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On the night of Nov. 5, Awich established her solid position as Japan’s top artist of the new age. Appearing before an audience of 18,000 fans that packed K-Arena in Yokohama, Japan, a new venue that opened in late September, she put on a three-hour show that was a crystallization of her full potential. From the first note to the last, Awich gave off an aura of authority with a down-to-earth, personal feel, in a way that no other Japanese artist has. A rapper from Okinawa, Awich gave voice to our modern age, both as a mother and as an entertainer without precedent. She showed the delight and exhilaration hip-hop and rap music could bring to the masses. She elevated not only the hip-hop scene but Japanese culture as a whole. Her listeners and the members of the audience share an actively open and receptive approach to modern society and Awich’s music, and she guided these fans to a new stage of music. Awich understands that this is something she is uniquely positioned to do — her mission.

The artists that are the chosen of their generation do not simply follow a path set out for them by the gods. She is proof of that. She’s struggled and experienced her share of hardship. At one point, she was even on the verge of putting down the mic and leaving the music world altogether, but thanks to the support of her daughter and other musicians, she kept on with her creative efforts. Buoyed by the tide of hip-hop and rap music, which has become a symbol of youth culture, her efforts ultimately brought her here, to the K-Arena. That’s why she has taken on the showbiz world while preserving her raw, unvarnished sensibilities as a rapper. She brought together a “union” of hometown friends, rappers and dancers from different hoods that she met through hip-hop, minyo folk singers, classical Japanese dancers, and her own daughter, who joined her on-stage, bringing together their collective power to put on the night’s spectacle.

Last March, while Japan was still struggling with the pandemic, Awich put on a solo show at the Nippon Budokan that is recognized by all as simply legendary. Since then, she hasn’t slowed down a bit. On October 25 of this year she completed her new album, THE UNION, and now she put on this show at the K-Arena, driving a paradigm shift.

As the lights fell at the start of the show, the packed audience brimmed with expectation and the air rang with cheers. The opening number was “THE UNION,” the title song of her new album, which elevated traditional Okinawan music to a new level. On the massive LED screen, a black-and-white video played, a flashback encapsulation of Awich’s life and the path she had forged as an artist. The eyes and ears of all 18,000 people in the audience were locked on the stage as Awich descended. When she began rapping, a huge sun began rising on-screen. The opening number, along with several other songs in the show, had been specially arranged for live performance, and the beat was truly dynamic. The stage presentation, including the video, likely produced by Kento Yamada, created a whole new world.

From the very start of the show, Awich performed alongside numerous guest rappers and dancers — you really need to see the set list to get the full impression. On the sixth song, Awich was joined by NENE, LANA, MaRI, and YURIYAN RETRIEVER (with AI joining with a video comment) in performing “Bad Bitch Bigaku Remix,” the most powerful Japanese sisterhood anthem of 2023. This was followed by many other unforgettable songs.

Awich’s daughter, Yomi Jah (Toyomi), was an irreplaceable addition, performing sometimes as a dancer and sometimes as a rapper on “Call On Me” and “TSUBASA.” In the first block of the show, Awich and her friends from her hood presented a true-to-life expression of the beauty and potential inherent in the culture of Okinawa, where Awich was born and raised. The block ended with Awich and Toyomi sitting in front of the DJ booth, looking at each other and holding hands as Awich quietly sang “Wait For Me,” a song from a mother to a daughter. It was a truly moving performance.

Then Awich performed “Burn Down,” whose lyrics express the light and dark sides of the internet, together with GADORO, who has a major presence on Awich’s new album, THE UNION. Also from THE UNION was “Twinkle Stars,” in which Awich joined BIM in shining a bright light into the lonely night with their melodious singing over the beat laid down by STUTS. YURIYAN RETRIEVER and Nadaru (from Korokoro Chikichiki Peppers) then took the stage, putting on a live performance of their viral YouTube cover of Awich’s “THE FIRST TAKE” video, in which YURIYAN RETRIEVER played Awich and Nadaru played KEIJU. This was immediately followed by Awich and KEIJU themselves coming on-stage and kicking off a tremendous performance of “Remember.”

The set continued. “Link Up feat. KEIJU, ellow Bucks,” “Brainwashing feat. DOGMA & CHINZA DOPENESS,” “Yacchi Maina (Get Em) feat. ANARCHY,” “WHORU? feat. ANARCHY,” and “SUPER GIRA GIRA feat. JP THE WAVY, YZERR.” The guests, drawn in by the magnetism of Awich, put on an overwhelming show that aggressively demonstrated the power of the hip-hop scene. Awich told YZERR of her hopes for the success of BAD HOP’s February 2024 show, which will be their last show before the group dissolves and Japan’s first Tokyo Dome solo show by a hip-hop artist. She also thanked YZERR for encouraging her on the day of this K-Arena show by telling her “You can do it!” She talked about her unswerving desire for everyone to come together in union to raise the level of the hip-hop scene and grow together.

Then an announcement video began playing. It announced that, starting in 2024, Awich would be setting out to make her true overseas debut. The video hinted there there was a lot of information that couldn’t yet be revealed, but the screen showed a figure resembling RZA from the Wutang Clan, mentioned in the lyrics of “THE UNION,” and expectations rose even further.

“All of you, go get passports! I’ll show you something you’ve never seen before. But that doesn’t spell an end to my musical activities here in Japan!”

This was immediately followed by the announcement of a Japanese tour with The Union starting in April 2024 and a birthday show on Awich’s birthday in December. In other words, starting now and then all through 2024 and beyond, Awich is going to be on a whirlwind schedule through Japan and around the world.

For her last two songs, Awich chose “Queendom” and “Love Me Up.” After putting on a superb performance during “Queendom” that represented all of the qualities of the show, she boarded a trapeze that lifted her high into the air while she sang “Love Me Up.” She looked down with love at the audience that packed the arena as she closed with the ultimate gentle, romantic rap and singing performance. Once she left the stage, a hand-written message from Awich appeared on the screen:

To everyone,

I’m about to set out into the world, forging a path for everyone to take!!

Thinking about it, sometimes I get scared. Sometimes I get anxious. But that’s why I have to do it.

If you’re a true Awich fan, then you’re also a fan of yourself!

So no matter how big the stage I perform on becomes, never get the wrong idea that I’ve left you and gone off far away. Never be lonely. Let’s grow together!!!

Believe in yourself and grow, just like I’ll keep trying to do, for the rest of my life♡

November 5, 2023

See you soon

PEACE

Awich

Awich set great things in motion that night. Her story will continue as she achieves that which has never been achieved before, together with all of her fans.

Full setlist:

1. “OKINAWAN OPENING SHOW” with Ryukyu Buyoudan

2. “THE UNION” with Ryukyu Buyoudan

3. “Guerrilla” 

4. “ALI BABA” with MFS 

5. “IKEMENTAL” with NENE 

6. “Bad Bitch Bigaku Remix” with NENE, LANA, MaRI, YURIYAN RETRIEVER 

7. “Kuchini Dashite (Say it all)”

8. “Kuchini Dashite 2 (Say it all 2)”

9. “Shut Down” with CYBER RUI 

10. “Call On Me” with Yomi Jah 

～ DJ U-LEE TIME ～ 

11. “Ryukyuaika Remix” 

12. “NINGEN State Of Mind II REMIX” with RITTO 

13. “RASEN in OKINAWA” with Tsubaki, OZworld, CHICO CARLITO 

14. “LONGINESS REMIX” with SugLawd Familiar, CHICO CARLITO 

15. “TSUBASA” with Yomi Jah 

16. “Wait For Me” with Patrick Bartley (Sax) 

17. “Revenge” 

18. “Burn Down” with GADORO 

19. “Twinkle Stars” with STUTS, BIM 

20. “Kakurembo”

21. “Remember -THE FIRST TAKE ver.- ” by Nadal, YURIYAN RETRIEVER 

22. “Remember” with KEIJU 

23. “Link Up” with KEIJU, ellow Bucks 

24. “SENNO” with DOGMA, CHINZA DOPENESS 

25. “Yacchi Maina (Get Em)” with ANARCHY 

26. “WHORU?” with ANARCHY 

27. “SUPER GILA GILA” with JP THE WAVY, YZERR 

28. Queendom 

29. Love Me Up 

—This article by Shoichi Miyake first appeared on Billboard Japan

Vaundy has recently released his second album, replica. His first album in three years, replica‘s 35 songs span two discs (15 songs on Disc 1 and 20 songs on Disc 2). Disc 1, which includes “replica versions” of “Backlight” and “Kaiju no Hanauta,” is a crystallization of Vaundy’s current sound. Disc 2, on the other hand, contains all of the singles Vaundy has released over the past three years, leading up to this album release, presented in the order in which they were released.

Vaundy graduated from university this spring, and Billboard Japan talked to him about the album, which he calls his “graduation project.”

It’s been roughly three years since your first full album, strobo. Was there some specific reason for this timing?

Actually, it’s part of my graduation project. I started working on the album around June of last year, but I also had a tour and a few collaborations at the end of the year, so I just didn’t make much progress on my songwriting. That’s why it’s taken me over a year to release the album.

Replica ended up being a huge double album with 35 songs.

Originally, I wasn’t planning on creating a Disc 2. I was going to include my existing songs as “replica versions” on Disc 1. But, it just wasn’t possible. Disc 1 is the real album. Disc 2 is a collection of singles, which is included as kind of a bonus. Disc 2 is in the order of my releases, so I think if you listen to the two albums, you’ll hear how much I’ve grown since strobo.

Is there a unifying concept behind Disc 1? Or is it like strobo, a playlist that gives a snapshot of Vaundy in the here and now?

Both. I knew it would be a playlist-like album. I spent so long on the mastering I thought my ears were going to give out (laughs). But Disc 1 includes the sound effect tracks “Audio 007,” “Audio 006,” and “Audio 008,” so I think it also expresses a unified aesthetic. The songs are all different, but the listener will feel like they’re all somehow part of the same world. I think the album’s more consistent than strobo.

Could you explain what you mean by consistent?

I think it’s expressed by the title, replica. The works that people think of as being originals are, essentially, the products of generations of replication, right? Just like the Earth is a giant sphere, covered by different strata, with music, as well, you have the same layers of history. Layers like music theory, or knowing that a song sounds good sung in a certain way, or knowing that some melody will sound beautiful paired with a certain chord. Together, these build up into a huge ball, forming the music. I don’t know exactly how big it is, but it’s big enough that if you took a drill and started digging down into it, you’d find various layers — various replicas — as you dug. When creating replica, I felt like I was standing on the surface of that giant ball, and that’s what the titular track is about.

So the reason that there’s so much variety in the album is that you’re standing there on this planet of music, digging down in different directions, through different musical strata.

I mean, that’s what the word “digging” originally meant, right? I love David Bowie, so first I dig down to David Bowie. In doing so, I pass by other people who love David Bowie. And then I dig beyond David Bowie, and I see the artists that David Bowie was looking at. On this album, each song is like that. In that sense, I’d agree that the album has songs that come from all kinds of different directions. To be honest, now, with the album all finished, I can’t remember where I was digging. When I’m digging through references, I listen to all kinds of music, so the tunnels I dig might be filled with twists and turns.

And in addition to that, you have your own originality.

I hope that comes across. The basic approach is to copy something, to sketch something out. People will tell me that songs I write sound like this song or that song, but I don’t know the songs they’re talking about at all. And then I’ve gone and listened to the songs and thought “man, that does sound similar.” But, at the same time, that means that my musical choices weren’t wrong. All I did was put what I thought was the best-fitting melody line over a chord progression.

The lyrics of “NEO JAPAN” are critical of society. Do you see connecting to society through your music to be an important part of your activities as an artist?

Yes, very important. I think of replica as being pop. The aesthetics of pop aren’t simply about conveying simple messages, but about conveying complex messages in easy-to-understand ways. And, what’s more, in a way that sticks with you. For example, consider gummy candies. I’m sure at the start, nobody understood them. But then they made them into animal shapes and other everyday shapes, so people wanted to try them out. I think that’s why Haribo’s been in business for over a century. When you have these replica-like elements, which have been steadily stacking up over time, that’s pop. I think my new album really embodies this idea. It’s a fresh, new batch of replicas.

So it’s the newest form of pop music, part of an unbroken chain through the years.

That’s why reflecting modern times is so important. Pop consists of following the pattern of these replicas that have stacked up over time, but it’s always being updated. What I want to do is create the newest type of pop music. However, my timing is often off. A good number of my singles are songs I wrote one or two years ago. For example, “Carnival” feels kind of old to me.

“Backlight” is a cover of music you wrote yourself for another artist, and the arrangement is really tight. The guitars are credited to TK from Ling tosite sigure. What kind of interaction was there between you and TK?

I met him once and shared my vision for the song, and I used what he came up with, just as it was. I only reach out to people that I trust 100%. I knew that he was the one of the people who established what I call “grotesque pop” — music like “unravel” from Tokyo Ghoul. For me, he’s really a standout artist.

Disc 2 ends with “Todome no ichigeki feat. Cory Wong.” This is the ending song to season 2 of the TV anime SPY x FAMILY. What aspects of SPY x FAMILY were you trying to express through the song?

It’s about Yor’s struggles. Season 2 is when the story starts to look at what she’s going through — what kind of assassin she wants to be, whether or not she should focus on being a mother. I thought season 2 was the most serious, really focusing on what family is about. That’s why I thought it would be best not to write a song that’s overly happy. I tried to reflect that wistfulness, and it ended up having a city pop feel.

What led you to having Cory Wong make a guest appearance on the song?

I just wanted to meet him and work with him. I knew he’d understand the atmosphere of the song better than anyone and his guitar part would be perfect. He’s got a real revival feel, and he understands what makes Japanese pop appealing, plus he’s very technical. I could have played the guitar part myself, but I just knew, intuitively, that Cory would make the song even better. And it turned out really wonderful. He’s amazing.

Now that the album is finished, what direction are you going to be taking in the future? Is there any music that you find yourself interested in or drawn to now?

Next, I want to create warmer music with a more human touch. Conceptually, I’m thinking like Haruomi Hosono, but the kinds of songs he writes are hard to create even if you try. Following replica, I’d like to focus on themes like “warmth.”

What led you to want to make that kind of theme the theme of your music?

I think warmth and pain are the heart of pop. You can’t just make music haphazardly. These feelings just come out in the music. They connect directly to the lyrics and the chord progressions. I want to create songs that help cultivate an appreciation of beauty, both for myself as a musician and for the people who listen to my music. When I’m old and gray, the kids who complain about it can just be better than me. I think the keys are always in the hands of the children.

So it’s like making music as the foundation for future generations?

Right. An old man’s job is to build the foundations. That’s why I’m saying we’re replicas. A few years from now, listening back on this album, people may think it’s garbage. But as long as we’ve evolved in the meantime, that’s fine. I think that, at the very least, I’ve created an album that is a sign of better things to come. I did all that I could. I hope the people who listen to my music enjoy the fact that I’m alive. I hope they enjoy Vaundy, this main character that lives inside me and that I control.