be nominated for a Grammy as a music producer, TOMOKO IDA shared her thoughts on why female producers are in the minority in the music industry.
How did you become a music producer?
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My mother was a music teacher and I took piano and dance lessons since I was six years old. When I was in the second or third grade, the (J-pop) dance and vocal group ZOO was popular, and I became interested in 90’s hip-hop and new jack swing. I also longed to go to New York after watching music videos and dreamed of working in the U.S. someday. Time passed and I began DJing, then a few years later, I started performing as a beat maker using a MPC in a two-woman duo. It was rare to see women performing with a sampler at the time, and people were excited to see our shows when we performed overseas. When it was time to find a job after college, I considered working for an ordinary company, but my mother said, “Why not do music?” and encouraged me, so I chose to work part-time and focus on making beats.
Why did you decide to become a music producer rather than an artist that performs in front of an audience, even though you debuted in a duo as a MPC player?
Performing live with a sampler and DJing requires flexibility and instant response on the scene, but I have always loved making things and am better at taking my time to create something. Plus, I hadn’t heard of too many female music producers, so I wanted to spearhead it. By 2016, I started to focus more on producing.
You’ve produced music for famous J-pop artists such as AI, Daichi Miura, SixTONES, and EXILE TRIBE, as well as music for fashion advertisements. Could you tell us what you do as a music producer?
I sense that the definition of a music producer has been changing with the times, and it’s also different from country to country. In Japan, the definition seems to refer to people who produce everything from the concept and selection of members [of an idol group], like Yasushi Akimoto and Tetsuya Komuro, but in the U.S., if someone makes a track, then that person is often called a music producer. In my case, I’m often asked to produce music by artists who’ve already established their careers, so as a music producer I try to produce music that will make those artists shine brighter.
A lot of the songs you produce for Japanese artists are powerful. Do you think there’s a difference in the ideal image of women in Japan and America?
It does feel different depending on the country. For example, I have a feeling Japanese men find fragile women attractive. Maybe that’s why there are lots of songs and lyrics that lean towards that direction. But in the U.S., powerful women are more popular.
You accomplished an extraordinary feat in becoming the first Japanese female producer to work on a Grammy-nominated album. From your position, do you have any thoughts on how things could be improved to make it easier for women to work in the industry?
I still think it’s necessary for forerunners [like us] to pave the way. For example, in Japan’s hip-hop scene, Awich is currently leading the way and doing well as a female rapper. I think opportunities for women will expand if there are more people like her, so I’d also like to do my best as a music producer to make it easier for more women to follow suit. I’d like to see more Japanese people go out into the world because in the community of producers and songwriters in L.A. where I currently live, there are very few of us compared to other Asians.
The skills required for both performing with a sampler and being a music producer don’t seem to be too demanding in a physical sense, so why do you think there aren’t too many women in these fields?
It’s said that female producers make up less than 3% of the total even now. We use machines and computers, so maybe people think it’s mechanical and science-oriented. I don’t think it’s a hard job for women to do, but there are so few women that people seem taken aback to see me in the studio. I also seem to surprise people in a good way for my skill, because apparently Asian women look young for their age.
What advice would you give to yourself in the first year of your career?
I’d say, “Keep making music.” It’s not always easy to get your songs chosen when working as a music producer. Even when you’re personally offered an opportunity, only a few of the songs you write will make the cut. It might seem like a glamorous world, but it takes quite a bit of quiet dedication and you just have to keep at it.
What are your next goals?
I was able to become a Grammy-nominated producer, so I want to become a Grammy-winning producer someday. I don’t know when that will be, but I’ll continue to make music toward that goal.
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Sept. 11, logging its second week atop the chart.
The track debuted at No. 11 on the chart dated Apr. 17, and after rising to No. 3 the following week, it coasted along in the top five and reached No. 1 for the first time on the July 17 list. Streaming and downloads for the Oblivion Battery opener increased this week, leading to rise in overall points. Downloads are up 117% and streaming up 102% from the previous week.
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RIIZE’s “Lucky” debuts at No. 2. The seven-member group’s first Japan single topped sales with 250,470 copies sold in its first week and entered the chart fueled only by this metric.
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GEMN’s “Fatal” rises to 15-3. The Oshi no Ko Season 2 opener debuted at No. 21 on the chart dated July 10 and peaked at No. 8 the following week. The release of the CD version powers the track by the duo consisting of Kento Nakajima and Tatsuya Kitani to its highest position yet. Downloads for the song are up 142%, streaming up 101%, radio airplay up 428%, and karaoke up 108% week-over-week.
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Mrs. GREEN APPLE has another song in the top five this week, with “familie” rising two notches to No. 4. The three-man pop band appeared on the music program With MUSIC on Sept. 7, which probably helped boost all metrics except radio.
Kocchi no Kento’s “Hai Yorokonde” climbs five rungs hit No. 5 to enter the chart. The multi-talented creator recently appeared on the popular YouTube channel THE FIRST TAKE, which led to a rise in streams (109%).
LE SSERAFIM’s “CRAZY” soars 67-8. Streams for the track is up 393% this week because it was released on Aug. 30, giving it only three days to count towards its debut 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. 2 to 8, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
Billboard‘s International Power Players list recognizes leaders who are driving the success of the music business in countries outside the United States. Among the leaders selected from various countries in the music industry, Amazon Music’s Keisuke Oishi was chosen for the first time in 2024. To commemorate this, Billboard Japan interviewed Oishi about his focus since being appointed to his current position in January 2023.
First off, could you tell us a little about your career?
Keisuke Oishi: The two key words in my career have been “IT” and “media.” Through the synergy of these two areas, I’ve been taking on the challenges of providing various innovations to customers.
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I joined Sony Corporation after graduating from university. At Sony, I worked in areas like supply chain management, finance, business administration, and business strategy for the PC/IT businesses. Then in 2014, I moved to Amazon, where I’ve been involved in the media business ever since. At Amazon, first I was responsible for the launching of digital video games in the retail division. In 2017, I was appointed head of the software business unit on top of video games. And two years later, I went on to be concurrently responsible for the packaged music business unit, so I’ve been involved in music since around 2019. Then, in January 2023, I was appointed Director and General Manager of Amazon Music Japan.
So you haven’t been in the music industry for your whole career.
Oishi: That’s right. But music has always been a very important part of my life, so it was a role I wanted to challenge one day. Amazon, on the other hand, is a company that places importance on what innovations can be made using technology while always keeping the customer first. That approach was the same before I got involved in music, and it remains the same today.
What have you been working on since January 2023?
Oishi: In my current position, I have three key tasks that I hope to contribute to the music industry, the artists, and our customers. The first is to expand the base of music listeners in Japan, and the second is to help customers enjoy music in new ways. Streaming services are for listening to music, but Amazon Music and Amazon have many points of contact that connect customers and artists. The third, and I think this is a challenge the entire Japanese music industry is facing, is to provide support for Japanese and other Asian artists as they expand their reach around the world.
There are various types of Amazon Music memberships, and you’ve made multiple improvements for those.
Oishi: We are always focused on creating the best experience for all Amazon Music customers. The level of streaming music penetration is still very low in Japan compared to the US and EU countries. But, looking at it another way that means it still has a lot of potential. According to LUMINATE’s data, music streaming has the highest levels of usage among Gen Z and Millennials. That means there’s room for growth among older generations. This is a challenge that the entire industry is facing. These are people who were once really into music, but due to work and lifestyle changes, they’ve disengaged. That’s true for my own generation, so I’ve been thinking about how we can make music a part of these people’s lives again. Our services aren’t limited to music streaming, but also CD and DVD purchasing and video streaming. We have a lot of different touch points like those, so we’re in an ideal position to deal with the challenge.
Secondly, I want to help customers enjoy music in new ways. Amazon is a collection of many different services, and since last year, we’ve been actively working to support artists when they come out with new releases. For instance, when a physical release is decided on, we set up a special sub-site and bolster our promotional efforts. When the interest of listeners shifts to streaming, we reinforce our promotion and marketing efforts in ways that are only possible with digital technology, like creating playlists that include interviews. We use that approach for roughly two or three months, building up connections between artists and customers. That’s something I think we’re uniquely positioned to do. This is one of the areas we’ve really enhanced over the past year.
Japan is one of the countries where both streaming and physical sales are growing, so it’s a great fit for Amazon.
Oishi: Exactly. Another example of that are our promotional campaigns which visualize the support fans provide to artists as they listen and share music and follow artists using our app. Users collect stamps using a stamp card-like feature, and when they collect all stamps, they can receive rewards. This feature was designed and developed by a team in Japan, but now it’s also being applied in other countries, in a few different ways.
And the live streaming of Fuji Rock Festival ’24, in July, was a combination of all three of the tasks I mentioned earlier.
It was streamed on Prime Video and Twitch, which generated a lot of buzz.
Oishi: I think the best way to enjoy a music festival is in person. However, there are a lot of people who can’t go, for one reason or another. I’d imagine there are also people who went in the past but can’t go now. To reach out to people like that, we streamed Fuji Rock Festival ’24 live on Prime Video and Twitch.
In addition to the live streaming of the event, we also created all kinds of touch points with customers, using every kind of approach—offline, online, digital, physical. For example, we ran an advertising campaign using Amazon Lockers and we sold original t-shirts. We tried to connect customers to music and artists through the Fuji Rock Festival in all kinds of ways.
Also, this year, we streamed Fuji Rock Festival ’24 worldwide. Every day, we think about how we can share wonderful Japanese artists with the rest of the world. One way we came up with for doing that is to stream the festival live, so that it could be viewed by music fans around the globe.
In addition to Japanese attendees, there were many people from other Asian countries at Fuji Rock. Which countries were people streaming it from?
Oishi: People viewed it in the US, Europe, and Latin America. Amazon Music has been streaming music festivals around the world, like Vive Latino in Mexico and Primavera Sound in Spain. Of those, Fuji Rock Festival ’24, which was live streamed on Prime Video and Twitch, was the most watched three-day music festival ever streamed live by Amazon Music.
That’s wonderful to hear. Are there plans to stream any other Japanese festivals?
Oishi: We also live streamed DEAD POP FESTiVAL 2024, YON FES, and Kyoto Daisakusen in August.
Last year, we enhanced our support for artist-led festivals and began streaming watch party-like events where viewers watch shows along with artists from Amazon Music Studio in Tokyo. Twitch supports comment sharing functionality, so artists can communicate and interact with fans. It’s very exciting. I believe that, over time, these connections between artists and fans will foster greater awareness of Amazon Music.
Speaking of sharing Japanese music with the rest of the world, Billboard Japan launched the “Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan” chart, which ranks Japanese songs being listened to worldwide excluding Japan. Being able to visualize what music is listened to is, I think, extremely important for Japanese artists making inroads overseas.
Oishi: I think the hit charts are really important for exposing people to new music. When I was a kid, I grew up checking the U.S. Billboard charts. I’d watch Billboard TOP40 on TV, and I even sent in postcards when I was little (laughs). When I was in junior high, I memorized around twenty years of annual charts. I’ve forgotten a lot since then, but I was a Billboard superfan, and Billboard charts were my window into foreign music. Now, overseas audiences may be discovering Japanese music through the charts, or through on-demand streaming, or through live streaming. I’m confident that if all of us in the music industry create these opportunities, we can provide greater opportunities for people to discover Japanese music.
—This interview by Seiji Isozaki and Naoko Takashima first appeared on Billboard Japan
Sabrina Carpenter is on course to secure her third consecutive week at No. 1 on the U.K. Official Singles Chart with her sweet single “Taste.”
According to the latest midweek chart blast, Carpenter continues to dominate the chart landscape, but Linkin Park is proving to be a formidable contender with their new single “The Emptiness Machine,” which currently holds the No. 2 position.
Should it hold on, “The Emptiness Machine” would mark Linkin Park’s highest chart position in the U.K., surpassing their previous peak of No. 6 with the 2007 single ‘What I’ve Done.’
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The track marks the band’s first release in seven years and introduces new vocalist Emily Armstrong alongside original members Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix, and Joe Hahn.
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In a recent interview with Billboard, Armstrong reflected on her newly-appointed position as co-vocalist for Linkin Park, saying, “There is so much to this band — this is a very, very important band to this world. And the integrity of the band was really helpful in keeping me grounded.”
“There were so many of those moments where it was like, ‘Holy s–t,’ when you talk about the size of the shows, stuff like that. I’m on cloud nine, but then it hits you that there’s a lot of work to be done.”
Linkin Park’s strong midweek performance has garnered attention, but Carpenter’s grip on the charts remains strong.
In addition to “Taste” at No. 1, her singles “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” are also holding firm in the Top 5, sitting at No. 3 and No. 4, respectively.
Elsewhere in the chart, Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars’ ballad “Die With A Smile” has made notable progress, climbing into the Top 5 for the first time, now sitting at No. 5. Meanwhile, Sonny Fodera’s dance anthem “Somedays” has seen a rise to No. 9, marking its first entry into the Top 10.
Despite Linkin Park’s impressive debut, it seems increasingly likely that Carpenter could secure another week at the summit of the U.K. Official Singles Chart, continuing her reign as a chart-topping pop star.
Stay tuned when all is revealed on the U.K. Official Charts on Friday, Sept. 13.
As one of modern-day K-pop‘s top-selling soloists, Baekhyun hardly needs an introduction. But with the release of his new solo album Hello, World, the singer-songwriter is signaling more than just another musical comeback — it’s the start of a new era, where Baekhyun is equally involved behind the scenes as he is when performing the songs onstage.
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After his 2023 exit from SM Entertainment, the K-pop label where he spent 12 formative years as a member of EXO as well as its subunit EXO-CBX, and the Billboard 200-topping supergroup SuperM, Baekhyun established a new home at INB100, which also houses fellow EXO members Xiumin and Chen. While EXO’s group activities remain tied to SM, Hello, World is Baekhyun’s first release outside his longtime label, showcasing the growth and independence cultivated as an established idol performer and an increasingly more hands-on K-pop professional.
Hello, World tracks like the bossa nova-inspired “Rendez-Vous” and crunchy-yet-harmonious, electro-pop cut “Woo” strike a balance between the polished, silky R&B and jazz influences Baekhyun first showed in 2019’s City Lights (that peaked at No. 4 on Billboard’s World Albums chart and spent 16 weeks on the chart) to more experimental ideas he’s been eager to explore including a rap-like delivery on “Cold Heart” and the ’80s new wave-tinged departure into synth-pop on the lead single “Pineapple Slice.” Now having a production-heavy hand in everything from musical direction to visual concepts, tracklisting and fan connectivity, the superstar admits that his perfectionist tendencies slowed down the process but ultimately led him to the proper balance.
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“I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to music,” Baekhyun shares during an afternoon Zoom call from a Seoul office. “I think [the album] was delayed because I was trying to find the right feel to release the perfect album, which was really born from the title track ‘Pineapple Slice,’ which ended up being just the song I was looking for.”
The lead single’s sweet-yet-sultry vibe became the cornerstone for the rest of the album, inspiring the 32-year-old to push boundaries and further personalize his creative process.
“Now, I want to express my opinion, my ideas and what I want to try,” Baekhyun adds. “I think it’s fun to build up from the primary stages of preparing for an album and working together with a team where I’ve been able to contribute more is exciting. I feel a bit more ownership.”
While Baekhyun’s comeback may look like a seamless return to form from the outside, Hello, World results from countless hours spent behind the scenes, meticulously crafting his sound and image to kickstart a new chapter with grace. For now, the EP is Baekhyun’s way of saying he’s back and ready to take on even more in his next phase, sharing with Billboard more about the album, the processes behind it, and how he wants to meet fans around the world.
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How are you feeling with this new album release? The album’s title is Hello, World, and the opening song is “Good Morning.” Does it feel like a new day for you as an artist?
I really like new beginnings so I’m very exited about this new chapter in my life and excited to show a greater audience what I’ve prepared. That’s exactly why I put “Good Morning” as the first track on the album and why I named it Hello, World because the first lyrics that start the song are “Hello, world” so I wanted a lot of people to listen and feel like, “Oh, this is the start.” The song was kind of made to feel like preparation for your heart to listen to the rest of the album; it has an overall very soft sound and I thought that it would be nice to build up musically throughout the album. I was very particular with the tracklist, so I’m very happy that the order of songs get progressively more climactic.
This isn’t your first solo album, but your first under your new company in INB100. Has the process been similar or different to past releases?
It’s very different from when I released my previous album. Now, I want to express my opinion, my ideas, and what I want to try, which I think is really good because I can try a lot of big, new ideas. I think it’s fun to build up from the primary stages of preparing for an album and working together with a team where I’ve been able to contribute more is exciting. So, I feel a bit more ownership of the album — I’m excited for it to become one of my favorites.
You enlisted in the military for almost two years, and it’s been three-and-a-half years since your last solo record in 2021. Generally speaking, what took so long?
I’m a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to music, and I think it was delayed because I was trying to find the right feel to release the perfect album, which was really born from the title track [single] “Pineapple Slice,” which ended up being just the song I was looking for. As long as it took, I really put a lot of effort into this to be able to put and show a lot more of the things that I wanted to do.
What kind of things were you able to do this time?
I had a lot of thoughts about wanting to show who I am as an artist in the long term which means that I should focus on the music that I enjoy and artistic decisions that I, as an artist, wish to make. Stylistically, a lot of the music is what I wants to do. The genre is R&B, but there are so many genres that I can branch out to further with that genre as a base. I even tried rapping on this album which was something new for me.
Second off, process-wise — the music video, the recording procedure and the visuals — everything was a little bit more “Baekhyun-centric” and I was able to input a lot more of my opinions. Instead of someone saying, “Oh, this would look good on you,” I was able to, I guess, reverse that process and say, “This is what I’ve been envisioning for myself, what do you guys think?” and move forward from there.
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You say Hello, World is inspired by movie genres with the album description saying, “A world where imagination becomes reality.” How exactly did you show this?
I’ve done a lot of different concepts throughout my career and I believe that the job of an idol is to kind of experience all these different sides you show. So, I thought that [making] the keyword “films” or “movies” would be a good way to put that in like one big box and express all these different things that I’ve done as one big genre. So, pretending that this is all a movie means I can turn my imagination into reality: I can be the stuntman, I can be a writer, I can be the director; there are so many different roles that go into making a movie…the “Pineapple Slice” music video is vampire themed and that also kind of taps into the fantasy and magic genre. But, once again, imagination becomes reality because, unlike the stereotypical vampire who is afraid of the sun and gets burned by the sunlight, my character in the music video does not, so it’s even these little twists that reflect back on the overarching theme of a world that I’ve imagined.
You can be very theatrical in your music, concepts, and even your vocals, but I’ve also read you are very low-key; right now, you’re in a T-shirt and simple hair. Does it feel like you’re acting when you go into K-pop idol concepts? Is idol life like acting in a way?
I think the job of an idol is similar to that of an actor, who acts according to the scene or concept. While I’m very satisfied with my job, I don’t usually like to wear makeup on a daily basis so that’s why I’m a bit more casual today. [Laughs] But on the other hand, I think there are differences. Onstage, I definitely focus on the moment and fully digest the concept in the song, but I don’t really feel like that’s acting — it’s not like I’m putting on a new persona. It’s more so that I focus on the moment and the job of performing the song perfectly more than being fake or pretending to be something.
The first preview we got of the album was the bossa nova-inspired “Rendez-Vous” performed during your Lonsdaleite Asia tour. Why was this song important to introduce your new chapter of music?
I wanted to show the most “Baekhyun-like” style from the songs I had. It’s been a while since I’ve been out [with new music], so I wanted to show fans a sound they were more familiar with instead of something completely new that would feel surprising or distant. I personally really like the song “Rendez-Vous,” like you mentioned it incorporates bossa nova, and that’s what I enjoy about R&B is how it can branch into and be altered in so many different ways depending on what you fuse in it.
Even since your last record, R&B music has changed so much, so it’s cool that you can do areas you’re comfortable with and play with something new in a song like “Pineapple Slice.”
When I first heard “Pineapple Slice, ” I got the feel within the first few seconds that this was the track I wanted to make as my single. I’d been searching for a song that has a very intriguing instrumental and catches the ear and “Pineapple Slice “did that. The bassline is very catchy so when you first hear it, I could kind of envision people listening and tapping their feet to the bass. And it’s different from his first three albums [singles] “UN Village,” “Candy,” and “Bambi” in that it has a stronger sound rather than the smoother, jazzy vibe. But the lyrics are very sweet, speaking about a male character trying to lure and seduce a lover, so I think the contrast is also very charming.
What do you think is the most surprising song on the album for fans?
“Cold Heart” was a track that, when I first heard it, I was very much like, “Oh, would I be able to pull this off?” but I really wanted to give it a shot. It was the first time I chose a song that I wanted to be better at; I chose it because I wanted to kind of prove that I could do it. I’ve spent so long as a vocalist, and this track has a lot of hip-hop influences and references, so finding the correct tone for rap was very difficult. So, I’m still feeling very nervous about this song coming out to the world and that the release day will be my “judgment day” since the fans will then be able to see whether or not I really pulled it off. I believe they’ll think, “Oh, Baekhyun sings this kind of song?”
It’s great to hear you challenging yourself in all these different ways under your new company. Why was it important for you to break out and create a space with your own company?
First of all, I wanted to meet my fans more and get a little bit more closer to them. And I always wanted to participate more in my own album process. With this question, rather than thinking about enjoying a new type of challenge, it’s more so that I really just wanted to get closer to my fans and listeners. Likewise, I believe that now I won’t have to take as long of a break between releases and hope to be able to come back in a quicker time frame. Working with my team and people, more possibilities are open for me in regards to things that I can do in the future, like producing, for example. Although there aren’t any set plans as of now, it’s a dream of mine and I thought this new chapter would open such doors.
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That makes sense because you’re keeping group activities with EXO strong and have EXO-CBX with you at INB100. More K-pop artists are balancing outside solo careers with group activities. How do you personally balance both sides?
Many fans want to continue seeing new sides of the group, so I understand that and we will continue to try new things and meet you in the future together. As for Baekhyun as a soloist, I feel that’s a little bit different from Baekhyun as a part of a group. So, in the future, I’m excited to show three different sides of myself: as a part of a unit, a solo artist, and also as part of a group. So I hope my fans are also excited to witness that journey alongside [me] as it happens.
Anything you can tease for your fans in this new era? Or other messages to the fans?
So, first and foremost, I’ll definitely be working on album promotions. Apart from that, I want to go on a world tour someday — and it’s definitely a possibility that’s, uh, not very far from reach. [Laughs] Since I recently finished my Asia tour, I want to branch out further to fans around the world…
To EXO-Ls who have been waiting for my album for such a long time, I’m so grateful for all of you and I want to promise you that there will never be a break like this again. I’ll show you a lot of great things in the future with new looks, new music, and all the cool things I’m ready to show the world. And like I slightly teased before, I’m ready to go meet more fans around the world so I hope that everyone stays happy and healthy until we meet again.
Comedian Yuriyan Retriever chatted with writer Rio Hirai for Billboard Japan’s Women in Music interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry. The WIM initiative in Japan launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work.
A household name in her home country, Yuriyan is preparing to make a splash in the U.S. beginning this fall. Not only has the 33-year-old entertainer won numerous awards in the highly competitive and male-dominated world of comedy in Japan, she also acts (a lead role in the upcoming Netflix series The Queen of Villains) and raps — she took the Mojave Stage with Awich at this year’s Coachella as one of the guest rappers on “Bad Bi*** Bigaku” — and is set to direct a movie as well. The one-of-a-kind artist who has carved out a unique position for herself in Japanese entertainment shared her thoughts on the driving force behind her past and future activities.
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You’ve said that you first aspired to be a comedian when you were in second grade, and entered NSC Yoshimoto Sogo Geino Gakuin — a training school run by comedy business giant Yoshimoto Kogyo — in 2011. I imagine there were much fewer female comedians back then compared to today. Did you experience any gender-related obstacles in becoming a comedian?
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I’d always thought comedians were cool growing up, so I probably didn’t have much of a sense of diving into a male-dominated world back then. But it turned out, there were 500 people in my year at NSC in Osaka alone, and only about 40 were women. Men and women were in separate classes for the first month, but after that we took classes together.
It was after graduating that I became aware I was a female performer. There are open auditions in the form of match-ups to become a regular act in theaters, and I used to think that male comedians with screaming female fans supporting them got more votes. Looking back now, it’s simply a matter of whether you’re funny or not, but there were times when I didn’t get any votes at all, so I started thinking that way. I remember complaining to Nagisa (formerly of comedy duo Amako Inter), who’s been in the business longer than me, “Men get more votes, don’t they?” and she replied, “In the end, you win if you’re funny, so let’s keep doing our best.” I got fired up after that. I began to think that there are things I can do because I’m me.
You’ve achieved spectacular results since then, winning the 47th NHK Kamigata Manzai Contest (2017), the NTV Female Comedian No. 1 Contest THE W (2017), and the coveted R-1 Grand Prix 2021. Some artists we’ve spoken to in this series say they feel uncomfortable being labeled “female” (female rapper, female singer-songwriter, etc.). How do you feel about being categorized as a female comedian?
Right now I feel lucky to be in this position. When you’re the only woman in a group of men, you stand out. But if that becomes less of a thing, maybe people will stop adding “female” to our profession.
Compared to when you started your career, there are many more female comedians today. What do you think is necessary for women to thrive in the (Japanese) entertainment industry?
I personally find it easy to work right now. But if a woman decides to become a mom, there will be a period when she has to take time off for physical reasons. It’d be nice if there were a system where we could record a bunch of stuff beforehand to be used while we’re gone and be paid for it properly.
You also created quite a buzz when you appeared on the audition show America’s Got Talent in 2019. You’re planning on expanding into the American entertainment industry by the end of this year. When did you start planning to do so?
I began thinking concretely about working the U.S. around ten years ago, so I told my management company and started preparing for it. What initially made me want to go to the U.S. was the movie Back to the Future, which I saw for the first time when I was in elementary school. Strangely enough, I thought, “I feel like I’ll be able to meet these people when I grow up.” I watched it again when I was in junior high and fell in love with Michael J. Fox all over again, and felt an urge to want to speak English and work in the U.S. movie industry someday.
But I had a dream of becoming a comedian so I chose that career first. After I actually started working as a comedian, I’ve been given opportunities to try so many different things. I got to star in the Netflix drama series The Queen of Villains, which will be released this year, and I also got to try my hand at directing a movie. I realized that doing skits wasn’t the only job for a comedian, and came to think that I didn’t have to give up my dream of working in the U.S.
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What do you want to do in the U.S.?
I want to become a Hollywood star. I want to start with stand-up comedy and branch out to do a bunch of stuff from there, just like I did in Japan. I want to do things that I think are funny and hope people in the U.S. think so, too, but to do that I need to get into the groove of the country’s background and culture, so I’ll start from there.
You really do take on challenges in your career. Now that you’ve realized your initial dream of becoming a comedian, what are the moments when you find your job the most interesting?
Everything is interesting. Needless to say, it makes me happy when the audience laughs! I also enjoy being able to express anything about myself. You know how there are things in life that you regret or make you angry? It can be hard when you can’t do anything about them, but since I’m a comedian, I can turn things like that into comedy skits and laugh them off. I can say what I want and be what I want to be.
So whatever happens, it all helps to enrich your art.
Exactly. A comedian that I respect who’s been in the business longer than me — his name is Toki of of the duo Fujisaki Market — once told me an epic anecdote about how he woke up one morning to discover he’d lost a ton of money from a bad cryptocurrency investment. But he said it was hilarious. Being able to interpret anything as funny like that is so human and really strong. So if something upsets you, I recommend trying to make it into a joke or lyric. Or mimicking it, even if you don’t show it to anyone. It’ll make you feel a bit better.
Thanks for the nice life hack. [Laughs] It seems like the ways of thinking in the Japanese comedy industry have changed over the past ten years or so. For example, poking fun at someone’s appearance used to happen all the time, but it feels like it’s less common now.
Around the time when I first became a comedian, teasing people’s looks was still fair game. I used to weigh 110 kg (about 240 lbs) in 2019. It wasn’t for the sake of being funny — I sort of just ended up like that because of my messed up lifestyle and laziness. One day it occurred to me that even though I’d been blessed with a healthy body, I wasn’t treating it right, so I told a trainer that I wanted to change. And that trainer said, “You’ve shown off your body in a swimsuit in the U.S. and have probably done everything you can with your current body shape, so become a new you and stay the course.”
I started training and followed a restrictive diet, and succeeded in losing 40 kg (about 88 lbs) in 2021. My body became lighter and healthier and I began thinking more positively. I even started receiving sports-related job offers that would never have happened before. I was body positive before… or rather, I felt that being overweight didn’t matter, but looking back now, I see that it wasn’t my best condition. I can say that I worked hard to achieve the best condition for myself that truly feels right for me.
Were you not bothered by other people’s opinions because you were satisfied with yourself?
My fellow comedians told me, “It’s good that you’re fit,” but there were people online who were like, “Have you given up being funny?” and “You’re ugly even if you’re thinner.” That really ticked me off, so I wrote some jokes to get revenge on those people and won the R-1 (Grand Prix) contest I entered that year.
That’s awesome how you won the R-1 Grand Prix by using your annoyance towards haters as motivation.
The voices of those who still make fun of people’s looks sound louder online, but the reaction of the audience in theaters is completely different. Ten years ago, people would laugh when I said stuff like, “I’m ugly,” but now when I make self-deprecating jokes like that, I can tell that the prevailing mood is like, “This isn’t something to laugh at.” Now I’ve stopped saying negative things about the way people look, including myself, not just because people don’t laugh at such jokes, but because it sucks as a human being to do so. My feelings are also changing. Ever since I’ve been making jokes based on hateful comments, people have started saying, “Even if you put Yuriyan down, she’ll just use it to win prize money in competitions.” [Laughs]
—This interview by Rio Hiral (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan
Oasis’s iconic debut album Definitely Maybe has stormed back to the top of the U.K. Official Albums Chart, 30 years after its original release in 1994.
This is the first time in 14 years that Liam and Noel Gallagher, alongside the rest of Oasis, have topped the Official Albums Chart together.
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The album, which debuted at No. 1 three decades ago, returned to the summit thanks to the release of its 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition. The new edition features previously unreleased material, including the Monnow Valley sessions, outtakes from the Sawmills recordings, and an alternate demo of “Sad Song.”
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The album saw a staggering 408% week-on-week uplift in sales, with over 50% of its total weekly sales coming from vinyl, cementing its place at No. 1 on both the Official Albums Chart and the Official Vinyl Albums Chart.
Alongside Definitely Maybe, two other Oasis albums entered the Top 5: Time Flies…1994-2009, their 2009 greatest hits compilation, climbed to No. 3, and their seminal 1995 album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory? reached No. 4.
The band’s remarkable chart performance aligns with the announcement of their much-anticipated Oasis Live ‘25 reunion tour, set for 2025, which will see them perform across major U.K. cities like Cardiff, Manchester, London, and Edinburgh.
Due to massive public demand, extra dates at Wembley Stadium have already been added.
Elsewhere on the chart, the previous week’s chart-topper, Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet, has moved down to No. 2 after an impressive run, and continues to perform well despite Oasis’s return to the top.
Meanwhile, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds celebrate their seventh U.K. Top 10 album as their latest release, Wild God, enters the chart at No. 5. English rockers Wunderhorse also secured their first Top 10 album with Midas, landing at No. 6
This week’s chart also sees Vegas-formed Palaye Royale claiming the No. 38 spot with their latest release, Death or Glory.
Stream Oasis’s Definitely Maybe below.
Billboard Canada Women in Music was a star-studded celebration.
Rising stars, Canadian legends — and some of their parents — were on hand to honour the myriad achievements of women on stage and behind the scenes in the first-ever edition of Billboard Women in Music in Canada featuring guest of honor Alanis Morissette.
The packed, pink-tinted room at DPRTMNT in downtown Toronto was full of some of the Canadian industry’s biggest names, from Apple Music host and Billboard Canada Power Player George Stroumboulopoulos, to pop-punk star Fefe Dobson and R&B singer Keshia Chanté, to FACTOR Canada CEO Meg Symsyk and many many more. The evening brought Canadian women in music together to connect with each other, celebrate their accomplishments, and build community together.
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Hosted by rapper and Polaris Music Prize winner Haviah Mighty, the evening saw moving performances and impactful speeches, and a moving speech from Alanis as she received the inaugural Billboard Canada Icon Award. Here are the best moments from Billboard Canada Women in Music.
Alanis Morissette Talks About What it Means to Be a Canadian Icon
The Billboard Canada Women in Music ceremony was graced by a true legend: Alanis Morissette received the Icon Award, honouring her as one of the country’s all-time greatest artists. Morissette celebrated femininity and emphasized its importance to people of all genders. “Matriarchy takes care of everybody,” she told the crowd, to a round of cheers.
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She was introduced by two Canadian stars — broadcaster George Stroumboulopoulos and Woman of the Year Charlotte Cardin, both of whom spoke to her massive influence. Stroumboulopoulos suggested reframing the notion of an icon: instead of measuring it by numbers, he said, we can understand an icon as someone who changed the game entirely for everyone who came after her — whether the next generation knows it or not. He remembered hosting a late night radio show in the ’90s listened to primarily by 18-24 year old boys, who would call in to wax poetic about their favourite parts of the video for Morissette’s hit “Ironic.”
Taking the stage to accept the award, Morissette — who has sold over 60 million records, with her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill widely ranked as one of the best albums ever made — had her own thoughts to share on what it means to be an icon. She joked that even cereal boxes are called iconic these days. For her, though, an icon is someone who serves as a symbol of the safety to explore. Morissette reflected on how icons can inspire fans and listeners to probe the unconscious and to express themselves in new ways.
She also considered what it means to be a Canadian icon, enumerating some Canadian qualities that have helped her to succeed: curiosity and humility. Fame can be an isolating experience, Morissette shared — especially in the ’90s, when there wasn’t a big girl-squad mindset, but fame has allowed her to also support and connect with people.
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Charlotte Cardin Makes History as the First Canadian Billboard Woman of the Year
Charlotte Cardin had a year full of highlights, from crossing over into the U.S. charts to selling out arenas worldwide, but she has another big milestone to add to her resume: the first Billboard Woman of the Year in Canada.
Accepting the award from Billboard Canada national editor Richard Trapunski, the Montreal singer-songwriter acknowledged the importance of the occasion while sharing the credit. “This is such an incredible honor, but this award isn’t just mine,” she said. It was a team effort, reflecting many talented people around her — especially women.
She thanked the women in her life, including her manager Laurie Chouinard. Accepting her own award for Manager of the Year earlier in the night, Chouinard pointed out that Cult Nation, the label and management company she works with, is made up of mostly women. Cardin said the women in her life also includes her fans. She even dropped some stats. “75% of my audience is female,” she said. “I’m grateful for you all.”
Later, she got to thank a specific influence, introducing Icon of the Year Alanis Morissette. The normally cool and collected Cardin got a chance to gush, speaking for the awestruck women in the room. She said she doesn’t know Alanis, but feels like she does from her music, and called her a champion of self-esteem and acceptance for entire generations.
Cardin had one of the final performances of the night, too, hushing the room with a dramatic solo piano version of the closer from her breakout 2023 album 99 Nights, “Next To You.” She ended by blowing the audience a kiss, putting a stamp on a big night deserving of a historic achievement.
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Jully Black’s Powerful ‘Redemption Song’ Commands The Room
One of the first performances of the night was none other than Canada’s queen of R&B, Jully Black, who was also on hand to receive the Billboard Canada Impact Award. Black is a platinum-selling singer, but she opted to perform a moving cover of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” instead of one of her best-known hits like her top ten hit “Seven Day Fool.”
Accompanied by piano and guitar, Black had the chatty room in the palm of her hand, opening with a moment of silence that got everyone’s attention. “You’d think it would be obvious for me to come and do a ‘Seven Day Fool’,” she told the audience. “But where I’m at in my life, it’s about redemption.” She led a sing-a-long of “This Little Light” before going into the classic Marley song about bondage and freedom, changing some of the words. “How long will they kill our women?” Black sang, a resonant question during a truly impactful performance.
After her show-stopping performance, Jully Black returned to the stage to receive the Impact Award, honouring the massive mark she’s left on Canada’s music industry and beyond. A renaissance woman, Black has a multi-faceted career in music, acting, radio, fitness and much more, and she’s shaped national conversations about racism and colonialism.
Accepting the award, she reflected on a time before she was at the forefront of Canadian media, when her main focus was bringing her childhood cabbage patch doll to her grade two show and tell. The cabbage patch doll, she laughed, melted in the sun — so her teacher, Miss Simon, invited Black to sing, instead.
“So I’m saying her name,” Black shared, “Miss Simon — thank you.” She went on to name a long list of women integral to her journey, including Warner Chappell Music Canada’s Vivian Barclay, FACTOR’s Meg Symsyk, and former MuchMusic host Denise Donlon. It was a reminder that for every woman on stage at the event, there’s many more who helped her get there.
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Jessie Reyez Celebrates Her Trailblazer Award — And Her Mom’s Birthday
Singer Jessie Reyez took home the inaugural Trailblazer Award, recognizing her commitment to artistry and the ways she’s used her platform to promote social causes throughout her career, from speaking out about sexist gatekeeping in the industry to shouting out Black Lives Matter from the CN Tower.
She thanked her parents as she received the award, highlighting her mom in particular, who was celebrating her birthday from the Billboard Canada Women in Music VIP Booth. Reyez reflected on how growing up, her mom always encouraged her to live her truth, whether or not it conformed to gender norms. “I was given an open canvas, and despite people judging her mothering style, she still let me be free,” she said.
She also offered a little advice for people who might be afraid about standing up for a cause: “I hope you f—ing do it anyway.”
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Star Siblings Haviah and Omega Mighty Double the Fun
It’s no easy task to follow Alanis Morissette, but sisters Haviah and Omega Mighty rose to the occasion, closing out the evening after Morissette received her Icon Award. Haviah also served as the evening’s co-host alongside Billboard Canada CEO Amanda Dorenberg and CCO Elizabeth Crisante, bringing the energy throughout the night, but she had more than enough leftover for a medley with her sister Omega.
Haviah kicked off the set with her 2023 single “Trendsetter” before bringing up Omega for a rendition of their collab track “Zoom Zoom.” The two fed easily off of each other’s vibes, bouncing around the stage and getting the crowd dancing. “We’re gonna finish it up by maximizing the fun,” Haviah told the room, before launching into her brand new single “Double The Fun,” with a booming beat. The sisters are more than capable of getting serious when the moment calls for it — in our Spotlight Sessions, they share wisdom about their journeys in the industry — but they also know how to get the party started, and how to bring an event home.
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Sophie Grégoire Trudeau Quotes the Queens
Author, mental health advocate and political figure Sophie Grégoire Trudeau helped kick off the event by joking that her two kids don’t normally think of her as cool — but at an event like this, she definitely felt cool.
Grégoire Trudeau paid tribute to the event’s honourees by quoting some of their most inspiring lyrics, stitching together quotes from Alanis, Jully Black, Haviah Mighty and more into a free-form spoken word poem. This excerpt alone juxtaposes Tia Wood, LU KALA and Charlotte Cardin:
“We shed with the sea
Sun shining on our peace
What doesn’t kill you makes you hotter now
A little wilder when the lights go out
See the sun leading us
Hear the drum beating us
We will not live a meaningless life”
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LU KALA’s Rising Star Shines Bright
Pop singer LU KALA has been making waves with her infectious charisma and empowering anthems like “Pretty Girl Era,” making her this year’s Billboard Canada Rising Star. To celebrate the award she performed a medley, showing off the chops that have helped bring her to international attention.
Earlier this summer, LU performed a more stripped-back set for the Billboard Canada and iHeartRadio Spotlight Session, but her Women in Music set was a full-on, high-energy affair. LU strutted on stage accompanied by keys, guitar and her very own back-up dancers.She sang a brief rendition of her upcoming single “Criminal” before segueing into the breakup bop “Hotter Now,” with her dancers fanning themselves and stomping the stage to emphasize key lyrics. It was an affirmation that this diva is ready for her spotlight.
Intimate Performances From Up-and-Comers and Longtime Favorites
The celebration also highlighted some of Canada’s most exciting up-and-coming artists, including Alberta country singer Hailey Benedict as well as soulful Plains Cree and Salish singer Tia Wood.
Benedict took the stage in a shining silver outfit with just her acoustic guitar, performing an unreleased song, “Things My Mama Says,” dedicated to her mom. Benedict, who won the SiriusXM 2023 Top of the Country competition and has built an impressive online following, also revealed the exciting announcement that she’s signed a record deal with Nashville’s Big Loud and their Canadian imprint, Local Hay.
Plains Cree and Coast Salish singer Tia Wood performed twice at the event, opening the evening and returning later with a delicate, dynamic rendition of her song “Dirt Roads.” Wood was vulnerable with the crowd as she spoke about moving to L.A. and feeling lonely, losing access to her culture and community. Wood has made a name for herself as an artist to watch, and she brought her precise vocal trills and ability for raw connection to the Billboard Canada Women in Music stage.
There was room for longtime favourites with new energy, too. Anjulie, who first charted in 2009, has made a new name for herself as an industry player in L.A., collaborating with everyone from Zedd to Nicki Minaj. At the celebratory event, she gave a short and sweet performance with two interpretative dancers behind her.
Moments of Community Building Across the Music Industry
Billboard Canada Women in Music was about more than just artists — it was about recognizing talent across sectors of the industry and building community across the whole music landscape. The list of talented women in the room was incredibly diverse — not just in terms of genre, but in ways they shape the industry.
Sonali Singh won Global Manager of the Year, flying in from India to accept. She’s one of the first female managers in India, she said, and acknowledged she couldn’t have done it without the “global artist of the decade” Diljit Dosanjh. Together, the two made history this year, putting on the biggest Punjabi concert outside of India in Vancouver and repeating it with a stadium show in Toronto.
Meg Symsyk, CEO of FACTOR, and Amy Eligh, Director of Publishing & Licensing of Arts & Crafts, both took the stage and recognized the importance of royalties and rights for songwriters. Lola Plaku, SVP, IGA Urban Marketing & Strategy at Interscope, Geffen and A&M and founder of Girl Connected, talked about the importance of mentorship. The powerful women in the room extended beyond music — Joanna Griffiths, CEO of underwear company Knix Wear, introduced Jully Black while remembering when she worked as Black’s publicist, helping Black to make her mark in the industry.
That just scratched the surface of the powerful and influential women at the event, who connected and celebrated each other throughout the night.
This story originally appeared in Billboard Canada.
The choice of São Paulo, Brazil, to kick off The Weeknd‘s new tour was no coincidence. The Canadian singer — cover star of the 10th edition of Billboard Brazil — was in the city last October, performing at two sold-out nights at Allianz Parque with the show After Hours Til Dawn. At the time, American […]
Born in Okinawa, Japan, in the year 2000, singer-songwriter YU-KA spent her early years in America and Switzerland. At age 15, she took up the acoustic guitar, and she started writing her own songs at age 17. She began truly throwing herself into music upon winning a special award in a movie theme song-writing audition. “Hoshizukiyo,” which she released in February 2023, took the No. 1 spot on Billboard JAPAN‘s “Download Songs” chart, making it her biggest hit.
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The title track of her latest EP, Sunshade, was produced by ONE OK ROCK’s Toru and is the theme song of the TV series Smiling Matryoshka. The 24-year-old musician is equally focused on both her musical activities in Japan and overseas, bringing a separate mentality to each. Billboard Japan recently had the opportunity to talk to her about her latest release, an encapsulation of where she is now.
What’s the concept behind the Sunshade EP?
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YU-KA: When I wrote my first album, Brighter, a lot of the lyrics I wrote were really grand in scale. The most popular song on the album, “Hoshizukiyo,” was a soaring love song. With the new album, I wanted to make something more personal. I wanted to write lyrics about love at a one-to-one level — the level of “me and you.” The artwork reflects that, too. I’m not wearing some sort of gorgeous costume, just a T-shirt. It’s made up of natural photographs taken in everyday settings, cut and pasted together like a patchwork. I wanted to give it that handmade, unadorned feel.
I just followed my heart wherever it led in writing “forget-me-not,” and I think it brings me back to my natural roots. The lyrics to “Clouds” are all in English, and I feel like that song ties in to my indie days. At the time, I was doing a lot of live shows, trying a lot of new things, like using a looper and matching English lyrics with simple chord progressions. I think the song’s sound is connected with that point of my life. On the flip side, I was re-examining J-pop when I wrote “Sunshade”, “Tsuraikurai,” and “One more time.” I like both Western music and J-pop, and I wanted to write music that lies somewhere in-between, but I also took on new challenges by working in the vein of J-pop.
Do you have different aims when you’re singing in English than when you’re singing in Japanese?
YU-KA: I rely a lot on whatever words the melody and the music bring out of me. Especially when I’m co-writing overseas, I tend to write the lyrics using words that I’m drawn to, or words I want to sing because of how they sound. With English, I find that very easy. In “Clouds,” I wanted to use a lot of words, like writing in a diary. You can fit in more words with English than with Japanese, so since I wanted to pack the lyrics in, English was the way to go. Also, I think writing a song like this connects to my own roots and really expresses aspects of myself. The song’s lyrics include “Tokyo” and “scramble crossing,” so even though the song is in English, I think I’ve put in elements that are a true-to-life depiction of my life in Japan.
“Sunshade” has four lines that start with “Ne,” (a Japanese expression that’s similar to a softer version of “Hey”). I found that use of repetition in Japanese to be particularly effective.
YU-KA: In the past, a lot of my songs mixed English and Japanese, but lately I’ve been feeling that just using Japanese alone sounds cool. The “Ne” part of “Sunshade” would have been easier to write if the lyrics were in English, but I focused on writing in Japanese, and, I think, that’s why I was able to come up with those lyrics. I’m particularly fond of that part of the song. Deciding what Japanese to use when working with a smaller number of notes is an interesting process. It’s like writing a waka or tanka (Japanese poems). I enjoyed figuring out how to express myself within those limitations. I think that, through this process, I’ve become able to express things that I couldn’t express before, when I was mixing Japanese and English lyrics.
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You wrote the lyrics for both “Tsuraikurai” and “Sunshade,” and Toru from ONE OK ROCK wrote the music, right? I understand that you’ve written with Toru several times in the past, too. What were some takeaways from your latest collaboration?
YU-KA: When I was making my major label debut (“lullaby,” produced by Toru), I was just working like crazy. I didn’t know which end was up. But working with Toru, I always have a wealth of experiences. For example, I’ll go in thinking I haven’t changed but it will open my eyes to how much I’ve changed, or I’ll go in thinking I’ve gotten used to something, and I’ll find myself butting up against a wall.
How did the writing process go?
YU-KA: “Sunshade” is a tie-up song for a TV series. The process of writing a tie-up song involves creating something that goes beyond your own abilities alone, so I feel like it brings a lot out of you. I wanted to make the lyrics a little cryptic, but then I thought that they needed to convey where I was, what I was doing, what I wanted to do. So the lyrics became more and more concrete as I worked on the song. That process of rewriting was also a lot of fun.
You’ve travelled back and forth between Japan and other countries. You grew up in the US and Switzerland, and you travelled to Sweden when making the album. What aspects of Japan, and of other countries, do you like when it comes to environments for creating music?
YU-KA: When I was in Sweden, I was working really fast, making one or two songs a day. It built up my explosive power — my ability to take off running. In Japan, on the other hand, I feel like I spend a lot more working with each song, struggling with how to improve it and constantly making refinements. When I co-wrote with non-Japanese people, I was worried that I’d be overwhelmed and just let myself get swept away, falling by the wayside, but actually the opposite was true — the core parts of me that are constants, and the parts that make me who I am, would remain. I write music before I talk to the people I’ll be working with, so the melody lines and the interactions I have while we’re working on the music are like a self-introduction for me. The way that I needed to instantly introduce myself through my music was a real eye-opener and helped me grow.
You’ve performed at the SXSW for two years running, and you’re an active musician overseas. What kind of musical activities do you want to do in Japan and in other countries?
YU-KA: As an artist, the way I am in Japan and the way I am overseas are like mirror images. When I’m in Japan, the fact that I lived overseas, and the way that experience affects my music, are like a part of my persona. Overseas, the fact that I’m Japanese and listen to J-pop sets me apart. I think that going back and forth between those two environments makes my own musical sensibilities more clearly defined.
Going back and forth between Japan and other countries, I sometimes ask myself what it means to be true to myself, but I think who I truly am is what comes out of me when I just act naturally. That’s why when I’m overseas, I think of myself as a Japanese artist as I make and perform my music. I want to reach a position that I’m uniquely suited to and to create works that really convey what I intend, to both Japanese and overseas audiences.
—This interview by Reina Murakami first appeared on Billboard Japan