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HANABIE. is an all-woman nu-metal band made up of vocalist Yukina, guitarist and vocalist Matsuri, bassist and backup vocalist Hettsu, and drummer Chika. Although itā€™s been less than a year and a half since their debut, they were performing at overseas metal festivals even before they debuted, and in 2024 they played on the main stage at Lollapalooza, one of Americaā€™s ā€œbig threeā€ outdoor festivals. Their momentum, especially overseas, knows no bounds. They spoke with Billboard Japan about their experiences around the world and about how it turned their attention to their hometown of Tokyo, the theme of their new EP, Bucchigiri Tokyo.

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First off, could you talk to us about Lollapalooza 2024, where you played in August?

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Matsuri: Lollapalooza is a super-famous festival, so at first we thought there was no way weā€™d actually be able to play there (laughs). We were jittery and restless all the way up until the actual day of the show.

Yukina: Weā€™ve been very fortunate to be invited to play at metal festivals in lots of different countries, but Lollapalooza isnā€™t a metal festival, so we thought a lot about what to say and what to wear during the show. Hettsu stayed up late decorating the four platforms we stood on.

Hettsu: I went shopping for fabric with Chika. Not to sing my own praises too much, but I think the platforms turned out well, and they were a great match for the Lollapalooza stage (laughs). Also, for the first time at a HANABIE. show, we had a VJ, and for some of the songs we were projected up onto a huge screen.

Yukina: We also tossed some beach balls into the crowd and did some other things just for the show.

How did the success of the show affect the band?

Matsuri: It gave us a lot of confidence. Pulling off a big show like that was a great experience for the band. Also, we played during the daytime, so it sparked an ambition in us to make it even bigger and to one day perform in a later spot on the timetable. We also wanted to work even harder on our overseas shows.

Have you always been ambitious?

Matsuri: I donā€™t really think so.

Yukina: The more we play in different countries and in festivals in Japan, the more things we want to achieve.

Matsuri: We didnā€™t expect our music to connect with overseas audiences. Finding out that it connects gave us a lot of confidence. It made us want ā€œmore! more!ā€

You played at a few other overseas festivals after Lollapalooza. Have you gotten used to those kinds of shows?

Matsuri: Yes, weā€™re pretty used to them now. Weā€™re gradually starting to get a picture of the different atmospheres at individual festivals in individual countries. Last year, every day was just like ā€œThis festival is amazing!ā€

Outside of festivals, you also did a roughly one-month-long tour of the U.S. together with Ukrainian metal band Jinjer and American deathcore band Born of Osiris.

Yukina: We played 19 shows in one month. It was like four days in a row, then a day off, and then repeat again, over the whole course of the tour. Jinjerā€™s performances had a lot of entertainment value. They were like watching a show. That influenced us, too, so we tried to be more expressive and to create an atmosphere for each song through our expressions, movements, and gestures.

Chika: Also, our individual performances came together and gelled.

Hettsu: Jinjer and Born of Osiris are both very technical bands, and theyā€™re very locked in, so we focused more on getting ourselves locked in. Thatā€™s another way in which it was a really wonderful tour.

Matsuri: Weā€™ve got the same sense of groove now, we push or pull the rhythm together. That was always an issue for us, but now weā€™re all starting to sync up, so I can really feel how weā€™ve grown.

After the tour with Jinjer, you did a tour in Australia, and now, having travelled the world, youā€™ve released a new album, Bucchigiri Tokyo. If it hadnā€™t been for your overseas experiences, you wouldnā€™t have chosen that name, would you?

Yukina: Right. Not just the title, but I donā€™t think we would have gone in the same direction with the songs, either.

Traveling to all these different places and meeting new people, you keep hearing ā€œJapanā€™s great. Tokyoā€™s great.ā€ So you rediscovered your pride and affection for where youā€™re from, right?

Yukina: Right. Partly because anime has such a huge presence that you take it for granted, Iā€™d never really thought that deeply about Japanese culture, but through our world tour I found out how much people love Japanese culture. That opened up lines of communication, and Iā€™ve come to feel really proud of our culture.

A lot of the songs on the new EP go pretty hard. ā€œBucchigiri Tokyoā€ is a surprisingly straightforward song.

Matsuri: So, about that songā€¦I saw Green Day perform live for the first time at a festival in Europe. Iā€™m a huge Green Day fan, so it was like a dream, being able to hear songs Iā€™ve loved since I was little, all being performed live. That feeling stayed with us after the tour ended and we came back to Japan. We wrote ā€œBucchigiri Tokyoā€ about two days after we got back, still feeling that same spirit. I think thatā€™s why that straightforward feeling comes through in the chorus riffs.

So the punk feel of the song comes from Green Day?

Matsuri: Right. Of course, it also has a lot of HANABIE. in it, but the mindset underneath comes from Green Day.

And then thereā€™s ā€œIto Okashi My Type.ā€

Yukina: From that famous personality testā€¦(laughs). Itā€™s pretty popular now. Or, rather, itā€™s something that everybodyā€™s interested in nowadays, so we decided to use it in a song. Itā€™s well-known all around the world, not just Japan, so I think the songā€™s theme will resonate with people in any country. The song also has a kind of Heian era feel. A classical Japanese feel.

Matsuri: There are aspects of our modern age that share something in common with the Heian era, so we put them into our song, using a kind of pop approach.

There are artists who avoid referencing modern fads in their lyrics. You, on the other hand, actively try to do that, right? Donā€™t you worry about what will happen after those fads have passed?

Yukina: I donā€™t worry about it. Itā€™s like the songs will age with us. Weā€™re trying to create artistic output thatā€™s super-fresh, in the way that only we can.

Matsuri: When we get older, thereā€™s no way weā€™ll be able to do what weā€™re doing now, so weā€™ve got to do it while we can.

What kind of year do you think next year will be?

Yukina: Itā€™s been almost a decade since our band formed. The one decade anniversary is a major milestone, so I want us to give ourselves a pat on the back and then be like, ā€œOkay, now letā€™s give it our all again!ā€ Weā€™ve already been announced as playing at the German FWacken Open Air 2025 festival and some other festivals, so we want to really pump up the energy levels, both here in Japan and overseas!

ā€”This interview by Daishi ā€œDAā€ Ato first appeared on Billboard Japan

Wagakki Bandā€™s Japan Tour 2024 THANKS ā€“ Yasou no Oto ā€“ came to a close on Dec. 10 at Tokyo Garden Theater. This year marks the eight-member groupā€™s 10th anniversary, and in January it announced that the band would go on indefinite hiatus at the end of the year. With this tour, Wagakki Band will be putting its activities on hold for the time being. The band performed songs off its best-of album released in October, ALL TIME BEST ALBUM THANKS ā€“ Yasou no Oto -, with members conveying their gratitude to fans as the projectā€™s title suggests and putting on a show representing the culmination of the decade of work together as a singular musical group.

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As the members appeared one by one to the opening music ā€œOverture ā€“ Yasou no Oto -,ā€ the audience already showed signs of excitement. Once the members were in place, the set kicked off with the sound of the koto (Japanese harp) and the powerful rhythm of the wadaiko (Japanese drums) leading into ā€œRokuchounen-To-Ichiyamonogatari (Re-Recording).ā€ The ensemble captivated the audience with its intense arrangements, while still allowing the individuality of each instrument to shine through. Perhaps because this was their last show together before taking a break as a band, the seriousness with which the members approached this performance was palpable.

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Frontwoman Yuko Suzuhana (vocal) took a moment to hype up the crowd after the first number. ā€œToday is the culmination of our 10th anniversary,ā€ she said. ā€œEveryone here, letā€™s all come together. Keep up!ā€ The group then launched straight into ā€œValkyrie -Ikusa Otome-.ā€ By this time, the membersā€™ expressions had softened and it was clear they were trying to enjoy the show to the fullest. In their next track, ā€œAria of Life,ā€ the band gradually built up the excitement in the venue with a performance featuring contrasts in tempo and emotive vocals.

ā€œToday is probably a special day for you all, and itā€™ll be a special day for us too. Thank you for being here on this day that weā€™ll work together to create,ā€ said Suzuhana. ā€œLetā€™s all liven things up like a big year-end party.ā€ The band then resumed the set with the serene track ā€œStarlight (I vs I ver.).ā€ The singer encouraged the audience to turn on the lights on their smartphones during ā€œQueen of the Nightā€ and the venue was bathed in dazzling light, creating a dreamy atmosphere combined with the dramatic music.

Midway through the show, the band members flaunted their colors during an instrumental section highlighting their musicianship. After Machiya (guitar & vocal) dazzled with a sparkling arpeggio followed by some percussive techniques, Kurona (wadaiko) joined in with his Oke Daiko (a kind of wadaiko) with a shoulder strap and Suzuhana performed a sword dance, creating an imaginative sight onstage. During the session, Kiyoshi Ibukuro (koto) also joined in with Shirasagi, a bunka-koto (compact koto) he produced, and the musicians boisterously showed off their skills in friendly rivalry. Then, Machiya, Asa (bass) and Wasabi (drums) wowed the crowd with their aggressive metal riffs, while Daisuke Kaminaga (shakuhachi) and Beni Ninagawa (Tsugaru shamisen) added their flourishes to dramatic effect.

The octet went on to perform songs including ā€œThe Beast,ā€ which included time for the audience to take photos on their phones, ā€œPerfect Blue,ā€ featuring twin vocals by Suzuhana and Machiya, ā€œSynchronicity,ā€ and ā€œChildren Record.ā€ They drew fans into their robust musical world with a wide range of songs like ā€œYoshiwara Lamentā€ and ā€œSasameyuki (Re-Recording).ā€ The set list mixing Vocaloid tracks and the bandā€™s original numbers was truly a summary of Wagakki Bandā€™s career. ā€œWe put together the set list based on requests of everyoneā€™s favorite songs,ā€ Suzuhana told the crowd. ā€œWagakki Bandā€™s catalog includes rock-heavy numbers and elegant ballads, but no matter what we play, it always ends up being a Wagakki Band song. The music will continue to live on, so I hope youā€™ll continue to listen to and sing your favorite songs.ā€ The band then performed the ā€œRe-Recordingā€ version of its first original song, ā€œHanabi,ā€ featuring vocals evoking both glamour and transience backed by the bandā€™s solid performance.

As the end of the main set approached, Kurona and Wasabi commenced their drum vs. wadaiko battle, now a regular feature of the bandā€™s shows. Kurona hyped up the crowd, saying, ā€œI want today to be the best battle cry of the decade,ā€ and the audience responded by cheering loudly in time to the beat by the two drummers. The band then launched into ā€œKishikaisei (Re-Recording)ā€ to the rhythm of the 3-3-7 beat, signaling the start of the showā€™s climax. During ā€œYukikageboushi,ā€ fans spun towels above their heads, enhancing the feel of togetherness. The band went on to perform ā€œYasouemaki,ā€ a track displaying the fruits of their years together as a group, and the main set ended with a flair with Wagakki Bandā€™s signature number, ā€œSenbonzakura (Re-Recording).ā€

The members returned to the stage as if led by the voices of the eager crowd singing ā€œAkatsukino Ito.ā€ Because this was the bandā€™s last live show before going on hiatus, each member took turns expressing their current feelings. ā€œHard to believe weā€™re taking a break,ā€ ā€œIā€™m so glad I joined this band,ā€ ā€œThank you for encountering us,ā€ they voiced in unison. When Asa noted, ā€œThe eight of us together made a full-fledged team. We each had something missing, so we were able to stand by each other and fight together as a band,ā€ Suzuhana responded by saying, ā€œWe were able to create so many miracles because the eight of us together made a full-fledged team.ā€

ā€œThereā€™s so much music in the world, so we thank you for finding and liking Wagakki Band,ā€ she continued. ā€œWeā€™ll continue to struggle and survive in this world of music, so please keep supporting us.ā€ The members then presented their fans with ā€œGIFT,ā€ a song filled with their feeling of gratitude. The venue was filled with smiles and tears as the song, promising a reunion rather than an end, came to a close.

Fans may be feeling sad right now, but as Suzuhana said at the end of the evening, ā€œI think this view today will continue to support our lives from now on,ā€ they can reminisce on the many miraculous moments theyā€™ve seen over the years as they wait for the day the eight members converge again as the Wagakki Band.

This article by Tomokazu Nishibiro first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Wagakki Band Japan Tour 2024 THANKS ā€“ Yasou no Oto ā€“ Set List

Tuesday, Dec. 10, Tokyo Garden Theater

1. Overture ā€“ Yasou no Oto ā€“

2. Rokuchounen-To-Ichiyamonogatari (Re-Recording)

3. Valkyrie -Ikusa Otome-

4. Aria of Life

5. Amenochi Kanjyoron (Re-Recording)

6. Starlight (I vs I ver.)

7. The Last Confession on Earth (Chikyuu saigo no kokuhaku wo)

8. Queen of the Night

9. Toono Monogatari Kyuu Yon

10. Toono Monogatari Go Go

11. Chie no Kakitsu

12. Homura

13. The Beast

14. Perfect Blue

15. Synchronicity

16. Children Record

17. Yoshiwara Lament

18. Sasameyuki (Re-Recording)

19. Hanabi (Re-Recording)

20. Effector Of Life

21. Drum vs. Wadaiko Battle ā€“ Ikusen no Onkai ā€“

22. Kishikaisei (Re-Recording)

23. Yukikageboushi

24. Yasouemaki

25. Senbonzakura (Re-Recording)

Encore

1. Akatsukino Ito

2. Hoshizukiyo

3. GIFT

With the 25th anniversary of her debut rapidly approaching, AI has announced various tie-ins and collaborations starting in November 2024. Her latest song is ā€œNAKAMA,ā€ the ending theme to the latest anime series Dragonball DAIMA. AI has loved the Dragonball series since she was a young girl, and she talked with Billboard Japan about everything from her love for the series to her collaboration with EDM titan Zedd on the seriesā€™ ending theme and her other experiences working with overseas artists. She also revealed her plans for her 25th anniversary year and her somewhat surprising outlook on the future.

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The Dragonball franchise includes comics, movies, TV series, and more. How did you first connect with it?

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AI: I think my first exposure to Dragonball was with the comics, but what made the strongest impression on me was the TV series. Iā€™m part of the generation that grew up with it. I watched it the whole time it was on TV. At one point I moved overseas, so I lost contact with it, but then they started making movies. It must have been like the number one or two thing I was into as a kid.

How did you feel when you found out youā€™d be working on ā€œNAKAMA,ā€ the ending theme of Dragonball DAIMA?

AI: At first, my team just said something like, ā€œThis is Dragonball DAIMA, a new series that will be coming out soon,ā€ and they showed me a video. I saw it while on the road, and I was just saying ā€œWowā€ as I watched it. My manager then said, ā€œYouā€™ll be doing the ending song,ā€ and the minute he said it, the tears started falling from my eyes (laughs). Iā€™d loved Dragonball since I was a kid, and I was so happy, I was like ā€œWhaaaa?ā€ Itā€™s not just me. I think everyone loves Dragonball. Iā€™m not the type of person who talks a lot about what they like, but it seems the team knew (laughs).

So thereā€™s a sharp contrast between you and Zedd, your collaborator on ā€œNAKAMA.ā€ Heā€™s made his love for Dragonball very public, even posting pictures of himself in Dragonball cosplay on his social media.

AI: Thatā€™s right. Iā€™m the kind who watches from a distance (laughs). Itā€™s like I love it so much that itā€™s holy, so I donā€™t dare to touch it.

How did the actual process of making the music go?

AI: Right after it was decided that Iā€™d be working on the ending theme, Zedd happened to come to Japan, so we met and we talked about what kind of song we should write. Then a while after he went back to the U.S., he sent a video of him playing solo piano. I was really impressed, thinking ā€œthis chord progression has a wonderful feel.ā€ It wasnā€™t just a bright and cheery song, but had the feeling of an ending song.

What did you focus on when writing the lyrics?

AI: I love Dragonball as much as anyone, so when I wrote the lyrics I thought about the fans who had watched and loved Dragonball through the years.

Zedd pays a lot of attention to the details of songsā€”the tone, the nuances of the sound, and the like. Was it hard working together with him?

AI: No, not at all. On the contrary, he was quick to give his okay (laughs). On top of that, the song he wrote was really easy to put Japanese lyrics to. I actually found matching English lyrics to the song a lot harder.

This was your first time working with Zedd, but youā€™ve collaborated with a lot of overseas artists before, right? Which stand out the most in your memory?

AI: The first name that springs to mind is, of course, Chaka Khan. Sheā€™s very down to earth. Like, I offhandedly said something like ā€œIā€™d love to get a Grammy someday,ā€ and she said ā€œThatā€™s easy.ā€ For Chaka, thatā€™s what getting a Grammy must be like. She doesnā€™t brag or act arrogant. I think itā€™s just that for her, the message and the heartfelt feeling of the music is more important than any kind of award. I think thatā€™s what moves her.

Is there a big difference between Chaka the singer and Chaka behind the scenes?

AI: No, not at all. She has the least gap between the two. Sheā€™s always like that, and she carries around this huge fan and is like ā€œHeyyyy!ā€

But you have a similarly broad-minded personality. It seems like you two could really talk at the same level.

AI: Thatā€™s because sheā€™s so accommodating. Itā€™s because of the way she is, because sheā€™s such as great person. I have so much respect for her that I get a bit nervous and I canā€™t really approach her. But sheā€™s very outgoing and approaches me, so our conversations just keep rolling (laughs). I saw her at a Billboard Live show before we sang ā€œOne More Tryā€ together. I was wearing these really long rings at the time, which covered my entire fingers. She saw them, and she lifted my hand up in the air and stared at them and said ā€œWowww!!ā€ I thought that if she liked them so much, I wanted her to have them, so I gave them to her (laughs). At her show, when she came out on stage and started singing, I just started crying. It wasnā€™t even a sad song or anything. Her voice was just so powerful. When I was a little kid, my parents loved Chaka Khan, too, and my mom even went to her shows, so I had all these memories. I have a lot of interesting stories about Chaka.

Who else has made a big impression on you, besides Chaka?

AI: Boyz II Men, who I collaborated with on ā€œIncomplete,ā€ were amazing. Their voices were truly angelic. Watching their recording session taught me so much. The way they joined in chorus, the freedom with which they let their voices roam, and each of their voices, they were all wonderful. They had this strong sense of stability. They could go airy, or belt out really bold vocals, and deftly switch between them. I think I learned more from them than any other session. Trey Songz is also a genius. He was still young when I met him, but he was a great kid. When we recorded ā€œBeautiful (Remix)ā€ together, he was already well-known in the U.S. but relatively unknown in Japan. He can write music, he can sing, and he can even do sound engineering. He can do it all. I remember really feeling the love he had for R&B.

What about Snoop Dogg?

AI: On our ā€œLet It Goā€ collaboration, Snoop and I recorded separately, but then it was decided that weā€™d film the video together, and I was like ā€œReally?ā€ So I went to LA and got ready and waited. I was wearing this tight, uncomfortable dress and these high heels, waiting for him. He didnā€™t come until like six hours later. Thatā€™s really true to form for Snoop, but I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, so I was there waiting to tell him off when he comes in and says ā€œThe song was great, but thatā€™s not all, your voice is great, too.ā€ With that, I was like ā€œI love this guyā€ (laughs). Heā€™s generous with praise. So my anger faded, and ultimately we had fun filming the music video together (laughs).

I would have thought the Jacksons would have made the biggest impression on you.

AI: That experience had me so nervous. For me, the Jacksons are the very pinnacle. Theyā€™re like Dragonball. Theyā€™re just beyond imagining. Like, these are not people I could ever actually meet.

In the MUSIC ON! TV ā€œAI Miss MICHAEL JACKSON ā€“ The Miracle of the King of Popā€ series, you went to the U.S. and filmed the Jacksons. It covered a really long span of time. I doubt there has ever been, or will ever be, another Japanese person who has gotten such an up close and personal look at the Jacksons.

AI: It was really long. Really long, and the schedule was really tight. I had to make sure not to be inadvertently rude to anyone, but there were also so many things I wanted to ask. There were a lot of people who shared really genuine stories and stories Iā€™d never heard before. It was just one moving experience after the next.

Thatā€™s what led to your recording ā€œLetter in the Skyā€ with them, right?

AI: I just wanted to run away. It was all too much for me. I felt like I was unfit to even deal with them. The show was about exploring the roots of the Jacksons after Michael Jacksonā€™s death. I met his brothers during the filming of the show, and things just took off from there. They said ā€œWeā€™re going to be performing at a tribute event. Why not come sing with us?ā€

On your RESPECT ALL album, which came out last year, you sang Bill Withersā€™ ā€œLean on Me.ā€ You also performed the song in the ā€œLasting Peaceā€ project at the G7 Hiroshima Summit. Iā€™m sure youā€™ve loved this song for years but what led you to want to sing it now?

AI: When the decision was made that I would be singing at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, I wanted to share a message with the world. I thought a message of peace would be good, so I wanted to sing with a chorus of children. I was going to sing ā€œAldebaran,ā€ ā€œNot So Different,ā€ and then I wanted to sing a cover song, so I came up with a list of candidates. I didnā€™t want a song with a big, lofty message, like ā€œLetā€™s change the world, letā€™s do this or that.ā€ I wanted a song that was more about the ups and downs we have in our lives, a song that was like a dialogue. I felt that this song was the one that was closest to my own spirit. It didnā€™t sound like a lecture, but instead was the message that I wanted to share the most. I also thought that itā€™s a wonderful song that would contribute to peace. Then we started talking about recording it, and I decided to perform it to a simple piano accompaniment.

I see. You sang with a childrenā€™s choir on ā€œLean On Me,ā€ but on your tour you also led a gospel chorus, and on your best hits album, Kansha!!!!! ā€“ Thank You for 20 Years New and Best, you included gospel versions of songs. Do you feel that when you go back to your roots, you go back to gospel?

AI: Yes. I love gospel. I love that assembly of voices. That power. Gospel isnā€™t just sung in a straightforward way, it uses all these different techniques, and hearing them just gets you so excited.

I get the impression that when you sing in English, thereā€™s a bit more freedom and a bit more of a relaxed feeling. What do you think?

AI: When it comes to speaking, my Japanese is better, but when Iā€™m singing, for some songs, English is easier to pronounce and it fits better with the music. But there are also songs which only work in Japanese, so it really comes down to the individual song.

Itā€™s going to be your 25th anniversary soon. Do you have any plans?

AI: Yes, Iā€™m going on tour and Iā€™m going to put out an album.

One of the things I vividly remember from a previous time interview was that you said ā€œI want to win a Grammy. Iā€™m going to win one.ā€ Do you still feel the same way?

AI: Yes, I want to get a Grammy. That desire hasnā€™t changed. But I think that when I said that, I wanted a Grammy as a demonstration of my ability. I picked it simply because it was the most famous award. I felt like I had to do a lot of different things while I was still young. Nowadays, I donā€™t feel that need to rush. But, of course, since I said I was going to go win a Grammy, I will. I want to take care of everything on my bucket list. But it doesnā€™t have to be right this moment. Iā€™ve still got my health and energy, so I think Iā€™ve got time (laughs).

What are your long-term goals?

AI: Right now Iā€™m focusing on my children. Itā€™s pretty hard work. Itā€™s shaken up everythingā€”what I write, what I say, what I do, my attitude, my rhythm. I donā€™t think thereā€™s any experience like it. Itā€™s like really hard but rewarding training. Like Iā€™m a monk going through ascetic training (laughs). Itā€™s like you break yourself completely down and then the question is how youā€™re going to rebuild yourself. To be honest, I really donā€™t think about the 25th anniversary of my debut. Itā€™s just the people around me who are focused on it. So much so, actually, that when someone first mentioned it, I was like ā€œOh, really?ā€ (laughs) For me, music is just something that Iā€™ll probably keep on doing forever. I think thatā€™s important. I just live each day, hoping that Iā€™ll make it through with no problems.

ā€”This interview by Hisashi Murakami first appeared on Billboard Japan

Mrs. GREEN APPLEā€™s ā€œBitter Vacancesā€ hits No. 1 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, rising from No. 6 where it debuted last week.
On the chart released Dec. 11, the theme for the upcoming live-action movie Saint Young Men (due in domestic theaters Dec. 20) comes in at No. 2 for streaming (up 182% week-over-week) and radio airplay (up 1,381ļ¼…), No. 5 for video views (up 136ļ¼…) and No. 3 for downloads.

RosĆ© & Bruno Marsā€™ ā€œAPT.ā€ slips to No. 2 this week after holding the top spot for three straight weeks. After peaking last week, streams are down to 95%, downloads to 79%, and videos to 85%, but the global hit continues to dominate streaming and video.

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Number_iā€™s ā€œHIRAKEGOMAā€ debuts at No. 3. The new track off the three-man groupā€™s album No. I (Deluxe) released Dec. 2 launches at No. 1 for downloads and radio, No. 4 for video, and No. 40 for streaming. The album No. I rises to No. 2 on the download albums chart and to No. 7 on the Hot Albums chart this week.

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Mrs. GREEN APPLEā€™s ā€œLilacā€ holds at No. 4. Downloads for the Oblivion Battery opener gained 119%, streaming 104%, and radio 229% from the week before.

BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBEā€™s ā€œSAY ITā€ bows at No. 5. The track produced by T.Kura, Chaki Zulu and DJ DARUMA comes in at No. 4 for sales and No. 3 for radio.

In other news, the tragic death of Japanese actress and singer Miho Nakayama at age 54 was reported on Dec. 6, and fans turned to her collaborative single with the band WANDS from 1992, ā€œSekaiju no dareyori kitto,ā€ (roughly, ā€œprobably more than anyone in the worldā€) to celebrate her life. The karaoke favorite debuted at No. 56 on the Japan Hot 100 this week, coming in at No. No. 6 for downloads, No. 91 for radio, and No. 88 for karaoke. Seasonal staples are also coming back in full swing, with back numberā€™s ā€œChristmas Songā€ rising 19-15, Mariah Careyā€™s ā€œAll I Want for Christmas Is Youā€ jumping 72-46, and Keisuke Kuwataā€™s ā€œWhite Loveā€ returning at No. 66. Also, a new Christmas love song by REIKO featuring JUNON of BE:FIRST called ā€œFirst Christmasā€ debuts at No. 54.

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 Dec. 2 to 8, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japanā€™s English X account.

Billboard Japan unveiled its year-end charts for 2024, and Mrs. GREEN APPLE is Artist of the Year, based on the Artist 100 ranking compiled from results of both the Japan Hot 100 and Hot Albums charts. Additionally, frontman and principal songwriter Motoki Ohmori (vocals and guitar) dominated the year-end Top Composers and Top Lyricists charts for the second year in a row.
This year, the three-man pop-rock band released a new song every month from April to August. ā€œLilac,ā€ the opening theme song for the anime series Oblivion Battery, stayed at No. 1 on the Streaming Songs tally for 18 consecutive weeks, becoming popular as the trioā€™s new signature number. ā€œAo to Natsu,ā€ the groupā€™s hit from 2018, broke its personal record for most weekly streams on the Streaming Songs chart released Aug. 14 with 6,969,716 weekly streams, coming in at No. 4 for the week. Now in its 11th year as a band, Mrs. GREEN APPLE continues to expand its reach.

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The group consisting of Ohmori, Hiloto Wakai (guitar), and Ryoka Fujisawa (keyboards) also kept busy doing live shows, including collaborative concerts at the Yokohama Arena with other acts in May, a domestic stadium tour entitled Zenjin Mito to Weltraum in July that drew about 150,000 people in total, and a ten-show mini-residency at K-Arena Yokohama that ran from October to November. In recent news, the band released a new song called ā€œBitter Vacancesā€ written as the theme for the upcoming live-action movie Saint Young Men, due in Japanese theaters Dec. 20. And to make the upcoming 10th anniversary of their major debut a magical year, they have just announced numerous plans, including a 100,000-person outdoor live concert over two days, the release of their best album ā€™10ā€™, and their first solo performance in Korea. What were the band members feeling as they faced their music while racing through a super-busy year? Ohmori, Wakai, and Fujisawa chatted with Billboard Japan, looking back on a fruitful 2024 and sharing some visions for the new year.Ā Ā 

Mrs. GREEN APPLE is No. 1 on Billboard Japanā€™s year-end Artist 100 chart for 2024. How do you feel about this result?

Fujisawa: Iā€™m very grateful. I was so surprised that I teared up a little.

Wakai: We released a lot of songs this year, so Iā€™m genuinely grateful that theyā€™ve reached so many people in a proper way.

Ohmori: I topped the year-end Top Lyricists and Top Composers charts last year, and those results allowed me to believe in the things I create and the things we think are interesting, and work on them in a positive way for the past year. Iā€™m happy to have received this kind of recognition in what was such a fun year. I hear from people that our songs are being used at sports days in schools ranging from elementary to high school, and that really gives me a sense of how well our songs are known and how theyā€™re being received. I donā€™t really feel it when Iā€™m going about my daily business, but when I hear that [the songs] are close to someoneā€™s everyday life, it really hits home.

Wakai: Theyā€™re also being sung as choral pieces [in schools].

Fujisawa: From the end of last year to this year, we had a lot of opportunities to enjoy ourselves with our fans, like going on our own tour, performing live with other acts, and doing more headlining shows in the summer. It kind of surprised me that so many people knew about us.

There must have been many first-time visitors to your concerts.

Ohmori: Looking out from the stage, I did notice that people of all ages were in the audience. Like grandmothers bringing their grandchildren. It gives us confidence to know that weā€™re doing shows that families can feel safe and enjoy together.

The band has been busy touring and releasing new music this year. If you were to sum up the year, how would you describe it?

Ohmori: It was fun. Last year, it was like saying hello for the first time [after becoming a three-man band], but this year, I think we were able to reaffirm our unchanging relationship and stance on songwriting as we tried to live up to expectations and adapted to our changing surroundings. I was writing songs for our five-month consecutive release, but it wasnā€™t like I was pushing myself too hard and I can say that it was a very meaningful and enjoyable year.

Wakai: We really did a lot of things and it was really fruitful.

Fujisawa: Each member had more opportunities to flourish this year, and there were many moments when I saw the other two working hard and was like, ā€œTheyā€™re so coolā€ and ā€œIā€™m so proud of them.ā€

Wakai: There are a lot of YouTube videos of people covering ā€œLilacā€ on guitar, and personally, it felt like there were more instances where I felt like I was being recognized as a guitarist and that made me happy.

You added some original arrangements at your residency shows (Mrs. GREEN APPLE on ā€œHarmonyā€) and they were awesome.

Wakai: The crowd seemed to enjoy it, so I was glad.

Fujisawa: While watching Ohmori working hard writing songs at a tremendous pace for the five consecutive releases, we also played those songs at that speed, adding our own arrangements as we went along, and also performed them live again and again. How each member has been able to face things with responsibility shows the growth of our band this year.

Ohmori: Speaking of growth, or something Iā€™ve discovered, is that Iā€™ve come to realize once again that writing songs isnā€™t something I do for something or someone, but only for myself, even though Iā€™m the type of person who thinks itā€™s better to enjoy fun things together with everyone. Now that more people are listening to my music, thereā€™s greater responsibility, but in the end I only release things that I feel are good, so I donā€™t feel any crazy pressure or stress and really enjoy making music naturally. Being able to reconfirm that was a personal growth for me. Iā€™d be lying if I said I donā€™t feel pressure, but I still feel like Iā€™ve been able to stay natural.

Are there any other motivations that drive the three of you?

Wakai: What we talk about a lot among the members is live performances. I feel that the main source of our energy and motivation is to do something that we can genuinely enjoy ourselves and have the audience also enjoy that, too.

Ohmori: That was notable in our The White Lounge tour.

Fujisawa: Like Wakai said, when we do something we find interesting and new, and see that the people on the receiving end are enjoying it, we want to update ourselves even more. Personally, there are a lot of things I find difficult and set me back, but seeing Ohmori and Wakai working hard gives me power.

So your bandmates are friends you can rely on and also rivals you can compete with.

Ohmori: Theyā€™re really important to me. In a good way, I donā€™t really have the sense that Mrs. GREEN APPLE is being burdened with expectations from the public. The three of us are just having fun making music together. Thatā€™s really all there is to it. Weā€™ve been doing this since we were in junior high school, and I think thatā€™s what makes us Mrs. GREEN APPLE.

Lastly, what are your prospects for 2025?

Ohmori: We celebrated our 10th anniversary [since formation] in 2023 and next year will be our 10th since our debut. Itā€™s our anniversary year, so I hope we can be close to our JAMs [Mrs. GREEN APPLE fans]. We hope to keep challenging ourselves individually, and to make the ship that is Mrs. GREEN APPLE even bigger. We also want to do lots of shows.

Fujisawa: Itā€™ll be ten years since our debut, so I want to express our gratitude to everyone next year.

Wakai: Itā€™ll be the last year in our twenties for Ohmori and me, so I want to make the final year one without regrets and enjoyable.

ā€”This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan

Billboard Japan has unveiled its 2024 year-end charts, tallying the weeks from Nov. 27, 2023, to Nov. 24, 2024.
The No. 1 Song of the Year on the Japan Hot 100 is Creepy Nutsā€™ ā€œBling-Bang-Bang-Born.ā€ The opening theme song of the anime series MASHLE Season 2 was released Jan. 7 and racked up 547,310,791 streams during the tallying period.

ā€œWe still feel like, ā€˜Weā€™re able to make a living doing music!ā€™ā€ shares rapper R-shitei of Creepy Nuts upon hearing the news of topping the year-end charts, ā€œWe never planned to make songs that would be listened to around the world. Itā€™s really just about expressing what we want to get out and releasing the pent-up expressions weā€™ve been holding in, basically.ā€ DJ Matsunaga adds, ā€œNow that weā€™ve returned to a lifestyle focusing on music, it feels like the irresponsibleness that I had before is back. Express bad stuff like it is. It feels like weā€™ve regained the courage to do that.ā€

Coming in at No. 2 for the year is ā€œBansankaā€ by 15-year-old singer-songwriter tuki., and Omoinotakeā€™s ā€œIKUOKU KONEN,ā€ the theme song of the drama series Eye Love You, follows at No. 3.

Snow Man

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The No. 1 Album of the Year on Billboard Japanā€™s Hot Albums chart is Snow Manā€™s RAYS. The fourth album by the nine-member group sold 1,183,100 copies during the tallying period and topped the CD Sales ranking as well.

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ā€œWeā€™re very happy that our fourth album RAYS has been crowned Billboard Japan Hot Albums of the Year 2024. Weā€™re truly grateful to everyone who received our work and touched our music, and to the encouraging staff who were involved in the production,ā€ says Snow Man member RAUL on behalf of the group. ā€œRAYS has a very special place in our hearts because it can be interpreted as the culmination of the first chapter of Snow Man that sublimates the powers weā€™ve honed and the support weā€™ve received over the four years since our debut into music. It was challenging, but we always imagined our fans close by as we worked on it. Weā€™re deeply touched that our precious fans have listened to it and given us so many positive comments.ā€

ā€œThe group will be celebrating the fifth anniversary since its debut in 2025, kicking off with a best-of album set to drop on Jan. 22, the day of our debut,ā€ he adds. ā€œWeā€™re also currently planning to spend more time with our fans, so we hope youā€™ll look forward to it!ā€

At No. 2 is Kenshi Yonezuā€™s LOST CORNER, and at No. 3 is SEVENTEENā€™s 17 IS RIGHT HERE.

Mrs. GREEN APPLE

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Mrs. GREEN APPLE takes the top spot on the Artist 100 of the Year ranking compiled from the results of the Japan Hot 100 and Hot Albums charts. The three-man band charted 17 songs on the Japan Hot 100, including hits like ā€œLilacā€ and ā€œQue Sera Sera.ā€

ā€œIā€™m very grateful. I was so surprised that I teared up a little,ā€ says Mrs. GREEN APPLE keyboardist Ryoka Fujisawa. Guitarist Hiloto Wakai adds, ā€œWe released a lot of songs this year, so Iā€™m genuinely grateful that theyā€™ve reached so many people in a proper way.ā€ Frontman and principal songwriter Motoki Ohmori notes, ā€œI topped the year-end Top Lyricists and Top Composers charts last year, and those results allowed me to believe in the things I create and the things we think are interesting, and work on them in a positive way for the past year. Iā€™m happy to have received this kind of recognition in what was such a fun year.ā€

Following at No. 2 on the year-end Artist 100 is back number, rising a notch from its position on the mid-year round-up. The three-man band charted 10 songs on the Japan Hot 100 including ā€œSuiheisenā€ and ā€œTakaneno Hanakosan.ā€ At No. 3 is YOASOBI, the breakout hitmakers whose performance at Coachella in April made headlines in their home country.

As Japanese artists continue to branch out globally, Creepy Nutsā€™ music is reaching listeners on a global scale after ā€œBling-Bang-Bang-Bornā€ became a long-running hit both in Japan and overseas. Total global streams for the hip-hop duo has jumped significantly and as a result, ā€œBling-Bang-Bang-Bornā€ achieved 12 No.1s on Billboard Japanā€™s 2024 year-end charts, including the newly announced year-end Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan chart, which ranks songs from Japan that are being listened to in over 200 countries around the world excluding Japan.Ā 

Billboard JAPAN Hot 100 of the Year 2024

1. ā€œBling-Bang-Bang-Bornā€ / Creepy Nuts

2. ā€œBansankaā€ / tuki.

3. ā€œIKUOKUKONENā€ / Omoinotake

4. ā€œIdolā€ / YOASOBI

5. ā€œLilacā€ / Mrs. GREEN APPLE

6. ā€œQue Sera Seraā€ / Mrs. GREEN APPLE

7. ā€œShowā€ / Ado

8. ā€œKaiju No Hanautaā€ / Vaundy

9. ā€œAo To Natsuā€ / Mrs. GREEN APPLE

10. ā€œDance Hallā€ / Mrs. GREEN APPLE

Billboard JAPAN Hot Albums of the Year 2024

1. RAYS / Snow Man

2. LOST CORNER / Kenshi Yonezu

3. 17 IS RIGHT HERE / SEVENTEEN

4. THE VIBES / SixTONES

5. SPILL THE FEELS / SEVENTEEN

6. No.ā…  / Number_i

7. GIANT / Stray Kids

8. No.O -ring- / Number_i

9. SCIENCE FICTION / Hikaru Utada

10. +Alpha / Naniwa Danshi

Billboard JAPAN Artist 100 of the Year 2024

1. Mrs. GREEN APPLE

2. back number

3. YOASOBI

4. Vaundy

5. Official HIGE DANdism

6. Ado

7. Creepy Nuts

8. Kenshi Yonezu

9. King Gnu

10. Aimyon

Billboard JAPAN Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan of the Year 2024

1. ā€œBling-Bang-Bang-Bornā€ / Creepy Nuts

2. ā€œIdolā€ / YOASOBI

3. ā€œSPECIALZā€ / King Gnu

4. ā€œNIGHT DANCERā€ / imase

5. ā€œShinunoga E-Waā€ / Fujii Kaze

6. ā€œKICK BACKā€ / Kenshi Yonezu

7. ā€œWhere Our Blue Isā€ / Tatsuya Kitani

8. ā€œYoru Ni Kakeruā€ / YOASOBI

9. ā€œTOKYO DRIFT(FAST & FURIOUS)ā€ / TERIYAKI BOYZ

10. ā€œMayonaka no Door / Stay With Meā€ / Miki Matsubara

The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir held a performance of the ā€œMarvels of Saudi Orchestraā€ in Tokyo on November 22 at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall: Takemitsu Memorial.

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The Saudi National Orchestra and Choir was formed in 2019 and began its ā€œMarvels of Saudi Orchestraā€ world tour to share Saudi Arabian musical culture with the world. The Tokyo concert was its fifth, following performances in Paris, Mexico City, New York, and London.

The concert presented a fusion of the two countries, with performances of traditional Saudi Arabian and Japanese music by the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir, the Orchestra Academy of Tokyo College of Music, and special guest, guitarist Tomoyasu Hotei. The audience was enthralled by the sounds of the traditional Arabic instruments, which there are few opportunities to hear in Japan, and the unique melodies they played.

The concert began with words from Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission. 2025 will mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Saudi Arabia, and Pacifico expressed his gratitude for being able to perform in Tokyo before this momentous occasion. He also spoke of the importance of music as a shared language that can bridge the world.

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In the first part of the show, a Japanese gagaku court music group performed ā€œRyo-o,ā€ a court music and dance piece. A ryuteki flute began playing the melody and was joined by drums and a small metal gong. A dancer, bedecked in red and wearing a mask, appeared on stage and began to dance. Sho panpipes, hichriki flutes, and other instruments joined in, and the energy mounted. The audience was overwhelmed by the stately dance performance, a tradition carried on for over a thousand years.

Part two of the concert consisted of performances by the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir. Along with typical orchestral instruments like the violin and cello were traditional Arabic instruments, like the oud, the zither-like qanun, and the daf, a percussion instrument made of leather stretched over a circular frame, creating a grand spectacle.

The first piece, the rhythmical ā€œAl-Hawa Al-Ghaib,ā€ began with a short introduction on the strings, which were then joined by the other instruments of the orchestra. The tremolo and intricate performance techniques of the ouds and the solo performed on the qanun made the song a pleasant and soothing one.

This was followed by ā€œWardak Ya Zaar Al-Ward.ā€ The violin solo with which the piece began danced nimbly between low and high notes, an example of superb playing with a complex rhythm that wound its way through tight tonal intervals. Then the orchestra and chorus came in, performing passionate, soaring music.

The next piece was the up-tempo ā€œShaqni Jaw Al-Janub,ā€ followed by ā€œTarahib Bi Ghayri,ā€ with a beautiful delicate qanun solo over a rich backing of string instruments playing in unison, and then ā€œAl-Qaid,ā€ a piece that stood out for its fun interplay of cheery flute melodies and menā€™s and womenā€™s choirs.

Part two ended with an anime medley. The orchestra, choir, and a female solo vocalist performed Arabic versions of Japanese anime theme songs such as UFO Robot Grendizer, Captain Tsubasa, Case Closed, and Pokemon. When the performance ended, the audience showered the performers with cheers and whistles, a testament to the popularity of Japanese anime.

The musical language of classical music, which is now used in countries throughout the world, cannot be applied to Arabic music. There are musical intervals smaller than semitones, making them unplayable on a piano. There are unique scales. The Saudi National Orchestra is a relatively new orchestra, yet it is unique in the way it flexibly combines traditional Arabic music with the orchestra of classical music to share that music with the world. This show, as well, was notable for the way it deftly brought together classical music, popular music, and traditional Arabic music to entertain the audience.

In the third and final part of the show, the orchestra collaborated with Japanese musicians. The stage was packed with the members of the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir and the Orchestra Academy of Tokyo College of Music. This was the first time the Saudi National Orchestra had played with a Japanese orchestra, and this momentous occasion began with a fanfare of brass instruments playing the march-like ā€œOpening of Al-Ula.ā€ After this, the audience enjoyed a rousing medley of famous Saudi Arabian songs, winding through tune after tune.

With passions still high, special guest Tomoyasu Hotei took to the stage, clapping for the two nationsā€™ orchestras, and together they performed ā€œBattle Without Honor or Humanity,ā€ from the film Kill Bill. The sound of Hoteiā€™s guitar melted seamlessly into the two orchestras, and he showed the full range of his virtuoso skills, including a blazing guitar solo.

The concert ended with the Saudi national song ā€œAmmar Ya Darna.ā€ The Saudi Arabian flag fluttered on the monitors and many members of the audience raised their phone flashlights and swung them back and forth in time with the music.

The concert was a demonstration of the way music transcends barriers of language and culture to be enjoyed by all. Through the medium of music, the ā€œMarvels of Saudi Orchestraā€ showed a new beginning of deeper relationships between the people of Saudi Arabia and Japan.

ā€”This article by Misuzu Yamashita first appeared on Billboard Japan

RosĆ© & Bruno Marsā€™ ā€œAPT.ā€ holds at No. 1 for the third consecutive week on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, on the chart released Dec. 4.Ā 
Compared to last week, the global hit saw an increase of 115% in streaming, 132% in downloads, and 141% in video views, which is a greater increase overall than the week before. This song also topped Billboardā€™s Global 200 for the sixth week.

SEVENTEENā€˜s ā€œShohikigenā€ debuts at No. 2. The title track off the groupā€™s fourth Japan single is being featured as the theme song for the NHK drama series Mirai no Watashi ni Bukkamasareru!?. The track sold 514,234 copies in its first week, the most ever for the group, and came in at No. 1 for sales, No. 29 for downloads and No. 54 for video views.

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Creepy Nutsā€™ ā€œOtonokeā€ follows at No. 3, with streaming down to 96%, downloads to 94%, radio airplay to 56%, and video to 94% compared to the week before.

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Mrs. GREEN APPLEā€™s ā€œBitter Vacancesā€ debuts at No. 6. The theme for the upcoming live-action movie Saint Young Men rules downloads and comes in at No. 8 for streaming, No. 10 for video, and No. 55 for radio. The latest release by the three-man band is the inaugural No. 1 song on Billboard Japanā€™s new Hot Shot Songs chart that launched this week, ranking currently trending songs.

In other news, BIGBANGā€™s ā€œFANTASTIC BABYā€™ returns to the Japan Hot 100 for the first time in 6 years and 11 months, coming in at No. 55. BIGBANG made headlines at the 2024 MAMA Awards held at Kyocera Dome Osaka on Nov. 23rd, when members SOL and D-LITE appeared unannounced during G-DRAGONā€™s performance. G-DRAGONā€™s ā€œHOME SWEET HOME (feat. TAEYANG & DAESUNG)ā€ also bows at No. 21 this week.

As December rolls around, back numberā€™s seasonal staple ā€œChristmas Songā€ rises 26-19 with streams increasing by 18%. Mariah Careyā€™s ā€œAll I Want For Christmas Is Youā€ also returns to the Japan Hot 100 for the first time in 11 months, with video, streams, downloads, and radio showing increases.

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 Nov. 25 to Dec. 1, here. For more on Japanese music and charts, visit Billboard Japanā€™s English X account.

In their first-ever dome tour, YOASOBI 5th ANNIVERSARY DOME LIVE 2024 ā€œcho-genjitsuā€ (ā€œSURREALISMā€), YOASOBI performed at Kyocera Dome Osaka on October 26 and 27 and at Tokyo Dome on November 9 and 10.
Over the four days of the dome tour, commemorating the fifth anniversary of the groupā€™s formation, they played to a combined total of roughly 170,000 people. The theme of the tour was ā€œsurrealism,ā€ and, befitting the theme, the shows were packed with surprises that went above and beyond the real. The set list consisted of a total of 25 songs, ranging from their debut song, ā€œInto the Night,ā€ to their newest song, ā€œNew me.ā€ The audience got to experience and enjoy the many different faces of YOASOBI, which has become one of the leading figures in the J-pop world.Ā 

On the duoā€™s first-ever solo tour performance at the Tokyo Dome on November 9, the first eye-opener was the way they took to the stage. Shortly after the scheduled starting time, the YOASOBI logo appeared on the massive LED screen at the back of the stage, accompanied by a 10 second countdown. Massive monster claws ripped the logo apart, and gigantic hands appeared from the left and right sides, wrenching open the area above the stage so that Ayase and ikura could make their appearance. ikura shouted, ā€œWelcome to the surreal! You think you can make it through all the way to the end, Tokyo?!ā€ and the duo began playing ā€œSeventeen.ā€ Lasers flittered through the air, and the FreFlow remote-controlled lights that the audience wore on their arms lit up, drawing the 50,000 in attendance into a fantastic world.

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Ayase and ikura, wearing monster-like down jackets, followed this up with ā€œThe Blessing.ā€ They then descended, joining the rest of the band to perform two aggressive numbers, ā€œMonsterā€ and ā€œUNDEAD.ā€ Flames leapt from the stage, and the dome rang with the bandā€™s vibrant playing and ikuraā€™s spirited voice.

After introducing themselves again to the audience, Ayase shouted out, ā€œWeā€™re finally here, after dreaming of this for so long! Weā€™re here in the Tokyo Dome!ā€ They then played two endearing and cheery numbers, ā€œHalzionā€ and ā€œMister.ā€ The audience clapped along, and the duo waved at fans, left and right, enveloping the dome in a warm and welcoming mood.

For ā€œMou Sukoshi Dakeā€ an urban scape of skyscrapers was revealed at stage left. In ā€œUmi No Manimaniā€ and ā€œComet,ā€ stage right was decorated with a seaside set, complete with vending machines and benches. These sets, along with the scenery shown on the video screen, created a new world for each song. YOASOBI is a musical unit that produces music inspired by novels, and there is a story for each one of the songs they have released. Their shows, which depict the worlds of each and every one of their songs, feel almost like theme park attractions.

There was then a video retrospective of their spectacular five year history, such as their performances in the U.S. and in Tokyoā€™s Nippon Budokan, where they played for the first time to a live audience. It ended with a look at the computer screen on which Ayase wrote ā€œProbablyā€ using Vocaloid. At center stage, a new set was revealed, showing the room where Ayase was living when he wrote the song. Surrounded by objects like a refrigerator and a microwave, Ayase sat at a low table, wearing headphones, while ikura sang the laid-back melody. The middle of the show gave the audience a sense of YOASOBIā€™s origins, here in this humble apartment. The two then performed ā€œHaruka,ā€ which was followed by an audience quiz using the FreFlow lights. Next, the two played their new song, ā€œNew me.ā€ With this fresh, cheery song about starting a new life, it felt like the duo was setting off to a new start of their own.

The two left the stage, and the members of the band were introduced again: drummer Honogumo, bassist Hikaru Yamamoto, keyboardist Zaquro Misohagi, and guitarist AssH, all decked out in black suits. Each performed an energetic solo and talked about how they felt standing on the Tokyo Dome stage.

Then Ayase, also wearing a black suit, called out ā€œOkay, now on to the second half!ā€ and ikura, face covered with a veil, returned to the stage. They played ā€œThe Brave,ā€ and then ikura started an a cappella rendition of ā€œTracing that Dreamā€ before being joined by the rest of the band. The song and performance drew the audience in even deeper. During ā€œRGB,ā€ the crowd swung around their towels, excitement rising even further.

Then ikura told the audience, ā€œWeā€™re going to need all of your voices for this next one!ā€ With that, YOASOBI launched into their smash hit, ā€œIdol.ā€ Cheers broke out when the intro began, and ikura sang at center stage, surrounded by child dancers, while Ayase hammered the drum pads. The heartfelt shouts of the 50,000-strong crowd, calling out ā€œOi! Oi!ā€ rang through the dome. The venue was on fire. Beaming at the audience, Ayase said ā€œFive years ago, I would have never believed that weā€™d be standing here at center stage, with cheering people all around us. This is truly wonderful. Thank you.ā€

He went on, reflecting on the past five years, ā€œā€¦but it wasnā€™t all wine and roses. There were hard times. There were times when I thought I couldnā€™t take it anymore.ā€ He said that while there were times when he was happy, just as often, he felt intense loneliness. The turning point, he said, was when the group performed live. He talked about seeing the smiles on the faces of the people in the audience. And with that, YOASOBI began performing ā€œMonotone,ā€ a song about loneliness. Then ikura shared with the crowd the happiness she felt being able to play in the Tokyo Dome, a stage she had long dreamt of performing on. ā€œI think what makes YOASOBIā€™s live shows great is our live team,ā€ she said, and she thanked the staff who had worked together to create the stageā€™s sets, led by a desire to create worlds that nobody had ever seen before.

ā€œWeā€™re following the path we feel in our hearts,ā€ she declared, and, her voice rich with deep-felt emotion, she performed ā€œEncoreā€ at center stage. For ā€œHEART BEAT,ā€ she shouted out to the crowd, ā€œLetā€™s all raise our voices together!ā€ and led a sing-along with the audience.

During ā€œLove Letter,ā€ a hot air balloon decorated like a monster rose from the rear of the stage. Ayase and ikura boarded the balloon, looking down at the audience and waving as they sang. During ā€œAdventure,ā€ the members rode go-carts around the arena, joining up at center stage. Then the child dancers performed again during ā€œThe Swallow,ā€ and the group closed out the set with ā€œBlue.ā€ The 50,000 people in the audience came together as one, singing along in the grand finale as confetti fluttered down.

As calls for an encore resounded through Tokyo Dome, Ayase, ikura, and the rest of the band returned to the stage and performed ā€œButai ni Tatte.ā€ ikura played a white electric guitar as she sang. As she sang the lyrics ā€œNow Iā€™m standing in front of the scenery I dreamed of,ā€ she broke out in a huge smile. It was apparent that she felt that message as one that resonated deeply with YOASOBIā€™s own position.

Their final song was their debut song, ā€œInto the Night.ā€ The visuals on the screen behind them showed previous performances of the song, and this synchronization of past and present tugged at the audienceā€™s heartstrings. The show ended to roaring cheers. Ayase and ikura took a photo to commemorate the event and then left the stage, but a palpable feeling of joy lingered in the air.

YOASOBIā€™s first solo Tokyo Dome show was filled with astounding and gorgeous performances. The final impression one was left with was that of the tremendous power of the duoā€™s music to enthrall so many listeners.

With this dome show, the two finally arrived at a destination they had long worked toward, but it was also a new starting point. From December until February 2025, they will be setting out on YOASOBI ASIA TOUR 2024-2025 cho-genjitsu, a seven-city tour of Seoul, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore, and Jakarta. The Tokyo Dome show was a night that took expectations for the future of YOASOBI to an even higher level.

ā€”This article by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan

YOASOBI, the J-pop duo that turn creative writing into music, is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year and recently wrapped up its first dome concerts marking the occasion called cho-genjitsu (ā€œSurrealā€).

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Since leaping to prominence with its debut single ā€œYoru ni Kakeruā€ (ā€œInto the Nightā€) in November 2019, YOASOBI has been blazing the trail of a new era in J-pop. In 2023, their song ā€œIdolā€ featured as the opener for the anime series Oshi no Ko broke more records than any of its previous releases and became the pairā€™s biggest hit to date. On the various year-end Billboard Japan round-ups for that year, ā€œIdolā€ topped five song charts including the all-genre Japan Hot 100, and the duo also achieved its dream of topping the coveted Artist 100 list. In September of that same year, ā€œYoru ni Kakeruā€ became the first song in the history of the Japan charts to reach a billion streams, and the hitmakers are advancing a phenomenal career that could literally be called ā€œsurreal.ā€

Billboard Japan spoke with the two members of YOASOBI ā€”composer Ayase and singer ikura ā€” as they contemplate their stances and prepare to move on to a new phase after five years of rapid progress. They shared their current feelings as they celebrate this milestone and the creative process of this yearā€™s releases ā€œUNDEADā€ and ā€œOn the Stageā€ (Japanese title: ā€œButai ni Tatteā€), both of which showcase the duoā€™s positive next step.

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YOASOBI formed on Oct. 1, 2019 and recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. Tell us how you feel now that youā€™ve reached this milestone.

ikura: It only recently started to sink in as we held meetings for the dome concerts and organized lots of events to celebrate our fifth anniversary. When we started YOASOBI, I never thought it would become such a big part of my life. It all sort of slid into my current life, so I guess you could say it went by quickly, butā€¦ In terms of density, itā€™s been like ten yearsā€™ worth of experience packed into five because so much has happened.

It feels like ā€œfive years alreadyā€ while also being ā€œonly five years yet.ā€

ikura: But the five-year mark is a really big one. I guess weā€™ve broken out of the newcomer bracket. [Laughs] We were thinking of celebrating our fifth anniversary as a new beginning, so weā€™re also determined to keep growing even more from here.

How about you, Ayase?

Ayase: To be honest, it doesnā€™t feel too different from our third and fourth anniversaries, but this year, everything we do including the songs we put out and the promotion has been based on the fifth anniversary. Itā€™s kind of a nice round number so Iā€™ve been able to renew my enthusiasm and feel like, ā€œLetā€™s restart YOASOBI from here.ā€

So your activities this year are part of the fifth anniversary project?

Ayase: Yes. I mean that in a positive way. Last year, lots of people in Japan and around the world listened to ā€œIdol,ā€ and thankfully, we became the No. 1 artist of the year on Billboard Japanā€™s Artist 100 ranking. We were able to achieve our goal in Japan, and now weā€™re working on our fifth anniversary projects with a really fresh feeling. The public might not be too concerned about such things, but for us, being recognized like that was important.

Like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders?

Ayase: Yes, exactly. Up until our fourth year, weā€™d often do our best to respond to the things we were asked to do and work hard to achieve good results. From our fifth year onwards, weā€™ve been trying to organize what we want to do and how we want to be seen, how we want to develop YOASOBI from now on, and what YOASOBI means to us in the first place. Itā€™s a year where we begin anew after re-evaluating these things.

You both have often said that you didnā€™t think the project would last long at first, but now that youā€™ve reached your fifth anniversary, what do you think has been the driving force and motivation behind YOASOBIā€™s longevity?

Ayase: That a relationship of trust has been established between the two of us, the existence of our band and team, and of course the support of our fans was also a big factor. Also, I was conscious of things like the charts as a goal, so the fact that we often fell just one step short was big for me. There were times when I was like, ā€œI give upā€ or ā€œI donā€™t wanna write songs,ā€ but there were goals that we could reach if we could hang on a bit longer. That was my hope and became my motivation. Even though we get along so well, I think that if we hadnā€™t achieved any of those goals, our spirits would have broken somewhere along the way.

Feeling like you were really making progress helped.

Ayase: It was only after the beginning of this year that those goals really started to scale up. It wasnā€™t about numbers this time, but something more vague like where I want YOASOBIā€™s place to be in society. This fifth year has given me a chance to re-evaluate, and thatā€™s my motivation now.

How about you, ikura?

ikura: Itā€™s hard to narrow it down to one thing because my motivation changed a lot from our first year to the fifth, butā€¦ Iā€™d always dreamed of a music career like this, so in the first and second year of YOASOBI, my motivation was a combination of the joy of having a chance at last and feeling that I had to maintain that career and keep growing with the team. Every day was a new challenge that Iā€™d never experienced before.

You were working as a singer-songwriter on your own since you were a student, after all.

ikura: Right. Then after three or four years as a duo, when we went on our arena tour [YOASOBI ARENA TOUR 2023 ā€œDenkousekkaā€ from April to June 2023], it felt like a lot of people had entrusted their dreams to the YOASOBI project, and that we were all moving together on a big spaceship. At first, I was feeling the pressure on my own, but my mindset shifted to the idea that I could put my dreams on board YOASOBI as one of the crew, and that everyone was in that same position, putting their thoughts on board. It was like I had a better idea of what I wanted to express in the group and of my stance in it. So the people who are engaged with us are also a big source of motivation.

The first song you released on this anniversary year was ā€œUNDEAD.ā€

ikura: It was our first new song in a while.

Ayase: It was really tough. We were working on it while also preparing for first-time endeavors like our performances at Coachella and other shows in the U.S. We spent our days off in New York in the hotel, working on the song the whole time.

That does sound pretty rough.

Ayase: But as I said before, last yearā€™s ā€œIdolā€ gave me a sense of accomplishment, and now it feels like Iā€™m able to write songs more freely. Of course, I put my feelings into them to make sure that as many people as possible will listen to them, but Iā€™m also thinking about what kind of songs it would be good for YOASOBI to have from now on, as weā€™ll be doing more concerts in the future.

ā€œUNDEADā€ is being featured as the theme song for the anime Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season. Itā€™s based on the short short stories by [best-selling novelist] Nisio Isin called ā€œNadeko Pastā€ and ā€œShinobu Future.ā€ How did you interpret these stories?

Ayase: Iā€™ve seen all of Monogatari Series, and I think one of the themes that Mr. Nisio is probably trying to get across is, ā€œLive your life desperately aiming for happiness.ā€ In fact, in ā€œOwari Monogatariā€ thereā€™s a line that goes, ā€œItā€™s cowardly to not try to be happy.ā€ I think the same thing, but itā€™s not easy to be forceful in song lyrics. But I figured I could say it if I enlisted help from Monogatari Series. As a narrative leading up to that point, I connected things from Nadekoā€™s past and Shinobuā€™s future from the original stories to write the lyrics.

You canā€™t change the past, but you can change who you are now. If you want to change the future, you have to change who you are now. The themes depicted in the original stories must have resonated with both of you now as you celebrate your fifth anniversary.

Ayase: This is pretty wild, but around January when I was working on this song in full swing, I was in exactly the same state as Shinobu Oshino in ā€œShinobu Future.ā€ Sheā€™s been alive for hundreds of years and sheā€™s fallen into a rut, and she feels like nothing brilliant will ever happen to her again and life isnā€™t fun because she doesnā€™t have any expectations for the future. That was me. Complete burnout.

Iā€™d always wanted to top the year-end Artist 100, and we finished the year in a big way on Kohaku Uta Gassen, but I didnā€™t think Iā€™d burn out there. Then our POP OUT Zepp tour started at the beginning of the year. It was a lot of fun of course and I learned a lot, but on the other hand, I was also thinking, ā€œAm I really happy?ā€ Like, if I were to write a song in the future that reaches even more people and that song breaks bigger records, would there be much of a difference in the sense of accomplishment Iā€™ve felt already? But the time and effort Iā€™d have to sacrifice for that would be immeasurable. And Iā€™d also be getting older in the process, so I was like, ā€œIs my life going to be OK like this?ā€Ā 

In ā€œShinobu Future,ā€ Shinobu Oshino is a former vampire who has lived for over 600 years. Sheā€™s become used to the ā€œgreat, world-changing inventionā€ and laments that she can no longer expect excitement or freshness from the future. The scale is different, of course, but itā€™s a feeling that anyone could face when theyā€™re evolving.

Ayase: When I read that story at that time, I thought Mr. Nishio was reading my mind. The idea that ā€œall you can do is to polish who you are nowā€ really connected with me, and Iā€™ve finally been able to get out of that negative state of mind over the past several months.

What are your thoughts on this, ikura?

ikura: Until about our fourth year, I just worked hard without thinking about anything else. But I suffered some major health problems around last summer, and after I recovered, I was also like, ā€œWhat is my happiness?ā€ Though Iā€™m sure Iā€™ve acquired and experienced a lot of things because Iā€™ve devoted my whole life to music and given it my all.

Yes, if you care about your future self, you have to take care of yourself now, too.

ikura: While I have areas of expertise and roles that Iā€™m entrusted with, I was taking on too much so I had to learn to give up in a positive sense and let other people handle stuff so that I could focus on doing what I can do. I felt that I wonā€™t be able to keep at it unless I worked in a healthy way. So when I read the lyrics of ā€œUNDEAD,ā€ I was like, ā€œThatā€™s so true,ā€ and it also felt like it was affirming my life and the way Iā€™ve been working so hard.

ā€œOn the Stageā€ was written for NHK Sports Theme 2024. In the story itā€™s based on, the presence of a rival who strives together with you was symbolically depicted as well. As members of YOASOBI, is there anyone you could call your rival or someone whoā€™s inspired you?

ikura: There arenā€™t any other artists that I consider in that way, but as long as we keep doing YOASOBI, I think Ayase and ikura will always have a kind of rivalry. So the first thing that comes to mind is Ayase and our team, including the band members and the staff.

Ayase: I agree. Rival might not be the exact way to put it, but Iā€™m pretty sure we want to strut our stuff to each other. I think we both want to make the other appreciate us, so I guess it is close to being rivals. Itā€™s not about solo work, but as motivation to keep going as YOASOBI.

ikura: Theyā€™ve entrusted me with their backs so Iā€™m also responsible for that, too, so I want to fulfill my role well.

ā€”This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan