Last week, Matsuri ’25 celebrated Japanese musicians by bringing a stellar 3-artist concert to Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater. Ahead of the concert was a press conference and discussion panel which approached the new wave of rooting Japanese music and culture deeper into international audiences, specifically the United States.
Opening the panel was JETRO‘s executive director, Yoshiko Tsuwaki, who explained the purpose of Matsuri’ 25: to connect the United States with Japanese music and further build on that connection between the fans and the artists. Japan will aim to grow new generation artists and expand their success beyond their homeland. The evening began with a discussion panel moderated by Robert J. Downey (MTV, Billboard) and included guest speakers Ellen Lu (Goldenvoice), Tom Windish (Wasserman) and Rob Kelso (Creativeman Productions). The trio opened up about taking action to further bridge the gap between the Japanese music industry and US — from reaching fans to expanding business and beyond.
In many years past, the most common excuse used in response to growing Japanese music within the US was that songs needed to be in English to be successful. This misconception has now been disproven in more recent years and the “must be English” reasoning no longer applies. Japanese artists have so many opportunities to bring not just their music to the US, but their culture as well. Sure, we all know about anime — but what many of Americans don’t know are the more unique characteristics surrounding Japan’s popular culture in all corners of interest.
For many Americans, especially the younger crowd, television, movies and video games are prime links for introducing Japanese culture. With partnerships in video games such as Fortnite, children as young as 5 years old are absorbing Japanese music and entertainment daily. While these outlets remain an excellent gateway to Japanese culture, the strive to break beyond and broaden potential audiences and gain new fans is important.
From artist collaborations to brand deals with US-based companies, Japanese musicians have potential to help get their names heard (and seen) overseas without just being part of an anime or video game soundtrack. Having Japanese artists team up directly with US artists to record and/or tour together is a huge opportunity to expand their fanbase. Not only is the goal to have them paired up with US artists, but also to be partnered up with a well-connected US team such as publicists, label reps, management, etc to ensure each artist starts off with a solid foundation outside of Japan.
Music from all regions of the world has blown up in the US thanks to the advancement of technology, the internet and social media. This trifecta serves as a massive platform to promote musical collaborations between both international and American artists. Whether the song recycles a single keyword or short phrase in a foreign language (think “APT” by Bruno Mars and South Korean popstar Rosé) or the song features an entire verse in a foreign language (think “Mamushi” by Megan Thee Stallion and Japanese rapper Yuki Chiba), the material continues to climb in popularity amongst fans worldwide. The American audience is alive and always craving innovative and diverse music. These “mashup” songs which feature multiple languages are fulfilling to listeners of all age groups, but especially the younger generations — many who are still exploring their own musical tastes and preferences.
Aside from the US, worldwide growth is something any international artist is constantly looking to achieve. Third party collaborating with other multilingual artists serves as a direct way to gain exposure to Japanese music regardless of the target market. This sought-after globalization of music is something artists and industry leaders continually aim to achieve as a common denominator. Arranging a tour with an Japanese artist, American artist and Italian artist and is a foolproof way to gain exposure, especially when they share similarities in genre.
On a bigger scale beyond tours, festivals are being booked with a more global approach. These events serve as the perfect vessel to put Japanese artists in front of audiences they’d normally never get the chance to perform in front of. Festivals like Head In The Clouds boasts an outstanding lineup of artists from all over the world and sets a great example of diverse curation.
Booking these tours and events does need to be carefully approached to ensure these artists will flourish when placed on a tour or festival roster. Besides social media presence, bookings are based upon streaming statistics, past release/touring performance as well as internal references. The only major issue that presents itself is the cost of logistics. Operating internationally can impose a huge financial excess, even something as simple as securing travel clearances. The cost of transporting production equipment, crew, other team members and the artists themselves is another big expense. Keeping budget in mind is another crucial obstacle when any planning overseas activity. Nevertheless, the Japanese music industry is determined to share their talent and culture with us and will continue to maneuver what it takes to make it happen.
The panel also showcased this year’s Music Awards Japan, set to take place in Kyoto on May 21-22, which is fueled by both fan voters as well over 5,000 music industry leaders voters. The award show will feature a traditional ceremony as well as live performances. Following the panel, I had the opportunity to meet two of the night’s performing artists: YOASOBI and ATARASHII GAKKO! ahead of their shows.
Kicking off the first of three performances was YOASOBI, a duo with an EDM-pop feel. Accompanied by an immersive production of lasers, lights, 3D graphics and more, the show felt like one big party, almost something cinematic — there was never a dull moment. What I found most impressive was the way the duo ended each song as if it were an encore. The effort and enthusiasm put in by their singer, Ikura, was unstoppable as she kept the fans engaged throughout the entire set. The keyboardist, Ayase was more confined to his instrument (as expected), but Ikura was interactive with him and the other band members as well. There was a strong sense of wall-to-wall inclusion, despite thousands in the room — everyone felt it. YOASOBI’s high energy and feel-good vibes definitely set the stakes high for what would be a night to remember.
Up next was ATARASHII GAKKO!, a group of 4 who just get each other. Dressed in matching outfits, they took over the stage immediately sending the crowd into a frenzy with their pop and classic hip-hop sound. These girls were completely in tune with each other throughout the entire show in an effortlessly cool performance full of choreography and comedic theatrics tucked into the set (broom microphones, anyone?) A few of the members got up close and personal with audience, running down the aisles to engage with fans. Their show was fun and entertaining well beyond the eye-catching production — witnessing each member’s connection with each other was genuine and their talent naturally flowed.
Closing out the night… Ado. For those unaware, Ado’s identity remains hidden. She performed in a cage positioned centerstage with vibrant graphics behind her. Ado’s performance was much heavier in comparison to the more upbeat, danceable tunes of the artists prior. I enjoyed the alternate sound as a rock/metal fan myself — it was good to see some variety within the lineup, though the first two acts were definitely more fun to move around to. Ado’s performance was intriguing to watch and listen to, all while maintaining a mystery of character. Many fans in the crowd were wearing Ado’s tour merch, solidifying my suspicion she has a very dedicated fanbase.
Overall, the festival (or matsuri, in Japanese) portion of the night was highly entertaining. I didn’t know the words, but that didn’t matter. It proves that when an artist is capable of performing effectively and engaging the audience, anyone can have an amazing time at these shows. It is a lot easier than most people realize to discover your new favorite artist, despite a language barrier. I truly look forward to broadening my musical pallet in the J-pop and J-rock realm and can’t wait to see what else Japan has to offer.
