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Pinpointing the exact moment when Mohammed Abdu earned the title “Artists of the Arabs” proves challenging, yet it undoubtedly reflects his remarkable contributions to the pantheon of Arabic music. His unwavering commitment to evolving his artistic style and craft over the past six decades cemented his legacy. Abdu introduced the inaugural musical experience from the Gulf, specifically from Saudi Arabia, reaching audiences in Egypt and the Levant, and later, performances on distinguished global stages.
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In this realm, his artistic resonance mirrors that of other Arabic music icons such as Umm Kulthum in Egypt and Fairuz in Lebanon. Abdu’s music stands among these trailblazers, transcending boundaries of geography, dialect and cultures. It continues to be cherished, remembered and echoed across the Arab world, ingrained in the collective memory to this day.
When asked about the artistic activity closest to his heart, Abdu’s response is swift and confident: “The stage!” Abdu has always been passionate about bringing his art to the masses. “We started with open-air public theaters,” he says, a sentiment that defines the nearly sixty years he has been active in the music scene. Over this time, he has observed significant changes in the music industry, not only in Saudi Arabia but across the GCC and the Arab region as a whole. At just 14 years old, he experienced the proliferation of traditional Arabic music in Saudi Arabia and had the opportunity to learn from and train under the leading composers and musicians of the time.
While theater holds a special place in his heart, radio was the first and most influential platform in Mohammed Abdu’s artistic journey. He fondly recalls his time at Saudi Broadcasting Authority, reminiscing about the memories it holds. Abdu joined the station in its early days in the ‘60s, describing it as a pivotal moment filled with both fear and excitement. He recalls, “When the Saudi Radio aimed to contribute to the elevation of [Khaleeji] art, the Radio sought to adopt an artist whose work it would produce based on a refined culture.”
This leads him to remember his greatest moment of sadness. “One of the saddest moments in my life was when I heard my voice on the radio. Sadness and crying took over me, and maybe even depression to a certain extent.” However, fear and sadness became drivers of hope for him, and hope was always a source of joy. Hearing his voice on the radio marked the official recognition of his status as a professional artist, ushering in a feeling of facing the unknown and newfound responsibilities. To ease his nervousness, he even explored alternative career options alongside his music, but ultimately his drive toward music persevered.
It’s crucial to note that radio in that era, especially in the Kingdom, served as more than just a broadcasting platform; it was an artist’s home, production company, recording studio and distribution platform—all functions that are now separated. Mohammed Abdu emphasizes the revolutionary role of Saudi Radio in popularizing traditional Arabic music to Saudi Arabia in the early 1960s by bringing in musicians from the Levant. Before this, traditional music in the Gulf mainly consisted of collective chanting of poetry, including what we know today as Saudi Sheilat music.
After the foundational phase marked by fear, sadness, responsibility and personal struggles, Abdu entered another phase in his career characterized by collaboration with fellow artists, influencing and drawing inspiration from them. A significant figure in shaping Abdu’s musical journey was the late composer Omar Kadars. Abdu expresses, “I gained a wealth of knowledge from him. His openness to traditional Arabic melodies, their intricacies and his mesmerizing oud playing greatly benefited me. As an amateur with modest talent in the beginning, I ended up benefiting immensely from his guidance.”
It was during this time that music in Egypt opened up even more. In the 1970s, young Abdu set off to Egypt, ready to take on the world as a budding artist and expand his horizons. He went with a clear purpose in mind, saying, “When I went to Egypt, I had a plan. I brought my tunes and my vision. I wanted to bring fame to my country’s art. You could say it was a fully integrated Saudi artistic project…. My first trip to Egypt was in 1969 and I can confidently say that I benefited from the musical workshops they used to organize, which helped me showcase the true colors of the Gulf.”
Proving himself as a serious artist, Abdu collaborated with legendary Egyptian composers like Riad Al-Sunbati, singing his compositions in a national operetta. He also worked with the late Egyptian poet Ismat Al-Habrouk, co-writing a eulogy song for Umm Kulthum called “Bulbuli Al-Sadah” when she passed away. This moment deeply affected Abdu, a devoted fan of Umm Kulthum who attended her concerts across the Arab world whenever possible. As he continued his music journey in Saudi Arabia and made regular trips to Egypt, he produced songs resonating throughout the Arab region in the 1980s, such as “Aywah,” “La Treddin Al Rassayel” and “Markab El Hind.”
In the 1990s, the Artist of the Arabs began reaping the rewards of his years of hard work in music, performing his rich repertoire on some of the world’s most prestigious stages as the pioneer of Saudi song. His voice brought people together with heartfelt songs like “Baad Kuntu Wala Garibin,” which he dedicated to expats. Abdu performed in major Arab and European cities as well, as part of the Weeks of Cultural Exchange that Saudi Arabia used to organize.
After reflecting on his long journey, we must also explore Mohammed Abdu as an artist in the present day, while considering how production techniques and methods have evolved. In this context, he emphasizes that today’s generation of aspiring musicians is incredibly fortunate. “Nowadays, demand is higher than supply,” he stated, referring to the numerous radio stations and platforms that give emerging talent the chance to showcase themselves to their audience. “An artist without an audience is an artist without art. The audience isn’t ignorant; they need to see something valuable in the artist,” he explained, sharing his perspective on the special relationship between an artist and their audience. However, certain aspects that define an artist’s essence remain constant regardless of the era. According to Abdu, “An artist is composed of two layers: natural talent and the mastery of it. Talent is innate, while mastery is acquired.”
In the interview, Abdu also compares yesterday’s music with today’s. He acknowledges the changes in composition and recording techniques, pointing out that technology has made things easier. “I’ve always been a bit slow with composition, but nowadays, technology is a real time-saver,” he admits. However, he also sees a downside to this convenience. He believes that artists have become a bit lazy due to the ease and speed it brings. Previously, music recording required effort, focus, discipline and a respect for time.
When it comes to AI and the future of the music industry, Abdu doesn’t shy away from expressing his support for technological advancement: “Scientific progress in general should never stop,” he says. However, upon closer examination, he also recognizes that AI-generated sounds, especially in traditional Arabic music, are still far from perfect. Particularly in genres that rely on improvisation and creativity, there’s still work to be done.
When asked about the wave of openness toward art and music in the Kingdom, and whether it aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, Mohammed answers, “What we are witnessing today is a culmination of past efforts, with officials knowing exactly when to seize the moment and launch us into this smart era. We’re picking up where others left off, and it’s a remarkable time to be part of the scene.”
This article is translated from the original on Billboard Arabia.
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SPY x FAMILY CODE: White, an animated film featuring the beloved characters of the popular manga and anime series, has quickly become a box office smash in Japan after hitting theaters Dec. 22. Japanese hitmaker Gen Hoshino wrote the ending theme for this movie, as he did for the TV series, and this new song “Why” is the title track of his latest single.
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The 42-year-old artist’s new project also features “Life” — the theme song for this year’s World Athletics Championships and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China — as the other title track, and includes “Odd Couple” a song written for the popular Japanese comedy duo Audrey for their event at Tokyo Dome, and the instrumental track “Beyond the Sequence” featured in a TV commercial that he appears in. The J-pop superstar sat down with Billboard Japan and looked back on his headspace in 2023 while breaking down the production process of the tracks on this new single.
“Why” is the ending theme song for SPY x FAMILY CODE: White. How did you feel when you were tapped to write this song?
Gen Hoshino: First, I thought it was interesting that the ending theme would be revealed on the day of the movie’s release. I wrote “Comedy” (the ending theme for SPY x FAMILY Season 1) with the sound of 2000s hip-hop in mind, so when I was asked to do the theme for the movie, I wanted to make sure that the feel of the music was connected at the base. For “Why,” I went further back and combined the R&B/hip-hop beats of the early ’90s with the R&B medium ballads of the late ’80s as the track’s soundscape.
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R&B and hip-hop from the late ’80s to early ’90s comprise your musical roots, don’t they?
They’re the music of my youth, to be exact. Oh, but I guess the late ’80s could be considered part of my roots. A lot of the songs featured as anime themes that I listened to growing up were heavily influenced by Western music, and I wanted to do something like that now. Take “Romantic Ageruyo” from Dragon Ball as an example. The opener is energetic and easy for kids to understand, but out of nowhere the ending theme is a grownup love song that suddenly throws you off. But that wistfulness stays with you and when you grow up, you get what the lyrics are saying. That sort of thing.
I grew up on jazz and R&B music of the same era because my parents liked to listen to them, so they’re stuck in my mind as the same kind of music. A lot of hip-hop tracks from the ‘90s sample R&B from the ’80s, and I wanted to make a song with that kind of connection in mind. That was how “Why” first came about.
The lyrics to “Why” lay out the premise that “people eventually disappear,” and ask the question of “why we still try to create more memories.” Could you elaborate on this theme?
The soundscape is a throwback to the ‘80s and ‘90s, and in the lyrics I decided to depict what happens after “Comedy” which was sonically inspired by the 2000s. Since the movie is about a trip, I actually went on a trip myself. I went to Kanazawa alone, and felt like I gained many things from the time I spent at the D.T. Suzuki Museum, and the time I spent walking around the city.
I was feeling pretty depressed this year. I didn’t feel any hope or have positive feelings at all. When I think about it, I think it might have been kind of a backlash, a reaction to the three years of the pandemic and how I’d worked so hard during that time.
Restrictions stemming from the pandemic have been lifted this year, so maybe the mental fatigue of the past three years set in.
I was in a state of “nothingness,” and no matter what I wrote, it didn’t feel right. After my trip to Kanazawa, I decided to write a song without thinking about the tie-in, and the first thing that came to me was the A-melo (first verse) of “Why.” That really felt right, and from that point on, my current situation — my own troubles and trials, the things I wanted to overcome — linked to the movie. People die eventually, and if you think about it on the level of thousands or tens of thousands of years, human society will surely collapse. When you consider it that way, it doesn’t matter what anyone leaves behind or what they do, it’s all meaningless. But why was I so moved by the sunset I saw in Kanazawa? Why did I find the ripples of water at the D.T. Suzuki Museum interesting? Why do people take pictures to preserve their memories when they travel? These thoughts led to the characters of SPY x FAMILY, three people and a dog, who each have their own traumas, being together as a family.
“Life” feels like it has the power to uplift the listener’s mind and body, and I also felt a connection with “Why.”
I didn’t intend to connect them at all, actually. [Laughs] I thought the lyrics to “Why” would be more light-hearted, but a lot of thoughts went in as I was writing it. I wasn’t originally planning to release these two songs as a single, so they just happened to connect when I completed them.
Music-wise, I heard you had gospel in mind. The song contains the fundamental power of human performance and singing, like the raw sounds of the drums and saxophone.
Sounds with physicality come across in a direct way. That, and I also really like music programming and editing. Up until my early thirties, I was more interested in physicality and used to think that it’s better to have people (performing the music), even with mistakes and errors. I started being drawn to programming and synthesizers later on. There’s definitely an energy that comes out of programmed music. For the drums, Shun Ishiwaka played what I’d programmed. There’s something moving about a human performance that tries to imitate and outdo machines. It’s a mixture of human and machine-like qualities.
The footage from your “so sad so happy” Curated by Gen Hoshino at SUMMER SONIC BEACH STAGE from this year’s SUMMER SONIC music festival will be streamed on the Amazon Music Japan channel on Twitch. Jacob Collier, Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest), Camilo and UMI performed at the event. Looking back now, what are you thought on this project?
The first half of this year, I spent all of my days at home doing stuff like write songs, then suddenly I was outside and it was crazy hot. [Laughs] I managed to get through it, and it’s a great memory of this summer. I couldn’t be more grateful to be able to do whatever I wanted on one of the stages at SUMMER SONIC. I’d met everyone before except for Camilo. I invited my friends, so the day’s performances were linked in that sense, and it must have looked different from a typical festival. And they all gave great performances, so that was really moving.
–This interview by Tomoyuki Mori first appeared on Billboard Japan
Ado’s “Show” holds at No. 1 after returning to the top spot last week to log its 12th leader on the Billboard Japan Hot 100.
On the chart dated Dec. 27 tallying the week ending on Christmas Eve, “Show” passed the 11-week record held by Gen Hoshino’s “Koi” and is now eyeing the 13-week record held by Official HIGE DANdism’s “Subtitle” for most week at No. 1. (The all-time record for most weeks at No. 1 is 21 weeks, held by YOASOBI’s “Idol.”)
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Streaming for “Show” decreased by approximately 6% from last week to 9,707,241 streams, but continues to rule the metric for the 14th consecutive week. The track also holds at No. 1 for video views (12th straight week), rises 3-2 for downloads with 10,210 units, and moves 7-9 for karaoke.
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“Anti Confiture” by ≠ME (Not Equal Me) debuts at No. 4 on the Japan Hot 100. The eighth single by the girl group launched with 216,440 CDs to hit No. 1 for physical sales. Following at No. 2 for sales is HKT48’s “Bucket wo Kabure!” with 183,540 first-week copies. The girl group’s 17th single bows at No. 5 on the Japan Hot 100.
As mentioned earlier, this chart week ended on Christmas Eve and as always during the holiday season, Christmas- and winter-themed songs surged on the Japan Hot 100 powered mainly by radio airplay. 13 songs charted this year, surpassing 2022’s record of 11 songs. Here’s a list of this year’s winter-themed entries:
No. 2 “Kissin’ Christmas (Christmas dakara janai) 2023” Keisuke Kuwata & Yumi Matsutoya No. 6 “Christmas Song” back numberNo.10 “All I Want for Christmas Is You” Mariah CareyNo. 21 “Christmas Eve” Tatsuro Yamashita No. 24 “Santa Tell Me” Ariana GrandeNo. 25 “Shiroi Koibitotachi” Keisuke KuwataNo. 41 “Merikuri” BoA No. 42 “Heroine” back numberNo. 44 “Last Christmas” Wham!No. 57 “silent” SEKAI NO OWARI No. 69 “WINTER WITHOUT YOU” XGNo. 90 “Itsuka no Merry Christmas” B’z No. 99 “Koibito ga Santa Claus” Yumi Matsutoya
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“Kissin’ Christmas (Christmas dakara janai) 2023” by Keisuke Kuwata & Yumi Matsutoya shoots to No. 2 after the CD dropped Dec. 20. This song was originally written for the Merry Christmas Show, a now-legendary music program Kuwata spearheaded in 1986. It was remade for this release and the Southern All Stars frontman and “Koibito ga Santa Claus” singer-songwriter newly recorded their duet. The song ruled radio, sold 25,639 copies in its first week to hit No. 4 for sales, and came in at No. 7 for downloads with 5,131 units, giving the two iconic hitmakers their highest-ranking song so far on the Japan Hot 100.
back number’s “Christmas Song” from 2015 rises 11-6 this week to break into the top 10 again for the third consecutive year during the same season. This year, the track entered the top 20 on the chart released Dec. 6 and gradually climbed the ranks. This week the evergreen pop-rock love song reaches No. 5 for streaming with 6,976,101 streams, which is an increase of about 3% from last year’s peak (6,715,894 streams). The track comes in at No. 32 for downloads with 1,789 units, No. 7 for radio, No. 8 for video, and tops karaoke for the first time this year.
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Meanwhile, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” also rises 35-10. The Queen of Christmas’s modern standard comes in at No. 3 for radio, behind Tatsuro Yamashita’s iconic seasonal favorite, “Christmas Eve.” Carey’s Yuletide hit comes in at No. 11 for streaming with 5,089,233 streams, No. 28 for downloads with 1,857 units, and No. 29 for video.
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 Dec. 18 to 24, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
12/28/2023
From charged anthems by Stray Kids and IVE to NewJeans’ inescapable earworms, there was a delicious balance from the industry this year.
12/28/2023
YOASOBI, the musical unit that produces music inspired by novels, shows no signs of stopping. Their song “Idol” — written as the opening theme song of the TV anime【OSHI NO KO】— has taken top positions in five year-end Billboard Japan charts since it began streaming in April. Their next single, “The Brave,” is the opening theme of the popular TV anime Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End and continues to hold a high position in the charts. This year, they also completed a Japanese arena tour and performed overseas, in Los Angeles, in August. As one of the most iconic artists of the J-pop scene, they’ve demonstrated tremendous presence the whole year long.
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On Nov. 18, YOASOBI released its newest single, “Biri-Biri.” The song was inspired by Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, which celebrated its one-year anniversary on the same day. Composer Ayase has always been a big fan of Pokémon, and the song has little touches that will bring a smile to any fan of the game. “Biri-Biri” is already generating tremendous buzz.
Billboard Japan invited Ayano Takeda, who wrote the novel the song is based on, After the Rain With You, to talk with YOASOBI about their shared love of Pokémon and the making of “Biri-Biri.” After their discussion, there was a “Trade of Pokémon” ceremony and a special commemorative photo shoot. Famitsu.com is also running an article with a greater focus on Pokémon.
Ayase, you’ve played almost every game in the Pokémon series, but how about you, Ayano?
Ayano: I was biggest into Pokémon when I was in elementary school, so I was playing Pokémon Gold and Silver and Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. I have a brother who is six years younger than me, so we’d play together.
How about you, ikura?
ikura: The first one I’ve really properly played is Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet. When I was a little kid, though, I did watch family members play Pokémon Red and Green. I also played a lot of Pokémon Ranger on the Nintendo DS.
Which are your favorite Pokémon?
Ayano: My favorite is Vaporeon. When I was playing Pokémon Silver, my friend’s older brother gave me a level 96 Vaporeon, so was able to just lay waste to everything before me. Ever since then, it’s been my favorite Pokémon.
ikura: For me, it’s Eevee. But if I were to become a Pokémon, I’d want to be Charizard.
Ayase: For me, Mew. It’s cute, and I like its almost mythical nature.
Ayano, what was your first impression when you heard “Biri-Biri?”
Ayano: My first impression that it was like a cool, cute Pokémon. The first time I heard it, I was moved to tears. I saw how all these different people worked together to turn a novel into a song. Also, I’d researched a lot about Nemona in order to write the novel, so there was a strong emotional connection. When I saw the music video, I was like, “yes, that expression right there!”
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There’s a lot of great Pokémon music, like game soundtracks and anime theme songs. Did you get any inspiration from them?
Ayase: There are background music videos and playlists on the official Pokémon YouTube channel, and last year, by chance, I was listening to them a lot. When they approached me about writing the song, I decided that I wanted to draw on some motifs. What I did wasn’t exactly sampling, but instead kind of creating new arrangements. This was the first time we’d tried that kind of homage-style approach, so I wanted to give it a shot.
The intro is really an homage to battle music.
Ayase: I was playing Pokémon Violet, so I had this futuristic, mechanical image. I realized I wanted to make a kind of electric [in Japanese, “biri-biri” is used to describe the feeling of electrical shock], techno-like feel, and I realized that battle music would be a good fit for that.
Past Pokémon titles are sprinkled through the lyrics. There, as well, there’s this sense of playful homage.
Ayase: At first, I wasn’t planning on putting the names of other works in the lyrics, but the phrases came to mind because how the parts of the song fit in together. I thought I worked in some of the titles in really subtle ways, and they’d be hard to find, but looking at social media and YouTube comments, people found them all really quickly. You really get a sense of how much love people have for Pokémon.
I think this song has also shown a new side of YOASOBI. Were there any artists or songs that inspired you with respect to the vocals?
ikura: For the high-pitched parts, instead of straining, I tried to let go and loosen up when I sang. During the chorus, there’s a bit of a cushion zone before launching into a light dance part, and I think that technique for loosening up is going to become part of my repertoire.
What part of the song is your favorite, Ayano?
Ayano: I like the “ABC and to XYZ” part. It feels really good.
Ayase: When it comes to really feeling good, that’s the part of the song I’m most proud of, too.
ikura: Singing that part is really fun.
Recently, you performed at events Hong Kong and Taipei, where you performed “Biri-Biri” live for the first time.
Ayase: Performing “Biri-Biri” is great. The live elements really work well.
ikura: The song has a totally different tone than our other songs, so it completely changes up the mood. Plus, it’s a blast to sing. It makes me feel like dancing, and even though we just released the song, audiences are already singing along.
You’ve also released an English version of “Biri-Biri.” What differences should people keep an eye out for between the English and Japanese version?
ikura: This is also true for all of the past English versions of our songs, but the way the lyrics roll off the tongue, and how they fit in with the music, feels great. But, personally, even among all those songs, I think “Biri-Biri” matches the best. I’ve felt that way since we were recording. The speed and stylishness of English meshes really well into the song.
Ayase: In Hong Kong, “Biri-Biri” climbed high in the charts immediately after its streaming release. Also, and this is a bit of a tangent, but Taiwan opened their first Pokémon Center, and we were able to go there before it opened.
ikura: We had the opportunity because of this collaboration, or, I guess, because of this connection we’ve established.
In closing, do you have any last words for our readers?
Ayano: I feel very proud to have been able to be a part of a big IP like Pokémon. I hope anyone who’s never tried Pokémon before tries it out, and that people enjoy both the novel and our song.
YOASOBI: From the other works in the series to the recent Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet, Ayano Takeda’s novel, and “Biri-Biri,” Pokémon has truly created a world of its own, so we hope that everyone savors everything it has to offer.
Pokémon image: ©2023 Pokémon. ©1995-2023 Nintendo/Creatures Inc. /GAME FREAK inc. TM, ®, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.
This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan.
In June 2023, comedian Tonikaku Yasumura appeared on the British audition show Britain’s Got Talent and became the first Japanese contestant to make it to the finals. Recently, he released “PANTS,” his first-ever digital single, under the name MC TONY.
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The track was produced by Double Clapperz, a grime unit made up of producers UKD and Sinta. The song plays on the juxtaposition of its production and its lyrics. The sound features elements of U.K. drill, a dark, menacing genre from South London, iconic for its ski masks and gun sounds. The lyrics, on the other hand, extol being “naked” — unarmed and non-violent.
Billboard Japan talked to Tonikaku about the making of the song and the story of his overseas success.
How have things changed around you since you appeared on Britain’s Got Talent?
I’ve got more international job offers, and recently I’ve been going overseas for work at least once a month. In October I made it through auditions for the French version of Britain’s Got Talent, and I also appeared on audition shows in Italy and Korea. The other day, I also appeared at the OC JAPAN FAIR in Los Angeles.
Have the audience reactions been different in different countries?
I got the biggest reaction in the U.K., but I got a standing ovation in France, too. I performed in French, and it even turned into a call and response (laughs). The reaction has also been good in Italy, Korea and the U.S. So far, every country I go to, I’ve been warmly received.
What led to you appearing on Britain’s Got Talent in the first place?
I wasn’t originally trying to break out overseas, but my talent agency, Yoshimoto Creative Agency, sends out videos of comedians that overseas audiences might enjoy to audition shows around the world. Britain’s Got Talent just happened to like my material. So at first, it felt like going on an overseas vacation. I was like, “I get to go to the U.K.! How lucky!”
But when I actually got there, the schedule was really tight. I arrived in London at around 11:00 at night, and then the next morning we started with rehearsals, filming, interviews, and the like. And then the day after that I flew back to Japan (laughs). It was really a whirlwind trip, and I wasn’t able to do any sightseeing. I took a brief detour to Buckingham Palace and saw a guard riding a horse. And on that little sightseeing detour, I got pickpocketed.
What?!
I was obviously a tourist, looking around at this and that, so I guess I made an easy target (laughs). It felt like I’d gone through a rite of initiation.
What was the response like when you performed your material for the first time in the U.K.?
They loved me in the auditions. But I wasn’t so sure, and I didn’t really get my hopes up. We filmed in January and the show was broadcast in April, I think, so there was a pretty big gap. So at the time I simply thought, “Well, that was a good experience,” and I pretty much forgot it. I was really surprised when they told me I passed the auditions.
It seems like you carefully tweaked your strategy for foreign audiences, like making your stage name “Tonikaku.”
To be totally honest, I wasn’t really thinking about hitting it big with overseas audiences, I was just hoping the fact that I went to the U.K. would generate some buzz in Japan. So I didn’t think too deeply about my stage name, “Tonikaku,” I just picked it so that when I appeared on shows in Japan, my co-performers would be like, “What’s up with picking that as your stage name?” Actually, I used to be part of a comedy duo, but we broke up and I started performing on my own. Up on stage I’d tell the audience “My name is long and kind of hard to remember [his Japanese stage name is Tonikaku Akarui Yasumura], so just remember ‘Tonikaku.’” “Or you can call me Tony, if you’d like.” I never dreamed that one day in the future, people overseas would be calling me “Tony!”
It was really striking seeing the call and response that happened with the audience on the U.K. show when you said your iconic line, “Don’t worry, I’m wearing pants.” In Japanese, you don’t need an object after “wearing,” but in English you do, so when you say, “Don’t worry, I’m wearing,” other people have to jump in with “pants.” I feel like that’s another reason for your victory.
Right. In Japanese, you wouldn’t spell it all out, “Don’t worry, I’m wearing ‘pants’.” But I translated it literally into English, which turned into this unexpected call and response. I was surprised, too.
I wanted to keep the act simple, with few lines. I didn’t want to practice there in the U.K. (laughs), so I just kept it stuck to simple, easy to remember phrases, and I think that’s another reason people liked it. In that sense, I struggled with French. I’m less familiar with French than English, and it’s harder to pronounce.
Now, you’ve released a digital single, “PANTS,” as MC TONY.
The genre, U.K. drill, is a popular genre that came from a really dangerous part of the U.K. Everyone dresses all in black, wearing ski masks, but there I am, unarmed, wearing just underpants. I thought that gap was pretty funny. I also tried out various ways of delivering the lyrics. At first, I sang it in a brighter, happier voice, but Mitsunaga, the lyricist, said “It’ll sound cooler if you sing it in a lower voice to match the track.” I took his advice, and now it’s got over two million plays (laughs).
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What led you to try your hand at music?
It’s because I met Takaya Mitsunaga [HYTEK Inc.], who handled overall production for the song. Mitsunaga said that the wall separating comedy and music is much lower in the U.K. than in other countries. The other day, I went to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe [the world’s largest performing arts festival, spanning three to four weeks each August in Scotland’s capital, Edinburgh], and I was surprised to see several performances in which comedians were doing freestyle rap.
There’s never been that much separation between comedy and music in Japan. For example, the comedy duo Downtown collaborated with composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. What kind of things would you like to do going forward?
As I mentioned earlier, at this point last year I had no idea how much would change over the course of this year. That’s how it is every year. There are always unexpected turns of events, and those reveal new possibilities. I want to just go with the flow, without thinking too hard about what lies ahead.
You want to play it by ear.
Exactly. That’s what I’ve done so far. If I think of new material for overseas audiences, the next thing I know things could be taking totally new turns, so I want to take on each challenge as the ideas come to me. For example, the Paris Olympics are coming up, so I might do all-nude poses of the different sporting events (laughs). I still haven’t appeared on America’s Got Talent, so I’d like to take on that challenge in the near future, too.
This interview by Takanori Kuroda first appeared on Billboard Japan.
Ado’s “Show” returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated Dec. 20, extending the song’s record to 11 weeks at the top.
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Despite an overall drop in points, the Universal Studios Japan Halloween event theme makes its comeback atop the list after slipping to No. 2 last week, boosted mainly by the mysterious singer’s recent string of appearances on TV, among other factors. The track holds at No. 1 for streaming for the 13th consecutive week, though figures are down by about 7% at 10,355,342 weekly streams. It’s also in its 11th straight week at No. 1 for video views, while also coming in at No. 3 for downloads (up 3%, 10,302 units) and No. 7 for karaoke.
YOASOBI has two tracks in the top 5 this week, with “Idol” at No. 2 and “The Brave” at No. 5. The former — Billboard Japan’s 2023 No. 1 Song of the Year — is still going strong and currently at No. 3 for streaming (down 5%, 8,225,278 streams), No. 11 for downloads (down 2%, 3,458 units), No. 2 for video, and No. 8 for radio.
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Sexy Zone’s “Jinsei Yuugi” debuts at No. 3 on the Japan Hot 100 with 203,299 copies sold in its first week. Although the group’s 25th single falls short of the first-week figures of its predecessor, “Honne to Tatemae,” the new song hits No. 1 for physical sales and comes in at No. 31 for video.
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Angerme’s “RED LINE” bows at No. 7 on the Japan Hot 100, launching with 70,397 CDs to hit No. 2 for the metric. The track is part of the Hello! Project group’s double A-side single RED LINE / Life is Beautiful! released Dec. 13 and also hits No. 13 for downloads with 3,302 units.
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Another debut at No. 8 this week is BUMP OF CHICKEN’s “Sleep Walking Orchestra,” the opening theme song for the upcoming anime series Delicious in Dungeon, set to begin airing in January. The anime is being shown in theaters for a limited three-week run starting Dec. 8. The veteran four-man band’s new number rules downloads with 14,494 units and is also at No. 1 for radio. While still not charting in the top 100 for streams, the number of listeners is expected to increase after the TV premiere of the series.
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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 Dec. 11 to 17, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
After Krazy Super Concert held its inaugural show in New York this summer, Pulse Events’ newly launched K-pop concert series makes its next stop on the West Coast early next year. Explore See latest videos, charts and news See latest videos, charts and news Billboard can exclusively reveal the first details that Krazy Super Concert […]