Japan

Kenshi Yonezu released his new single “Chikyuugi” (Globe) on digital services July 17. The song serves as the theme of Studio Ghibli’s highly anticipated latest animated movie The Boy and the Heron, which opened in Japanese theaters on Friday. The artwork features an original layout illustration of a scene from the Hayao Miyazaki-directed movie. The […]

Tokyo-based electronic music producer and educator Sakura Tsuruta is the next featured artist on Billboard Japan’s Women in Music interview series, inviting female players in the Japanese entertainment industry to share their views on its current landscape. Billboard Japan’s WIM initiative began in 2022 in the same spirit as Billboard’s Women in Music launched in 2007, honoring artists, producers, and executives who have made significant contributions to the music industry and empowered women through their work.
With a degree in Music Therapy and Electronic Production and Design from the Berklee College of Music, Tsuruta worked as a music therapist in clinical practice. She has steadily broadened her career as an artist and DJ after returning to Japan. Billboard Japan spoke to the multi-hyphenate creative who shared how she perceives the current state of gender imbalance in the music industry and the challenges it faces from her position involved in music from a multifaceted and global perspective.

You studied electronic music at the Berklee College of Music. Why did you become interested in this genre?

I took classical piano lessons from an early age, and in high school, I met a piano teacher who happened to specialize in contemporary music. That teacher became a bridge between electronic music and 20th and 21st-century music for me. Not long after that, I started going to clubs and came into contact with electronic music from the perspective of dance music. It was from both of these approaches that I began focusing on creating music through technology.

In Japan, the lack of women in science-related professions, including technology, has become such a problem that the phrase “rikei joshi” (“science-major girls”) was even coined to describe women in science who are still in the minority. Were you ever aware of any gender imbalances during your time in the U.S.?

Men are still the majority in the field of technology. Most of the people I admire are men and most of the teachers at school were also men. But things are gradually changing. A woman became Assistant Chair of my department while I was still there, and the number of female students is increasing. There are more opportunities for female artists to be recognized fairly.

Unlike acoustic musical instruments, where physical differences like the size of your hand and stamina lead to differences in performance, music based on technology has nothing to do with physical differences. Why do you think that gender imbalance exists in the genre?

What I’ve observed and felt about why women are in the minority is that there aren’t many opportunities to develop new skills in a safe learning environment. Even courses labeled for beginners often turn out to be advanced, without detailed explanations and consideration for psychological safety. I often think it’d be hard for a woman to participate alone. So the current issue is the widening gap between those who are knowledgeable and those who aren’t because the latter can’t accumulate the knowledge due to the lack of adequate learning environments. It’d be nice if there were more welcoming learning opportunities.

The lack of learning opportunities necessary for people to break out of a minority group is a common issue in other genres as well. But your work as an educator and artist empowers women who aspire to this genre. 

Thank you. After moving back to Japan in 2017, there was a period where I felt uncomfortable being called a female DJ or female artist. I was sometimes booked just because I’m a woman. When I objected to this, I was told that I should call attention to the fact that I’m a woman because we’re minorities in the field, which I couldn’t come to terms with initially. Why was it necessary to add that element to be treated equally and not equally from the start when taking something on in Japan? But I decided to try to accept that opinion as well.

Did you decide to accept that opinion because you felt the need to do so?

Yes. In Japan, it’s considered better to avoid making comments that cause friction and that there’s a virtue in knowing your place and acting in a way that doesn’t disrupt social harmony. So sometimes, even if people don’t say anything at that moment, if you ask them another time, they might let you in on what they really think. After realizing that and talking to various people, I began to believe that the goal of diversity in Japan today isn’t to achieve equality from the beginning but rather to provide support or something extra to those in minority positions so that we all can share the same perspective and be more equitable.

People come from so many different countries in the U.S., so there must be a big difference in how the acceptance of diversity progresses between that country and Japan. What differences did you observe between these two countries regarding gender imbalances and attitudes toward feminism?

In Japan, “feminist” is a loanword from English that’s sometimes perceived as a drastic, radical way of thinking. Still, that interpretation is fading in developed or metropolitan areas in the U.S. I was a minority there, both as a woman working in technology and as a person of color. Once I became aware of that, I started reading books on the history of feminism in the U.S. to learn about the changes that have taken place over the years and began to think that what is perceived as radical now might not be so someday. Some people in Japan are consciously trying to rectify the gender imbalances in domestic music events. Music is becoming more interesting as diverse artists are　lined up, and I’m hopeful.

Hearing that a growing population is aware of the need to diversify certainly makes me hopeful too. And it’d be great if this series of interviews featuring female artists and creatives would one day become unnecessary. You have an exciting career, not only as an artist but also as a music therapist with clinical experience. Could you tell us about your solutions when you’re faced with difficulties?

Whenever it feels like I’m in a difficult situation or I’m facing a challenge, it’s like my axis is misaligned or wavering. So it’s important to be in touch with myself. I observe the cause of what I’m feeling and what I want and discuss that with myself. In terms of music therapy, one of the techniques is to not listen to anything on purpose to deal with the situation. Enjoy the time of silence.

You approach music from many different angles. What advice would you give to yourself in the first year of your career? I think it would encourage women in male-dominated environments.

It would be to increase your knowledge as much as possible. It will come back to you later on. At the time, I put in the effort because I didn’t want people telling me, “You don’t even know that?” but I built up my skills as a result. In music production, don’t be afraid of making something that sounds bad. Even people who make cool tracks don’t always come up with cool ideas from the beginning. Take on anything, gain experience, practice, and produce tracks. All those things will come back to you. And I think that will also lead to better working environments for women.

—This article by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan

J-pop hitmaker Kenshi Yonezu released his new single “Tsuki wo Miteita” on Monday (June 26), also unveiling the cover artwork he illustrated himself.
Yonezu wrote the track for the new video game FINAL FANTASY XVI. The song was written in pursuit of music that would resonate specifically within the story of FF16, and is a moving number with deeply layered sound and emotional vocals.

The artwork was designed by the multi-talented 32-year-old himself and depicts a wolf with blue fur staring straight ahead unflinchingly.

Listen below:

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