Last year's Red Bull Music Academy (RBMA) left Tokyo with a four-floor space in Shibuya designed by prize-winning architect Kengo Kuma.
Included in the design were a number of lecture halls, where some of Japan's most influential musicians taught academy participants the basics of the industry. More importantly, however, was the construction of a state-of-the-art studio.
It is from this studio that, on Oct. 13, RBMA Radio will host the Tokyo portion of a worldwide series of broadcasts, which began in Seattle on Sept. 24, to celebrate its 10th anniversary.
On the decks will be local hip-hop legend DJ Krush, followed by DJ Nori, Sapphire Slows and sauce81. Sapphire Slows was chosen to represent Japan at this year's RBMA in Paris, while sauce81 is an alumni of the Barcelona RBMA in 2008.
"I've met so many people through RBMA and it has led me to a lot of opportunities," sauce81 said via email. "Lectures, studio sessions and even little conversations during the academy opened up my mind to deeper understandings of music."
For the Oct. 13 broadcast, sauce81 is scheduled to play a live set that incorporates "trigger beats, piano and live vocals."
Sapphire Slows will also play live, and says she looks forward to getting back into performance mode.
"After I released my first album, 'Allegoria,' I sort of took a break," she says. "I did a few tours and had some releases, and I feel like I'm approaching RBMA with a fresh state of mind. I'm so excited to move into a new phase."
RBMA Radio will be streaming live on Oct. 13 (9 p.m.-1 a.m.) To listen, visit live.rbmaradio.com/main/rbma-radio-live-from-tokyo.