Global
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07/23/2024
The BTS star’s sophomore solo release explores romance in all its facets while pushing the singer’s musical, creative and vocal limits.
07/23/2024
If the evening of July 17 in Lajatico, Tuscany, celebrating 30 years of Andrea Bocelli‘s career were a film, it would be an American blockbuster. In the Teatro del Silenzio (“Theater of Science”), a fairytale place among the Tuscan hills that only opens once a year and is in its 19th edition, there were big names as guests, an amazing stage, and the most loved Italian songs in the world, including “O Sole Mio” and “Funiculì Funiculà.”
“I tried not to be overwhelmed by emotions,” Bocelli said the next day. “I tried to express them, to convey them through each song, each duet, while maintaining the cold blood necessary to complete this bet, as beautiful as it is large, ambitious and – I can say it now – also a little risky, given the amount of songs, the lineup, the many people involved.”
A guest list like this onstage hadn’t been seen since the times of “Pavarotti and Friends.” In fact, for the first time Bocelli virtually duetted with the image of Luciano Pavarotti, who appeared in a video behind him for “Notte ‘e Piscatore.”
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At “Andrea Bocelli 30 – The Celebration,” the percentage of foreigners was close to 90% of the 12,000 present every evening (July 15, 17 and 19), as explained by Veronica Berti, Bocelli’s wife and organizer of the event. Most of the visitors come from the United States, but also from Congo, Peru, Spain and South America. In many cases these are people who return to the Teatro del Silenzio every year.
Bocelli himself sought the reason for this feeling of affection toward him. “I believe that it is an audience that still knows how to get excited and frankly express its feelings, that is capable of having fun, of being moved, as well as enjoying good music. Every time I go onstage, what I want most is to give back to those present a bit of positivity and serenity, lighting a smile in them, a moment of tenderness. When this impulse of mine is seized, I am happy. Just as I am happy that many return to the Teatro del Silenzio year after year, undertaking long journeys to experience the concert and also what Italy is able to express, from art to cuisine. It is that ‘culture of beauty’ that we sometimes underestimate, but which the whole world loves.”
One of the main reasons that pushed Bocelli to organize such an event in his hometown is to be able to show artists of that level to his fellow citizens. It’s not every day you see José Carreras, Placido Domingo, Ed Sheeran, Lang Lang, Laura Pausini, Tiziano Ferro, Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Russell Crowe and Zucchero on the same stage.
The evening of July 17 was a great celebration for all those who love Italy and its music, not just that of Andrea Bocelli. “I also thought of my parents, to whose memory I dedicated the first edition of the Teatro del Silenzio,” said Bocelli. “I like to think that every note that rose between those hills that they loved so much reached them in heaven.”
The sky was cobalt blue, the moon was in the background, the temperature was perfect as the sun went down. The large orchestra took its place. A child entered the scene and started a record player playing “O Sole Mio” (from Bocelli’s live album Night in Central Park). Bocelli descended from a high silver staircase in the center of the stage, which seemed to point to the sky, starting the show.
The first part had an operatic flavor, apart from the presence of Zucchero, who came onstage already in the fourth piece with “Miserere.” Then came two protagonists of opera: Placido Domingo and José Carreras. Also worth mentioning are the baritone Franco Vassallo and the soprano Nadine Sierra, who gave a very touching moment with “Vicino a Te S’acqueta,” from the opera Andrea Chenier. Meanwhile, the 500 drones above the heads of the audience reproduced a moving starry sky and the staircase became a triangle on which the videos were projected.
The second part of the evening was no less sumptuous. Kicking things off was none other than Will Smith, who performed the lyrics to “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” written by Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein at the end of World War II with music by Richard Rodgers.
Then Lang Lang arrived. The Chinese pianist played “Ritual Fire Dance,” leaving everyone astonished. Then it was the moment of Virginia, Bocelli’s daughter, who is only 12 years old and had already shown a great love for music. She sang “You Raise Me Up,” a title that couldn’t be more appropriate.
Another exceptional guest took to the stage, a great friend of the host, Laura Pausini. He sat on the piano to accompany Pausini for Charles Aznavour’s “She.” In the end, Pausini wanted to say how all this reminded her of her beginnings at the piano bar, just like Bocelli himself. “At the time we were happy to sing for a few people, as much as we are now to be in front of such a large audience,” she said.
After her, it was Russell Crowe’s turn, who has the perfect vocal timbre and attitude to sing Leonard Cohen’s “Take This Waltz” alone. Then it was the Bocelli brothers’ turn. Matteo sang his “Honesty” accompanied by Amos on the piano.
Bocelli then introduced the next international guest. “One day a guy who was already quite famous and already playing stadiums came to me,” he says. “We recorded a song together, but he let me know that my part wasn’t right. He asked me to do it again, and he was right! That song now has half a billion views on YouTube.” Ed Sheeran came onstage, and together they sang “Perfect Symphony.”
The surprises didn’t end, because Johnny Depp took to the stage as guitarist. He and Bocelli performed a cover of “En Aranjuez con Tu Amor” in honor of their late friend Jeff Beck, who died last year; all three played it together in 2020. At the end of the performance, Johnny Depp said how important it was to play that piece, which made you imagine that Jeff was there with them.
Finally, Laura Pausini returned to the stage, this time in a duet with Tiziano Ferro on “Invece No.”
The three evenings of “Andrea Bocelli 30 – The Celebration” will become a film with the same title, directed by Grammy nominee and Emmy Award winner Sam Wrench.
The album Duets (Decca Records / Sugar Music) will be released Oct. 25 and will bring together many of the collaborations of the last three decades, but also new songs, for a total of 32 tracks. The album will feature duets with Ed Sheeran, Céline Dion, Sarah Brightman, Dua Lipa, Jennifer Lopez, Giorgia and Luciano Pavarotti, and new duets recorded specifically for this album with Shania Twain, Chris Stapleton, Gwen Stefani, Marc Anthony, Karol G , Sofia Carson, Lauren Daigle, Elisa, Matteo Bocelli and Hans Zimmer.
At the end of the year, the documentary Andrea Bocelli: Why I Believe will also be released, telling his story from his beginnings in piano bars until today. In the winter, Bocelli will be on tour in North America, for 10 dates in San Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Uncasville and Miami, as well as returning to New York’s iconic Madison Square Garden York for two concerts. The tour will begin in San Diego on Nov. 4 and conclude in Miami on Dec. 22.
In an unexpected crossover of pop titans, Coldplay’s Chris Martin paid homage to Taylor Swift during their Düsseldorf concert on Saturday (July 20).
Before performing their 2016 track “Everglow,” Martin dedicated the song to Swift and her fans, acknowledging her recent departure from nearby Gelsenkirchen after completing her Eras Tour shows in the city last Friday.
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“This is for Taylor Swift because she left town,” Martin said from behind the piano, eliciting cheers from the crowd at Merkur Spiel-Arena. “This is for all of you who feel sad today because Taylor had to go to the next city. So we sing this love song, this heartbreak song, and send it to Taylor wherever she is today.”
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The thoughtful dedication comes as Swift continues her record-breaking Eras Tour across Germany, with upcoming stops in Hamburg and Munich.
The “Anti-Hero” singer recently celebrated the enthusiastic reception from German Swifties, praising their “amazing” and “thoughtful” support during her three-night run in Gelsenkirchen.
“Those 3 Gelsenkirchen crowds were AMAZING, and so thoughtful???” she wrote on Instagram. “There were signs and paper hearts, the ‘Betty’ wave, and tons of DIY ‘willow’ orbs made out of balloons + phone flashlights. Thank you!!!”
Swift also expressed her appreciation for the support of her latest album, The Tortured Poets Department, and the fact that the album had stayed at number one for its first 12 weeks, a milestone she had never achieved before.
“I also wanted to say to everyone who’s supported The Tortured Poets Department, I am completely blown away by what you’ve done – it stayed at #1 for the first 12 weeks of its release and that’s never happened to an album of mine before, not even close!!” the “Blank Space” singer wrote.
She added, “You’re just the greatest. Anyway, now that we’ve officially kicked off our shows in Germany, I can’t wait to see you all in Hamburg next!”
Coldplay’s European tour leg follows their headline-grabbing performance at the 2024 Glastonbury Festival in late June. The band is set to continue their run with another show in Düsseldorf on July 21.
On the Billboard charts, both Coldplay and Taylor Swift continue to make waves. Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department remains a fixture in the top 10 of the Billboard 200, while Coldplay’s latest single “Higher Power” is climbing the Hot 100.
Check out Coldplay’s dedication to Taylor Swift below.
Chris Martin before signing Everglow at Coldplay’s show in Düsseldorf tonight!“This is for Taylor Swift, because she left town – this is for all of you who feel sad today because Taylor had to go to the next city! We sing this love song and send it to Taylor wherever she is” pic.twitter.com/NwDso2qjiX— kaia (@kaiamal13) July 20, 2024
Chappell Roan is riding a wave of success powered by her debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, her first top 10 on the U.S.-based Billboard 200, and standalone single “Good Luck Babe!,” her first top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Willard, Mo. native is receiving 32 times as many weekly U.S. official on-demand streams as she was at the start of the year – jumping from 2.5 million (in the week ending Jan. 4) to 80.3 million (July 11), according to Luminate.
Now, international audiences are catching up.
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Five weeks after debuting on the Hot 100, and three frames after starting on the Billboard Global 200, Chappell Roan’s “Hot To Go!” enters the July 20-dated Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart at No. 200, marking the first entry on the chart from the LP. In the week ending July 11, the song’s non-U.S. streams climbed by 3% to 8.4 million, another in a string of more than 20 consecutive weeks of increases.
The song’s bow builds upon the singer-songwriter’s domestic surge with multiple tracks. Here, “Good Luck, Babe!” has risen to No. 10 on the Hot 100, making cross-metric inroads on streaming, radio and sales. Album cuts “Hot To Go!,” “Red Wine Supernova,” and “Pink Pony Club” have followed on the Hot 100, and due to the U.S.’s dominant impact on the world music economy, on the Global 200.
On Global Excl. U.S., which removes domestic consumption from its methodology (the Global 200 reflects data in more than 200 territories, including the U.S.), “Good Luck, Babe!” has grown its share of non-U.S. global streams from 31% to 57% in the current tracking week. (The week’s average among all songs that are on both the Global 200 and Global Excl. U.S. is 75% outside the U.S., reflecting a mix of big U.S. hits and those that have not made notable impacts on U.S. shores).
Over the course of the last seven weeks, “Hot To Go!” has expanded its international reach from 35% of its overall streams, to 44%. Roan’s 10 most-streamed songs average 41%, up from 35% just three weeks ago.
While these figures show that international audiences are helping spark Chappell Roan’s rising profile, her non-U.S. percentages are more in line with country and hip-hop artists than pop singer-songwriters. At 56%, “Hot To Go!” has the second-highest U.S. share among all songs on both of this week’s global charts. It’s sandwiched between two country tracks – Post Malone’s “I Had Some Help,” featuring Morgan Wallen, and Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – at 59% and 56%, respectively. Next is Future, Metro Boomin, and Kendrick Lamar’s “Like That” (56%) and Lamar’s “Not Like Us” (50%). Then, it’s tracks by R&B/Hip-Hop focused acts Megan Thee Stallion, Tommy Richman and The Kid LAROI.
“Hot To Go!” continues its ascent in the U.S., having entered the Hot 100’s top 40 two weeks earlier despite not being promoted as a proper radio single, as “Good Luck, Babe!” is. And as introductions to international markets, these hits could be setting Chappell Roan up for a more balanced global spread on future releases. Fellow pop breakthrough Sabrina Carpenter (also on Island Records) made similarly steady showings with 2021’s “Skin,” 2022’s “Nonsense” and 2023’s “Feather,” each peaking much higher on the Global 200 than Global Excl. U.S. Then, this year’s “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” matched No. 1 peaks on both charts, with the former continuing its seven-week-and-counting reign on Global Excl. U.S.
Chappell Roan’s international crossover is becoming clearer each week, as “Good Luck, Babe!” additionally continues to impact Billboard’s Hits of the World charts. It debuted on the May 11-dated Ireland Songs survey, followed by chart arrivals in the U.K. two weeks later and New Zealand, Australia and Singapore in consecutive weeks in June. It has now reached the top five in three of those territories.
This week, “Good Luck, Babe!” starts on Portugal Songs, marking its first international chart appearance measuring a territory without English as an official language. Further, “Hot To Go!” made its Hits of the World debut this week, at No. 25 on U.K. Songs.
On Feb. 13, 2024, BMSG, Inc. made waves in the Japanese music industry with their statement, “BMSG’s Recommendations for Pulling the Music Industry Back from the Brink of Unsustainability.” The announcement discussed the problems of Japan‘s music industry, which still heavily relies on CD sales. One of the issues discussed was how this reliance on physical media has led to people purchasing multiple copies of the same CD, contributing to the generation of excessive waste. BMSG declared its commitment to taking action to change the music industry’s structure and minimize CD waste.
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The announcement highlighted that the bulk-purchasing of CDs has been a longstanding issue, sparking debate for over a decade. The fact that this announcement came from BMSG, a record label and management agency home to dance and vocal groups with passionate fandoms, created a huge stir, both inside and outside the industry.
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In a revealing interview in The Quiet Revolution of Billboard Japan, published on Feb. 20, SKY-HI, CEO of BMSG, Inc., elaborated on the issues highlighted in the company’s recent announcement. Seiji Isozaki, the book’s author and chart director for Billboard Japan, shared his insights from the conversation.
“It was my first time meeting SKY-HI in person, but I’d heard a lot about what he’d said and done before. Some of his activities involved the hit charts, and I found them really thought-provoking. They motivated me in creating the Japanese charts. I thought that discussing the charts with him would offer insights into the artists’ perspectives on chart changes and allow for a multifaceted exploration of issues surrounding hit charts.”
“Meeting him in person, what I felt was his flexible stance on living in the present. At Billboard Japan, we’ve also continued to think about the limits and possibilities of the current music industry through our efforts with the hit charts. Although our positions are different, I strongly felt that he had also been grappling with the same issues, and it was a very encouraging dialogue.”
At the April BMSG convention, members of the entertainment industry watched SKY-HI’s presentation, where he reinforced the company’s commitment to these sustainability recommendations. Through the presentation, which was later streamed on YouTube, SKI-HI spoke directly about the recommendations, sharing them with the rest of the world.
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BE:FIRST’s concept single, “Masterplan,” released on April 24, was the first project to embody BMSG’s sustainability proposal. The single comes in a paper sleeve to reduce the amount of plastic generated by CD production. BMSG also eliminated retailer-specific add-ons — collectibles that come with CDs sold by specific music retailers that are randomly packaged with CDs, both of which drive bulk CD purchasing. Due to these decisions, the number of CDs shipped during the period from April 24 to May 22 fell by roughly 70,000, but total sales of singles and single-related merchandise, including merchandise featuring the single’s art, roughly doubled. Using paper sleeves cut plastic usage during the CD production phase by 10 tons and reduced the amount of associated CO2 emissions by 59 tons.
The title track, “Masterplan,” made a splash by debuting at the top of Billboard Japan’s Hot 100 song chart. The album’s solid chart results demonstrated that it’s possible to take the number one position without relying on the bulk purchasing of CDs by fans or retailer-specific add-ons.
“When we think about what makes a hit,” said Isozaki, “it’s important to look at how the hit charts are structured and how valid those charts are—whether those charts resonate with people. Getting to know the evolving Billboard charts in the US and the individuals shaping their evolution, I’ve come to deeply appreciate the significant responsibility we bear.”
“In the U.S., in the early ’90s, Nielsen Music (now Luminate) succeeded in collecting point-of-sale data from record stores across the country. Until then, data had been generated based on the results of fax and telephone surveys. The shift to this new, objective data collection method revolutionized the Billboard Hot 100 lineup overnight. The changes came as quite a shock, both inside the industry and out, and profoundly transformed what it means to be a hit. One thing we find very impressive is how Billboard’s charts have been able to keep resonating with people in the same way by constantly making adjustments, adding new data such as downloads and streaming plays.”
“In the early 2010s, Japan saw a surge in fan-driven bulk purchases due to customer participation activities. The phenomenon brought renewed attention to the practices of the music charts. This raised a dilemma. On the one hand, we needed to recognize the support that fans provided artists by bulk-buying their music. On the other hand, we also needed to ensure that our charts resonated with the broader audience so as to accurately represent which songs were true hits. And, no matter what, our charts should never incentivize unsustainable fan behavior that leads to burnout. So, since the mid-2010s, we’ve been meticulously adjusting the charts weekly to strike just the right balance. These adjustments have gradually reshaped Japan’s definition of a hit song.”
“Today, purchasing multiple copies of the same track has minimal impact on the hit charts. Fans desire longevity in their favorite artists’ careers. SKY-HI’s proposal invites us all to consider how fan activities in Japan can sustainably support artists.”
BMSG says that BE:FIRST’s initiatives are just the beginning of an ongoing effort to improve the sustainability of Japan’s music industry. On July 1, the South Korean boy band ATEEZ and BE:FIRST released their collaborative single, “Hush-Hush.” As BMSG sets its sights on the international arena, it is extending its reach beyond Japan’s borders. The full impact of these moves on the music industries of Japan and the wider world remains to be seen, yet it is evident that BMSG is steadfast in meeting these challenges.
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This article by Seiji Isozaki and Maiko Murata first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” hits the top spot on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, moving 4-1 on the chart dated July 17 after spending 14 weeks on the tally.
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The opener for the anime series Oblivion Battery was released back in April and debuted at No. 11 on the Japan Hot 100, then climbed to the top 5 where it coasted along powered by streams. The last episode of the anime aired on July 3, and the track saw an increase in all metrics this week with downloads at 106%, streaming at 107%, radio airplay at 194%, video views at 123%, and karaoke at 120% week-over-week.
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Debuting at No. 2 is SixTONES’s “GONG,” the lead track off the boy band’s 13th single “GONG/Koko ni kaettekite.” The CD launched with 438,438 copies to hit No. 1 for sales, while the song also comes at No. 35 for radio and No. 33 for video.
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Creepy Nuts’ long-running hit “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born” holds at No. 3, followed by BOYNEXTDOOR’s “One and Only” at No. 4. “One and Only” is the lead track from BOYNEXTDOOR’s first single called “And,” which sold 238,859 copies in its first week to come in at No. 2 for sales.
“Fatal” by GEMN, the duo consisting of Kento Nakajima and Tatsuya Kitani, rises 21-8 to break into the top 10. “Fatal” is being featured as the opener for the anime series Oshi no Ko Season 2, which began airing July 3. The track jumps 42-11 for streaming, 20-4 for video, and bows at No. 65 for radio.
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Other notable chart moves this week include ONE OK ROCK’s “Delusion:All,” the theme song for the movie Kingdom 4, debuting at No. 21, and Ado’s “RuLe,” the theme song for the drama series Billion x School, bowing at No. 40.
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 July 8 to 14, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
On Dec. 23, 2023, fans were fortunate to see “Thanks,” a final, additional performance by GARNiDELiA at Tokyo’s EX THEATER ROPPONGI as part of their GARNiDELiA stellacage 2023 -stella ship- Re:CoNNeCT world tour. Six months later, on June 30, 2024, GARNiDELiA premier stellacage ‘TOKYO’ World Tour 2024 -TEN- [MAKUAKE] was held. This was the opening show of their world tour and their first time performing in Tokyo’s Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall. The mood of the show was dramatically different from the previous show, and you could immediately see and feel the support GARNiDELiA enjoyed from its passionate Chinese fanbase. The first thing one saw upon stepping into the outdoor theater was the huge number of Chinese-speaking fans.
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The popularity of GARNiDELiA’s songs exploded throughout China with member MARiA’s performance of “Gokuraku Jodo” on the Chinese audition show Cheng Feng 2023, launching the band into stardom. MARiA now enjoys overwhelming popularity in China, even serving as the advertising face of various brands.
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Unfortunately, it was rainy on the day of the outdoor show. In the midst of the drizzle, sound effects with a distinctly Asian feel began playing and toku and the band’s supporting members took to the stage. Then MARiA appeared, wearing a dress evocative of the Middle East and a long veil covering her face. The show began with “-TEN-,” a song from their latest album, TEN, which represents GARNiDELiA’s resolve to reach the pinnacle of all they survey. The sound production featured deep bass, the product of the band’s experience in China. This combined with MARiA’s singing voice, whose emotional strength had reached new heights, to produce a chemical reaction that resulted in a simply overwhelming performance. During the band’s performance of “Diamond,” she removed her veil and was joined by a team of dancers. For the rest of the show, they put on intricate dances as MARiA commanded the stage. The crowd shouted along and banged their heads to “COLOR,” bringing the audience even closer together, and then the band launched into “True High.”
After toku and MARiA’s self-introductions, MARiA loosened up the audience with her cheery personality, saying “What a wonderful, sunny day, huh! (laughs) We’re really fortunate to have such great weather! Okay, everybody, I want you just as soaked as me by the time you leave today!” She mentioned that they had added music with a “sky” theme to the set list because of the Hibiya Open-Air Concert Hall location.
Her soft voice as she sang the line “a blue sky, free of clouds” in their performance of “ONE,” accompanied by the gorgeous, melodious synth line played by toku, was so powerful it felt like it could even part the rainclouds. MARiA’s piercing eyes glittered, showing the sincerity and honesty she always brings to her songs, as she performed “Soten.” This was followed by “Akatsuki Zakura” and “Oka Ramman,” whose Japanese tones took the splendor of the music to a new level.
MARiA, wearing a cat’s ear headband, and toku, donning a cat’s ear cap, then performed “CAT PLANET” (with a quick detour to perform a cover of Anri’s “CAT’S EYE”). The choreography, featuring cat paw gestures, was a stand-out, and the audience sang along to the “nya nya nya” (“meow meow meow”) part. Still wearing their cat’s ears, GARNiDELiA then played “PiNK CAT,” “Gen Ai Yugi,” and “QUEEN(S) GAME,” all accompanied by their dancers. The active back-and-forth with the audience is one of the hallmarks of the band’s live performances, marked by its global sensibilities.
The rain, however, showed no signs of stopping, instead growing fiercer and fiercer. MARiA, having changed into a black costume with gold decorations, sang a lush rendition of “Fiction,” a song of heartbreak with a piano refrain that lingers even after the song ends. Then the band performed “Hoshi No Uta” and “Suzuran.” The ‘80s flavor created a soundscape that felt both nostalgic and new, drawing out both the wistfulness and beauty of MARiA’s voice. The rain, now pouring down, was perfectly matched to MARiA’s emotional performance. The struggles and hard work beneath her artistry were highlighted even more sharply than in the band’s usual concerts, creating an overwhelming sense of authenticity.
“Sometimes your voices and your love feel like my wings. When I’m with you, nothing can stop me,” said MARiA before diving into the song “Future Wing.” This was followed by the hard-edged rock songs “SPEED STAR,” “ambiguous,” and “BLAZING.” The show’s finale was a special version of “FRONTiER,” which also felt like a beginning. In the encore, which began with “Gokuraku Jodo,” MARiA talked to the Chinese-speaking fans, who cheered in response. It was a truly international moment. “I want my fans in Japan to feel the Chinese vibe,” said MARiA, and the band covered Ikimonogakari’s “Blue Bird,” a song that enjoys a lot of popularity overseas. Many of the Chinese-speaking fans sang along with the chorus in Japanese. Seeing the success GARNiDELiA is achieving around the world, such as the growing range of reactions from the audience, with my own eyes, I was sure that GARNiDELiA’s music was poised on the edge of a dramatic transformation.
“No matter how hard things were, no matter how I struggled, no matter how dark the future looked, I kept pushing forward. I kept fighting. I knew that if I kept doing that, a miracle would happen. Our life, and the love you have all given us, is a testament to that,” said MARiA.
The Hibiya show was the opening of a five-month tour starting in summer that would see GARNiDELiA playing roughly 50 shows, mostly in China and nearby areas. The duo shows true strength, taking change head-on, unflinchingly, in the midst of our rapidly changing environment. This strength was demonstrated again by their performance in the middle of a merciless rainstorm.
The show came to a close with toku, a keytar over his shoulder, leaping to the front of the stage to perform “G.R.N.D.” MARiA and toku’s paths crisscrossed as they listened to each other’s music. Enveloped in generous applause and cheering voices, the duo left the stage.
This article by Mio Komachi first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Billboard Korea’s CEO Yuna Kim spoke with Billboard Japan for its Women in Music interview series featuring trailblazing female players in the country’s music industry. Billboard Japan launched its WIM initiative in 2022 in the same spirit as the established example of Billboard’s event that began in 2007, honoring artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to the music industry and empowered women through their work, the highest accolade being Woman of the Year.
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Kim is the CEO of Billboard Korea, which joined Billboard’s international editions in June 2024. Reflecting on her career and the Global Women Leader Forum she launched in 2022 to empower Korean businesswomen, Kim spoke candidly about the challenges and issues surrounding female artists in Korea and the need for independent female leaders.
We’d love to hear about how you started your career and became the CEO of Billboard Korea.
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I started my own business in Shanghai 15 years ago. I had an entertainment company called GMI Entertainment and brought many K-pop stars, Korean actors, and celebrities to China to make TV programs, dramas and movies. I then moved to South Korea in 2016 and joined a big company Shinsegae Group, where I was head of global marketing. I then signed a licensing agreement with Penske Media Corporation, which owns WWD in the U.S., to launch WWD Korea in 2019 and then Billboard Korea this year.
Not only have you worked in the music industry, you have worked in different areas in the entertainment space.
Yes, exactly. In Shanghai, I had my TV program at Anhui TV, a major broadcasting company. I also launched my social media channels on Douyin, and Xiaohongshu, called Meet The Idol when I was there. So, I have a good understanding of the media and the entertainment business.
You are now the CEO of Billboard Korea. Do many women hold executive roles in Korea?
It is gradually increasing, but still low. In the Korean music industry, the proportion of female executives is only 6%. As you know, South Korea is a very conservative country.
Yes, Japan is the same way.
So, like women in Japan, it is tough to become an entrepreneur in South Korea. This is why in 2022, I invited global women leaders from the U.S. and organized the Global Women Leader Forum in South Korea. I wanted to teach the women leaders in Korea, about what it means to be a female leader. And to do this, we thought we needed to learn from other countries. We invited Maye Musk to speak at the forum because we wanted to focus more on independent women. She is well known as a single mother, having raised three children, including Elon Musk. She is very independent and has many beautiful stories to tell, and we hope to have a second forum by the spring of 2025.
Did you see any changes since holding the Global Women Leaders Forum?
Before organizing the forum, many of my friends told me, “Korea is a very conservative country, so many women leaders wouldn’t want to participate. So there is no point in doing it.” As you know, it’s a very sensitive topic. Many women in Korea feel they are not capable of holding executive positions, such as a CEO. They feel that they should give up because many women think they need to fight against men for these positions. But my view is different. Women have their unique strengths and personalities. Instead of fighting against men, they should be able to utilize their unique styles and strengths.
Approximately 300 women leaders attended the forum, which changed their thinking dramatically. Even older women leaders said that women leaders are necessary, not just for women, but for the company. Since then, other media outlets have started similar campaigns for female leadership. At Billboard Korea, we would also like to launch initiatives to empower female leaders and entrepreneurs in the music industry.
It’s a great initiative. Japan is gradually changing from an era in which women were expected to work in the same way as men, or even more than men, to an era in which men and women support each other both at work and at home. Since it takes time to change people’s values, it’s a gradual change, yet I believe entertainment can play a major role in this process.
Let’s talk about the challenges surrounding female artists. When you look at the year-end charts in the U.S. and Japan, men continue to outnumber women. When we spoke to Billboard‘s editorial director Hannah Karp for this interview series, she said there are still issues that need to be resolved, such as safety for women in recording studios and sexual harassment. What problems do you see in South Korea?
There is harassment in South Korea as well. Many men don’t want to get involved in such issues, so it doesn’t get covered in the news, especially in the older media. I feel it’s a major problem when voices of female artists and creators are not heard. There are also issues surrounding the way women look. We are all under huge pressure to be slim and pretty or expected to look like dolls, not human beings. So young K-pop celebrities invest heavily in their faces and bodies, trying to be younger and more beautiful. This is an issue in the Korean entertainment industry.
Everyone’s appearance changes as they grow older. Do K-pop fans continue to support their favorite artists as they age gracefully or do they move on and support younger artists?
I think it is 50-50 among K-pop fans. BTS fans continue to support them even after they have gone to military service, and they seem to enjoy the fact that they are growing with age. However, the same cannot be said for girl groups. I feel there is a lot more demand for female artists to be younger.
What can we do as a media outlet to support female artists and ensure that they can continue to perform and make music for a long time?
For this reason, I would like to focus more on independent women and female leaders. If we understand and empathize with our idols, not only with their appearance but also with their thoughts and philosophy, we will want to continue supporting them no matter how old they are. As a media outlet, we can listen to the voices of the fans and the artists, right? By helping artists and fans to build a relationship, artists can continue to grow.
The most popular Korean acts in Japan are male and female groups. Are there any female solo artists outside of the mainstream who have enjoyed long careers in Korea?
That is a good question. As you say, there are artists from various genres in South Korea, but only girl and boy groups have had global hits. The reason being, it is more difficult for solo artists to gain a dedicated fandom compared to groups. Therefore, many agencies produce groups. There are many talented female solo artists in Korea, and Billboard Korea wants to introduce all genres to the world, such as K-R&B, jazz, classical, hip-hop and trot.
We also want to introduce artists of different genders and genres to the world. I believe this can change the world view of the Japanese and Korean music scene.
Billboard is launching its media all around the world. We have different cultures and ways of thinking, but women should be independent in every country. We want to think about what needs to be done in each country to support women and implement it.
This interview by Naoko Takashima first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Fans around the world will be able to livestream this year’s Fuji Rock Festival free of charge on Prime Video and the three official Amazon Music channels on Twitch.
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One of Japan’s pioneering music festivals, Fuji Rock ’24 is slated to hit Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture from July 26-28. The livestream will feature performances and interview footage of the acts billed on this year’s lineup set to appear on the Green, White, Red Marquee and Field of Heaven stages.
The Killers, Kraftwerk and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds will headline this year’s Fuji Rock, while acts including Awich, Beth Gibbons, girl in red, Hiromi’s Sonicwonder, Kenya Grace, Kim Gordon, Tatsuya Kitani, MAN WITH A MISSION, Omar Apollo, Taeko Onuki, Noname, Peggy Gou, RAYE, Remi Wolf, Rufus Wainwright, Sampha, Teddy Swims, 10-FEET, The Allman Betts Band, The Last Dinner Party, TOKYO SKA PARADISE ORCHESTRA, Turnstile and more have been announced to perform. The schedule and lineup for the online livestream will be announced later.
Prime Video, which is free for those with an Amazon Prime account, can be streamed on the website and on a variety of compatible devices by using the Prime Video app including smartphones, tablets, cable TV devices, gaming devices, smart TVs, Fire TV, Fire TV stick and Fire tablets. The livestream will also be available for free on the three official Amazon Music channels on Twitch.
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