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Hitomitoi dropped her new album Telepa Telepa via Billboard Japan Records on Mar. 26. The latest release by the Japanese singer-songwriter is her first album of original works since July 2017. The project’s theme is her connection to people and places overseas, which were some of the most memorable things that happened to her over […]
Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO! and YOASOBI graced the stage at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles for matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES on Sunday, March 16, the music event by Japan’s Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA).
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YOASOBI opened the show, and when the duo’s name on a banner flashed on the screen behind the stage, the 7,000 fans in the audience cheered loudly. As the banner was torn down by the hand of a monster, low-pitched sounds and mysterious music played over the speakers. ikura and Ayase appeared on stage to the announcement, “Welcome to the world of Surrealism,” and the crowd shouted and waved their glow sticks to express their excitement. The intro to “Seventeen” began to play after a brief silence, and ikura said in English, “Welcome to matsuri ’25. We are YOASOBI from Japan. Get ready to have a blast tonight. L.A., are you guys ready?” Fans responded with shouts of “Oi! Oi!” and the band kicked off the event with a bang.
ikura took a moment to explain the purpose of the event, saying, “Three acts from Japan — Ado, ATARASHII GAKKO!, and YOASOBI — have come this time, hoping to enjoy great music, J-pop music, with everyone here.” She then asked the audience to light up their phones and sway to create a sense of unity, and the duo performed the poignant mid-tempo ballad “Tabun.”
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Following “The Brave,” the band performed “Monster,” a fast-paced track with thumping low beats that satisfy performed live. “As a J-Pop artist, we’ve been trying to spread our music from Japan to the world,” said ikura in English. “We are so so so happy to be able to share with all of you. Thank you very much. I love you guys. We dive into the second half. Let me see your passion, OK? You ready to go loud? Can you give us some more? Ok, let’s sing together.” The pair then went on to perform some of its biggest hits back-to-back, with the exhilaration of “Into the Night,” the unity of the chorus in “Blue,” and the energy and enthusiasm of the audience in “Idol” filling the venue. The overwhelming delivery of the last three songs proved that YOASOBI has indeed become one of Japan’s top acts whose concerts sell out instantly whenever they perform overseas today.
ATARASHII GAKKO!
Yuri Hasegawa
Following a 15-minute changeover, the four members of ATARASHII GAKKO! appeared from the audience aisle to the sound of ringing school bells, holding big white flags over their heads. When the members — SUZUKA, RIN, MIZYU, and KANON — gathered on stage, SUZUKA greeted the crowd with the sound of a trumpet in the background: “Hello everyone. We are ATARASHII GAKKO! Everybody, are you ready?” The words “Seishun Nihon Daihyo” (Youth Team Japan) appeared on the screen and the women began their set with “Change,” the members swinging their arms around and performing immaculate choreography off the bat. During “Fly High,” RIN called out, “L.A., are you ready? Jump!” and fans were more than happy to comply. For “Arigato,” each member sang while holding a broomstick like a microphone stand, or fake-played it like a guitar, playfully reminding us of our school days. The audience reacted enthusiastically to the intro of the group’s breakout hit “Otona Blue,” and the members captivated the crowd with their signature head-shaking dance and distinctive choreography.
Following a group chant with SUZUKA, who hyped up the audience calling out, “Everybody, ganbatte (hang in there)! Woo!” the women performed “Toryanse.” Fans waved their glow sticks towards the stage during the intro and danced to the lively rhythm accompanied by electronic sounds of Japanese instruments. Each of the four members called out, “Everybody jump!” “Say yeah!” and “Say change!” in time with the lyrics during the set, confidently charging the crowd with their energy.
An image of the Tokyo metropolis appeared on the screen and ATARASHII GAKKO! launched into “Tokyo Calling.” SUZUKA came down from the stage and sang enthusiastically while making her way through the crowd, regally marching back to the lyrics of “We are marching.” The women closed their set with “One Heart,” the word “SAIKO” (“the best”) appearing behind them on the screen, and the audience joined in and sang along. The lyrics “AG want to take you higher” is like the Japanese modern version of Ike & Tina Turner’s “I Want To Take You Higher,” and the song uplifts and inspires like the best kind of music.
Watching ATARASHII GAKKO!’s performance, this writer couldn’t help but agree with what Creativeman Productions’ Rob Kelso said during the press conference before the event: “The best way to integrate these [artists] is to realize we lost the last excuse. Their last excuse was it must be in English…anything in the U.S. must be in English. And that doesn’t exist anymore. Now it is ok not to be in English…let’s take advantage of that. Doors are opening again to other languages.” The members of ATARASHII GAKKO! know how to entertain the crowds at their shows overseas, encouraging call-and-response with fans using short Japanese words like “ganbatte” and “saiko,” and getting them excited in English, saying, “Everybody jump!’ and ”Say yeah!” Plus, the group’s shows never look cheap or over-the-top, thanks to the four members’ well-coordinated dance moves, SUZUKA’s vocal prowess, and the individuality of each member. Whether you’re Japanese or American, anyone who sees ATARASHII GAKKO! will be able to enjoy its performances to the fullest, and the group’s set at matsuri ’25 was a testimony to that.
Ado
Viola Kam
Then the “Ado Box” was set up in the center of the stage for the event’s final artist, the enigmatic singer Ado, who never shows her face. The 22-year-old songstress immediately launched into her hit banger “Show,” then performed “New Genesis,” “Usseewa” (which sounded faster and more powerful than when this writer saw her on her North American tour a year ago), and “Lucky Bruto” in succession. The stage production was designed to be visually enjoyable as well, with Ado performing “RuLe” by dancing and singing while seated on a chair in her box.
After calls of “Let’s go, Ado” from the audience, the singer addressed the crowd for the first time, talking about how living in Los Angeles for a month last year was one of the best experiences of her life. She shared some episodes that showed her personality, like how she enjoyed In-N-Out burgers and going to Macy’s. “I’m proud to be able to share the stage with ATARASHII GAKKO! and YOASOBI,” she said, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to perform at the event. “I’m so happy that you’ve come to experience Japanese music and culture today. It will really make me happy if you’ll continue to love Japanese music and culture. This has been a really great evening. Thank you.” She then invited the audience to sing and dance with her before performing the last song of her set, “Odo.”
It was unthinkable in the past that an artist who maintains her anonymity by never revealing her face would perform on stage in a box. But it’s true that many people listen to Ado’s music and when she announces shows outside of her home country, many fans rush to buy tickets. This is in line with what Goldenvoice vice president Ellen Lu said at the conference that “festivals are booking with a global sense now. Because that is what people are listening to, so if we are to stay in touch with what people are wanting to see that is not just exclusive to the U.S. or Europe which historically has been the case. It just puts these [international] artists in front of audiences that want to see them or have never had a chance to see them.” This is why Ado was able to successfully tour the world last year, and is set to embark on her second global trek this summer at even bigger venues including arenas.
The three acts that performed at the matsuri ’25 event all had previous experience performing live in North America, and it was a luxurious and precious experience to be able to see them at once. It was an evening that surely made fans want to support other Japanese artists that will follow these groups and go on to perform on the world stage.
—This article by Tomoya Ogawa first appeared on Billboard Japan
“We’ve been trying to spread our music from Japan to the world,” Lilas Ikuta, singer for the Tokyo-based duo YOASOBI, told the audience at a sold-out Peacock Theater show in Los Angeles during a break in the group’s frenetic, synth-driven pop show. Already stars in their home country, Ikuta, who goes by the stage name Ikura, and her bandmate, Ayase, are beginning to get serious help finding fans beyond their home turf.
YOASOBI’s appearance that night was part of a concerted effort to push Japanese pop music — J-pop — far beyond the island nation. The March 16 showcase — matsuri ’25: Japanese Music Experience LOS ANGELES, which also featured Ado and ATARASHII GAKKO! — is the creation of The Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), an organization created by the five Japanese music industry organizations, along with Los Angeles-based promoter Goldenvoice. CEIPA was founded in 2023 by the Recording Industry of Japan (RIAJ), the Music Publishers Association of Japan (MPAJ), the Federation of Music Producers Japan (FMPJ), Japan Association of Music Enterprises (JAME) and All Japan Concert and Live Entertainment Promoters Conference (A.C.P.C.) An industry mixer and panel discussion before the concert was hosted by the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and the Consulate-General of Japan in L.A.
The quest to take J-pop global also has the financial heft of Japan’s largest corporation. In February, CEIPA announced a partnership with Toyota and the launch The Music Way Project, an effort to bring Japanese music to a global audience. The Music Way Project will have overseas bases in L.A., London and Thailand to organize showcases in those regions. It will also help develop artists through a three-pronged approach that includes student seminars, in collaboration with Japanese universities; seminars for young music professionals; and a songwriting camp. Toyota’s “innovation and adventurous spirit,” said CEIPA executive director Taro Kumabe at the press conference, “aligns perfectly with our mission to take Japanese music further into the world.”
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The global success of South Korean music — K-pop — and the resulting growth of companies such as HYBE and SM Entertainment have people in Japan wondering why J-pop can’t be the next great music export. “There is a chance for Japan as well,” Tatsuya Nomura, board member of CEIPA and president of FMPJ, told Billboard through an interpreter. “You have to understand, K-pop music is based on ‘80s Japanese pop. So, as long as we strive forward, we can do it.”
Japan already has a presence in the U.S. mainstream through video games (Final Fantasy, Pokémon), anime (Spirited Away), fashion (Uniqlo), food (sushi) and martial arts (karate). But while K-pop songs and albums regularly appear at the top of Billboard’s U.S. charts, J-pop remains a niche. A few Japanese artists have made some headway. In 2019, pop trio Perfume became the first J-pop act to perform at Coachella. Babymetal, a heavy metal band fronted by three females, tours the U.S. regularly and has appeared at festivals such as Sick New World and Rock on the Range. YAOSOBI performed at Lollapalooza and Coachella in 2024 but didn’t build a U.S. tour around those appearances.
Successfully breaking J-pop in the U.S. and other foreign markets would provide a financial windfall for the Japanese music industry. While Japan was the second-largest recorded music market in 2024, according to the IFPI, it was just 23% the size of the U.S. And because streaming dominates in the U.S. — it accounted for 84% of 2024 revenue, according to the RIAA — there is a huge, internet-connected audience ready to push play on emerging trends. Last year, the global music market reached $29.6 billion, with $20.4 billion coming just from streaming.
South Korea’s early embrace of streaming helped K-pop find fans in the U.S. and elsewhere. With streaming starting to take off in Japan, Nomura believes the time is right for J-pop to look beyond its borders. “Up until now, the Japanese market was mainly focused on CD sales,” he says. “But after COVID happened, people started listening to music on a streaming service. That opened a new page for Japanese music outside of Japan.”
Japan’s government wants to give J-pop a push, too. Faced with decades of deflation and stagnant wages, it’s looking to its content industries to help lift wages and commodity prices. These grand ambitions were laid out in a 2024 report by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) titled, “Grand Design and Action Plan for a New Form of Capitalism 2024,” which described the government’s dedication to increase exports of the country’s content — including music — to a world audience that’s easily reachable by digital distribution. The plan includes, among other things, education, assisting business development and using global platforms “to encourage the formation of local, dedicated fan communities.” Nomura said CEIPA does not receive any government funding.
Michael Africk, a former recording artist with songwriting and production credits on numerous hits in Japan, also believes that J-pop is ready for a bigger stage. Africk’s Handcraft Entertainment recently raised $1 million to help build a multi-faceted company that Africk says will encompass music, fashion, merchandise and cosmetics. The relatively small sum is just “a start,” he says, and the next funding round is already underway.
Africk sees South Korea’s success as a blueprint for how Japan can work in foreign markets and tailor its music to Westerners. K-pop “Westernized really well,” he says. “They understand the economics and the way business works over here. The Japanese struggle with that a bit.” After decades spent working on both sides of the Pacific, Africk believes his experience will help Handcraft bridge the business culture divide between the world’s two largest music markets.
For J-pop to cross over in the West, the artists and music will need to fit the tastes of listeners. Africk explains that J-pop that’s popular in Japan tends to have vocal sounds and chord changes that Western audiences aren’t used to hearing. He seeks out artists who cross cultures seamlessly, speak both Japanese and English perfectly, and have appeal in both Japan and English-speaking countries. While K-pop leans heavily toward ensembles, Handcraft, which is distributed by Virgin Music Group outside of Japan and B ZONE within Japan, has signed two individual artists, Anna Aya and Hana Kuro.
There were two other signs of Japan’s expansion this month. First, blackx, an Asian-focused music investment firm, and ASOBISYSTEM, a management and production company that represents more than 100 artists, formed a strategic partnership to build J-pop outside of Japan. The pairing is meant to provide artists with resources, help them connect with fans globally and create cross-industry collaborations. Then on Tuesday (March 25), Japanese music company Avex made a major move into the U.S. market by naming Brandon Silverstein, founder of S10 Entertainment, the CEO of its newly formed U.S. arm, Avex Music Group. As part of the deal, Avex acquired 100% of S10’s publishing division and added to its existing stake in the management business. The hiring and investment will help Avex break Japanese artists in global markets and position Avex “as a potent force in the international music landscape,” Avex CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa said in a statement.
The Japanese industry will make another push in May with the inaugural Music Awards Japan, an ambitious, two-day event that will name winners of 62 categories based on votes from more than 5,000 members of the Japanese music industry. Set for May 21 and 22 in Kyoto, the awards show will be broadcast in Japan by NHK and will be streamed globally by YouTube. Toyota is a top sponsor of the event.
“Beginning with matsuri ‘25 and the Music Awards Japan, we hope that these events will become the sort of conception or beginning to a lot of different Japanese music artists being able to create more, expand their expression and creativity, to share their love for music with different fans around the world,” CEIPA’s Nomura said during the press conference. “This is going to define the future of the Japanese music industry.”
Mrs. GREEN APPLE‘s “Lilac” Returns to No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released March 26.
The Oblivion Battery opener is back atop the tally after five weeks to log its seventh week at No. 1. On its 50th week on the chart, streaming for the long-running hit is up 103%, downloads 104%, and karaoke 103% compared to the week before.
Eighteen songs by the popular three-man band continue to chart this week, with “Ao to Natsu” from 2018 leading the pack at 282 weeks.
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Debuting at No. 2 is SixTONES’ “Barrier.” The six-member boy band’s 14th single bows at No. 1 for sales again, selling 374,475 copies after dropping March 19, making it the group’s 14th consecutive single to debut atop the metric.
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Sakanaction’s “Kaiju” rises a notch to No. 3. The newly released music video accompanying the Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener helped boost downloads, streaming, video views and karaoke. Downloads are up slightly, streaming up 106%, video 185%, and karaoke 198% week-over-week.
Rosy Chronicle’s “Heirasshai! ~ Nippon de aimasho” bows at No. 4. The Hello! Project girl group’s major-label debut single launches with 74,912 CDs to come in at No. 2 for sales and No. 28 for downloads.
Boku ga Mitakatta Aozora’s “Koi wa baisoku” follows at No. 5, debuting on the chart at a higher position than the group’s previous single, “Sukisugite Up and down.”
Southern All Stars’ “Yume no Uchuryoko” rises to No. 8. The track off the evergreen veteran band’s 16th studio album and the first in ten years entitled THANK YOU SO MUCH ruled radio and came in at No. 11 for downloads after dropping March 19.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from March 17 to 23, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Japanese entertainment company Avex announced a major move to increase its investment and presence in the U.S. on Tuesday (March 25), naming S10 founder Brandon Silverstein CEO of its newly formed Avex Music Group. AMG will focus on promoting Avex artists globally, building its music publishing portfolio, expanding into music catalog deals and much more.
“Avex has always been driven by a bold vision: to shape the future of music,” Avex CEO Katsumi Kuroiwa said in a statement. “Since forming our strategic partnership with Brandon, we have strengthened our presence in the U.S. market, and now, we are taking that vision to the next level.”
Previously known as Avex USA, all assets and staff will be consolidated under AMG, which will continue to be headquartered in Los Angeles. Silverstein will oversee all company operations in addition to being a partner in AMG with an equity stake and joining its board of directors.
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“It is an honor to work alongside Katsumi and contribute to Avex’s legacy of innovation and excellence,” Silverstein added. “My mandate is to build Avex Music Group into a dynamic, full-service music company that creates global opportunities for our creative community.”
In conjunction with Silverstein’s new role, Avex – which had an estimated global revenue of $1 billion USD in 2024 – has acquired 100% of the S10 Music Publishing song catalog and an additional stake in S10 Management. Avex now has the largest share in S10 Management alongside Silverstein and Roc Nation. S10’s existing team and operations will remain unchanged.
Silverstein founded S10 Publishing in 2020 as a joint venture with Avex. Its catalog includes Hot 100 No. 1s such as “Peaches” by Justin Bieber featuring Daniel Caesar and Giveon; “Greedy” by Tate McRae; “First Class” by Jack Harlow and more, alongside hits by Rihanna, Bad Bunny, Post Malone and others.
S10’s Management roster includes Myke Towers, Big Sean and Madison Bailey.
“By deepening our commitment and entrusting Brandon to lead our U.S. operations, we are not only expanding our footprint but also positioning Avex as a potent force in the international music landscape,” Kuroiwa said. “Together, we will create new opportunities for creatives, introduce Japanese talent to a wider global audience, and push boundaries to redefine what it means to be a global powerhouse in music and entertainment.”
King & Prince’s “HEART” blasts in at No. 1 on this week’s Billboard Japan Hot 100, dated March 19.
The group’s 16th single is being featured as the ending theme song for the latest drama series starring member Ren Nagase. The CD launched with 329,809 copies to debut at No. 1 for sales, tops downloads (30,920 units), and comes in at No. 14 for streaming (4,288,922 weekly streams), No. 23 for radio airplay, and No. 3 for video views.
“HEART” becomes King & Prince’s 14th No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100. The group has consistently sold over 300,000 copies of all of its singles in the first week and all of them have topped the physical sales list.
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King & Prince First Week Single Sales
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1. “Cinderella Girl” 622,701 copies
2. “Memorial” 372,139 copies
3. “Kimi wo Matteru” 400,315 copies
4. “koi-wazurai” 385,303 copies
5. “Mazy Night” 531,162 copies
6. “I promise” 578,092 copies
7. “Magic Touch/Beating Hearts” 470,605 copies
8. “Koi Furu Tsukiyo ni Kimi Omou” 449,115 copies
9. “Lovin’ you/Odoruyouni Jinsei wo.” 471,845 copies
10. “TraceTrace” 513,056 copies
11. “Tsukiyomi/Irodori” 614,173 copies
12. “Life goes on/We are young” 1,051,909 copies
13. “Nanimono” 546,829 copies
14. “Aishi Ikiru koto/MAGIC WORD” 353,077 copies
15. “halfmoon / moooove!!” 315,400 copies
16. “HEART” 329,809 copies
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Lilac” stays at No. 2. The track continues to rule streaming for the 28th week with 9,761,022 streams, while hitting No. 8 for downloads, No. 66 for radio, No. 2 for video, and topping karaoke. The Oblivion Battery opener has sailed past 500 million streams as of this week.
SKE48’s “Tick tack zack” debuts at No. 3. The girl group’s 34th single sold 288,724 copies in its first week, coming in at No. 2 for sales and No. 50 for radio.
At No. 4 on the Japan Hot 100 is Sakanaction’s “Kaiju,” slipping a notch from last week. The Orb: On the Movements of the Earth opener came in at No. 7 for downloads, No. 2 for streaming, and No. 6 for radio and video. The accompanying music video dropped Mar. 16, so points for video will also fuel the track from next week.
Mrs. GREEN APPLE’s “Darling” follows at No. 5. The track is also down a notch from last week, but radio and karaoke increased by 133% and 109%, respectively, compared to the week before.
Elsewhere on the chart, Remioromen’s J-pop classic “Sangatsu Kokonoka” (March 9th) charts for the second consecutive week (No. 33 this week). The graduation-related favorite from 2005 climbs the chart every year around this time, and this week, streaming for the track is up 111%, downloads 168%, videos 142%, and karaoke 126% week-over-week.
The Billboard Japan Hot 100 combines physical and digital sales, audio streams, radio airplay, video views and karaoke data.
See the full Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, tallying the week from Mar. 10 to 16, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English X account.
Kazuma Kawamura, a member of the 16-piece Japanese dance and vocal group THE RAMPAGE, has now made his solo debut as L.E.I. with the double A-side single “Delete/Enter.”
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While he’s done some rapping on THE RAMPAGE songs and in live shows, with L.E.I., rap is at the very heart of his art. In an interview with Billboard JAPAN, he discussed the background behind this solo debut. “From the very start, when THE RAMPAGE was formed, our concept always included elements of hip-hop. We’d just assembled as a group, and everyone had different musical tastes, so we made hip-hop one of the cores of the group. That got me interested in hip-hop, and our leader, LIKIYA, knew a lot about U.S. hip-hop and R&B, so I learned a lot from him. Yamasho (Shogo Yamamoto) had been talking about the movie 8 Mile, so I watched it, and it also had a huge impact on me. So I discovered the world of hip-hop a bit at a time, and the more I explored it, the more I got hooked.”
“But it’s not like I’m super-knowledgeable about hip-hop music or artists. I’m still learning. I’ve been really influenced by the culture and philosophy of hip-hop, but not the so-called rapper lifestyle. Drink, drugs, women, partying, violence—those aren’t appealing to me. I’m not interested in bragging about how bad I am or boasting about violence. Instead, I’m interested in the philosophy of hip-hop that’s focused on changing the world. Making it better.”
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“Of course, there have been a lot of rappers who’ve influenced me. Busta Rhymes influenced me with his fast rapping style, while A$AP Rocky has just been an overall huge presence for me. And my long-time favorite, who I still find amazing, is Kendrick Lamar. Needless to say, of the four elements of hip-hop, dance has also had a big impact on me. For example, the krumping of Tommy the Clown and Tight Eyez, who was influenced by Tommy, just reached out and grabbed a hold of my heart. It was like it was saying, ‘Don’t just stand there, get moving!’”
On “Delete,” one of the songs on the single, L.E.I. expresses his frustration and anger with society and the state of things through serious, fiery rap verses, set to a dark trap beat. It has a distinctive structure, challenging the listener about their own beliefs and pushing them to tackle these problems together. “It’s my first song as L.E.I., so I didn’t want to make any compromises. Putting rap front and center, I knew I needed to make something that caused a stir. ‘Delete’ is a powerful representation of that idea. There’s a lot I want to communicate, but the first was a feeling of release from what’s got you trapped, which is why I wrote this song.”
“It’s easy to just shout ‘No!’ But if you want to convince listeners, if you want to convey an effective message, I think you need to raise issues. To get people who listen to the song to think and be more aware, you need to ask questions. I don’t just want to stroke my own ego by spouting things off. And I think the society we live in is one that stops thinking. That’s dangerous. But I didn’t just want to say ‘No!’ or ‘Think!’ Instead, I wanted to reach out to the listener, saying ‘I think this situation is messed up, what about you?’”
The rapping in “Enter,” the theme song of the anime I Left My A-Rank Party to Help My Former Students Reach the Dungeon Depths!, has a lot of variety in its flow. “I tried to change up the flow. I think people will have more opportunities to hear this song, such as through the anime, so I wanted to surprise people, like ‘All these different rap parts are being done by one guy?!’ By changing my approach in each part of the song, I was able to achieve a wider range of artistic expression. It’s like the entire repertoire of my flow as a rapper, all in one song. I did it simply because it’s fun to have a song made up of all these different kinds of rap.”
It’s an anime-themed song, but L.E.I. put his true thoughts into the lyrics. “Sure, there are dark aspects of me, like in ‘Delete,’ but the anime theme brought out the sunnier parts of my personality. I think ‘Enter’ represents my bright side, and the lyrics are all heart-felt. I have a lot of respect for the anime, and I linked keywords that inspired me with my own feelings to create the lyrics. In that sense, as well, I also want to write positive songs that fill you with optimism.”
On inspirations behind his work, he notes, “I’m not the best speaker, but I read a lot of books and manga, more than the average person, and also read a lot through games and anime. So there’s a lot of input, both in the sense of vocabulary and of the beauty of language, and I bring those out in the lyrics. The foundation of the song consists of my own feelings, and then I sift through my vocabulary to come up with ways to express those feelings through rap. When I do that, I think really deeply about what the lyrics will sound like when I rap them. I might write a line a certain way because in that part I’m more focused on conveying my message directly than in the sounds of the words, while in another part I might focus more on the vibe of the sounds.”
Kawamura’s vision is to continue as both a member of THE RAMPAGE and as a solo artist. “Right now, Kazuma Kawamura, member of THE RAMPAGE, is linked to L.E.I., but they may move away from each other over time. I’m also curious and excited to see what form this will eventually take. But as Kazuma Kawamura or as L.E.I., one thing that won’t change is that I’ll always be 100% direct with the people hearing my lyrics. If there’s anyone out there for which L.E.I.’s approach resonates—anyone who I can help through my music—then I want to share my music with them, first. Reaching a wider audience can come later. I want to be an artist that is, first and foremost, a person capable of expressing his own values. I feel like if I can truly accomplish that, then I’ll be unparalleled. I’m striving to be a true rapper with a true message.”
—This interview by TAKAGI “JET” Shinichiro first appeared on Billboard Japan
Tokyo-born singer-songwriter TOMOO — pronounced “tow-mow-oh” — has been playing the piano since she was a child and began working on music in earnest in middle school when she began writing original songs. Her voice has been praised by top Japanese artists and her first full-length album, TWO MOON, reached No. 15 on Billboard Japan’s Hot Albums chart after dropping in Sept. 2023. She was featured in many music programs the following year, and in her MONTHLY FEATURE interview with Billboard Japan, she looked back and shared, “Rather than there being a milestone somewhere like a major change or turning point, 2024 felt like a year when a lot of my activities advanced another step or another level as an extension of the year before, whether it’s about live shows or TV appearances.”
When asked how she would introduce “what kind of artist TOMOO is,” the 29-year-old musician replied, “Yin and yang, old and new. Sometimes people who listen to my music say I seem to have a lot of life experience, but other times they say I still have a boyishness or girlishness about me. That’s an attribute I want to keep. Even when it’s bright, a shadow comes along with it, and even in shadow, a hint of light can be seen in the distance. Having both light and shadow is also my individuality.”
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“Rather than always having something I want to express, I want to be able to give form to the things that come into my mind at any given time,” says the “Grapefruit Moon” artist, explaining that she tries to be like a transparent vessel instead of dyeing herself a particular color. “When I was a teenager, I wanted something that would make it easy to visualize my individuality, but recently I’ve started to think that maybe that’s not necessary. I have the 12 years I’ve been doing this. At the time, I didn’t have a past to look back on and my way of thinking was still very superficial. So I used to think that if I worked hard at something or suffered more, I’d be able to figure out who I am. But it didn’t work that way. I guess that’s why I thought, ‘Then maybe that’s just the way it is.’”
Her latest single, “Contrast,” is currently being featured as the ending theme for the anime series Blue Box Season 2. The show is based on a manga series currently being serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, and tells the coming-of-age love story of high school students devoted to their club activities. ”I started reading the original manga after being tapped to write the song. I wasn’t sure if I could relate to the transparency and freshness of the story, and to the feelings of the characters who are about 10 years younger than me,” TOMOO admits. “But I really did write songs like that when I was a teenager, and wanted to sing the theme song for a work like that, so I was happy when they asked me to do it.”
“Some people said that the character of the song seemed simpler than usual, and that makes sense in a way,” she explains. “It’s the simplicity of high school students concentrating on the moment in front of them within the limited ‘box’ of their time, season and environment, and it’s also the simplicity of feeling both happy and sad with your whole body when you haven’t yet developed emotional immunity. I thought about the lyrics while reading the original manga, trying to evoke the feelings I had when I was around 15 years old.”
For TOMOO, creating “Contrast” was an experience that took her back to her youth. “I wrote the chorus and the music pretty much at the same time, but wrote the first verse (A-melody) from scratch at the piano,” she shares about the writing process. “It was just like how I used to write music when I was a teenager. It turned out a lot more somber than I’d expected, but I figured that was fine because it was the result of the memories of my five senses having seeped out and not something I’d come up with in my brain. It was like I was facing the piano with nothing in mind, and my senses and the honest spirit of the song took the lead. It’s been a while since I’ve written music like that.”
The singer-songwriter worked with Ryo Eguchi, a music producer and arranger who has worked on numerous Japanese pop, idol and anime songs, for the first time on the song’s arrangement. “I’d been aware of Mr. Eguchi since I was around 20 years old. When I was in elementary and junior high school, I liked a lot of anime music that he’d arranged, so I’ve always wanted to ask him to arrange something for me if I ever had the chance to be involved in anime,” TOMOO recalls, going on to say that “Contrast” started out with a solid band-based sound but turned out to be a dramatic piano ballad with deep, resonant synth and cello tones. “Because it was quite heartfelt when I was composing it, I wanted to add elements that would evoke a sense of environmental coolness, like the wind, the sky, and the shadows of buildings. I asked him to add in some programmed rhythms and electric guitar strumming that sounds like strings in the distance, to give it a slightly structured, cool feel, to balance out the sense of temperature.”
The “Super Ball” singer is set to headline a solo concert in May at the historic Nippon Budokan for the first time in her career. She expresses enthusiasm for the upcoming show, saying, “I want to make this concert even more meticulous than my previous ones. I’ve always done my best within the schedule laid out for each show, but this time we’ve talked it over and set aside as much time as possible to prepare.”
“I always thought that the Budokan would be a kind of culmination, a milestone, a goal of that sort,” the singer-songwriter adds. “But I’ve started to feel that it’s not like that, now that I’m actually going on that stage. I realized it’d be better to leave it up to the feelings and mindset of each person who comes to see me. So I’m going back to my roots. Psychological closeness and sounds. When I first started out, I did a show on the floor. With the audience all around me, it was a bit scary before the show started, but I was really focused during the performance and there was tension in every moment. I want to recall that feeling of being nervous and excited at the same time when I perform at the Budokan.”
—This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan
RCA Records Greater China, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, signed a strategic partnership with Chinese indie label and music collective IRIS Chengdu, founded by Chengdu, China-based producer, DJ and recording artist Andre Grant, a.k.a. HARIKIRI. During his career, HARIKIRI has worked with artists including American rapper Jay Park and Chinese hip-hop group Higher Brothers. Over the next year, five albums will be spawned from the partnership, including new releases from female Chinese rapper Vinida Weng, rapper/singer/songwriter Haysen Cheng and HARIKIRI himself, among others. According to a press release, Chengdu “has been widely regarded as the epicentre of China’s evolving hip hop music scene and touted as the city raising China’s new generation of rappers.”
EMPIRE formed a partnership with automated music marketing and promotion platform un:hurd music that includes an investment in un:hurd to support the development of new tools and will give EMPIRE access to un:hurd’s tools and services. The partnership came amid un:hurd’s ongoing fundraise, which has drawn investors including Willard Ahdritz, Dan Runcie’s Trapital Ventures and Mindset Ventures MusicTech. According to un:hurd CEO/founder Alex Brees, the platform boasts a community of more than 125,000 artists and record labels.
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Bria, a generative AI platform for visual images that claims to be built on 100% licensed data, closed $40 million in Series B funding, bringing its total capital raise to $65 million. The money will be used to scale the company’s visual generative AI platform and widen the application of its patented attribution engine to music, video and text generation. The company says its attribution engine “bridges the generative output and the training dataset, so data owners are programmatically compensated according to their overall influence on each generated output,” according to a press release. In a statement, Bria founder/CEO Dr. Yair Adato added, “Enterprises can use our source code and API platform to integrate visual generative AI inside their products and access previously untouchable premium branded content. By broadening our attribution offering to all types of content, including music, video, and text, we are helping to usher in a truly sustainable creative economy.”
Japanese talent management and production company Asobisystem teamed up with blackx, described as a leader in music investments in Asia, to help expand the J-pop genre globally. According to a press release, the companies “will expand artist portfolios, venturing beyond traditional music to explore innovative IP such as cross-industry collaborations, introducing J-Pop to new global audiences and reinforcing Japan’s leadership in the entertainment sector.” Asobisystem’s roster includes Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Atarashii Gakko!, Fruits Zipper and Yasutaka Nakata.
Synch platform SourceAudio struck a deal with AI-powered music analysis platform Cyanite to integrate Cyanite’s AI music tagging and search capabilities directly into the SourceAudio licensing ecosystem. Through the deal, SourceAudio’s music libraries and content owners can opt in to access Cyanite’s AI tagging and search system within their existing workflows. Cyanite has also chosen SourceAudio as its delivery platform for new and existing customers, meaning all Cyanite users can now benefit from SourceAudio’s hosting and licensing solution, allowing their audio files to be automatically tagged and optimized for search, discovery, pitching and monetization.
Celebrity Coaches, a luxury transportation services provider for the entertainment industry, acquired BandWagon RV Rentals, which specializes in mid-level tour transportation. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition expands Celebrity’s fleet to more than 120 vehicles.
Nightlife and entertainment company Ministry of Sound signed a deal with DICE that will see it leveraging the latter’s mobile-first ticketing technology. Through the agreement, Ministry of Sound will gain access to DICE’s analytics and marketing tools, allowing for real-time insights into audience behaviors, event performance and sales attribution.
Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work, in the same spirit as Billboard’s annual Women in Music honors since 2007. This interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry is one of the highlights of Japan’s WIM project.
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The latest installment of the series features Aimi Kobayashi. The 29-year-old classical pianist first performed with an orchestra when she was seven and made her international debut when she was nine. In 2021, she came in fourth place in the International Chopin Piano Competition, attracting attention from around the world. In November 2024, she released her first new album in three years after taking maternity and childcare leave. On behalf of Billboard Japan, the writer Rio Hirai spoke with Kobayashi, who shared her current mindset as she continues to advance her career while enjoying the major changes in her life.
You’ve built a career as a pianist, garnering international attention from a young age. Has your approach to music changed since you got married and became a mother in 2023?
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Aimi Kobayashi: My approach to music hasn’t really changed. Of course, the way I use my time has changed dramatically since becoming a mom. I have an adorable little monster at home, so it’s tough to find time to practice for concerts. But when I see how cute my child is, that alone makes me feel like working hard again.
So even after the stage in your life has changed, you continue to be committed to music. Still, there must be difficulties in continuing your career while parenting.
There are many other difficult things in life besides childbirth. So you just have to adapt to the situation you find yourself in and get on with it. You get used to the situation and it becomes the norm, so you don’t have to think too much about it and just do what’s in front of you, thinking “I have to get it done somehow!” I do my best with housework and parenting, but I don’t expect to be perfect at everything. I’m pretty casual about everything except my job. I think the secret to continuing your career is to get help from the people around you like your parents and set up a support system.
Were you good at relying on other people before you became a mom?
No, I was the type who couldn’t rely on others. But after having a baby, I found myself thinking more often that you can’t live on your own, so I started relying on people around me without hesitation. I’m a mom, but don’t think I have to raise my child on my own. Of course I feel that I have to protect my child, but both the mother and father should equally fulfill their parental roles. You share the housework and childcare with your partner, and if that’s still too much, you can ask for help from other people and raise your child together.
That’s true. When you were in your teens or early twenties, did you ever feel anxious about balancing work with marriage and parenting?
No! I didn’t intend to give up either. I think it’s possible to balance both depending on who you marry. I wanted to be a pianist even after I got married and became a mom. That’s why I wanted to marry someone who would understand and support my career.
When you were 17, you took a break from playing in concerts and went to study at The Curtis Institute of Music in the U.S. Did you feel differently then, compared to during your recent maternity and parental leave?
During my time abroad, I only took a break from doing concerts and continued to practice improving my skill, so it felt completely different. As for maternity and parental leave, it was the first time in my musical career that I took a real break. It’s not often that you get a break that everyone around you congratulates you on. I really enjoyed raising our child and doing the housework while waiting for my partner to come home. But as it continued, I really started to feel the desire to go back to work. My partner continued to perform at concerts, so there were times when I felt anxious and wondered, “When will I be able to get back to work?”
I see. How did you overcome that anxiety?
I decided to push my comeback back two months, and that was a big relief. I had concert plans and other things lined up, and had initially decided to return to work as soon as possible because I didn’t want to cancel or postpone. I’d never experienced any major illnesses and was in good health, so I thought I’d be able to manage it if I just worked hard, but giving birth was harder than I’d expected. Even so, I still thought I had to return as soon as possible and ended up getting sick and feeling mentally overwhelmed. Then, the people at my agency and my manager told me, “Your mind and body will be back to normal with time, so take it easy and rest.” Their kind words lifted the weight off my shoulders and eased my postpartum anxiety, and I was able to return to work.
I’m really glad there are people around you who understand. What do you think is necessary for women to continue making music in this industry for a long time after marrying or becoming a mom?
It’s good to have a place to return to after taking maternity leave. Children are a gift, and there will be times you have to cancel shows. I was grateful there were so many people who understood this and waited for me to come back. This isn’t just limited to the music industry, but if there’s an environment that supports women taking maternity leave, then it will make it more enjoyable for them to look after their kids. And although it may be slow, I think that society is changing. Rather than focusing on the things that mothers and women can’t do, I want to believe that the world is becoming a better place and live my life as I wish.
Many women have careers in classical music, but for example, more men have been awarded at the International Chopin Piano Competition, and the ratio of male and female musicians also differs depending on the instrument. What are your thoughts on the gender imbalance in this industry?
I do sense some remnants of history, like the fact that Western orchestras used to be comprised of only male musicians in the past. A friend of mine, a female musician in an orchestra once told me that it’s hard for women to actively participate in orchestras. I do think that it takes intense conviction. The same is true for office workers. Some might imagine that a woman has to work as hard as a man to advance her career in an administrative position. I think I can make the most of my strength as a woman without compromising my identity.
Have you personally been affected by gender inequality?
I do feel it since I became a mother. Being pregnant was a wonderful experience. Only women can experience nurturing a life inside themselves and giving birth. But I also envy men who can pursue their careers without taking time off when they become fathers.
In addition to motherhood, changes in the stages in women’s lives can sometimes be an obstacle to career advancement.
Women do go through various changes in their lives, like having to raise kids or care for their parents someday. When changes like these happen in the home, more women tend to sacrifice their careers, and it feels like this is linked to gender imbalance in society. Also, women often suffer from physical problems due to hormonal imbalance caused by age. Women have to overcome many obstacles to advance their careers.
Do you have any role models, someone who makes you think, “I want to live my life like this person”?
There aren’t too many (female) classical musicians who continue to be active after having children. So I admire women in any field who flourish in the work they want to do after having kids. But this is my opinion as a married woman who has a child. Whether or not you get married is up to you, and being a mom isn’t everything. I think it’s fine as long as you’re happy.
I think you’re a role model for many people. Do you have any messages for women who might be worried about being able to advance their careers even as changes happen in their lives?
When you can’t find the answer to something even after thinking hard about it, it’s important to summon up your courage and take a step forward. You might gain new perspective, and even if you don’t find it right away, you might be able to arrive at your own answer by taking one step at a time. When I was a teenager, I used to think I had an infinite amount of time, but after becoming a mom, time passes like the wind. So I think it’s better to try the things you want to do now without holding back, and to live your life without regrets.
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan