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On June 4, YOASOBI played the last show of its first arena tour, YOASOBI ARENA TOUR 2023 “DENKOSEKKA,” at Saitama Super Arena, Japan.
With 19,000 fans in attendance, this was YOASOBI’s largest-ever solo show — and it was also being broadcast live around the world. YOASOBI’s newest single, “Idol,” has broken countless records in the charts, and is maintaining tremendous momentum, even taking the number one spot on the Billboard’s Global Excl. U.S. chart. The Saitama Super Arena show was an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience that power first-hand.
Watching the show, the first things that stood out to me were the bold presence of vocalist ikura and composer Ayase, and their solid performance. YOASOBI is a musical unit that produces music inspired by novels. Their big break came with an animated music video. Partly because they debuted during the pandemic, their first stage performance was an online show. They later began performing at shows and festivals with live audiences, but it wasn’t until this tour that they finally began to have normal shows where audiences shouted or sang along. They’re not a unit forged in the fires of frequent live shows. However, the indelible impression the show left me with was of the physical strength of the duo. The passionate vocals and performance, which the two threw themselves into with every fiber of their being, brought the whole arena together as one. Their show packed a tremendous punch.
At curtain time, laser light danced through the air and a four-on-the-floor beat and electro melody began ringing out through the venue. The set, suspended from the ceiling, rose up, and Ayase, ikura, and their band members appeared, dressed in yellow track suit-like costumes. “It’s time for YOASOBI to start things up!” declared ikura, and they launched into the first song of the night, “The Blessing.” The audience began chanting out the rhythm of the exciting electro number. They followed this up with their hit song “Into the Night.” ikura shouted “Get up and jump around!” and the audience’s energy suddenly reached fever pitch. When Ayase yelled “Let’s make this a night to remember!” and the band began performing “RGB,” the audience swung their towels above their heads. From the very start, the air was filled with excitement.
After some call & response between the band and the audience, YOASOBI shifted into the middle of their show, playing the songs “Seventeen,” “Mister,” “Umi No Manimani,” and “Suki Da” from their Hajimete no EP. Each of these songs was based on a story by a leading Japanese novelist, and the colorful visuals on the massive LED screen behind the band wove the aesthetics of each story.
Ayase then introduced the band — guitarist AssH, bassist Hikaru Yamamoto, keyboardist Zakuro Misohagi, and drummer Honogumo. He reflected on the tour, deep emotion in his voice as he recalled, “We’ve had lots of difficulties and struggles, but looking back, it was all fun. This experience has really been a tremendous support, and I’m truly happy that we’ve been able to make each new day a great one.”
ikura gave a moving speech to the crowd, expressing the joy and gratitude she felt as she realized one of her dreams. She recalled the first time she came to Saitama Super Arena, ten years ago, at the age of 13. She watched one of her very favorite musicians, Taylor Swift, from the very last row of the second floor stands. “I remember being amazed by just how moving music could be. I was moved, and at the same time, I thought about how much I wanted to stand on this same stage — how I wanted it to be my own voice that enveloped the crowd. And today, here I am!” She continued, “I want YOASOBI to be the kind of band that you dream about, and for us to keep putting on shows that are dreams come true for all of you, too!”
In the second half of the show, YOASOBI sang wistful ballads, starting with “Comet” and leading into “If I Could Draw Life.” The pop tune groove of “Haven’t” got the audience swaying and vibing. Then, after a quick introduction of the show’s merch and the staff, which provided a glimpse of the duo’s friendly and approachable personalities, Ayase and ikura performed a run of light, cute, popular songs: “Halzion,” “Haruka,” and “The Swallow.”
The show then headed towards its climax. Over the electro sound effects, ikura yelled out “Everyone, raise your voices and shout it out with me!” and launched into “Monster.” The audience’s fists pumped and their shouts filled the air as bright red lasers flittered across the arena. This was followed by “Blue,” and the whole audience lifted their voices together as the chorus rang out, “See what, see what, covered deep inside.” The show ended with a performance of “Adventure,” a rapturous closer that brought the whole audience together as one.
The audience began chanting for an encore, and Ayase, ikura, and the rest of the band took to the stage once again. The last song they played was “Idol.” During the intro, which had extended for the live set, ikura shouted out “Now let’s give it all we’ve got and dance till we drop!” and filled the arena with feverish excitement through the powerful song, switching between rapping and rapid-fire vocals. As silver confetti flittered through the air, ikura, a huge smile on her face, shouted “We are YOASOBI! Thank you!” took a deep bow, and left the stage.
The show was intense — the kind of show that leaves your heart racing with excitement even after it ends. For each and every one of the 19,000 people in the audience, it must have been like a dream coming true.
On August 5 and 6, YOASOBI will be performing at Head In The Clouds festival in Los Angeles. It is certain to show their unparalleled momentum and their tremendous potential as a live act.
—This article by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan
YOASOBI‘s “Idol” continues to blaze the trail as it adds another week to its record-breaking run atop the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart, released June 22. Scoring its 10th consecutive week at No. 1, the points for “Idol” in streaming, video views, karaoke and radio airplay began increasing again this week after showing a slight […]
Billboard Japan has released its mid-year charts for 2023, including “Niconico VOCALOID SONGS TOP20,” a chart of Vocaloid music newly launched in December 2022, where Tsumiki has maintained a consistent presence at the top since its inception.
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Billboard Japan spoke to the musician behind “Phony” on how he felt about the song, which remains widely loved even now, roughly two years after its release, and the reason for his constant activity, not only as a Vocaloid producer, but also as a songwriter and as a solo artist.
“Phony,” which you released in June 2021, remains a fixture in the top of the Billboard JAPAN “Niconico VOCALOID SONGS TOP20” chart. Today, I’d like to talk with you about “Phony,” which has been an extraordinarily long-lived hit, and about your relationship with Vocaloid. To start off with, what led to the release of “Phony” in 2021?
Tsumiki: When I wrote “Phony,” in 2021, social networks were really taking off, and everyone was masked up because of COVID. I felt like, at the time, there was a strong and growing shift toward anonymity throughout the world, both mentally and in a real-world sense. It felt like people were putting on masks. Japan’s “ronpa boom,” that fad of shooting down other people’s arguments, was another example of it. It was like people were brandishing justice as a weapon. I was recoiling from that a bit. I started writing “Phony” to put those feelings to music. It all began with a request I got to promote the KAFU artificial singing synthesizer. KAFU was made by feeding the voice of virtual singer KAF into an AI. That’s why I felt that it had a connection to the situation at the time, where everyone was wearing ‘masks,’ and to the themes of deceit and falsehood.
The sound is very different from the songs on your first album, SAKKAC CRAFT, which you released on February 2021. I feel like “Phony” has a more danceable sound.
Tsumiki: The music I made up through SAKKAC CRAFT was made using a kind of additive approach. From “Phony” onward, I started to want to let the material breathe. Instead of adding more and more over the course of a few days, I wanted listeners to be able to hear the sound like it first came out. I think that while I was trying out new things using this approach, the music became more and more danceable.
Looking back, why do you think you were trying to change your music that way?
Tsumiki: I thought that approach would be more universal. Also, until then, most of the songs I made were made using Hatsune Miku, but the only information that Hatsune Miku works with is melody and voice. You have to express things like breathing and falling tones by using notes. With KAFU, though, breathing is put in automatically. There’s a lot more data than there is with Hatsune Miku. Looking back, I think that I started using a composition approach where the vocals would draw the listener in themselves, to make the vocals stand out more.
I feel like the themes of deceit and falsehood were part of your music even before “Phony” came out. For example, “Phony” starts out with “There are no flowers in this world more beautiful than artificial flowers,” lyrics that really make a strong impression. Artificial flowers are also mentioned in your song “tautology doubtful.” The “fake” in the title of the first song you ever uploaded, “tokyo diver fake show,”, is also in the same vein as “Phony.”
Tsumiki: When I write music, I try to always be there for the underdog. I myself tend to be really introspective, and I want to write music that compensates for that part of my own personality. I often write my songs and lyrics with the hope that they’ll reach a lot of other people, as well. In that sense, in some ways my music is like taking on mounting feelings of deceit or guilt. For example, when you’re having a hard time at work, there are times when you have to put on a brave face. I think of that as a kind of lie. I think through all of my music runs an intent to create something that rescues people from that deceit.
How much do you think about ‘modernity,’ like you mentioned earlier?
Tsumiki: I can’t write about things I don’t believe. When I’m inspired about the misfortune I’m confronted with in our modern age, I start writing it all down. That’s where my songwriting starts, so I guess in a way it’s inevitable that my music would have a feeling of modernity. It could be something as simple as “Dammit, there’s no toilet paper! That sucks!” (laughs) I expand on that little everyday gloom, sublimating it into pop music.
What kind of impact do you think the widespread support for “Phony” has had on your activities after its release?
Tsumiki: I think it was a major turning point for me in my own musical life. My efforts to make music focused on universality came to fruition. I’ve always liked music that strayed from the confines of pop, and, precisely because of that, it was a big deal that my own vision of pop grew into full maturity.
As I mentioned earlier, “Phony” has consistently kept a top position in the “Niconico VOCALOID SONGS TOP20” chart. How do you feel about the existence of this Vocaloid-specific chart, which was launched in December 2022?
Tsumiki: I guess for someone getting into music production, rankings are important. Knowing what position your song reached can help motivate you to make music. In that sense, having Vocaloid-exclusive rankings, and the dreams that come with them, is a good thing. The chart might be what makes someone who is just starting their music production think, “yeah, I just might be able to do this.”
So rankings are like metrics or entry points for younger generations.
Tsumiki: I got into Vocaloid production back when I was in a band, because my friend Tatsuya Kitani was using Vocaloid. He showed me what to do. When my music appeared in the ranking, he spread the word about that, and I think a lot of people discovered me as a result. I want to let the newer generations know that things like this can happen.
Do you think about the chart when you write music?
Tsumiki: Honestly, personally, I feel like if what I’m putting out there resonated with even one person, I could die happy. But I’m not making my music alone, and I think the chart is important for all kinds of people, so I don’t want to neglect the chart, and I hope that I can claim a position on it by putting out good music. I want to keep on believing in my own creations, and I don’t want to make the people who believe in me feel ashamed.
You said that if your music resonated with even one person, you could die happy. The fact that you could say that with such conviction really shows what a dedicated artist you are.
Tsumiki: I don’t want to make music as an advertisement, I want to make music as music. On the flip side of that, as long as I can convey the true essence of music, I think anything goes. That’s why I design the external trappings of my music, like the thumbnails of my videos, to communicate with as many people as possible. Then, when everything is stripped away, if there’s even a single person that I’ve truly reached, that’s enough to make me happy.
The ranking also shows the presence of music from other artists from your own generation. What kind of influence does this have on you?
Tsumiki: Of course, it has a lot of influence on me. I submitted my first song in 2017, and a lot of the other artists on the chart are my contemporaries, like Threee and Ayase. We started watching Nico Nico Douga back when we were around elementary school age. We were the generation that was watching artists like wowaka, Hachi, and DECO*27 hold those ‘good music battles.’ It feels like we’re going back to the culture of those days. Competing purely for fun, with that feeling of “I won!” or “oh, no, I lost” — there’s a kind of nostalgic appeal to it. I know that rankings aren’t everything, of course, but I hope people also understand that they can be enjoyed in that way, too.
Recently, you’ve been doing a lot outside the conventional Vocaloid category, like collaborating with other artists as a songwriter or working in the unit NOMELON NOLEMON with Maria Miki. Looking at this growing range of activities gives me a sense of your spirit of exploration as a creator, and your desire to take on new challenges. What do you think is behind your musical activities taking so many forms in so many places?
Tsumiki: Personally, I don’t feel a big divide between these other activities and my Vocaloid music creation. I didn’t start making music because I wanted to make Vocaloid songs, I just had Vocaloid sing the music that I wanted to create. I formed a musical unit for the same reason — if it would help me reach people, then it’s what I wanted to do. I hope that engaging in music creation in all these ways will help me share the music I have deep inside.
This “music you have deep inside” — does that tie into your desire to be there for the underdog, as you mentioned when we were talking about “Phony”?
Tsumiki: Yes, it does. Well, I say ‘the underdog,’ but I really want my music to reach all kinds of people. It’s just that there have been so many times when music has saved me. When that happens, I’m filled with an overwhelming desire to create music. Every day, even if we aren’t confronted with major problems, we encounter little annoyances in our daily lives. There are times when we just don’t feel motivated. When I listen to music during these little downs in my day, the music sometimes inspires me. It gives me the boost I need to move forward.
So, looking on it now, what do you think is the appeal of the expressive medium of Vocaloid?
Tsumiki: It would have to be how easy it is to get started. To become a Vocaloid producer, all you need is a computer and the software. In the past, I think that being a musician required you to follow a process: contracting with an agency, getting signed to a label, renting a studio, performing…With Vocaloid, you can do the equivalent of all of that from your own room, with just a computer. I think that’s really important. I see this lowering of the barriers to making music to be a positive thing.
Do you have any goals of your own right now?
Tsumiki: It’s still a vague idea, but ever since I was little, I listened to music, and the joy of music saved me and enabled me to hang in there. So I want to give back to music — to take what I’ve gotten from previous generations and pass it on to future generations. It feels like the times we’re living in are just getting darker and darker. It’s precisely because of this that I want to create a world where children can be saved by the joy of music. That’s why I hope someday to write songs for children.
—This interview by Fumiaki Amano first appeared on Billboard Japan
YOASOBI‘s “Idol” logs its ninth consecutive week atop the Billboard Japan Hot 100, released June 14, dominating four metrics of the chart’s methodology for the third straight week.
Nine consecutive weeks at No. 1 breaks the record previously held by Official HIGE DANdism’s “Subtitle” (eight straight weeks), and the song is now tied with Aimer’s “Zankyosanka” in terms of total weeks at No. 1. “Subtitle” is currently the record-holder for most weeks at No. 1 (13 weeks), and “Idol” still maintains the momentum to catch up with the long-running hit from late last year.
The Oshi no Ko opener holds at No. 1 on the Japan Hot 100 powered by streaming, downloads, video views, and karaoke, where it rules for the third week in a row. Total points for the track is almost triple that of the song at No. 2, MAN WITH A MISSION x milet’s “Kizuna no Kiseki.” The track also sailed past 200 million streams on its ninth week on the chart, breaking the previous record held by “Subtitle” (11 weeks) for number of weeks it took to hit the milestone. It looks like the track’s unprecedented record-breaking streak is likely to continue.
Johnny’s WEST’s “Shiawase no Hana” debuts at No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100, selling 220,040 copies in its first week to rule sales. The theme of the TV series Gekikaradou 2 starring member Akito Kiriyama also hit No. 22 for radio airplay.
BTS’s “Take Two” — the digital single released June 9 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the septet’s debut — bowed at No. 6 on the Japan Hot 100 after coming in at No. 2 for downloads and No. 61 for streaming. A video of the seven members singing, including Jin and J-Hope who are currently serving in the South Korean military, was also released on Tuesday (June 13), and the track is expected to move further up the charts in the future.
Stray Kids’ “S-Class” from the group’s new album 5-STAR rises 39-8 after jumping to No. 7 for streaming. The album is at No. 4 on Billboard Japan’s download albums chart, and also hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Aimyon’s “Ai no Hana” (“Flower of Love”) also moves 32-9 on the Japan Hot 100 after the CD hit No. 6 for sales.
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 June 5 to 11, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
Official HIGE DANdism and King & Prince top Billboard Japan’s 2023 mid-year charts, tallying the weeks from Nov. 28, 2022, to May 28, 2023.
On the Japan Hot 100 songs chart, hitmakers Official HIGE DANdism rule with “Subtitle.” The four-man band’s record-breaking single, featured as the theme of the popular TV series silent, was streamed 287,706,788 times during the tallying period after dropping digitally on Oct. 12 last year. In May it sailed past 400 million streams, breaking the previous record for the time it took for a song to reach that milestone. It also became the record-holder for most weeks at No. 1 after the topping the survey 13 times.
“We’re so very grateful that so many of you have listened to our music,” the band says in a statement. “We’ll keep working hard on our songwriting and live shows, and enjoy being in this band so we can continue delivering music we think is great. Thank you so much!”
Two popular anime series openers follow on the mid-year Japan Hot 100: the Chainsaw Man opener “KICK BACK” by Kenshi Yonezu at No. 2 and the Oshi no Ko opening theme “Idol” by YOASOBI at No. 3. The latter recently made headlines in Japan for becoming the first Japanese-language song to top Billboard’s Global Excl. U.S. list.
The No. 1 album on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums mid-year chart is King & Prince’s greatest-hits collection Mr.5. The boy band’s best-of set sold over a million copies (1,376,802) during the surveying period and dominated the physical sales metric as well.
King & Prince
Courtesy Billboard Japan
Ren Nagase and Kaito Takahashi of King & Prince shared a heartfelt statement expressing gratitude to their fans for their undying support: “We’re thrilled to hear King & Prince’s first best-of album Mr.5 finished first in the album category on [Billboard Japan’s] mid-year charts of 2023. Thank you so much to everyone who picked up a copy and to everyone who was involved in its making!”
“This album was created to reflect upon our journey so far as a group, made together with our fans who walked with us along the way,” they added. “It made us so happy to receive so many votes when we were selecting the tracks, seeing how much people loved our songs. We’re sure we were able to achieve this result because so many of you supported us. We’ll continue to stay true to ourselves and keep delivering our best performances and songs. Please look forward to it!”
The album at No. 2 is Snow Man‘s i DO ME and SEVENTEEN‘s FML follows at No. 3.
Official HIGE DANdism is the top act on the mid-year Japan Artist 100 chart, compiled from the results of the Japan Hot 100 and Hot Albums lists. The band has eight songs in the top 100, including former chart-toppers “Mixed Nuts” and “Pretender.”
The artist at No. 2 is young singer-songwriter Vaundy, whose performance of his long-running hit “Kaijuu no Hanauta” on last year’s New Year’s Eve live music extravaganza Kohaku Uta Gassen stole the show. Following at No. 3 is veteran three-man band back number, with five songs in the top 100 including the hits “I Love You” and “Suiheisen.”
While the synergistic effects of major tie-ins with popular TV series and anime have led to the accumulation of more points than ever in the digital realms of the chart’s methodology — streaming, video views and downloads — the breakthroughs of hits independent of tie-ins such as Vaundy’s “Kaiju no Hanauta,” Tani Yuuki‘s “W/X/Y” and Natori’s “Overdose” should also be noted.
Billboard Japan Hot 100 Mid-Year Chart 2023
1. “Subtitle” / Official HIGE DANdism2. “KICK BACK” / Kenshi Yonezu3. “Idol” / YOASOBI4. “Kaijuu no Hanauta” / Vaundy5. “Dai Zero Kan” / 10-FEET6. “New Genesis (Uta from ONE PIECE FILM RED)” / Ado7. “W/X/Y” / Tani Yuuki8. “Overdose” / Natori9. “Mixed Nuts” / Official HIGE DANdism10. “I Love You” / back number
Billboard Japan Hot Albums Mid-Year Chart 2023
1. Mr.5 / King & Prince2. i DO ME / Snow Man3. FML / SEVENTEEN4. THE SOUND / Stray Kids5. Koe / SixTONES6. Kessoku Band / Kessoku Band7. Awakening / INI8. FACE / JIMIN9. Humor / back number10. POWER / Johnny’s WEST
Billboard Japan Artist 100 Mid-Year Chart 2023
1. Official HIGE DANdism2. Vaundy3. back number4. YOASOBI5. Ado6. Mrs. GREEN APPLE7. Yuuri8. King & Prince9. Snow Man10. Kenshi Yonezu
YOASOBI’s “Idol” adds another week to its No. 1 streak on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, now at eight straight weeks on the chart released June 7. The latest hit by the Japanese duo of Ayase and ikura continues to dominate the same four metrics it ruled last week — streaming, downloads, video views, and […]
ONE N’ ONLY, the Japanese dance and vocal group that blends J-pop and K-pop to create “JK-pop,” released its new album, Departure, on May 17. This album represents the culmination of the “5 N’ 5” project, which began in January to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the group’s formation. Billboard Japan recently spoke with the six members of the group.
You’ve had several releases during your fifth year, but now you’ve capped them off with the release of Departure. It’s a really full album, packed with songs.
HAYATO: It has all the songs we’ve released over the past five months, of course, but it also has a lot of new songs. It’s a special album, and a lot of care went into making it. We didn’t just throw in all our past songs.
So it must have been really tough for you when you were making it.
Everyone: It was so tough! (they laugh)
HAYATO: There were constant release events, and from what I can remember we were always recording material, so we were super busy.
TETTA: I think it’s probably the busiest ONE N’ ONLY has ever been.
EIKU: We met a lot of SWAGs, too (“SWAGs” is the nickname for ONE N’ ONLY fans).
TETTA: We also gave a speech at the premiere of the movie Battle King!! We’ll Rise Again. Our schedules were really packed. We also did a tour of Latin America, took part in EBiDAN THE PARADE (an event put on by their talent agency), and went on a solo tour. When it was all going on, I just had to remind myself that when it was all done, I’d have grown a lot as a person.
The songs on the album are colorful and unconstrained by genre. Which are your personal favorites?
REI: I like “Call me” the most. It’s addictive, and it has elements that will help it go viral on TikTok. It has a reggae feel, and talking to our voice trainer impressed on me just how important it was to have the rhythm in the background. We grew a lot through our work in Latin America, which is what I think put us in the right position to sing the lyrics to “Call me.”
What about you, HAYATO? What’s your favorite song?
HAYATO: I like the first song, “CIRCLE.” JUNE wrote it for us two years ago, and we’ve been keeping it in our pocket till the time was right. I’ve always loved it, so I asked for it to be put on the album. This is our first song to be performed entirely by the rap team, so it holds a special place in my heart.
What about you, rap team members KENSHIN and NAOYA?
KENSHIN: I sang on the song, and it was really hard. The rapping was technical, and there was a lot I had to do in terms of technique, so I broke each part down and analyzed it, one by one.
Like HAYATO said, the song itself was written two years ago, and at the time I couldn’t quite get a good grip on it. But I’ve experienced a lot over the past two years, and it seems like all I’ve learned has really come together. I was happy to be able to sing on “Circle,” and I think it’s a very special song.
NAOYA: This song has an inner strength. It’s not like the sound itself is super powerful, and the song’s hook is laid back, but when I sang on it, I hoped to accent the song with something new. I don’t think that the me of two years ago could have sung that hook. It’s a song that I can sing because of where I am today.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how you perform it live.
HAYATO: It’s probably going to be pretty aggressive. Before we finished recording, we lined the songs all up once. We were talking about the songs, and everyone agreed that “Circle” got them fired up. I think it came out really well.
KENSHIN: I also really like “Set a Fire.” The album has a lot of aggressive songs and a lot of fascinating songs, but “Set a Fire” is a lighter song, in a good way. It’s a party song. When we were thinking about how we could improve ONE N’ ONLY’s live shows, we strongly felt that we needed something that everyone could take part in, that would make them all be like, “ONE N’s shows are so fun!” I think this song adds that kind of spice.
TETTA: It’ll probably get people moving in Latin America. It’d be great to perform outdoors!
NAOYA: I like “10,000 miles,” which is named after the distance between here and Brazil. I personally love the sound of the song, and the fact that we performed in Brazil is what makes us so right to sing this song. Our SWAGs in Latin America are so far away, but we’re always thinking about them, and this song expresses how even though we’re physically far apart, we’re together in spirit.
Wow, looking at the distance as an actual number, that’s really far away.
NAOYA: Yeah. And yet, despite this distance, our fans are out there supporting us. I feel so thankful.
TETTA: I also like “10,000 miles.” It expresses the way we feel, always keeping our SWAGs number one in our hearts. I recommend the song, because it’s got a gentle feel but the sound strikes right at your heart, which I love.
The album is full of bold, rich songs, with both a JK-pop and a Western pop feel.
EIKU: Yeah, it’s a rich album. I like “Reflection,” which I helped write, but I also like “Be Alright,” which is only on the standard version of the album. I played guitar on the recording, and both the melody and the lyrics are wonderful. Even when you’re trying your best every day, there are times when your spirit just crumbles. When that happens, instead of someone trying to encourage you, it feels better to hear “you’re not alone,” “it’ll be alright,” “we’re here for you.” That’s what I wanted to convey when I sang the song.
It sounds like the kind of song that would bring the audience to tears when played live.
EIKU: And us singers, too (laughs). I think that’s the kind of song it’s going to turn out to be.
Do you have a message you’d like to share with the people who are looking forward to this densely packed new album?
HAYATO: Every day has been a really fulfilling one during this fifth year commemorative project, and our new album is the culmination of our series of recent releases. We named it Departure because it’s a starting point, and we want to pick up speed from here. Once we make our spring tour a great success, we’ll use what we learn from the experience going forward, showing off a ONE N’ ONLY that is steadily evolving. I hope everyone can feel how special this album is, a commemoration of our fifth anniversary, and that they experience this boundless emotion together with us.
—This interview by Kana Yoshida first appeared on Billboard Japan
Billboard Japan recently interviewed MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, who collaborated on “Kizuna no Kiseki,” the opening theme song of the anime TV series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc.
The two had previously collaborated on the ending theme song “Koi Kogare.” A CD containing both songs was released on May 31. MAN WITH A MISSION is also in the middle of its first world tour in four years, visiting North America, the U.K. and other parts of Europe in May and June and playing in Asia in the fall.
On behalf of Billboard Japan, journalist Tomonori Shiba spoke with milet and MAN WITH A MISSION’s Jean-Ken Johnny, getting an inside look at the process of writing the song and discussing the shared musical roots of the two musicians and their feelings about touring overseas.
To start with, what did you first think when they asked you to write the opening theme for Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc?
Jean-Ken Johnny: It’s really popular, not just in Japan, but around the world, so, honestly, I was pretty nervous. On the one hand, I was very grateful, but on the other hand I was thinking about how I needed to straighten up and get serious.
milet: LiSA and Aimer sang the previous theme song together, so it would’ve been really lonely if I sang alone, but since I’d be working with MAN WITH A MISSION, the Ultimate Life Form, I knew I’d be in good hands.
This time, the anime producers suggested having male and female vocals, which is what led to this collaboration between MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, right?
Jean-Ken Johnny: That’s right. In Swordsmith Village Arc, Muichiro Tokito and Mitsuri Kanroji, who are “Hashiras,” fight alongside Tanjiro Kamado. The anime producers said they wanted a song with both male and female vocals, in line with the story. We provided them with a lot of different demo songs.
“Kizuna no Kiseki” features Japanese instruments, like shamisen and taiko drums. Where did you come up with the idea for that arrangement?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We listened to other songs that had been used in the series and found that the soundtracks for the films used a lot of Japanese instruments. However, the theme songs had never really put those instruments front and center. We thought we’d give the song more of an impact by prominently using Japanese instruments in the intro. We also knew that they’d go well with rock, so we figured if we combined live playing with sampling, we could create a really distinctive song. That was our idea from the very start when we began writing the song.
“Kizuna no Kiseki” Music Video
What kind of motifs did you use in the overall melody and sound of the song?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We thought about what elements would be shared in common with our musical sensibilities, what genre would be right for the anime, and what would set the song apart from other songs. We decided that an alternative, punk-like vibe would work really well. From the very start of the writing process, we were thinking of having milet sing, which we also hoped would provide the song with a bit of freshness.
milet, what were your impressions of the song creation process?
milet: As a Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba fan myself, I remember listening to the demo and being really moved by how well it went with the actual story. Also, my first impression was that the song easy to sing for me — I liked the melody, and it made it easy to bring out my own personal vocal qualities. I especially like the low-pitched bridge. I found the whole song to be packed with all kinds of ideas.
Why did you name the song “Kizuna no Kiseki” (“Miraculous Connections”)?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I think the Swordsmith Village Arc depicts the importance of connections — not just the connections between the main characters, but also their connections with all of the people who appear in the story. I wanted to pick a title that focused on that. To be honest, we’ve never given a song a name as direct as this one, but we wanted something really powerful, extremely straightforward.
Have you, MAN WITH A MISSION and milet, found any commonalities in your roots and the artists that influenced you?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Absolutely. When we started talking about it, it was just amazing how many artists we’ve both been influenced by. Sigur Rós, Smashing Pumpkins, and more recently, The 1975. A ton of artists that are also my absolute personal favorites. Before we collaborated with milet, the whole band was already fans of her voice and her artistry. When we found out that we shared a love for the same music, it suddenly made sense why we’re such big milet fans.
milet: When I first heard MAN WITH A MISSION, I was sure that their rock roots must overlap a lot with my own. But when I actually talked to them about it, I was astounded by just how much overlap there was. We also talked about movie music, and I was surprised at how similar our interests were there, too, with us both liking composers like Ennio Morricone, John Williams, and Hans Zimmer.
So, milet, your voice was being envisioned for the song from the very start. Jean-Ken Johnny, what do you think is so appealing about milet’s vocals, and what features set it apart?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Part of it’s the tremendous vitality in her voice. I really like the fabric of her vocals. I’m constantly impressed about how unrivalled her voice is. It’s not just her vocal qualities, but also how she sings, and the amount of emotion she pours into singing. It’s very multifaceted, taking the listener in various directions. There’s tenderness, and power, and beauty, but at the same time a certain darkness. There’s just so much packed into the emotions of her songs. Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba isn’t all bright and cheery. There are also darker elements, deeper elements, like its philosophy and how it looks at life and death. We wrote the song knowing that she’d be perfect for it.
I’d like to ask you a bit about “Koi Kogare.” Yuki Kajiura wrote the lyrics and the music to the song, so I’m sure the songwriting process was different than that of “Kizuna no Kiseki.” How did work on “Koi Kogare” start?
milet: I started adding vocals from the demo stage. It was basically the first time I’d begun adding vocals while the track was far from being finished, so I found it really difficult. However, I felt really strongly about the melody and the lyrics, so much that it’s all I needed to 100% understand the meaning and message of the song. I think I successfully took on the challenge of properly conveying what was behind the words of the song.
“Koi Kogare” Music Video
How did the song arrangement process go?
Jean-Ken Johnny: First, Yuki Kajiura sent us the song with milet singing all of the vocals. Then we started to arrange it as a band. It was our first time working with Kajiura-san, so at first we were putting out feelers about all kinds of things, like vocal range. She really respected the band’s music sensibilities, sound, and, I guess you’d say, philosophy. The process was a very easy one for us.
milet, how do you feel about how “Koi Kogare” turned out?
milet: I don’t think previous Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba songs really emphasized love or women’s emotions. I myself had never really sung straightforward songs about being in love before, so it was really fresh and new to me.
What was the recording process like?
milet: The song was a challenge for me. Kajiura-san provided a lot of detailed direction. For example, she recommended pronouncing “a” like “wa” in the verse. There were suggestions like that for almost every word. The direction changed my concepts about singing. She taught me about the meanings of the lyrics, and the meaning of placing those lyrics on the melody of the song. It was a really precious experience for me.
MAN WITH A MISSION will be embarking on the “MAN WITH A MISSION World Tour 2023 – WOLVES ON PARADE,” in May and June. It’ll your first world tour in four years, and you’ll be visiting North America, the UK, and the rest of Europe. How are you feeling about the upcoming tour?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I haven’t been (overseas) in a long time. Fortunately, we’ve been able to keep in touch with our fans through sites like YouTube. I’m really looking forward to meeting them again in person. This time, we’ll be going on tour with a whole new album, so I’m sure the audience will have a great time.
MAN WITH A MISSION has performed shows in a lot of different countries since 2013. Looking back, how do you feel about that experience?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I’ve always been enamored by the idea of a band that’s loved around the world, so right now I feel like I’m in the process of chasing my dreams. Music has no borders, and it brings people together, regardless of their nationalities. World tours let us experience that, a little bit at a time, and I see them as incredibly important within my own career. I’m just overjoyed to be able to tour around the world.
Looking at global music trends, and the shape of rock, what do you see as the strengths of MAN WITH A MISSION as a Japanese rock band?
Jean-Ken Johnny: I feel like I’m still looking for my own particular strengths. From the perspective of the rock genre, there’ve been some pretty severe changes in the rock scene as we know it over the past 10 or 15 years. We’re still exploring, trying to figure out how a rock band can break through in the modern era. However, we do feel that the spirit of rock still lives on, unquenched. We see ourselves as carrying on the legacy of 90s music, fusing it with modern heaviness and a modern approach. When I hear news about rock still going strong, it’s tremendously encouraging, and I just hope that we can also be that kind of band.
Recently, there’s been a prominent trend of Japanese rock bands reaching overseas audiences through anime. What are your thoughts on that?
Jean-Ken Johnny: Even more than music spreading through the growth of the genre, I think what’s important is that we’re in an age where, thanks to the rich social media and internet environment, it’s easy for localized movements to arise. I think that for the Japanese music scene, the biggest factor is anime. Anime is incredibly influential. I feel like the easiest way for people to get into listening to cool Japanese music is through anime. Anime, I believe, provides Japanese bands with an opportunity to take the initiative and perform on the world stage. It’s a very powerful method for achieving that.
In closing, MAN WITH A MISSION, milet, could you please talk about your vision and prospects after having released these two songs?
Jean-Ken Johnny: We were fortunate to be able to collaborate with milet to create these wonderful songs, so now I’m just full of expectation, looking forward to seeing what kind of future these songs will create.
milet: I’m really looking forward to further refining the songs through my live performances. I think when I perform the songs in festivals and overseas, it’ll open up new vistas. I’m looking forward to seeing that, and I hope when I perform, people will see my individuality coming through in the songs, and I’ll be able to deliver the songs’ important messages directly to the audience.
—This interview by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan
YOASOBI’s “Idol” continues its domination over the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released May 31. The Oshi no Ko opener adds another week at No. 1 to bring the total to seven, becoming the duo’s longest stay atop the list so far.
On the chart tallying the week from May 22 to 28, “Idol” ruled four metrics of the chart’s methodology: streaming, downloads, video views, and karaoke. The “Into the Night” pair dropped the English-language version of its latest smash along with the accompanying video this week, and this led to figures for video jumping from 7,620,563 to 9,300,982 weekly views. The song also toppled Vaundy’s “Kaiju no Hanauta” from the top spot for karaoke, where it had led for 12 consecutive weeks.
Logging its seventh week atop the Japan Hot 100, “Idol” is now aligned with some of the biggest hits of J-pop in recent years: Official HIGE DANdism’s “I LOVE…,” “Pretender,” and Kenshi Yonezu’s “Lemon.” It also surpassed YOASOBI’s own “Yoru ni kakeru” (“Into the Night”), which scored 6 weeks in 2020 and went on to top the year-end list for that year.
Most weeks at No. 1 on Japan Hot 100:
Official HIGE DANdism “Subtitle” 13 weeksGen Hoshino “Koi” 11 weeksAimer “Zankyosanka” 9 weeksLiSA “Homura” 8 weeksKenshi Yonezu “Lemon” 7 weeksOfficial HIGE DANdism “I LOVE…” 7 weeksOfficial HIGE DANdism “Pretender” 7 weeksYOASOBI “Idol” 7 weeksYOASOBI “Yoru ni kakeru” 6 weeksAdo “New Genesis” 6 weeks
INI’s “Fanfare” jumps to No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100 after debuting at No. 10 last week. The CD single launched with 522,251 copies to hit No. 1 for sales, and the track also ruled radio this week. The track also hit No. 2 for downloads after increasing by 619 percent from the week before, while streaming fell 18 percent to come in at No. 22.
The new song “Hikari no naka e” (“Into the Light”) by Kessoku Band — the fictional band from the TV anime Bocchi the Rock! that aired last fall — is off to a good start, debuting at No. 10 on the Japan Hot 100 after hitting No. 4 for sales and No. 3 for downloads. The other new song by the band called “Aoi Haru to Nishi no Sora (“Blue Spring and Western Sky”) also bowed at No. 70 on the song chart after hitting No. 4 for downloads, indicating the lasting popularity of the beloved anime series.
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 May 22 to 28, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japan’s English Twitter account.
BABYMETAL made a stop in Bangkok, Thailand, over the weekend (May 28) for the second show of its first headlining Asia tour, performing for fans at the True Icon Hall. During the set, the kawaii metal group — a trio again with new member MOMOMETAL officially joining long-standing members SU-METAL and MOAMETAL — invited the […]