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Travis Japan Score First No. 1 on Japan Hot 100 With ‘Say I do’

March 12, 2025

Travis Japan’s “Say I do” debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated March 12.
This song is being featured as the theme song for Honnou Switch, the drama series starring member Kaito Miyachika and actress Wakana Aoi, and is the first CD single by the seven-member boy band. The track launched with 147,896 copies to rule sales, top downloads, and came in at No. 53 for streaming to give the group its first-ever No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” continues to hold at No. 2, extending its stay in the top 10 to 47 weeks. The Oblivion Battery opener rules streaming for the 27th week with 10,034,805 weekly streams, tops karaoke, and comes in at No. 7 for downloads and No. 2 for video views.

Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” also holds at No. 3. Streaming for the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener stays at No. 2 (83% week-over-week), and comes in at No. 4 for downloads (54%), No. 4 for radio, and No. 16 for video.

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Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Darling” rises two notches to No. 4. The track is currently at No. 3 for streaming and has stayed in the top 3 for the metric since its debut on the list. The former No. 1 hit is at No. 19 for downloads, No. 6 for video, No. 16 for karaoke, and moves 74-36 for radio (160%).

SEVENTEEN’s “Shohikigen” returns to the Japan Hot 100 for the fifth time after the CD sold 94,151 copies this week. Kenshi Yonezu’s “BOW AND ARROW” rises 19-6 after the accompanying music video featuring superstar figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu powered the track to No. 1 for video. Aimyon’s “Sketch,” the theme song for the latest Doraemon feature film, Doraemon the Movie: Nobita’s Art World Tales, soars 69-7. The single rules radio, comes in at No. 5 for sales with 9,217 copies sold, No. 13 for video, and No. 90 for streaming.

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 March 3 to 9, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.

yama on Unifying Theme of Self-Forgiveness on ‘; semicolon’ Album & Fresh Start After Moratorium Trilogy

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March 7, 2025

With their third full album, awake&build, released in 2024, yama completed their Moratorium Trilogy. Now yama has put the finishing touches on their fourth full album, ; semicolon, in which they set off to a new start as an artist.

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In addition to the previously-released “BURN,” created under the name of yama x WurtS, and “Drop,” which was produced by indigo la End, the album contains new songs which saw yama being joined in the songwriting process by creators and artists they hold great respect for, like maeshima soshi and Shota Horie. These new songs make up the majority of the album. As yama’s career has advanced, their thirst for expressivity has grown even stronger. What is the philosophy that underlies his artistic efforts? Billboard Japan talked with yama about what lay behind the creation of ; semicolon and delved into who they are as an artist today.

I’ve heard that the album’s title, ; semicolon, is meant to represent taking a new step forward as an artist.

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This new album is packed with things I love, music I love, and messages I want to share. I tried to be as much a part of the songwriting and lyric-writing process as possible. I wanted to be involved in any way I could in the album’s creation. I feel like, with my past trilogy of albums, I’ve finally set the foundation in place to move forward (as an artist).

Your 2021 release, the meaning of life, your 2022 release, Versus the night, and your 2024 release, awake & build, make up the “Moratorium Trilogy,” right?

I was feeling things out as I went through my Moratorium period. I was hesitant to perform in front of people, and going up on stage was a struggle. But I couldn’t back down. That’s because for as long as I can remember, music has been the only thing that truly interests me. I just want to keep moving forward. I can’t stop myself. I feel like I’ve grown as a person through this process of trial-and-error. At first, I couldn’t convey what I was feeling to others, but now, having finished the trilogy, I’ve defined what it means to be “yama.” That’s why I was able to make ; semicolon.

Of all of your albums, ; semicolon has the most songs on which you’ve been personally involved in the songwriting and lyrics.

I love singing, of course, but with Versus the night I also started writing songs. Through the process, I found that I was surprisingly strong-willed. I realized that there were things I wanted to say and to communicate, though I didn’t put them in words, and I had a stubborn streak, unwilling to compromise on my message. I started thinking that I’d be better able to convey my aesthetics and my human nature if I wrote my own music.

So turning your own feelings into song and sharing them with others gave you a sense of fulfillment?

Not so much “fulfillment” as more like “purging.” I first fell in love with music because when I listened to music it took a weight off my shoulders and set my heart at ease. When I share my own music, and when I put my own emotions into musical form, it makes my heart feel a bit lighter. That said, I’m still exploring the process of making music. I have this need to make everything perfect, so I overthink things. I just can’t bring myself to feel optimistic, and my output is slow because of that. But when making ; semicolon, I just put that all aside. I took this stance that “I’m just a beginner,” and I started out simply focusing on getting things in song form.

So that creation process itself may have been a way of accepting yourself as you are, flaws and all.

I feel like I’ve been able to forgive and accept myself, a bit at a time. Initially, I didn’t want to show people my shortcomings. But when I revealed my imperfections, I was surprised at how much they resonated with others. People became interested in yama, the person. So, because of that, I’ve also become able to accept my own imperfections.

The album’s name, ; semicolon, came from Project Semicolon, an American movement to support people struggling with mental health issues. Specifically, the semicolon represents the idea of moving from a difficult chapter of your life to starting a new chapter. What was your impression of the project?

I found out about Project Semicolon the first time I performed live in front of an audience. A person who’d been a fan of mine since my indie days gave me a letter and, along with it, a ring with a semicolon on it. In the letter, they wrote about the meaning of the project, and it made a deep impression on me. At the time, I was recklessly rushing forward, doing all I could to move forward. I thought, “I can’t do it yet, but I hope one day I’ll be able to put this concept into song.”

What about Project Semicolon made such a strong impression on you?

That interaction with a fan was a formative experience in my musical career, truly feeling that there are real people out there listening to my music. I’d seen comments on my videos on streaming sites before, but my musical activities had been limited to the internet, so I almost never received messages directly sent to me. But then, this one day, this fan sent me a message. It said “I’d been feeling like I just couldn’t keep struggling with life, and I was thinking about killing myself when I heard the song you released today. I want to hear more of your music, so I’ll keep on trying.”

So your song saved that fan.

I’d been working so hard making music to save myself. It was the first time that I felt that my efforts could save and provide comfort to someone else. Later on, I went on to perform live in front of an audience, and that’s when that fan taught me about the concept of Project Semicolon. Just living each day had been hard for them, but they kept pushing forward, looking for something they could enjoy in their life. Little by little, I grew more confident in my own skills, too, and I got better at communicating with people. It was a gradual process. I never got a semicolon tattoo, but putting these feelings in song form was the same thing for me. I named the album ; semicolon and wrote a song named “semicolon,” and for the rest of the album I let my own curiosity and sense of excitement lead me as I wrote the kinds of songs I wanted to write.

You discovered a new world through your interactions with others. I feel like that’s why you went from having a hard time performing in front of people to coming to enjoy performing live, and it’s where the song “semicolon” came from.

I’ve always made music for myself. That was true long ago and it’s still true today. The issue’s been how much I could grow, how much I could comfort myself, and how much I could forgive and accept myself. I’m sure everyone feels the same, and that everyone’s hard on themselves. But if I extended a helping hand to people simply out of some kind of sense of obligation, that wouldn’t be truly from the heart. I don’t want to pretend to be something I’m not through my music. I make music to cleanse my own heart, and if that comforts other people, then that’s wonderful. I wish someone had told me about the semicolon movement earlier. But unless I can forgive and accept myself, I don’t think I’ll be able to overcome my trauma or the ties that bind me. That’s why I tell myself “Accepting yourself isn’t compromising yourself. It’s just one part of taking control of yourself.” Of course, listeners can take the music as they wish, but I’d love it if when people listened to the song, they didn’t take the lyrics as me or someone else talking to them, but instead felt like the lyrics were a message they were telling themselves.

—This interview by Sayako Oki first appeared on Billboard Japan

Awich Taps Top Rappers From 5 Asian Countries for ‘ASIAN STATE OF MIND’ With Jay Park, KR$NA, Masiwei & VannDa

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March 7, 2025

Awich dropped a collaborative single called “ASIAN STATE OF MIND” featuring South Korea’s Jay Park; India’s KR$NA; Masiwei, the leader of the Chinese group Higher Brothers; and Cambodia’s VannDa on Feb. 28.
The Okinawan MC and top rappers from each country came together to usher in a new Asian era on this cypher track, mixing their native languages with English to simultaneously compete with each other to flex their uniqueness while giving off a sense of Asian unity.

The accompanying music video, released along with the track, racked up a million views in just 24 hours after its release. Excited fans have left over 20,000 comments in various languages. As the title “ASIAN STATE OF MIND” suggests, the video was shot in each of the home countries of the rappers, who share the same pride as Asian artists.

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Awich, the queen of Japanese Hip-Hop, was recently appointed as global ambassador for JORDAN (Nike), and is set to further expand her reach outside of Japan in the future.

Jay Park, founder of AOMG, H1GHR MUSIC, and MORE VISION, has released a diverse range of music including collaborations with other artists. He’s the first Asian to sign with JAY-Z’s Roc Nation, and is enjoying international success as a highly acclaimed artist.

KR$NA, hailing from Delhi, India, garnered recognition with his Hindi song “Vyanjan.” The 37-year-old MC’s catalog has been highly acclaimed both in India and internationally, and he’s known as lyrical innovator in the Indian hip-hop scene.

Masiwei, from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, is the leader of the Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers and also active as a solo artist. In September 2023, he released a collaborative single with Japan’s Satomi Shigemori called “LION (feat. MASIWEI).” The 32-year-old is also the founder of the fashion brand AFGK.

VannDa, born in Sihanoukville in 1997, achieved the feat of being the first Cambodian artist to have a music video (“Time to Rise”) score over 100 million views on YouTube in October 2022. He was included on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Asia-Pacific music list the following year, and went on to perform along with Phoenix and other acts at the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics in 2024, introducing Cambodian music on the global stage.

King Charles Announces Apple Music Radio Show to Showcase ‘Songs Which Have Brought Me Joy’

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March 6, 2025

King Charles is taking on a new role in addition to monarch of the United Kingdom: DJ.
As announced Thursday (March 6), the British ruler is set to premiere a new radio show on Apple Music titled The King’s Music Room. Recorded in his personal office at Buckingham Palace, the show will showcase Charles’ favorite artists, from “1930s crooners to Afrobeats stars as well as disco divas and reggae icons,” according to a description.

In a trailer released Thursday, Charles personally introduces the show while seated behind his desk. “Throughout my life, music has meant a great deal to me,” he says. “It has that remarkable ability to bring happy memories, comfort us in times of sadness and take us to distant places. But perhaps, above all, it can lift our spirits to such a degree, and all the more so when it brings us together in celebration.

“In other words, it brings us joy,” the king continues. “This is what I particularly wanted to share with you: songs which have brought me joy. This seemed such an interesting and innovative way to celebrate this year’s Commonwealth Day.”

A press release adds that Charles’ show will be “shaped by his extraordinary experiences from around the world” and find the monarch sharing personal stories about the artists he features. Bob Marley, Kylie Minogue, Grace Jones, Davido and RAYE make up just a few of the musicians he’ll highlight.

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“Human curation has always been a key pillar of our unique editorial approach,” said Rachel Newman, Apple Music’s global head of content and editorial, in a statement. “Apple Music Radio is where culture is happening worldwide, and we are honored that King Charles III chose to share his personal playlist with us, and with music fans around the world.”

The King’s Music Room will premiere on Apple Music 1 and Apple Music Hits at 6 a.m. GMT on Monday (March 10), with additional broadcasts throughout the day and Tuesday (March 11).

Watch the trailer below.

Saint Levant: The Multilingual Hitmaker and His ‘New Wave’ of Arabic Music

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March 5, 2025

Speaking with Saint Levant feels like encountering two personalities at once. One moment, you hear Marwan Abdelhamid (his real name), his intimate voice carrying the warmth of distant days spent with his father in Gaza. He recalls them in detail, as if each melody holds a story refusing to fade. The next moment, the more widely known artistic persona of Saint Levant takes over, exuding charisma and absolute confidence in front of the camera. The seamless blend of personal memory and stagecraft, nostalgia and defiance, defines his presence.

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As Billboard Arabia’s February cover star, Saint Levant’s artistic journey has taken him from Jerusalem and the alleys of Gaza to global stages from The Olympia in Paris and Coachella and Lollapalooza. Born into several cultures and languages, his identity is a fusion of Arabic, English and French, shaped by his Palestinian-Serbian father and Palestinian-Algerian mother. His migration to France and the U.S. further enriched his artistic outlook, injecting his work with a globally intertwined essence. This diverse background enables him to merge different musical styles, from funk to traditional Eastern rhythms, making him a rising star in Arabic music.

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When discussing the Arab artists who inspired him, Saint Levant looks back to his time in Gaza. He reminisces about road trips with his father, who played music in the car, filling the air with the voices of global stars like Lenny Kravitz and Michael Jackson. “Before any singer, my father was my inspiration,” he says. Yet, diving deeper into memory, he adds with nostalgia, “But if we’re talking about Arab singers, definitely Cheb Khaled. We used to listen to his albums, especially Sahra and Khaled, with songs like “El ‘Arbi” and “Wahran”—those are incredible. To me, Cheb Khaled is the top.”

Saint Levant’s first professional track carried his real name. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, he released “Jerusalem Freestyle,” a rap song about the Palestinian cause. “That was my first real track where I put my name —on Spotify, I was Marwan Abdelhamid.”

Hussein Mardini

What sets Saint Levant apart are his multicultural roots, which grant him a broad perspective on music. He seamlessly sings in three languages, English, French and Arabic, within a single song. Explaining his unique lyrical structure, he says, “From my very first song, I was using three languages because that’s just how I talk. The same goes for my music. Now, I’ve learned to separate them more. Before, I used to mix all three languages in one sentence, but I realized not everyone is like me—they can’t follow that. So now, I do one chorus in English, one in Arabic and one in French, which makes it easier. But it all happened naturally. I never planned to be a trilingual artist.”

This cultural foundation also influences the structure of his music. When asked to define his genre, Saint Levant explains that his work transcends classification. He blends 1980s funk with traditional Palestinian and Algerian sounds, making it difficult to stick a single label to it. His team frequently revisits this question, reflecting the fluid nature of his artistic identity. Instead, he describes his music as part of a “New Wave Arab” movement, blending futuristic Arab sounds.

Hussein Mardini

His latest project, the album Love Letters, is an open letter to love in all its forms, released in February to align with Valentine’s Day. Elaborating on the title, he says, “Each song is a love letter in its own way. ‘Daloona,’ which I did with Qassem Alnajjar, Shadi Borini and 47Soul, isn’t a romantic love letter. It’s a love letter to my country and my people. I brought together seven Palestinian artists in one track, so it’s a love letter to Palestine. ‘Diva’ is a love letter to the golden girl and to Algeria. ‘Wazira’ is a tribute to the minister of love and ambassador of emotion. And ‘Wayn Ma’addi Wayn’ is a Libyan song, a love letter to Libya, and also a song for broken hearts. So to me, they are all different love letters.”

Explaining the album’s structure, he says, “I divided it into two sides: Side A and Side B, because there’s a difference. Songs like ‘Daloona,’ ‘Wazira’ and ‘Carmentina,’ those are love letters from Marwan. But ‘Diva’ and the rest are love letters from Saint Levant, the persona. Of course, I feel more comfortable as Marwan, but I have to play Saint Levant.”

Speaking about his collaborations, Saint Levant highlights his long-anticipated project with Marwan Moussa. “I’ve wanted to work with Marwan Moussa for a while. Since 2020, in interviews, whenever they asked me which rappers I’d like to collaborate with, I always said Shabjdeed and Marwan Moussa. To me, those two played a big role in my journey. So finally meeting him and being in the studio together was an insane experience.”

Before this project, Saint Levant released his debut full-length album, Deira, in 2024, following the success of his 2023 EP From Gaza with Love. The latter gained widespread attention for its raw and heartfelt expression. Deira is named after the hotel his father built in Gaza in 2000 when their family moved there. The hotel bore witness to many tragedies before being completely destroyed in the recent war. Singing about “Deira” became a celebration of Palestinian daily life and Gaza’s landmarks through a deeply personal lens, reflecting Saint Levant’s lasting bond with his hometown and how that bond has endured over time, adding a profoundly personal and emotional dimension to his work.

In Deira, he worked with prominent artists from different musical landscapes to expand its impact and make it a shared experience. His collaboration with Cheb Bilal on “Let Her Go” and the standout track “Allah Yihmeeki” with global artist Kehlani, who has publicly supported the Palestinian cause, are among the highlights. The album also features tracks that capture Saint Levant’s mix of defiance and emotion, alongside romantic ballads like “Forgive Me” and “Qalbi.”

Saint Levant has secured a consistent presence on the Billboard Arabia Top 100 Artists chart, holding a spot for 46 consecutive weeks. His single “Wazira” released before “Love Letters” entered the Hot 100 last week, with more songs from the album expected to follow in the coming weeks.

This article was originally published by Billboard Arabia, written by Omar Bakbouk.

Naniwa Danshi Scores Third No. 1 With ‘Doki it,’ timelesz’s ‘Rock This Party’ Debuts at No. 5 on Japan Hot 100

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March 5, 2025

Naniwa Danshi’s “Doki it” blasts in at No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated March 5.
The J-pop boy band’s eighth single is being featured as the theme song for AOKI’s “Freshers Fair” commercial starring the seven members. The single launched with 336,529 copies to rule sales, while coming in at No. 4 for downloads and No. 9 for radio airplay. This is the band’s third single after “UBU LOVE” and “The Answer” to hit No. 1 (and the fourth week, as “UBU LOVE” stayed atop the chart for two weeks). and “The Answer”).

Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” follows at No. 2. Streaming and video for the track are down from the previous week, but downloads gained by 104%, radio by 117%, and karaoke by 107%. The Oblivion Battery opener has coasted along in the top 5 for the 46th consecutive week, with six of them at No. 1.

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Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” slips a notch to No. 3. While overall points for the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener have decreased, streaming rises 3-2 (up 119%) and radio jumps 4-1 (up 147%).

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=LOVE’s “Tokubechu, shite” shoots to No. 4 from No. 56. The track marked the girl group’s highest first week sales with 302,589 copies, coming in at No. 2 for the metric.

timelesz’s “Rock this Party” debuts at No. 5. This is the first new song by the now eight-man group formerly known as Sexy Zone, after five new members joined through the audition called timelesz project. It’s also the first digital release by the boy band since their debut as Sexy Zone. The buzz around the new-member audition powered the track to No.1 for downloads, No. 8 for streaming, No. 53 for radio, and No. 86 for video. In addition, the release of the introductory digital compilation album Hello! We’re timelesz including songs from the group’s Sexy Zone years has sent “RUN” and “Jinsei Yugi” back into the Japan Hot 100. It’s been about four and a half years since the former entered the charts (No. 57 this week), and about a year and three months for the latter (No. 95).

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 Feb. 24 to Mar. 2, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.

Bring Me the Horizon React to Liam Gallagher’s Praise of ‘Wonderwall’ Cover

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March 4, 2025

Bring Me the Horizon has reacted to the unexpected support from Liam Gallagher after covering Oasis’ iconic “Wonderwall” for Spotify Singles earlier this year.
The band, who reworked the Britpop anthem into a heavier, more atmospheric version, admitted they were taken aback by Gallagher’s positive response.

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“It’s a good song, it’s actually one of my favorites. Top five,” frontman Oli Sykes said of the track while speaking to NME on the red carpet at the BRIT Awards 2025. “We always usually cover stuff that no one has ever heard of, so we were like, ‘Now let’s try to reimagine something that everyone knows. Make it easy for ourselves.’ It came out alright I think! It was crazy that Liam didn’t slag it off to the high heavens…”

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Drummer Mat Nicholls echoed the sentiment, acknowledging Oasis’ influence on their generation of British musicians.

“[We grew up] listening to them, definitely. It’s hard to ignore them, especially being our age, because Oasis are a British staple. We were expecting [Liam] to absolutely rinse us, but he said some actually nice things! It was cool and I think it went down as good as we wished it could.”

Gallagher had previously responded to the cover on social media, writing, “I f—ing LOVE it.” When a fan speculated that his brother Noel might be displeased, Liam doubled down: “I’m not, it’s absolutely incredible, made my day. I’m off out on my skateboard, f— y’all.”

The BRIT Awards marked another milestone for the band, who previously won Best Alternative/Rock Act in 2024. This year, they were nominated for Group of the Year but lost out to Ezra Collective.

The band is set to headline Reading & Leeds Festival 2025 alongside Travis Scott, Chappell Roan, and Hozier. It marks their second time topping the bill at the twin-site festival, following their 2022 co-headlining slot with Arctic Monkeys.

Yves Discusses Being Unrecognizable in LOONA, Caroline Polachek’s Influence at First U.S. Solo Tour

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February 28, 2025

While the K-pop scene is an ever-evolving landscape whose definition has expanded beyond a specific genre of music, Yves wants her career to change preconceived notions that tend to separate K-pop idols from being considered complete artists.

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Back in November 2017 when Yves (born Ha Soo-young) was first introduced to the world as the ninth member of LOONA through the dark, atmospheric synth-pop throbber of single “New,” the star may have unknowingly set a standard of experimental excellence that would define her solo career years later. An exploration of newfound artistic expression and identity, a now-unshackled Yves released two EPs last year in Loop and I Did (both of which made Billboard‘s mid-year and year-end best K-pop albums lists) with singles like “Viola” and “Loop” featuring Lil Cherry embracing the club-ready sounds that defined some of 2024’s best records as different album cuts explore everything from racing and acoustic rock as well as airy R&B and soft electronica. To date, I Did has 6,000 equivalent album units of activity through Feb. 20, according to Luminate, with its songs collectively registering five million official on-demand U.S. streams. Furthermore, Yves’ most streamed song in the U.S. is “Viola,” which has 2.16 million official on-demand U.S. streams.

“I always had my own image,” Yves shares backstage at the Brooklyn Paramount ahead of the opening U.S. date of her Apple Cinnamon Crunch tour. “But as my solo career is developing, I think I was able to explore more and show more of myself. I feel like I can express a lot of things now that I couldn’t.”

Embracing the multifaceted flavors of the tour’s unique name, Yves begins the show in a punky, funky black mini-skirt and top for the first half of the show, which includes Madison Beer and Avril Lavigne covers before changing into an all-white ensemble reminiscent of any classic millennium pop star look.

While the 27-year-old connected with fans in person on tour across Europe and the States (and will hit Latin and South America in April), Yves wants all aspects of her career to speak to anyone who feels like an outsider. “What I’m trying to pursue is to become a person where I can freely express myself in the world where there is a lot that can cloud one’s perspective,” she adds. “I really don’t want to put myself in a box.”

As she takes center stage fully on her own as a soloist, Yves seems ready to shine brighter than ever. Read on for more insights from Yves’ concurrent journey of solo stardom and self-discovery.

You’ve performed in the States in the past, but it is your first time as a soloist. How has the tour been going and how are you feeling ahead of your first U.S. concert?

At first, I was very scared. Because on stage all of the members are gone, right? It’s just me. So, I’ve been very nervous, but now I think I can enjoy. I’m 70 percent ready out of 100.

From music to fashion to even social media presence, you’ve been sharing what feels like a totally refreshed person. What has been happening in these past months? Are we seeing the real you?

I always had my own image. Back when I was a part of LOONA, whenever I was wearing my own clothes — so, not the clothes that the company wanted me to wear — my members weren’t able to recognize me in public. But as my solo career is developing, I think I was able to explore more and show more of myself. I feel like I can express a lot of things now that I couldn’t before because I have opportunities, so as I develop more and more, you can see more and more of myself.

One of your biggest changes was signing with PAIX PER MIL. I’ve heard K-pop companies may kind of force an image on an idol or artist, but it seems like they give you a lot of creative freedom?

When I was first searching for agencies to join, most of them told me that I have to be either part of a girl group or they didn’t think I can make it as a solo in meetings. But when I went to PAIX PER MIL, the producer, millic, sent me a long message and told me that I have potential to become a solo artist. So, I was really touched by the message that he sent and also that he believed in my image. So, I trusted him and he trusted me.

I was with my first label for almost eight years and in an idol group so I was obligated to think, “Are these clothes right for me? Can I wear this? Can I pose this way? Can I take a picture like that?” I was unsure about what to do with myself. But the label [PAIX PER MIL] really pushed me to point where I could just express myself and just fully show my version of me. So, I think that’s how my label really supported me. It’s a lot easier to have fun now.

You came out so strong with “LOOP” featuring Little Cherry, “Viola” was one of the best songs of last year but there’s also rock, you’re recording in different languages you, is this the music you personally listen to?

When I was first making the LOOP EP, my musical spectrum wasn’t as big as of now. I used to listen to the same songs that I’ve always listened to, but my producers, millic and ioah, really helped me to expand my musical spectrum. It was kind of like homework, where they’d assigned me to listen to some music that they recommended or sometimes they’d share what kind of music they’re listening to. One thing that I remember is the day that they asked me to make a playlist of what I wanted to do in my solo career so I was able to collect the music that I wanted to perform as an artist and make my choices for my music. So, I think as of now, I can confidently say that I am doing what I want to do in terms of my music taste.

Do you remember what songs were included?

So many songs! When I was a part of LOONA, I felt that I was a member who is good at ballads rather than the kind of dance-pop that I’m doing right now. But when I was collecting the music from my playlist, I was able to collect some funky sounds, alternative sounds, rock sounds, all the different kind of experimental sounds that I’ve never dealt with [as a singer]. That’s when I discovered Caroline Polachek and other artists that I’m into right now.

You have great taste and it’s great you could develop your sound. But on the other side of things, why didn’t you want to go to a group or re-debut in another formation?

During my one year break [in 2023], I was able to interact with my other members of LOONA as well as keep communicating my fans. When I was talking to my fans, they were really the ones who convinced me to pursue a solo career. They really supported me for who I am, my choices, and what I wanted to do. So, I think that kind of really pushed me to become a solo artist. Also, when I was talking to other members of LOONA, we all wanted to reach a happy path for all of us and attempt challenges we hadn’t done before because we were going through a lot together. So, there are the solo artists like me and Chuu, but also other girl groups that were formed with LOONA members.

Despite the hard time, it seems like everyone from ARTMS and Loossemble to even Jade Jeong has loving memories of LOONA. Do you feel the same?

Of course. I’m not sure exactly how to put this in English, but it’s kind of like a sore finger. I feel like, you know, I have to have a finger, but also it kind of hurts and will always give me those memories of my past.

My, one of my favorite lyrics from you is on “Hashtag,” which is “Don’t care what’s fake and who you are/ Yeah, In my world, it is only you and me, babe.” What is your perspective these days on what you wanna personally share, whether it’s your social media, your lyrics, fan interactions?

What I’m trying to pursue is to become a person where I can freely express myself in the world where there is a lot that can cloud one’s perspective. I’m also trying to be a confident person who can make my opinions clear without losing my taste. There is a lot of social media and channels to communicate these days which means there’s a lot of information and opinions. It’s gotten to the point where if you’re a little bit different, people criticize or blame them for being different rather than being accepting for who they are. I think that’s the most important part to consider in this world of social media. I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like that.

What kind of message would you give to someone who maybe is being criticized or not accepted and needs the kind of confidence you always show?

It’s a huge world. To the people who feel that something is different, even if you feel like you’re alone or you’ve isolated and locked yourselves in, I should share that when you look around, in fact, there are so many people who think like you, share the same beliefs and don’t deny their existence because of people who criticize them. And just like you or I would say, I always want to support you for who you are and don’t feel discouraged or insecure for being different. Don’t stop.

I love that message. Is there anything else you want to share right now?

I don’t know about the mindset abroad, but in Korea there’s a certain boundary of what is an idol and what is an artist. But I’ve honestly always been an artist and an idol equally since I was in LOONA. I want to be in both. It’s an ongoing process and I really don’t want to put myself in a box when I want to be part of both. I think that’s the message that I really wanted to share here.

Producer Bob Ezrin Renounces U.S. Citizenship, Returns Home to Canada

djfrosty

February 28, 2025

Canadian music producer Bob Ezrin is coming home.
Ezrin plans to renounce his U.S. citizenship. He’s made a full return to Canada from his most recent U.S. base, Nashville.

In an interview with The Globe and Mail‘s Brad Wheeler, Ezrin explains that the current polarized state of American politics and society is the driving force behind this move.

“In the last few years, it seems as if America is split in half,” Ezrin says. “The voices of a radical right have become so much louder. Conspiracy theories abound, people are armed to the teeth, and it’s just a different place than the place I went to.”

Already a member of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Ezrin was recently named as a recipient of the lifetime artistic achievement award by The Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation, honoured for a legendary discography that includes milestone albums by such international stars as Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, U2, Deep Purple, Rod Stewart, Andrea Bocelli, Taylor Swift, Alice Cooper, Nine Inch Nails, Kiss, Lou Reed and many more.

Ezrin and his family moved to Los Angeles from Toronto in 1985, and he became heavily involved in the community of that area. The following decade, he became a U.S. citizen in order to vote.

“I was very engaged, very committed,” he tells Wheeler. “I believed in the country and I believed in the American people, in spite of things like the Iraq War and the income inequality I saw growing, and in spite of the racism that was knitted into the fabric of American life. I still believed the goodness of the majority of Americans would prevail.”

His decision to move back to Canada predated Donald Trump’s inflammatory remarks about annexing this country and his decision to impose excessive trade tariffs, but Ezrin states, “All that underscored the rightness of what I’d decided to do,” he says. “If I’m going to spend time fighting the good fight anywhere, I should do it here.”

Even while spending much of his time in the U.S., Ezrin retained close ties to the Canadian music community. In addition to producing records by Canadian artists, he has contributed immensely to the cause of music education in Canada.

After his induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2004, he became involved with the MusiCounts charity, and he helped initiate the MusiCounts Teacher of the Year Award at the Junos. He and his wife Jan are also founding donors of the MusiCounts Leadership Circle.

In the U.S., Bob Ezrin teamed up with The Edge from U2 to co-found Music Rising, an initiative to replace musical instruments lost in natural disasters. He is also a board member of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a national initiative that supports music in U.S. schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs.

It is symbolically fitting that one of the blockbuster albums produced by Ezrin was Pink Floyd’s The Wall. With this decision to give up his American citizenship, he has now made it crystal clear which side of the symbolic Canada/U.S. wall he has chosen.

In the U.S., Bob Ezrin teamed up with the Edge from U2 to co-found Music Rising, an initiative to replace musical instruments lost in natural disasters. He is also a board member of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, a national initiative that supports music in U.S. schools by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs.

This article was originally published by Billboard Canada.

UNIS Is Billboard’s K-Pop Rookie of the Month for February: Exclusive Photos

djfrosty

February 28, 2025

With their first anniversary just a month away, UNIS looks back on a year of unforgettable moments and exciting changes. In an exclusive interview, the members share what they have learned, how they’ve evolved, and the new challenges they’re ready to embrace.In about a month, you’ll celebrate your one-year anniversary since debut. What has been the most memorable moment of the past year and why?
HYEONJU: My debut is the moment I remember most. It was UNIS’s very first step, and it remains vividly imprinted in my memory.
NANA: I feel the same way.
GEHLEE: I loved the experience of our very first fan signing at a shopping mall in the Philippines. It was my first time witnessing firsthand how deeply my hometown fans adore UNIS. It was truly an honor.
KOTOKO: For me, the day I first met our fans is unforgettable. Meeting those I had longed to see filled me with immense joy.
YUNHA: I believe our debut moment is the most memorable. Revealing UNIS to our eagerly waiting fans was incredibly nerve-racking!
ELISIA: It was during the KBS Music Festival, sharing the stage with our seniors in our first collaborative performance on such a grand scale. UNIS’s “Curious” featured a fresh, fun intro and an energetic dance break that made it especially enjoyable.
YOONA: I clearly remember when we received our first rookie award. It was a prize we had dreamed of, and it felt like a true recognition of all our hard work.
SEOWON: my birthday in 2025 stands out. It was the day I truly realized how much EverAfter supports me and why I started this journey.
Comparing your early days to now, what has been the biggest change?
HYEONJU: It’s the sense of responsibility. Initially, I felt an overwhelming pressure to “do well,” but now I trust my members and simply think, “We’ll be great.”
NANA: I’d say the biggest change is that I’ve grown 1cm taller since debuting!
GEHLEE: I feel much more relaxed and confident. The training after the debut has helped tremendously, and improving my Korean has made adaptation so much easier. I really feel like I’m on the right track now.
KOTOKO: It seems that everything has changed, especially my ability to express myself through a variety of facial expressions.
Over the past year, is there a particular skill or quality you’d like to pass on to your fellow members?
NANA: I want to learn English from ELISIA and GEHLEE!
KOTOKO: HYEONJU’s charisma is incredibly captivating.
ELISIA: I used to move gently and fluidly, but since coming to Korea, I’ve learned to execute sharper, move quickly.
YOONA: I admire ELISIA’s wide range of expressions on music shows and stage performances. I’d love to learn that from her.
SEOWON: I’d love to learn knitting from the talented YUNHA!
As a multinational group representing Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, how do you integrate this strength into your stage, performances, and music?
HYEONJU: Our multinational makeup naturally enhances our expressiveness.
NANA: Knowing the tastes of each country gives us a unique advantage to incorporate diverse elements into our performances.
KOTOKO: Our ability to cover Japanese, Filipino, and various other songs is a major strength.
YUNHA: Being multinational means we can cover songs from our respective countries and showcase new facets of ourselves in different languages.
YOONA: At fan signings, for instance, many international fans attend. We communicate in three languages and even perform cover dances to foreign songs.
With the fandom name “EverAfter” in mind, what special memories do you hope to create with your fans in the future?
GEHLEE: I dream of holding a concert just for EverAfter. Seeing fans holding light sticks and sparkling like stars on stage would be an unforgettable moment, Everafter our fandom name.
KOTOKO: I want to embark on a world tour and meet EverAfter fans around the globe.
SEOWON: I envision opening a café exclusively for EverAfter fans, staffed entirely by UNIS!
Which cities would you like to visit on a world tour?
HYEONJU: I want to visit countries on the other side of the globe. I’ve been to nearby countries, but I’ve yet to meet EverAfter fans from the farthest corners of the world.
NANA: Japan, since it’s my hometown. It would be a dream to visit on tour someday.
KOTOKO: Me too!
GEHLEE: Personally, I’d love to visit New York or Paris. Their fashion scenes fascinate me and meeting fans there would be incredibly exciting.
YUNHA: I’d go anywhere EverAfter is present. I visited Taiwan briefly for a performance and, although it was short, I loved the city’s vibe and would love to return.
ELISIA: I aim to perform at Japan’s Kyocera Dome. I want to become a world-star artist and take the stage there!
YOONA: I’d like to visit Singapore. It’s a country I’ve always wanted to see, with beautiful scenery and a wonderful atmosphere.
SEOWON: For me, it’s Paris and New York. I’ve always wanted to visit these cities at least once.
What is UNIS’s goal for this year?
HYEONJU, KOTOKO, YUNHA, ELISIA, YOONA, SEOWON: Our goal is to top all the music shows!
NANA: For me, it’s all about meeting as many EverAfter fans as possible!
GEHLEE: It would be amazing to hold a UNIS-only concert this year. Even though each of us brings a unique charm, we’re working together to deliver a spectacular performance.
What new aspects or endeavors can fans expect from UNIS in 2025?
HYEONJU: We plan to showcase many sides of UNIS that we haven’t had the chance to reveal before.
NANA: While we’ve always shown a cool image, we’d also love to show a cuter side of ourselves.
GEHLEE: I believe UNIS won’t be confined to a single concept. We’re ready to display everything from cute and lovable to chic and cool. Fans can look forward to a variety of styles next year.
YUNHA: Now that we’re nearing our first anniversary, we hope fans will see a more refined and dynamic performance that reflects our growth from countless stage experiences.
What must UNIS overcome to be recognized as the representative 5th generation girl group?
HYEONJU: I think it comes down to growth. We must continue to develop and show progress.
GEHLEE: To be acknowledged as the leading 5th generation girl group, we need to better showcase our unique identity. With so many amazing groups out there, it’s vital that we continually cultivate and enhance UNIS’s distinctive charm through our performances, music, and teamwork.
YUNHA: For me, it’s about mastering our mindset and always challenging ourselves with confidence is the key.
ELISIA: We must connect people of all generations through our music.
SEOWON: We need to carve out our own unique identity rather than being just another ordinary girl group. That’s how we can present ourselves as a fresh, innovative act to the public.
Are there any hidden talents or personal skills among the members that fans might not know about?
NANA: My fingers are very flexible!
GEHLEE: I’m not sure if it’s a talent, but I frequently notice “angel numbers” like 111, 2222, and 3737, whether on clocks, license plates, or suddenly appearing in my surroundings.
KOTOKO: I’d say it’s HYEONJU. She’s our very own “food expert” who knows all the best eats!
ELISIA: SEOWON can make the most amazing sauces. They’re so delicious, they completely blew me away!

YOONA