Tag - music

 
 

MUSIC

Japanese singer Yoshiki strikes his "X" pose during a ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California, on Thursday.
CULTURE / Music
Sep 15, 2023
Japan rock star Yoshiki's handprints immortalized in Hollywood
The X Japan member is the first Japanese star to join hundreds of legendary celebrities whose artistic achievements have been recognized by the theater.
Johnny & Associates President Julie Keiko Fujishima (second from right) acknowledged that company founder Johnny Kitagawa had sexually abused agency employees for decades during a press conference in Tokyo on Sept. 7.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Sep 9, 2023
What’s in a name? A lot of baggage and trauma, unfortunately.
Johnny and Associates' recognition of abuse is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done to move forward.
Julie Keiko Fujishima (right), who stepped down as Johnny & Associates president on Tuesday, and new President Noriyuki Higashiyama give a news conference in Tokyo on Thursday.
JAPAN / Society
Sep 7, 2023
Johnny's replaces president as it admits to abuse by late founder
The replacement comes on the heels of a scathing third-party report, which recommended that Julie Keiko Fujishima resign as president.
Niger's Army sergeant and artist Maman Sani Maigochi performs as supporters of Niger's National Council of Safeguard of the Homeland gather at Place de la Concertation in Niamey.
WORLD / Politics
Sep 4, 2023
Civilian and military artists back Niger coup with rousing tunes
Videos mix footage from army promotional videos with images of swaying military dancers, against a soundtrack of silky rhythms.
Veteran broadcaster and DJ Peter Barakan has been a fixture in Japanese music media for decades. He is now in his third year as curator and namesake of Peter Barakan’s Music Film Festival, which kicks off in Tokyo today.
CULTURE / Film
Sep 1, 2023
Peter Barakan's Music Film Festival celebrates cinema and song
The three-week event kicks off its third edition with 31 films including documentaries, concert films and narrative films centered on music.
Designed by Sadamaranai Obake, Kumomonaka is a wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery) kit that encourages those in mourning to talk about the past while creating sweets in colors that remind them of their deceased loved ones.
LIFE / Style & Design / ON: DESIGN
Aug 26, 2023
Japan-made novelties with deeper purpose
The easiest way to understand Japanese cultural concepts might be through these smartly designed products.
Eiko Higuchi at her microphone production station at Sony Taiyo
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 25, 2023
A tiny factory is handcrafting mics for Justin Bieber and Dr. Dre
Sony Taiyo, a Sony Group subsidiary, is designed to give people with disabilities a fair chance in the workplace.
Crowds packed the Mountain Stage at Summer Sonic for Yoasobi’s set on Saturday and went wild when the J-pop duo played the opening notes of “Idol.”
CULTURE / Music
Aug 25, 2023
Summer Sonic closes out the season with one hot party
Asian artists NewJeans, Gen Hoshino, Awich and Babymetal drew impressive crowds at the summer festival despite the overbearing heat.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has arrested two men it suspects of involvement in faxing 300,000 bomb threats to schools, firms and local governments.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 23, 2023
Two men arrested for sending bomb threat to Tokyo college
The pair were arrested on suspicion of sending a fax to Tokyo College of Music stating that 334 bombs were planted at the school and demanding ¥300,000.
Jake Murdoch has recently begun performing songs in Japanese, including new single "Every1 Loves U."
CULTURE / Music
Aug 18, 2023
Teenage music prodigy brings feel-good pop to Tokyo
With 16 instruments under his belt at the young age of 13, Jake Murdoch sets his sights on learning the ropes of Japan's music scene.
Creativeman President Naoki Shimizu says Summer Sonic has been featuring an increasing number of Asian acts in recent years, a change that reflects the growing number of Asian visitors attending the music festival. This year’s standouts include K-pop group NewJeans, whose Summer Sonic performance will be its first Japan show ever.
CULTURE / Music
Aug 18, 2023
NewJeans, Blur and Kendrick Lamar head to Summer Sonic
While Summer Sonic’s reputation as an international showcase holds strong, the event has become an important launchpad for homegrown performers.
Photo taken from DJ Soda's Instagram shows her during a visit to Osaka.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 15, 2023
South Korean DJ 'shocked and scared' after groping at Japan event
DJ Soda, who has more than 5 million Instagram followers, took to social media platforms to slam the unidentified individuals involved.
The Gacha Pop playlist on Spotify offers a wonderfully scattered collection of J-pop chart-toppers, long-running favorites and next-generation names, reflecting the global ambitions of homegrown artists.
CULTURE / Music / Sound Off
Aug 11, 2023
The summer of Gacha Pop
Spotify’s curated playlist encapsulates J-pop’s diverse range, but more than that, it shows how Japanese music travels in the world today.
The music score for “Glory to Hong Kong”
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 8, 2023
Hong Kong government to appeal in failed bid to ban protest song
Reiterating that disseminating the song was a national security crime, the government said its injunction was crucial to safeguarding the city.
Taiwanese singer Chang Hui-mei — also known as "A-Mei" — poses with her mother (second from left) on the red carpet in Taipei in 2016.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Aug 8, 2023
Chinese fans barred from wearing rainbows at gay-friendly show
Being gay, bisexual or transgender is increasingly seen by some in China as a concept imported from the West.
This year’s Fuji Rock Festival, which took place last weekend and featured The Strokes, Foo Fighters and Lizzo as headliners, brought a cumulative total of 114,000 attendees to the mountains of Niigata Prefecture.
CULTURE / Music
Aug 4, 2023
Fuji Rock’s diversity is back — and it feels great
Millennial rock, Gen Z rap and a Sinead O’Connor tribute fill a stellar weekend of music.
Foreign entertainers are now permitted to work in event venues with a capacity of more than 100 people — including standing-only establishments — that sell food and drinks.
JAPAN / Society
Aug 1, 2023
Japan loosens requirements for entertainer visas
Entertainers earning more than ¥500,000 or more per day are now able to stay for up to 30 days, an increase from 15 days.
Photo: Mount Fuji is shot from above so that you can see the trails leading to its summit.
PODCAST / deep dive
Jul 26, 2023
A tale of two Fujis: Bullet climbs, crowds and Lizzo
With the borders fully open, Mount Fuji is all booked up and Fuji Rock is back in full force. Drew Damron and Patrick St. Michel join us on the podcast to discuss Japan’s two favorite Fujis.
At this year’s Fuji Rock Festival, big-name acts The Strokes, Foo Fighters and Lizzo will serve as headliners at the main Green Stage.
CULTURE / Music
Jul 25, 2023
Rap acts stand out in Fuji Rock’s diverse lineup
Kanagawa rap crew Bad Hop’s final hurrah and Lizzo’s Sunday night swagger are set to deliver some of the most memorable moments of the three-day music extravaganza.
Demonstrators sing the "Glory To Be Thee, Hong Kong" protest song during a flash mob in 2019.
ASIA PACIFIC
Jul 21, 2023
Hong Kong court says protest song is matter of national security
The city’s High Court on Friday heard the government’s argument for why it should be illegal to perform or broadcast Glory to Hong Kong with criminal intent.

Longform

Traditional folk rituals like Mizudome-no-mai (dance to stop the rain) provide a sense of agency to a population that feels largely powerless in the face of the climate crisis.
As climate extremes intensify, Japan embraces ancient weather rituals