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Russian authorities have put a member of the Pussy Riot punk group on a most wanted list for criminal suspects as the Kremlin works to stifle political dissent.
Russian news outlet Mediazona discovered an entry for Nadya Tolokonnikova in the Russian Interior Ministry’s database of wanted individuals on Wednesday (March 29). The entry, also reviewed by The Associated Press, said Tolokonnikova faces criminal charges, but it didn’t specify what the charges are.
Tolokonnikova became widely known for taking part in a 2012 Pussy Riot protest inside Moscow’s Christ the Savior Cathedral. She spent nearly two years in prison.
Earlier this month Russia’s top human rights lawyer, Pavel Chikov, said a criminal case had been launched against Tolokonnikova on the charge of offending religious believers’ feelings, which became a criminal offense in Russia after the 2012 Pussy Riot protest.
Tolokonnikova has left Russia. In 2021, the Russian government designated her as a “foreign agent,” a label that brings additional government scrutiny and carries pejorative connotations that can discredit the recipients.
Russian authorities have applied the designation to independent media outlets and opposition activists.
It was announced last week that Pussy Riot will receive the 2023 Woody Guthrie Prize, with Tolokonnikova telling Billboard after the announcement: “It feels fitting to be awarded in the spirit of Woody, I think he would love Pussy Riot’s anti-fascist message.”
The animated film THE FIRST SLAM DUNK has become a smashing success in Japan, bringing in over 12.2 billion yen in box office revenue (as of March 21, 2023). Fueled by its success, the ending theme of the film, “Dai Zero Kan” by 10-FEET has remained in the top 10 on the Billboard JAPAN’s Hot 100 song chart for 12 consecutive weeks.
Billboard Japan spoke with TAKUMA, vocalist and guitarist of 10-FEET, about the thought he put into creating the film’s theme song and incidental music, his experience working with director Takehiko Inoue, his music co-writer Satoshi Takebe, and more, as part of its Monthly Feature series, focusing on today’s standout artists and works.
Your “10-FEET ‘Collins’ TOUR 2023” began on January 16. How excited are the fans, and how motivated is the band feeling?
For about three years, entertainment wasn’t really what it should have been, so now it feels like all that pent-up excitement has really come to the fore. I think there are fans out there who are having fun, wrapping their heads around the fact that live shows are possible again, and there are others who are coming to the shows with more of a passionate spirit — more impulsively. It feels like the live show scene is making a comeback.
Have there been any changes in how you feel about live shows, or how you approach them, because of the pandemic?
It’s been three years since people could really be packed shoulder to shoulder at a show. I’m sure there are some people out there who are like, “Is this really okay?” So we need to play music and put on really powerful shows that sweep away those fears and tension. I think if we succeed in doing that, we can turn those fears and tension into drive and excitement.
It’s been about three months since the film THE FIRST SLAM DUNK came out. What’s the reaction around you been like?
Some friends from way back got in touch with me again, which was great.
Looking at the comments on the music video, it seems like there are listeners all around the world. What do you think about the fact that your music has extended beyond Japan’s borders and is reaching people worldwide?
The lyrics are almost entirely in Japanese, so it seems strange to me that people are listening to it outside Japan.
It’s been in the top 10 in the Billboard JAPAN charts for several weeks. I think that shows that it’s brought you a lot of new listeners.
I’ve been hearing a lot of people saying they’d never heard of us before, or that it was the first time they’d heard one of our songs, which is a real honor. We’ve been playing music all this time in the hope that lots of people would hear and enjoy our music.
You had a few other potential theme songs, like “SLAM,” “Blind Man,” and “Shinkaigyo.” What made you feel that “Dai Zero Kan” was the best fit for the theme song?
Personally, I think they’d all have been great. We presented like eight or ten songs to the movie production team as potential theme songs. However, each time, the director and the music director said that the song didn’t fit their image for the movie. Then, one day the music staff asked us for music for one of Rukawa’s scenes. So we renamed “Odanshi” (the song that later became “Dai Zero Kan”) as “Rukawa Odanshi” and sent it in. (laughs) The director, Inoue, said that “Rukawa Odanshi” was like a bolt from the blue. It seems like both the music director and the music producer were also both like, “This is it.” We made some additional changes to the arrangement of “Rukawa Odanshi,” and that’s how it became the “Dai Zero Kan” we have now. Initially, I hadn’t planned for “Dai Zero Kan” to be performed by 10-FEET or as a solo song, so I just wrote it how I felt, without giving it any additional thought. I wrote it just after the pandemic started, and I just wanted something really danceable and hard.
For a while, it was in the Billboard JAPAN “TikTok Weekly Top 20” top 20 for weeks on end. Looking back, what do you think about how it was received?
We were lucky that, thanks to the film, the catchy melody got popular on TikTok. I think the key part of the chorus’s melody is its rhythm. For example, in “Scatman,” the melody and rhythm of the “ski-ba-bop-ba-dop-bop” part are really unique, right? Since I first started playing in a band, I’ve always liked those rhythms and melodies where, if you hear them all day, you’ll remember them for the rest of your life. That’s why I was able to take those kinds of rhythmic sensibilities from Western music, write lyrics in Japanese, and create more original-feeling music with 10-FEET. I think the rhythm, together with the pacing of the lyrics, make up like 90%, and melodic elements make up the other 10%.
I see. I’d also like to ask you a little bit about the incidental music. When you wrote the music, did you intend it to express the feelings of the members of the Shohoku and Sannoh teams, or to convey the feel of the game itself from a more objective perspective?
For the incidental music, I thought about how I would express Inoue’s film concepts in the form of music. For example, when Inoue asked me to write music for use when Kohoku was on the ropes, I wrote what I envisioned as music that embodied being in the middle of a crisis. Then, when I played it for Inoue, he’d expand on his concept for the scene, saying, “The feeling of Kohoku being in a crisis really comes across well, but this scene is also one where Sannoh is going on the offensive. Sannoh aren’t just villains, they’re a really powerful, cool team. So this scene is also an exciting scene in which Sannoh has gotten into the zone in their offense, going all out.” So then I’d come back later with new music and be like, “I think this has the feel you’re going for. What do you think?”
In “Slash Snake,” the snare sound felt reminiscent of dribbling.
The sound designer, Koji Kasamatsu, edited the incidental music I provided. For example, drum snares often occupy the same frequencies as people’s voices — the lines characters are saying. I think he paid a lot of attention to where the snares would be heard and to adjusting their volume, levels, equalization, range, and the like. In rock and music like ours, you’ll often hear the snares going the whole time, but he did a great job on making adjustments and editing elements like that. If there were scenes where it felt like the snare was synching with the dribbling, that would have to be Kasamatsu working his magic.
In the climax of the movie, the scene where “Double crutch ZERO” is used stands out for how it uses “stillness” and “movement” to different effects.
I guess there needs to be a lot of switching between times when the instrumentation is really packed and when it’s sparse, where the sound really pushes down on you and when it’s more open, when it’s quiet and when it creates a dramatic, soaring impression. It was my first time making this kind of music, but no matter how much time it took, it never felt like a chore. It was time-intensive, but also extremely rewarding, so I created and submitted a lot of music.
So, it was your first time writing incidental music.
This time, I was writing incidental music for SLAM DUNK, which is a manga that I really loved. If I got an offer to create incidental music for an adaptation of a work that I wasn’t already familiar with, I’d want to check out the original it was based on, movie adaptations, TV adaptations, anime adaptations, and the like. I’d want to really internalize that story — make it part of myself — before writing music for it. I don’t have any experience yet with starting from ground zero along with the production team and creating output using my own sensibilities. If any opportunities to do that present themselves, I’d love to give it a shot.
When you wrote music with Satoshi Takebe, was there any direction or were there any discussions that stick in your memory?
He was truly a wonderful teacher. I was a bit nervous going in, thinking that if I got too excited and passionate in answering, I could come across as rude, and I’d annoy or upset him. But Takebe took the lead, saying “You’ve got to speak up more.” He started out by creating this environment where I felt free to speak, and from then on we were able to really exchange ideas.
In closing, what kind of year do you hope to make 2023?
In 2023, I want to go back to the basics and study music from the ground up again, retraining myself musically. If you’re always working with music, you can lose sight of that passion and impulsiveness. I want to really bring those feelings to the fore again.
—This interview by Tatsuya Tanami first appeared on Billboard Japan
Ed Sheeran’s next album campaign is already off to a flying start in the U.K., where lead single “Eyes Closed” (via Atlantic) is racing to No. 1.
“Eyes Closed” dropped last Friday (March 24), ahead of Sheeran’s Subtract album, due out May 5, and it’s the new No. 1 on the Official Chart Update.
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If it holds its turf, “Eyes Closed” will give Sheeran a 14th U.K. No. 1, an effort that would see him pass Madonna (13) and draw level with Cliff Richard and Westlife (14 each) on the all-time list.
A Sheeran chart victory would spell the end of a 10-week reign for Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (Columbia). As it stands, Cyrus’ streak is just one week short of Tones And I’s 11-week reign with “Dance Monkey,” the all-time stretch at No. 1 in the U.K. for a solo female singer.
After becoming the first solo member of BTS to crack the top 30 on the Official U.K. Singles Chart, Jimin is set for become the first member of the superstar K-pop to crack the U.K. top 20.
Jimin’s “Like Crazy” (BigHit Entertainment), which arrived last Friday with an official music video, is set to enter the chart at No. 11, having slipped from No. 7 on the first chart blast in the cycle.
“Set Me Free – Pt 2” and “Like Crazy” both appear on Jimin’s solo LP Face, which also hit digital service providers last Friday.
Finally, British singer and songwriter Paris Paloma is eyeing her first appearance in the U.K. top 40. “Labour” (via Nettwerk), which has been described as a fiery feminist anthem, starts at No. 30 on the Official Chart Update.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Singles Chart is published Friday, March 31.
Lana Del Rey doesn’t need to take the tunnel, she’s on a direct path to the U.K. No. 1.
The alternative pop artist leads the midweek U.K. chart with Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd (via Polydor), her ninth studio album.
If it holds its course, Ocean Blvd will give Del Rey her sixth U.K. chart crown in just over a decade, a list that includes Born to Die (2012), Ultraviolence (2014), Lust for Life (2017), Norman F*cking Rockwell! (2019) and Chemtrails Over the Country Club (2021).
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Lana’s latest leads an all-new top 5 on the Official Chart Update, which sees Depeche Mode and Fall Out Boy set to snag podium spots.
DM’s Memento Mori (Columbia), the Rock Hall-inducted synth-pop legends’ first album since the death last year of bandmember Andy Fletcher, is on track for a No. 2 debut, the band’s highest position on the U.K. chart in 10 years. Dave Gahan and Co. have raked-in 17 top 10 appearances on the U.K albums survey, most recently with 2017’s Spirit (No. 5).
Reunited U.S. pop-rock act Fall Out Boy is eyeing a fifth U.K. top 10 finish, with So Much (for) Stardust (Parlophone) debuting at No. 3 on the chart blast.
Pink Floyd could return to the top 5 with a live version of the prog-rock legends’ iconic album Dark Side of the Moon, which this year celebrates its 50th anniversary. The Dark Side of the Moon – Live At Wembley 1974 (via Parlophone) forms part of a special anniversary collection, which includes a boxed set of Dark Side, which has chalked-up 557 weeks on the Official U.K. Albums Chart (and counting) but remarkably has never hit No. 1. Its peak position is No. 2, though Floyd has led the chart with six titles.
Completing the top five on the midweek survey is U.S. country star Luke Combs’ Gettin’ Old (Sony Music CG), at No. 5. It’s on course to become Combs’ highest charting LP in the U.K.
Further down the list, Japanese rock act BABYMETAL is heading for a first U.K. top 10 appearance with The Other One (Cooking Vinyl), new at No. 7 on the midweek survey, while Georgian/British singer and songwriter Katie Melua could bag a ninth U.K. top 10 with Love & Money (BMG), set to debut at No. 10.
All will be revealed when the Official U.K. Albums Chart is published Friday, March 31.
After IVE established itself as a leading girl group in the next generation of K-pop acts with three hit singles, the sextet begins the next, most international step in their career yet with the release of their next single under a brand-new label deal.
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The opening lyrics to IVE’s latest track, “Kitsch,” seems prophetic as member Wonyoung opens by singing, “It’s our time.” While the new song has all the markings of a quintessential global-pop hit to stand alongside past IVE singles “Eleven,” “Love Dive” and “After Like,” “Kitsch” crucially includes the girls’ now-signature themes and lyrics of oozing confidence and self-love.
“Even our OOTD is just so like us/ When it comes to my favorite things/ Don’t judge them,” leader Yujin sings before youngest member Leeseo ends the verse with, “I live the way I want, what more do you want/ That’s my style.”
The accompanying music video plays off the similar YOLO themes of following one’s unique path as Wonyoung sings in front of a mural of herself, and the girls ferociously and playfully dance together in front of a neon sign with the phrase: “You’re So Weird, Don’t Change.” There’s even a bit of social commentary when the camera pans to a design on one of the members’ jacket back, with details boasting the phrase “Books, not guns. Culture, not violence.”
“Kitsch” is the pre-release buzz single for the group’s forthcoming full-length album I’ve IVE dropping next month. The track comes as the first step after IVE signed a worldwide deal with Columbia Records in the States. Columbia will team with IVE’s Korean label Starship Entertainment (home to Monsta X, WJSN, CRAVITY, Jeong Sewoon, and other K-pop artists) and Kakao Entertainment America (the new, U.S.-based branch of Kakao Entertainment (the media and music-distribution subsidiary under South Korean technology company Kakao).
“We’re thrilled to be embarking on IVE’s global journey with Columbia Records, a company with a rich history in pop music,” said Joseph Chang, head of Kakao Entertainment America, in a press release. “This partnership holds significant meaning for us. By strengthening the production and distribution capabilities of our music and artists in North America, we look forward to increasing the global competitiveness of Kakao Entertainment’s music business.”
After what Kakao Entertainment describes as “IVE’s North America debut,” the company pledged overseas support for its artists careers and expanding its music business globally.
Beyond Starship, Kakao Entertainment owns and distributes music multiple K-pop labels including IST Entertainment (home to popular groups like Apink, Victon, The Boyz and Weeekly), EDAM (an agency created for solo superstar IU that recently expanded by signing WOODZ), and Antenna (the label founded by musician and TV host You Hee-yeol boasting rock bands, ballad singers, entertainment hosts and more).
For international distribution outside the U.S., IVE has signed with Sony Music’s subsidiary distributor The Orchard.
IVE’s full-length album I’ve IVE (which stands for “I Have IVE,” per press release) drops on April 10 with new songs alongside “Kitsch” as well as a new single.
Check out the video for “Kitsch” below.
Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” (via Columbia) is the song that won’t wither in the U.K., where it logs a 10th consecutive week at No. 1.
By extending its streak, “Flowers” becomes the longest-running No. 1 single by a female solo artist this decade, the Official Charts Company reports, overtaking Olivia Rodrigo’s nine-week haul with 2021’s “drivers license.”
“Flowers” joins Harry Styles’ “As It Was” as the second-longest-reigning single of the 2020s, also at 10 weeks. Ed Sheeran’s “Bad Habits” is the boss, with 11 weeks.
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Cyrus now has another major record in her sights. If “Flowers” can add another week at the summit, it’ll equal Tones And I’s 2019 hit “Dance Monkey,” which racked up 11 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 to stand tall as the longest-running No. 1 in the U.K. by a solo female artist.
As “Flowers” holds its top spot, and, once again, finishes the chart week as the U.K.’s most-streamed single, its parent Endless Summer Vacation dips 1-3 on the national albums survey.
Meanwhile, Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding make a move with their latest collaboration, “Miracle” (Columbia). The rave tune rises 3-2 on the latest chart, published March 24, and is the most-downloaded single of the week, the OCC reports.
Afrobeats acts Rema (“Calm Down” up 5-4 via Mavin) and Libianca (“People” up 7-5 via 5K) enjoy career-best peaks on the latest singles chart, while London rapper Strandz’s “Us Against The World” (Relentless) lifts 10-9, and Metro Boomin’s “Creepin” (Relentless) with 21 Savage and The Weeknd fires back into the top 10 following the release of a remix with Diddy. It’s up 33-10, just three places behind its peak position.
The highest new entry on the latest tally belongs to Taylor Swift, whose “All Of The Girls You Loved Before” (EMI) bows at No. 11. The song, part of a four-pack of previously-unreleased works, released to celebrate the start of her The Eras Tour, was a late cut from her Lover album. “All Of The Girls You Loved Before” is Swift’s 44th U.K. top 40.
It’s a beautiful day for U2, as the iconic Irish rock band starts at No. 1 in the U.K. with Songs of Surrender (via Island).
The new LP, a collection of reimagined songs from across U2’s storied 40-year-plus career, debuts atop the Official U.K. Albums Chart, published March 24.
It’s the 11th U.K. leader for Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr., and their first since 2009’s No Line on the Horizon. The set outsells its nearest competitor by more than 2-to-1, the Official Charts Company reports, an effort that sees the Hall of Famers draw level with the late legend David Bowie on 11 No. 1s. Songs of Surrender is also the week’s best-seller on wax, according to the OCC.
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There’s a lot of love for U2 on the latest chart. The band’s 2006 greatest hits collection U218 Singles returns to the tally, at No. 38.
The podium is completed with the Weeknd’s The Highlights (via Republic Records/XO), unchanged at No. 2, and Miley Cyrus’ Endless Summer Vacation (RCA), which dips 1-3 in its second week.
Meanwhile, Brighton-England four-piece Black Honey bag a career-high with A Fistful of Peaches (FoxFive), their third studio album. It’s new at No. 6, a result that betters the peak of their eponymously-titled 2018 debut (No. 33) and 2021’s followup Written & Directed (No. 7).
Veteran U.S. rock act All Time Low nab a seventh U.K. top 40 appearance with Tell Me I’m Alive (Parlophone), their ninth studio effort. It’s new at No. 12.
Finally, as Taylor Swift embarks on the U.S. leg of her The Eras Tour, Swifties on the other side of the Atlantic flock to her catalog. Five of her classic LPs rise in the top 40 — led by her latest, the 2022 chart leader Midnights (up 8-4), followed by 2014’s 1989 (26-18), 2019’s Lover (39-23), 2020’s folklore (38-26) and 2017’s Reputation (51-33) – all via EMI. Swift has yet to announce international tour dates.
BABYMETAL recently returned to music after a two-year hiatus and is set to release its much-anticipated new album THE OTHER ONE on Friday (March 24). The duo’s first new project since METAL GALAXY from 2019 revolves around the concept of “restored BABYMETAL music that was previously unknown.” The overall tone of their comeback is entirely dark and serious, and the project may be remembered as the most unconventional and mysterious in BABYMETAL’s history.
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But while SU-METAL and MOAMETAL elaborate on the album’s enigmatic concept in this brand-new interview, they also offer different perspectives on this project. SU-METAL’s deep reflection that includes a synesthetic sensitivity and MOAMETAL’s interpretation filled with physicality and tenderness will surely provide a number of hints and insights for those who are perplexed by this work and serve as a companion piece to THE OTHER ONE.
In your BABYMETAL RETURNS – THE OTHER ONE – comeback concert back in January and this new album, there are two major keywords: “METALVERSE” and “previously unknown BABYMETAL.” Could you explain to us how you two interpret these concepts?
SU-METAL: BABYMETAL is fiction, but it’s also something that’s happening simultaneously in reality. The two of us were growing in the world of BABYMETAL and the audience enjoyed that. But as times changed and we have access to a variety of information, I think everyone now has their own reality or way of looking at the world. So the phrase “previously unknown BABYMETAL” raises a certain question: “Is the BABYMETAL you know really BABYMETAL?”
And since our last album METAL GALAXY in 2019, we’ve been working to destroy the “stereotype of BABYMETAL” in order to continue taking on new challenges as the group. So I think that also leads to the “different universe” that is THE OTHER ONE.
MOAMETAL: When I first heard the words “METALVERSE” and “previously unknown BABYMETAL,” I was like, “Seriously, what are they talking about?” [Laughs] But I really love Disney and after sensing something similar to the movie Doctor Strange, I got more and more excited while working on the project. So I’d like everyone to think about BABYMETAL by connecting what they’ve gained from various other works of art.
Since this album is based on concepts depicting other possibilities for BABYMETAL, it’s an album that expands the way we think about the group, including where it’ll be headed in the future. How do you want your fans to enjoy this work?
SU-METAL: I consider this album to be a BABYMETAL spin-off while also being like an art museum. There’s a phrase in the lyrics of “Mirror Mirror” that means, “The real me / doesn’t exist.” I think the songs on this album are like that in a way and it’s also what art is all about. Of course, I’m sure there will be those who want to pinpoint what each song is about, and that’s fine, but there’s no real right answer and discussing it is also part of the fun. THE OTHER ONE has lots of songs that have strong messages even for BABYMETAL, so I’d be happy if people could feel them out and use these songs as an opportunity to take another look at themselves.
MOAMETAL: When I first heard the songs, I thought there weren’t any elements that made them typically like our previous numbers, so I think many of our fans may initially feel the same way. But after seeing these songs live with our dance choreography and discussing them with other people, I think you’ll find things about them that remind you of past BABYMETAL songs and find parts you like. So, if you find a song (on the new album) that you like, I’d be glad if you listen to it multiple times and think about the things you value, and also about that feeling of valuing something itself.
Since your new album is based on the concept of “another BABYMETAL,” the question a lot of fans will probably have is, “Where did the original BABYMETAL go?”
SU-METAL: First of all, THE OTHER ONE isn’t the main story of BABYMETAL. It was made during the time we took a break from doing concerts after our ten-year METAL RESISTANCE saga, so the album is about “an alternate BABYMETAL.” At the same time, we’re sometimes called “Kawaii Metal” but don’t think that’s the only thing we’re about. We want to make new music, so we don’t want to be tied down by that image. We want to show another side like this and hope people will enjoy this, too. On top of that, BABYMETAL’s new main story will begin again, so please look forward to that as well.
Can you tell us anything about what you have planned for your fans outside of Japan?
MOAMETAL: For now, we’ve announced plans to tour Europe from April to May with the Swedish band Sabaton. We think 2023 has only just begun and have no intention of stopping. We hope to create opportunities to visit not only Europe but also various countries to meet people we haven’t been able to see recently. So please look forward to seeing us.
SU-METAL: BABYMETAL has a ten-year history, and speaking for myself, I gave that decade everything I had and crossed the finish line once. I actually stepped away from music for a while during our hiatus.
But I came back because I still genuinely felt that I love BABYMETAL and that I love music. I feel like I’m in a new band right now, and my current mode is, “I want to purely enjoy the music.” So while I do want to bring back the kind of concerts that we did up until our break with our overseas fans, I also want to create new BABYMETAL shows.
You stepped away from music? I’d imagined you were forced to delay the start of your next phase after your tenth anniversary because the pandemic began around that time.
SU-METAL: Actually, we’d already decided about five years ago that we would make the tenth anniversary our goal. When we became a two-member group in 2018, we weren’t sure how to proceed, and even wondered if it was right to keep going but decided to carry on until the tenth anniversary. We received some tough feedback from fans at the time, which I’m sure came from a place of love for our group. I think it made us stronger, and we gained a lot of confidence knowing that most people appreciated our music even though our appearance had changed. We took a break because we felt we’d reached our goal, including going through such experiences.
That’s interesting to know.
SU-METAL: So during my time away from music, at first I was like, “Nope, not gonna listen to metal anymore.” But before I knew it, I was back and singing again. [Laughs] Probably like how a teenager takes up playing guitar, I found myself singing, and before we realized it, MOAMETAL and I were getting together and dancing again.
So I really enjoyed our first lesson in a while. Before then, I used to think things like, “I’m a little off pitch here,” or “I should have done this rhythm better” whenever I sang, and when I listened to other artists’ music, I’d study the way people sang from a professional perspective. But now, music really feels like a hobby to me.
Like a teenager, as you mentioned earlier. So that must be why you feel like you’re in a new band.
SU-METAL: Right. Of course, a part of us wants to expand on what we’ve accumulated over the decade as BABYMETAL, but at the same time, we also just want to have fun again. BABYMETAL started off as a group that did interesting stuff that made people go, “What the heck is this?” We’re trying to get back to that basic feeling.
It must have been important for you to take that break to recover those feelings.
MOAMETAL: SU-METAL and I always had each other’s backs, but in some vague way we also felt that something was missing. So there were times when things were pretty tough, and we had to force ourselves to be like, “We got this!” But now, we’re still a duo but we want to deliver our music because we love what we do. We needed to take some time off to reaffirm that feeling.
When you returned to music, did you discuss it and decide to come back, or did it happen naturally?
MOAMETAL: We did discuss it, but my feeling was that if SU-METAL was going to be there, then I’d be willing to give it a shot again, so for me it was like I came back without much thought.
SU-METAL: It wasn’t like we’d promised each other that we’d definitely get back together when we said our goodbyes. We sort of came back before we knew it. It feels strange even to us. [Laughs]
That shows how strong you two connected over the ten years you worked together.
SU-METAL: Especially since we spent our important teenage years together. During our tours, we’re together for two to three months, so we feel like a family. It’s natural for us to be together. So even when we were apart, it wasn’t like I wanted to see her every day, but I still wondered what she was doing in the corner of my mind. It’s a strange feeling like that.
—This interview by Kenta Terunuma first appeared on Billboard Japan
Morgan Wallen is crowned on Australia’s albums chart crown for the first time with his sprawling third studio LP, One Thing at a Time (via Mercury/Universal).
The 36-song effort climbs 4-1 in its third week on the ARIA Chart, as its track “Last Night” improves 5-3, a new peak, and “You Proof” bows at No. 40 on the national singles survey.
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One Day is the followup to 2021’s Dangerous: The Double Album, which peaked at No. 2 in these parts.
One Day summits as Wallen embarks on his Australia and New Zealand arena tour, which is produced by Frontier Touring and takes in five shows, with Hardy in support, in addition to his headline slot at CMC Rocks festival on March 19.
Further down the albums list, U2 debuts at No. 3 with Songs Of Surrender (Island/Universal), a 40-track collection of re-recorded songs, mined from the legendary Irish band’s 40-year-deep goldmine.
According to ARIA, it’s their 18th top 10 title in Australia, a feat that dates back to War from 1983. Bono and Co. have led the ARIA Albums Chart with 11 LPs, from 1984’s The Unforgettable Fire through to 2009’s No Line On The Horizon.
Over on the ARIA Singles Chart, Miley Cyrus extends her reign with ”Flowers” (Columbia/Sony) into a tenth week — all consecutive. “Flowers” is the longest-running leader since Elton John and Dua Lipa’s ”Cold Heart (PNAU remix)” also logged 10 non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 in late 2021 and early 2022, is sat at No. 33 on the latest ARIA Chart, published March 24.
The last number to log more time at the top was “Stay” by The Kid LAROI and Justin Bieber, which ruled the survey for 14 weeks in 2021, and is currently at No. 34.
Taylor Swift makes another splash on the ARIA Singles Chart, following the release of a four-pack of previously-unreleased tracks. One of those, ”All Of The Girls You Loved Before” (Universal), a song that didn’t make the cut for Swift’s seventh studio album, Lover, starts at No. 18, for the highest debut of the week. Also, her former leader “Anti-Hero,” from Midnights, improves 10-8.
Calvin Harris and Ellie Goulding ’90s rave-leaning banger “Miracle” (Columbia/Sony) enjoys a top 40 berth, starting at No. 36 on the fresh survey. “Miracle” is a top 5 hit in the U.K.
Finally, Meghan Trainor makes an appearance on the ARIA Top 50 with “Mother” (Epic/Sony), starting at No. 49. The U.S. pop star is a judge on the 2023 season of Australian Idol. The TV talent quest reaches its grand final this Sunday (March 26) on the free-to-air Channel 7.
Last summer, MIRROR made international headlines earlier than they had anticipated.
While most news stories noted how the 12-member boy band was revolutionizing Hong Kong’s music scene with a renewed fandom culture for local Cantonese pop artists, the focus was on the tragic accident at one of their 12 scheduled concerts at Hong Kong Coliseum. During the fourth show on July 28, 2022, a large overhanging video screen hit dancer Moses “Mo” Li Kai-yin head-on while also striking Chang Tsz-fung mid-concert, leaving the former in critical condition and the latter with injuries. The show abruptly ended with the remaining concert dates canceled as Mo Li and Chang recovered. Meanwhile, MIRROR and their team regrouped.
Nine months later, amid starts and stops due to the incident and pandemic-related matters, MIRROR took an unprecedented leap for Hong Kong music by releasing their first English single “Rumours” on March 17. A change from their Cantonese-pop, or Canto-pop, hits like “Warrior” (their 2021 social commentary fighting against dated norms with eight million views on YouTube), “BOSS” (the theatrical, funk-pop summer single), or “We All Are” (a piano ballad that marked the group’s fourth hit on Billboard‘s 13-month-old Hong Kong Songs chart), “Rumours” signals a new era for the group.
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With ages ranging from 34-23, the MIRROR members consisting of Lokman, Anson Lo, Frankie, Stanley, Alton, Edan Lui, Jer, Anson “AK” Kong, Ian, Jeremy, Keung To, and Tiger show confidence and maturity in “Rumours,” a significant step forward since their formation on 2018 TV singing competition show Good Night Show – King Maker.
Spiky, sonorous basslines soundtrack the group’s blend of singing, rapping and group chanting, while the James Bond-inspired music video shows the dazzling dozen donning dapper suits and high-fashion spy gear to pull off a mysterious heist.
The guys have spent their first five years together developing their boy band and individual careers alongside Hong Kong entertainment studio MakerVille, but agree that being together as 12 acts as a “base.” While still mentally and emotionally healing from last year’s accident, MIRROR say “Rumours” is a challenging but special project in partnership with Sony Music Hong Kong to help fuel their ambition to return to slaying the stage.
“We’re idols to these audiences; we have to stand up again,” says the charismatic Stanley, who leans into the camera when he speaks to Billboard over Zoom. The 32-year-old singer-dancer leads most of the interview alongside giggly, bubbly Anson Lo, 27, and Edan Lui, 25, to his right. “That’s what we should do.”
“We have a lot of people supporting us,” adds singer-actor Edan Lui, who listens and answers thoughtfully with pauses to find the right, and typically emotional, responses. “We can only say we’re ready to go to work and go on stage again.” Read more with MIRROR for reflections on the past nine months, their next chapter, plus song recommendations for new fans from each member.
To understand your background a little more, what are the characteristics of Canto-pop and how does MIRROR represent that?
Edan Lui: Canto-pop was very popular in the ’80s and ’90s, and the images around Canto-pop have traditionally been more for ballads and slow-paced songs; not really energetic or fast-paced songs. The lyrics have always been very meaningful and Hong Kong people can look into the lyrics deeply, which I think is one of the most unique characteristics of Canto-pop.
Anson Lo: But over the years, I think Canto-pop music has grown so much and I think there’s no difference between countries or languages in music. There are a lot of genres in Canto-pop as well, no different than in countries like Korea, the U.S. or Australia. There are different types of songs we can try or continue trying like we have for almost five years.
Stanley: Yeah, for sure. K-pop has taken over the markets for the past decade, but I do think Cantonese represents a different kind of style of music, especially in Asia. There are a lot of people who want to listen to music with Cantonese lyrics so there are multiple markets.
Paint a picture of the Canto-pop music scene in Hong Kong today. You were created on the singing competition Good Night Show – King Maker. Are there a lot of bands from reality shows?
Lui: There are many newcomers in the Canto-pop industry that come from our show, King Maker. We’re from King Maker One [the first season], there is II, III, IV, and V is coming. We’re just very happy to see that most of the new-artist award winners at many award ceremonies are coming from that show. It makes us feel like a family. It seems like these shows are producing all kinds of talents to contribute to the Canto-pop industry, so we feel really proud.
While you’ve been rising internationally, you had a tragic moment that had a lot of attention with the concert accident. In your own words, I’d like to give the opportunity for you to share what happened and your feelings on the incident.
Stanley: I would say, of course, it was a big accident. But this accident taught me how to treasure everything: Our job, friends, and opportunities to perform on stage. It influenced us so much for sure. We had to deal with our emotions—mentally, emotionally—so, it’s sad for sure. But we try our best to overcome all these kinds of feelings.
Lui: It was a big tragedy. No one wanted it to happen, no one could foresee it happening, and no one could really understand why it even happened. It was a really hard time for us, our dancers, and all Hong Kong citizens. We learned a lot from it, but we hope to learn lessons and try our best to treasure everything, contribute more to society and help more people. We hope our work and performances can bring back more positive energy and joy to our audiences again.
How are Moses and Chang Tsz-fung doing? Do you keep up with them?
Stanley: Moses’ parents share updates on Moses’ situation, so we’re not the best to give that update, but we’re in contact with them. I think they’re doing fine, everything’s going smoothly, and they are getting better.
I’m glad to hear that. Sometimes these situations can be very tough on the artist whose concert they’re at because they may feel responsible. So, how are you doing emotionally and mentally?
Lui: Different people have different ways of trying to get through it. For us, time is probably the best way to heal. But we also have our team mates, band mates, fans, and company. We have a lot of people supporting us. We can’t say we are fully recovered or even that we are “okay” after what happened—we don’t know—we can only say we’re ready to go to work and go on stage again.
Stanley: So many people are looking out for us; we’re idols to these audiences. We have to stand up again. We have to keep focusing on our work and bringing many great performances to our audiences. That’s what we should do.
As you somewhat close that chapter, you’re starting an exciting chapter with the release of “Rumors.” What does it represent in MIRROR’s story?
Lo: Simply, it’s talking to a girl and telling her, “If you ever heard a rumor that we’re cheating on you, liking you or approaching you.” It’s a very straightforward message. But it’s a very special project because it’s a dream come true for us to record a song in full English. The choreography is also very special because it’s, by far, the most complicated routine in our dance history. I think our fans have been really surprised by that.
Stanley: It’s a big challenge for us since the song is in English. We had to sing with different pronunciations and enunciations so we invited our producer Andrew…
Lui: Andrew’s actually our English teacher! He joined every session of our recording because we recorded one by one. Every session is, like, four hours so he’s really, really busy. He talked to us about pronunciation but also how to sing the song beautifully in English. But he’s really encouraging, supporting us, saying things like, “Oh, you did great, you sang well, keep going!” That’s why we can say we’re confident that it’s good. [Laughs]
Stanley: The lyrics are quite intimate and sexy—it’s not really similar to most Cantonese lyrics. So that’s a big challenge for us too.
It’s your first all-English song and you’re making some substantial changes. Why was it important to release an English song now?
Lui: We’re expecting to approach a broader range of audiences—like, maybe, the U.S.—and also we would like to meet our fans outside Hong Kong. I think releasing a full English song could get us far—hopefully! [Laughs] We’re looking forward to performing this song on stage for all the fans throughout the whole world so I think we’re pretty excited about that.
Stanley: Yeah, it’s a good step for the next chapter. We really want to promote Canto-pop to a worldwide audience, I think this English song is like a key to open the door for the audience to learn more Cantonese music.
“Rumours” kicks off alongside a new partnership with Sony Music Hong Kong. How is that so far?
Lo: We have yet to met a lot of people in the Sony Music company in person, but we’ve been putting a lot of input into the music, song arrangement, and music video so we’ve had quite good communication online and through our company.
Stanley: Due to the pandemic and the accident, so many projects have been put on hold. That’s why we’re starting over again, but I think we’ll have more opportunities now working with Sony Music.
Lo: It’s been like a dream and our honor to be working with Sony Music because they’ve helped us through a lot of things and, in a lot of ways, allow us to reach a wider audience, especially in the U.S., so we’re really grateful for that.
MIRROR is so solid as a group, but you’re also individually releasing solo music, acting, earning huge numbers on your individual social media accounts. How do your outside activities help MIRROR?
Lui: I think that is the special part about MIRROR—some of us are good at acting, some of us are good at singing, at dancing, in variety shows. Different members have different ways of pursuing their dreams. So, we have different [roles] when we’re solo, but it’s special that whoever is having solo success brings good things to MIRROR because MIRROR is our base. I think we have a good balance of group and solo [work]. People love us for us, and individually.
Lo: There will be dramas, movie shootings or solo singles, but being back in the group with 12 people, we shine even stronger and brighter. Together as 12 people, there’s a lot more energy; that’s more powerful for the audience and the performance. Being with the group really is a big part of being on stage.
Since “Rumours” may be the first time some audiences meet MIRROR, can each member share a MIRROR song to recommend?
Tiger: I would recommend the song “IGNITED,” it’s got quite an old-school sound but it’s my favorite of all MIRROR songs.
Anson “AK” Kong: Me too. [Group laughs]
Frankie: I would recommend “12,” it’s a Christmas song and that’s hard to find in Canto-pop because Canto-pop releases a smaller amount of Christmas music. But this song is really warm and about being together.
Lokman: For me, “IGNITED” too! Very funky, very groovy; I really like it.
Jer: I would recommend “Rumours.” [Group cheers] It’s such a high-energy song and it represents us as very sexy. [Laughs]
Jeremy: “BOSS” because I think it’s very energetic for us so it always makes me feel very happy and very strong.
Ian: I think “IGNITED” as well because it shows us a little bit differently than the other songs we have. And it’s actually quite unique in Canto-pop songs because we have this funky dance style so that’s pretty fun to present.
Alton: I have two ideas in my mind. “IGNITED” because I do love the funk style and, personally, I love funk music. But it depends on the mood of the day. If I’m going to a party, “IGNITED,” but if I’m going to a theme park, I’d recommend “BOSS” because the music video was shot in a theme park and is perfect for the family.
Stanley: For me, it’s “Rumours” because we put so much effort into it, so I hope listeners love it.
Lui: I also recommend “Rumors ” because I like the chorus; it’s refreshing. I also like the choreography, it’s really cool. We really put so much time and effort into this choreography so I feel like the performance of “Rumours” will be, maybe, the best we’ve ever done.
Lo: I’ll recommend “BOSS” because I think it’s, by far, the funniest music video we’ve had so far. It’s like a musical and we play different characters; it’s like a Broadway-type of vibe. When we released it, I think our fans were very surprised but also very pleased to see us in that funny way. So, I think it’s a really good experience to get to know the 12 of us.
Keung To: There isn’t really a proper English name for our first song [“一秒間”]… “In a Second”?
Lo: “During One Second”? [Laughs] Our debut song!
Keung To: Yes, our debut song! It was so important for us because it was our first song and our first time releasing as a group. It told everyone, “We’re coming.”