Japan

“What is rightness? What is stupidity? I’ll show you what they are!”
Ado’s song “Usseewa” that begins with these lyrics made a huge impact not only on the Japanese music scene but also on society as a whole at the time. The explosive vocals of the then-17-year-old, the way she led a kind of rebellion on behalf of the people by voicing their frustrations, and her style of never showing her face were all new to listeners, and the mystery singer shot to superstardom. The now-22-year-old songstress voiced the songs for the character Uta in the blockbuster anime movie ONE PIECE FILM RED in 2022, which recorded 31.9 billion yen (approx. $214 million) in global box office revenue, and the film’s theme song “New Genesis” became another domestic mega-hit that later spread around the world.

The enigmatic vocalist, who has quickly grown to become one of Japan‘s leading acts, is set to unleash her first greatest-hits album, aptly titled Ado’s Best Adobum, an exhaustive collection featuring songs from her electrifying debut in October 2020 to the present day. Ado is also about to kick off an unprecedented tour that will take her to 33 cities around the world and draw over 500,000 fans, the biggest global trek by a Japanese artist ever. For more information on the tour, click here.

What has left the biggest impression on you since your major label debut?

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I remember so many things, but I think my show at the Saitama Super Arena in 2022 was definitely a highlight. Performing there had been a dream of mine, so that day made big impact on my life.

Ado’s Best Adobum includes two new tracks, “Bouquet for Me” and “ROCKSTAR.” Could you tell us a bit about them?

“Bouquet for Me” is a song written by HoneyWorks as a collaboration with Georgia (Coca-Cola Japan). I’d like you to listen to it in the morning, before going to work or school, when you want a little oomph. It’s a lovely song full of energy that’s sure to encourage you, and I hope people of all ages will listen to it.

The other song, “ROCKSTAR”, was written by a music producer I’ve worked with a lot, jon-YAKITORY. This one was a collaboration with Marubeni, and is still being featured in the corporation’s commercials. jon-YAKITORY has written songs for me in the past and I’ve been featured in theirs, and I’m so grateful to work with him again because when I think of rock music, I think of jon-YAKITORY. There’s a scene in the commercial where I sing “ROCKSTAR” onstage, and it’s a cool song that looks great performed live that will fill your heart with excitement when you listen to it. I’m really looking forward to performing it live one day.

What do you feel has changed or that you’ve grown over the past five years in terms of music production and live performances?

My way of thinking has changed a lot. I’ve become more objective about myself and my career. I have a wider perspective now, and recently have had more opportunities to re-evaluate not only myself but also my fans, the staff who support me, and the environment I am in, and to work through my activities and the many opinions I receive from everyone. I think I’m a lot more put-together now than I used to be.

I also think that my live performances have improved. I feel like I was a bit more awkward when I first debuted. Thankfully, I’ve been able to do a lot of shows and have grown through my experiences. I think my concerts are more impressive now. On the other hand, there are elements of youth and inexperience that can only be felt in my shows in the past, perhaps my fans can find entertainment in my growth as well. 

Which of the songs on the album you would like to share with yourself from back when you first made your major-label debut and why?

It’s quite hard to choose, but the 20th track on Disc 2 called “Sakura Biyori and Time Machine with Hatsune Miku” is one I’d like to share with myself when I was just starting out. It’s that kind of special song for me. Mafumafu, one of my favorite “utaite” (cover artists), wrote it for me, and I’d never be where I am without the Vocaloid songs that have supported me, so singing it with my idol Hatsune Miku was like returning to my roots. If I were to listen to it back then, it would blow me away. I might keel over from the thrill.

How has your attitude towards singing changed?

Around the time I made my major-label debut—and even before then—I really wanted people to listen to my songs and see my thoughts, ideas, and who I am. I used to express emotions like anger very directly, but as I sang more and more songs, I began to notice that each one felt different depending on the lyrics and how much I empathized with them. Now, there are more moments when I confront various emotions by reflecting on my own views on life or by applying my personal experiences to the songs. While I still value both input and output, lately I’ve been feeling more and more drawn to singing a variety of songs in different kinds of “languages”. “Elf,” in particular, is sung in a way that invites more people to enjoy Ado’s music.

What’s your current dream?

My current dream and concrete goal is to win a Grammy. Another goal and dream of mine is to someday do a world tour that will be even bigger than my upcoming Hibana tour.

And you’ll be kicking off that Ado WORLD TOUR 2025 “Hibana” Powered by Crunchyroll, from April.

It’ll be my second world tour, and will also be an unprecedented scale as a Japanese artist, so I’m really looking forward to it. As a Japanese “utaite” and artist, I want to convey the appeal and culture of Japan and the strength of Japanese music to people around the world through performances in over 30 cities. I hope that this world tour will be like its title, “Hibana” (spark), like a small flame that sparks a bigger fire.

Tell us what you’re looking forward to on this tour and what you remember from your previous one, Ado THE FIRST WORLD TOUR “Wish.”

I’m particularly looking forward to Italy on this tour. I really look forward to seeing with my own eyes the scenery that I’ve only seen in books, films and textbooks. I had time to do some sightseeing in Europe on my last world tour, and really enjoyed France. I visited the Sainte-Chapelle in Paris, then walked to the river Seine, and after visiting the Louvre, I went to the Chanel flagship store. I have a lot of respect for Coco Chanel, and after seeing the famous staircase where fashion shows were held, I walked along the main street to the Arc de Triomphe. I was wearing stylish boots with heels, so it was hard work climbing the hundreds of steps at the Arc de Triomphe. I remember walking a total of 30,000 to 40,000 steps that day. 

Send a message to your fans.

It’s a bit of a shock to think that five years have passed since I made my debut with “Usseewa.” Five years may not be such a long time, but I’m truly grateful that I’ve been able to continue my activities for so long and that so many people know about Ado. I’m supported by everyone who listens to my music, as well as the media that features me and staff who work with me. Thank you all so much.

—This interview first appeared on Billboard Japan

On April 2, NAQT VANE released their new concept EP, NV. This is NAQT VANE’s first concept EP with its new lineup after welcoming Yunoa. The EP has a total of seven songs, including solo songs “C” and “O” by Yunoa and Harukaze and an “NV Series” of reinterpreted NAQT VANE songs. What kind of spirit and message have they poured into the “NV” concept EP? Billboard Japan talked at length with the two, hot off their nationwide tour, about this and about their thoughts on the tour.

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You just finished your first nationwide tour as a team of two vocalists, performing eight shows in four cities. What did you think of it?

Harukaze: At first, I thought that it would feel like long, but once we actually started performing, it was over in the blink of an eye. We had a blast performing, and I still feel a little wistful that we’ve already finished all eight shows.

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Yunoa: It went by so fast. It was my first time performing in a solo show from the very start, and my first time touring. So I was really nervous going in, but once we started, I had so much fun. I still can’t believe it’s over, and I’m looking forward to going out on tour again.

On the tour, you represented yourselves as the “sun and moon,” and you had different set lists for your daytime and nighttime shows. How do you feel about that contrast of your individual characters as sun and moon?

Harukaze: During this one meeting we had about the tour, the conversation turned to how to showcase the “pair” aspect of NAQT VANE, now that we have twin vocalists. We wrote down keywords that represented our own individuality and unique characters. One of the things that came up was this concept of “sun and moon,” and we thought that conveyed the concept the clearest. They stand in contrast with each other, but both are essential, and when you have the two of them together, something magical happens. They’re like us in all kinds of ways.

It’s been 10 months since you formed this new lineup, which features your contrasting characters, and now you’ve finished a tour. Have there been any changes during this time?

Harukaze: When we changed to a twin vocal lineup, I knew from the start that it would open up a new path before us. Now, after finishing the tour, we’ve become absolutely essential to each other. We each produced our sun and moon shows, and in both shows, there were parts where we were able to shine because of each other’s presence.

Yunoa: For me, the tour impressed on me again just how fun it is to sing with Harukaze. Also, I didn’t know that I could spend so much time with someone else while always being comfortable staying true to myself. It was such a fun experience. I discovered something new about myself, that I didn’t have any problem being with others. Now I want to always stay close to these people I love so much.

Now you’ve released the “NV” concept EP, which includes “C” and “O,” solo songs that Hiroyuki wrote for the tour. I’d like to start out by asking about these solo songs. Yunoa, how did you feel when you first heard the music Hiroyuki wrote for “C?”

Yunoa: Usually, when I’m working solo as Yunoa, I write my own lyrics, but with “C,” I thought about my own traits and features, wrote them down, and had the lyrics written based on them. There were several parts where the lyrics I received perfectly conveyed what I was thinking. I didn’t feel over-pressured by “C.”

What did you think of the title?

Yunoa: It’s the shape of a crescent moon. I really liked the simplicity of that.

Right. So the same is true for “O?”

Harukaze: It’s the shape of the sun. It forms a set with “C.” When I got the lyrics, I also felt like it had really captured the message that I was trying to convey. My life motto is “I want people to smile,” and that was reflected in the line “Give me a smile.” I didn’t get any instructions to sing in a certain key or in a certain way, but the song has a lot of technical parts which Hiroyuki has complimented me on in past recordings. There are two NAQT VANE anthems, “Beautiful Mess” and “VANE,” and it’s really easy to picture singing them along with audiences.

You use a lot of different vocal tones in your singing, don’t you?

Harukaze: I’d talked to Hiroyuki in the past about how whenever I go in to record vocals, I want to take on new challenges. On NAQT songs, I added twists at the end, or I envisioned different peoples’ vocal tones when I recorded the chorus. I’d think about trying to be a specific type of singer, or I’d try singing in a super low, older man’s voice. I tried out all kinds of different voices, like 15 different people. They’re all in there, and that whole process of including those playful elements in the recording process was a new challenge for me.

You also recorded newly reimagined NV versions of songs from your first album, this time with twin vocals. What song made a particular impact on you?

Yunoa: “Ditty – NV.” There’s a rap part in it that just slaps. It just busts out right from the start. It’s so fast, I can’t even mentally keep up with what I’m saying. You’ve got to hear it.

Harukaze: But you sound like you’re having so much fun in that part. You’re really vibing!  It comes across so clearly. Part of it might be because the song itself is so fun.

Yunoa: It’s probably the most danceable song.

Harukaze: And it has a sense of playfulness. It’s so fast, and your rap part gets me fired up, too. I was surprised to see how much a song could change. The original was already playful, but having two people sing it instead of one makes it so much more exciting.

How did you feel after getting all seven songs ready for the release?

Yunoa: Really happy. I’ve been a member of NAQT VANE for less than a year, so it’s tremendously exciting to see my own name on a CD for the first time. Our new twin vocal lineup is used to its fullest, and we each have our own solo songs, so the EP highlights the qualities of both approaches. When I saw the samples of the finished EP, I was really impressed. The jackets are all unique variants, each with its own pattern, and each comes with a puzzle piece. The contents of the EP are so cute. There are so many special things about the CD, and more than anything I feel happy and a bit awed that so much is being done on my first ever CD.

Harukaze: I think the new EP packs in the true essence of NAQT VANE. This may be how some people discover us. We want to show our new lineup, and I hope that the EP is a breath of fresh air for everyone preparing for a new beginning [this spring]. The “NV” means both “NAQT VANE” and “New Version,” but it has another meaning, too: “Newborn Vibes.” Vibes are a really important part of the project, so we want to share these new vibes with all our VANEs.

What kind of “New Versions” do you see for the future?

Yunoa: We want to get bigger and bigger. We want more people to discover NAQT VANE. Everyone says we’re at our best in our live shows, so I want everyone to come see us perform live. We want to play in even bigger venues, filling domes.

Harukaze: We want to play at huge venues, and we also want to perform around the world. Our overseas fans send us messages asking when we’ll perform in their countries, so I hope we can really extend our overseas reach and perform in different countries, bringing out each of our own best qualities.

Do you have any closing message for your overseas listeners?

Yunoa: I think there are a lot of people in countries like the U.S. who share the same vibes as us. I’m sure they’d love us if they heard us, so please give us a listen. Then come to our show and go crazy on the dance floor.

Harukaze: When I was in high school, I spent three and a half years living in Vancouver, Canada, and then I went to university for four years in L.A. My dream is to return to Canada and America to put on shows. When I go back, I want to give back to all my old friends and all the people who’ve supported me. We’re going to be communicating more with our overseas listeners, so I hope everyone checks out what we have to say!

—This interview by Atsuo Nagahori first appeared on Billboard Japan

ONE OR EIGHT is an eight-piece boy band made up of members MIZUKI, NEO, REIA, RYOTA, SOUMA, TAKERU, TSUBASA, and YUGA. Their profile is rising thanks to their debut single “Don’t Tell Nobody,” which they released in August 2024, and the buzz generated by their collaboration with American rapper Big Sean on their song “KAWASAKI (with Big Sean).” On March 19, they released a new song, “DSTM.” It uses an authorized sample of Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music” and was created by Stargate, the original producer of “Don’t Stop The Music,” together with fresh young American songwriters. Billboard Japan talked with the group about the approach they used in creating the song.

Your name, ONE OR EIGHT, comes from the Japanese expression “Ichi Ka Bachi Ka,” right?

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TSUBASA: That’s right. The Japanese idiom “Ichi Ka Bachi Ka,” which literally translates as “one or eight,” means “all or nothing” in English. It represents our desire to use an all or nothing approach to take on the world from here in Japan. Also, we’re all Japanese, and Japan’s telephone country code is “81,” so we wanted to reflect that in our name, too.

What kind of spirit runs through your own activities within the group?

NEO: Our tagline is “BET ON YOURSELF.” We want to encourage people by showing everyone how we’re betting on ourselves, constantly taking on new challenges with the support of the other members, staff members, and our fans. We’re performing at a level now that I’d never even imagined, but sometimes you can find yourself swallowed up by the whole experience. We’re working hard, pushing forward and doing our best to make sure things keep going in the right direction. 

What would you say your strengths are as a group?

REIA: Our members. I feel like, with the members we have, we can take on any challenge. Before our debut, we travelled to different countries performing at what we called “STAGE ZERO” events. During these events, we had to deal with all kinds of different problems, but we were able to overcome all of them by supporting each other.

You’re active both in Japan and overseas. What kind of influence do you think this approach has had on ONE OR EIGHT?

SOUMA: Performing overseas has expanded both our expressive range and our adaptability. For example, fans in Thailand create an incredibly welcoming atmosphere, which has helped us develop the ability to stay composed while delivering a more high-energy performance that matches their enthusiasm. In contrast, audiences in Vietnam and Japan tend to embrace us as we are, so our focus there is more on refining our performance itself. That approach has helped us grow a strong base of receptive fans.

REIA: Audience energy and the way people engage with our shows can vary greatly from place to place. In Thailand, many fans seem to be fully immersed in the moment, which brings an exciting dynamic to our performances. Just next door in Vietnam, the atmosphere is more about support and appreciation, similar to Japan.

NEO: For me, live performances are like a conversation between performers and the audience. Audiences that get hyped up, like Thai audiences, are like talkative people. In our conversations with them, it’s like we’re engaging with talkative people, and that produces an exciting, fun conversation. Supportive audiences, on the other hand, are like good listeners who pay close attention to all we have to say. That’s why we fully focus on our lyrics, delivering them straight to the audience’s hearts so they viscerally feel our slogan of “BET ON YOURSELF.” It’s not a question of which type of audience is better. Instead, it’s about using different conversational approaches depending on the audience.

I see. You released your new song, “DSTM,” on March 19. What were your initial impressions of the song?

RYOTA: The song has a different tone than the songs we’ve done in the past. I felt like it had the potential to show some aspects of our appeal and some new performance approaches that we’d never shown before.

TAKERU: “DSTM” samples Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music.” The song’s theme is about how we won’t stop as long as the music keeps flowing, and also about how we’ll have fun as we do it. I hope when people are feeling down, seeing us and our performances will put smiles on their faces, and that when they hear “DSTM,” it will lighten their mood and help them forget their worries.

TAKERU mentioned that “DSTM” samples “Don’t Stop The Music.” “Don’t Stop The Music,” in turn, sampled Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” so the music has been passed along from Michael to Rihanna to you. Did you feel like you were under any pressure because of that?

TSUBASA: “DSTM” is tied to these huge names, so its release put a tremendous amount of pressure on us. But, at the same time, because of its new tone, with “DSTM” it feels like we’re breaking new ground and opening the way to a new era. We’re here because of the music we’ve listened to, and as the song title says, we don’t want the music to stop, but to keep going on forever. That’s the spirit with which we’re sharing “DSTM” with the world.

Now you’ve become a part of this process of the song’s transformation. What do you see as the significance of this, and what do you feel is expected of you?

TSUBASA: Through our music, we want to take an all or nothing approach to challenges. If the music stops, then we’ve lost everything. In that sense, we have to keep on carrying the torch of the music. That’s how I see it.

So, for you, these are the ideals represented by the song. What kind of back-and-forth did you have with other members and staff when working on the song?

REIA: To make the song a good fit for us, we needed to preserve the essence of the original song while also giving it the energy of a ONE OR EIGHT song. That’s why Stargate, who produced the original song, and the other writers put our own story into the lyrics.

MIZUKI: We also talked amongst ourselves in the group about what approach to take. The song has been performed by true giants, so we feel really grateful that virtual unknowns like us were given the opportunity to perform it. And just like “Don’t Stop The Music” propelled Rihanna to fame, we also worked hard on the song in the hope “DSTM” could bring greater worldwide recognition to ONE OR EIGHT.

REIA: We also really put our heart into our singing. For example, I sing a part right before the “please don’t stop the music” line, and I made sure that my own part had just as much power as the chorus. My own vocal qualities don’t pack much punch, so I accentuated my performance through physical movement.

TSUBASA: I did some ad-libbing on the last chorus in a part that wasn’t in the original demo. During the recording, I’d felt frustrated because I just couldn’t express what I was going for, so I talked to the producer, and together we created the ad-lib part. That part isn’t in Rihanna’s “Don’t Stop The Music,” though, so there was also a lot of pressure, because people might compare “Don’t Stop The Music” to our “DSTM.” But I’m really satisfied with how it turned out, so I want to keep confidently doing the ad-lib part.

NEO: I do the first half of the first rap verse, and unlike TSUBASA, I found it to be a blast. One of the things that’s appealing about the first verse is the use of Japanese words like “katana” and “sumo” that will be familiar to overseas listeners. I’m very proud of this part, because it conveys the message and shares the feeling that this is coming from Japan. Of course, I was also nervous about including a rap part, because it isn’t in the original song, but it was really fun. The rhythm is easy to get into, so even people who don’t know much about hip-hop will be able to enjoy it. I hope when people hear it, they’ll think to themselves “don’t stop this song.”

Thank you. In closing, what are your future goals?

NEO: I want us to be the kind of group that always has fun taking on new challenges. Our group’s name means “all or nothing,” and I want us to achieve success, no matter what, touring the world and setting our sights high. I hope there are people out there who’ll see us taking on these imposing challenges and it will instill them with pride in themselves and help them feel the fun in taking on new challenges. That’s the kind of world I hope we’ll create. I believe that, joined by colleagues and fans like that, our efforts will prove successful. We’re going to do all that we can, led by our motto of “BET ON YOURSELF!”

–This interview by Azusa Takahashi first appeared on Billboard Japan

The inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN ceremony, the largest music awards in the country, is set to take place in May in Kyoto. Embodying the theme of “Connecting the world, illuminating the future of music,” the brand-new international music awards is hosted by the Japan Culture and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), an association jointly established by five major organizations in the Japanese music industry.

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This year’s MAJ will recognize works and artists in more than 60 categories, including the six major awards for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year and more, which have gained significant attention and recognition from Jan. 29, 2024 to Jan. 26, 2025. The entries for each category were announced on March 13 and the selection by domestic voting members is currently underway to narrow down the list to five nominees for each category.

Let’s take a look at the 256 songs that are up for the high-profile Song of the Year category, as compared against Billboard Japan‘s all-genre Japan Hot 100 song chart (hereafter BBJ), and delve deeper into the trends and characteristics unique to MAJ based on data.

Comparison with BBJ Chart Metrics

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First, we’ll compare some of the differences between the MAJ and BBJ metrics. The chart above shows the point share of each metric for the 256 songs entered in the Song of the Year category. The figures for BBJ show the point share of the top 256 songs in the Japan Hot 100 chart during the same tallying period as MAJ.

The entries for Song of the Year is based on an original chart that combines the six metrics of the Japan Hot 100 (rounded up in two-month segments) and UGC data (click here for details). The system is structured in a way that makes it easier for songs with short peak periods to be eligible.

One feature MAJ and BBJ both have in common is that streaming accounts for the largest proportion of both. This shows that both are strongly aware that streaming is the main way people listen to music today.

CD sales account for 10% of MAJ, but only 2% of BBJ. Japan’s CD sales market is still large when viewed globally, and MAJ places importance on this unique Japanese user trend. Downloads are 7% of MAJ while 4% for BBJ, indicating that the former places a relatively higher value on ownership-type metrics.

While streaming is the main focus for MAJ, they are clearly also conscious of achieving a balance with a wider range of metrics. Its most distinctive feature is that its system is designed to take into account the characteristics of the Japanese market.

 Analysis of the Songs’ Properties

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The gender ratio of the MAJ entries is 61% male artists, 30% female artists, and 9% mixed acts. Compared to BBJ, the ratio of male artists is slightly lower, and the ratio of female artists is higher. BBJ has more mixed acts, mainly because many songs by male-female duo YOASOBI have charted.

84% of the entries were by Japanese artists. Compared to BBJ, MAJ has slightly more songs by South Korean artists (MAJ 14%, BBJ 10%). The only artists from outside Japan and South Korea were Mariah Carey, OneRepublic, and Taylor Swift, all of whom are from the U.S. There were also two entries for collaborations between artists from different countries: Rosé & Bruno Mars and BE:FIRST X ATEEZ.

Billboard Japan

The ratio of member composition of the acts entered in MAJ is highest for groups (37%), followed by bands (27%) and solo artists (26%). Dance and vocal groups, which have strong CD sales, are pushing up the ratio of groups. Meanwhile, BBJ has the highest proportion of bands (36%), influenced by the long-running hits of popular bands such as Mrs. GREEN APPLE and back number. Of the 256 songs, there are 124 acts in MAJ and 103 in BBJ, so the former has a greater variety of acts.

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The genres with the largest number of songs for both MAJ and BBJ are pop and rock. Notably, K-pop accounts for 14% of MAJ, and idol performers account for 9%, indicating the major influence of dance and vocal groups. Hip-hop and Vocaloid account for less than 10%, but these genres have their own categories, such as the Best Japanese Hip-Hop/Rap Song and the Best Vocaloid Culture Song.

Billboard Japan

43% of the entries weren’t tie-ins, but songs connected to anime (19%), drama series (13%), and commercials (11%) were also prominent. BBJ shows a more continuous tie-in effect, while MAJ can be said to have a diverse collection of songs that are relatively independent of tie-ins.

These data show that MAJ incorporates a good balance of diverse metrics to reflect a wide range of mainstream music in Japan. The fact that the awards also places weight on metrics reflecting the unique characteristics of the Japanese music market, such as CDs and downloads, is a major difference from the BBJ charts. 

It’ll be interesting to see how MAJ’s design will impact the future of the music market and the promotion of Japanese music worldwide. The nominated songs will be announced on Apr. 17, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 21 and 22.

Billboard Japan will continue to publish features on MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN. In the second installment, we’ll compare MAJ’s Song of the Year with BBJ’s Top Global Hits from Japan chart.