YUGEN PODCAST

■ NEO [ONE OR EIGHT]
The only member of ONE OR EIGHT who didn't come through the audition — and the one who nearly chose a desk job instead.
NEO is a Tokyo-born rapper and songwriter, and the only member of ONE OR EIGHT, avex's eight-member global boy group, who joined after the WARPs DIG audition had already chosen the other seven. He grew up in two languages, English at an international school and Japanese at home, because his parents wanted him to have what he calls "the luxury of choice." Music only became serious in college, and his LinkedIn was ready for job applications when he chose it instead. After three years training at avex as a solo artist, he was offered a place in the group and weighed it against a songwriting career: he could write songs at 40, he reasoned, but he could only be in a boy group now. Joining seven members already bonded by the audition was the hardest part. "Do not recommend." The group taught him that a song is not finished until people share it, and he now writes with one question in mind: who is going to listen? Since the 2024 debut "Don't Tell Nobody," produced by Ryan Tedder and David Stewart, ONE OR EIGHT have entered the US Mediabase Top 40 twice and toured the Americas, where a crowd in Argentina broke into a mosh pit. Their first EP, "EN-GÏNE," arrived on September 16, 2026, with "YANKEE SQUAT," a song about outsiders: in Japan they sing in English, abroad they are Japanese, and the stage is where they belong. Their first Japanese-language song, "Yellow Brick Road," followed on October 7 as the ending theme of "Black Clover" Season 2.
■ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:59 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast
01:55 His first podcast, in four languages
02:53 Born in Tokyo, raised at an international school
06:19 Fast-paced Tokyo and the family farm in Kumamoto
09:25 A musical family and piano at three
10:15 His parents' gift: "the luxury of choice"
13:37 Why he feels more open in English
14:41 Choosing music over a desk job
15:58 Childhood dreams and a simple "thank you"
20:13 Learning to open up in a group
21:16 Solo or group? Three years training at avex
23:32 Joining after the audition
26:58 Into the world of pop songwriting
31:06 From 90s boom bap to Linkin Park
33:09 KAWASAKI: 10 million views in 10 days
34:49 Ryan Tedder and "Don't Tell Nobody"
37:23 His North Star: who is going to listen?
39:21 Not the flashy type: his role in ONE OR EIGHT
41:10 Hanshin Tigers, books and deep conversations
44:56 A year of new music and the EP EN-GÏNE
46:29 YANKEE SQUAT: outsiders wherever they go
48:57 Fans abroad and a mosh pit in Argentina
52:17 On tour across Japan
53:49 Where he wants to be in 10 years
57:11 A message to the fans
■ FOLLOW NEO [ONE OR EIGHT]
Official Website: https://oneoreight.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oneoreight_/
Streaming（1st EP「EN-GÏNE」）: https://oneoreight.lnk.to/ENGINE
■ 日本語
東京出身のラッパー／ソングライター。avexが送り出す日本発の8人組グローバルボーイズグループONE OR EIGHTで、オーディション『WARPs DIG』で7人が決まったあとに加わった、ただひとりのメンバー。学校では英語、家では日本語。インターナショナルスクールに通わせた両親の願いは、本人曰く「選べるという贅沢」だった。3歳でピアノを始めたが、音楽を仕事と考えたのは大学から。LinkedInを整え、就職活動に踏み出す寸前で音楽を選んだ。avexでソロとして3年間トレーニングを積んだあと、グループへの加入を打診される。ソングライターの道とも迷った末の答えは、曲は40歳でも書けるが、ボーイズグループは今しかできない。オーディションで絆を結んだ7人の輪に入る日々は「二度と味わいたくない」ほどつらかった。グループで知ったのは、曲は聴く人と分かち合ってはじめて完成するということ。いまは「誰が聴くのか」を大切にして曲を書く。2024年、Ryan TedderとDavid Stewartが手がけた「Don't Tell Nobody」でデビュー。米Mediabase Top40に2度チャートインし、北中南米ツアーではアルゼンチンの客席にモッシュピットが生まれた。2026年9月16日に1st EP『EN-GÏNE』をリリース。収録曲「YANKEE SQUAT」が歌うのはアウトサイダーの居場所だ。日本では英語で歌い、海外に出れば日本人。どこにいても、ステージが彼らの居場所になる。10月7日には初の日本語詞曲「Yellow Brick Road」が、TVアニメ『ブラッククローバー』第2期のエンディングテーマとして届いた。
■ ABOUT YUGEN
YUGEN features English-language conversations with artists from across Asia and beyond, exploring their music and the stories behind it.
From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound
http://ygen.net/
CREDITS — YUGEN Production Committee
MC: Sara Giusto / Guest: NEO [ONE OR EIGHT] / Art Department: ONSA Inc. / Special Thanks: Sae Hidaka / Edit & Production: 4thclue Inc.

■ Bubby Lewis

Too nerdy for the L.A. music business — until Snoop Dogg asked him about Dragon Ball Z.

Bubby Lewis is a bassist, composer and producer from Flint, Michigan, based in Tokyo since 2022 and now making music as Peanut Butter Man. A pastor's son, he picked up the bass at 14 and learned everything in his father's church, where gospel came first and made the rest easy. He moved to Los Angeles to study video game design; when that fell through, music worked its way in. The city had little use for a square who didn't drink, played Pokémon and collected Godzilla figures, and people told him he would never make it. Then gospel bass legend Andrew Gouché called one Sunday, asked who he was playing for, hung up, and rang back 45 minutes later with a seat in Snoop Dogg's band. Snoop, it turned out, wanted to talk about Dragon Ball Z. From there came Dr. Dre, Stevie Wonder, Jhené Aiko, theme music for Marvel, and two solo albums, 1UP! Adventures & Quests Episode III (2017) and Hero Dynasty (2019), whose "Miss & Love" with Jhené Aiko was written for everyone who has lost someone. Japan, a dream since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles at age four, arrived through AI's 2012 tour; he moved his family to Tokyo in May 2022, after COVID had sent them home once. On August 7, 2026 he released Loops, Vol. 1 as Peanut Butter Man on Alpha Pup: five originals, then five play-along versions with the lead removed, so you can join the band. He owns 16 basses, all MTD. On tour, he picks the one that matches the outfit.

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

00:59 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

03:09 A pastor's kid who found the bass at 14

07:31 Gospel, the root of everything

09:42 From game design in L.A. to music

11:09 Being a nerd in Flint in the '90s

12:54 Moving to Japan during the pandemic

15:58 Black soybean peanut butter and the fridge trick

17:24 How he became Peanut Butter Man

18:29 "Miss & Love" with Jhené Aiko

22:41 The phone call that put him in Snoop Dogg's band

25:15 "Everybody is a nerd" in the music industry

27:30 Music for Marvel, and sessions from home

30:12 16 basses, and picking one to match the outfit

32:37 "Episode III" and his kind of fusion

36:35 Breaks, family time, and making music

42:15 Being yourself is the greatest superpower

47:11 Japanese music going global

51:21 Touring in Japan vs the US and Europe

53:23 Giving Asian artists a chance at festivals

56:27 Don't wait for someone famous to say it's good

58:37 What he'd tell his younger self in Flint

1:00:44 Himself in one sentence, and what's next

1:05:15 A message to his family and fans

■ FOLLOW Bubby Lewis

Official Website: https://www.bubbylewis.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bubbylewis/

Streaming（Peanut Butter Man『Loops, Vol. 1』）: https://open.spotify.com/album/6LgHd7dmrtVHeLILMtpU4p

オタクはロサンゼルスの音楽業界で生き残れない、と言われ続けた。最初に彼を舞台に上げたSnoop Doggは、『ドラゴンボールZ』の話をふってきた。

ミシガン州フリント出身、2022年から東京を拠点にするベーシスト／作曲家／プロデューサー。Peanut Butter Man名義でも活動する。牧師の家に生まれ、14歳でベースを手にし、父の教会でゴスペルからすべてを学んだ。ロサンゼルスへ渡ったのはゲームデザインを学ぶためだったが、その道が閉ざされ、音楽が入り込んできた。酒も煙草もやらず、ポケモンで遊び、ゴジラのフィギュアを集める「真面目」な男に、周囲は「この業界では無理だ」と言った。転機はある日曜日の電話。ベースの巨匠Andrew Gouchéが「今は誰と弾いてる？」と尋ね、「誰とも」と答えると、45分後にかけ直してきた電話でSnoop Doggのバンドの席が決まっていた。以降Dr. Dre、Stevie Wonder、Jhené Aikoらと共演し、Marvelの楽曲も手がける。ソロ作は『1UP! Adventures & Quests Episode III』（2017年）と『Hero Dynasty』（2019年）。Jhené Aikoを迎えた「Miss & Love」は、大切な人を失ったすべての人への曲だ。4歳で『ティーンエイジ・ミュータント・ニンジャ・タートルズ』を観て以来の夢だった日本には、2012年のAIのツアーで初めて訪れた。コロナ禍で一度は帰国させられながら、2022年5月に家族で東京へ移住。2026年8月7日、Peanut Butter Man名義のアルバム『Loops, Vol. 1』をAlpha Pupからリリース。オリジナル5曲と、リードを抜いたプレイアロング版5曲を収めた一枚だ。ベースは16本、すべてMTD。ツアーでは衣装の色で選ぶ。

■ ABOUT YUGEN

YUGEN features English-language conversations with artists from across Asia and beyond, exploring their music and the stories behind it.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

http://ygen.net/

CREDITS — YUGEN Production Committee

MC: ELLI-ROSE / Guest: BUBBY LEWIS / Art Department: ONSA Inc. / Special Thanks: Sae Hidaka / Edit & Production: 4thclue Inc.

■ Rol3ert

Raised in Tokyo, singing in English — he once posed online as an American. Now he wants to reach the US as exactly who he is.

Rol3ert is a singer-songwriter from Tokyo, born in Ohio in 2005 and raised in Japan since before he turned two. He taught himself English at a Japanese public school, yet he writes almost everything in it — singing in English, he says, feels like talking to himself. At fourteen he wanted to be a professional fencer, until music clicked; telling his mother, who had backed his fencing all along, was the hard part. He began making songs in his bedroom on GarageBand and Logic Pro, with free plug-ins that sound "cheap in a good way." The name began as plain Robert. It felt too normal, so the B became a 3, and when Ro3ert turned out to be taken, a small l slipped in. Before his debut he even posed online as a Japanese American living in the US; now he wants to reach the American industry as himself, and to open a new lane for Japanese music. Instagram covers with over four million views led to his debut single "meaning" in January 2025. Since then he has played FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, sold out Shibuya WWW X, taken "savior" to No. 1 on Billboard JAPAN Heatseekers Songs, and won Radio Rising Artist of the Year at MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026. His first full album, "meet me in my head," arrives October 21, 2026, followed in November by a tour of the same name at Osaka BIG CAT and Tokyo Spotify O-EAST — two venues he had long set as goals.

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:25 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

02:16 Winning Radio Rising Artist of the Year, and meeting Hindia

03:52 Born in Ohio, raised in Tokyo, and self-taught English

04:47 Fencing, soccer, and why home is his safe place

08:21 Music at 14, telling his mom, and his first band

10:41 GarageBand, Logic Pro, and no music theory

12:27 Why he sings in English, and how Robert became Rol3ert

14:39 The Strokes, Wallows, and plug-ins that sound "cheap in a good way"

19:35 The story behind "Kodoku", and loneliness in Tokyo

23:33 Ohio, Chicago, and a nerd who found his place in music

30:54 "(how could i be) honest?" and the exam he left blank

34:03 Meeting a fellow 20-year-old artist at SWEET LOVE SHOWER 2025

37:34 A whirlwind year, his mom, meditation, and learning to drive

46:02 The hardest part of being a young artist: imposter syndrome

51:17 His first headline show in Taipei, and Indonesia and the Philippines next

55:08 Why he once posed as a Japanese American, and aiming for the US

57:08 Japan vs the global music industry, and "a new lane"

1:01:29 A tearful Hibiya show, and ten years from now

1:04:58 The album "meet me in my head", the November tour, and the next guest

■ FOLLOW Rol3ert

Official Website: https://rol3ert.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rol3ertmusic/

Streaming（1st Album『meet me in my head』）: https://rol3ert.lnk.to/meetmeinmyhead

■ 日本語

東京育ち、英語で歌う2005年生まれの次世代ポップスター。かつてSNSで"アメリカ人"を演じた彼は、いま日本人のまま世界を目指す。

2005年、アメリカ・オハイオ州生まれ。2歳になる前に日本へ移り、東京で育ったシンガーソングライター。英語は公立校に通いながら独学で身につけた。それでも曲はほぼ英語で書く。英語で歌うと「自分に話しかけている」感覚になるからだ。14歳まではフェンシングでプロを目指していたが、音楽に出会って「これだ」と思った。応援してくれていた母に打ち明けるのが、いちばん難しかったという。自室で楽曲制作を行い、GarageBandやLogic Proを使いながら、「いい意味でチープ」なサウンドを生み出すフリープラグインを駆使してきた。名前はもともとRobert。ありきたりだと感じてBを3に置き換え、小文字のlを足した。本格的に活動する前のSNSでは日系アメリカ人を演じていたこともある。いまは日本人アーティストとしてアメリカを目指し、日本の音楽が世界に届く「新しい道」をつくりたいと話す。Instagramのカバー動画が400万回再生を超え、2025年1月に「meaning」でデビュー。FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '25への出演、渋谷WWW Xのワンマン完売、「savior」のBillboard JAPAN Heatseekers Songs首位を経て、『MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026』でラジオ特別賞を受賞した。2026年10月21日に初のフルアルバム『meet me in my head』をリリース。11月には同名のツアーで、ずっと目標にしてきた大阪BIG CAT、東京Spotify O-EASTに立つ。

■ ABOUT YUGEN

YUGEN features English-language conversations with artists from across Asia and beyond, exploring their music and the stories behind it.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

http://ygen.net/

CREDITS — YUGEN Production Committee

MC: ELLI-ROSE / Guest: Rol3ert / Art Department: ONSA Inc. / Special Thanks: Sae Hidaka / Edit & Production: 4thclue Inc.

■ Rol3ert

Raised in Tokyo, singing in English — he once posed online as an American. Now he wants to reach the US as exactly who he is.

Rol3ert is a singer-songwriter from Tokyo, born in Ohio in 2005 and raised in Japan since before he turned two. He taught himself English at a Japanese public school, yet he writes almost everything in it — singing in English, he says, feels like talking to himself. At fourteen he wanted to be a professional fencer, until music clicked; telling his mother, who had backed his fencing all along, was the hard part. He began making songs in his bedroom on GarageBand and Logic Pro, with free plug-ins that sound "cheap in a good way." The name began as plain Robert. It felt too normal, so the B became a 3, and when Ro3ert turned out to be taken, a small l slipped in. Before his debut he even posed online as a Japanese American living in the US; now he wants to reach the American industry as himself, and to open a new lane for Japanese music. Instagram covers with over four million views led to his debut single "meaning" in January 2025. Since then he has played FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL, sold out Shibuya WWW X, taken "savior" to No. 1 on Billboard JAPAN Heatseekers Songs, and won Radio Rising Artist of the Year at MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026. His first full album, "meet me in my head," arrives October 21, 2026, followed in November by a tour of the same name at Osaka BIG CAT and Tokyo Spotify O-EAST — two venues he had long set as goals.

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:25 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

02:16 Winning Radio Rising Artist of the Year, and meeting Hindia

03:52 Born in Ohio, raised in Tokyo, and self-taught English

04:47 Fencing, soccer, and why home is his safe place

08:21 Music at 14, telling his mom, and his first band

10:41 GarageBand, Logic Pro, and no music theory

12:27 Why he sings in English, and how Robert became Rol3ert

14:39 The Strokes, Wallows, and plug-ins that sound "cheap in a good way"

19:35 The story behind "Kodoku", and loneliness in Tokyo

23:33 Ohio, Chicago, and a nerd who found his place in music

30:54 "(how could i be) honest?" and the exam he left blank

34:03 Meeting a fellow 20-year-old artist at SWEET LOVE SHOWER 2025

37:34 A whirlwind year, his mom, meditation, and learning to drive

46:02 The hardest part of being a young artist: imposter syndrome

51:17 His first headline show in Taipei, and Indonesia and the Philippines next

55:08 Why he once posed as a Japanese American, and aiming for the US

57:08 Japan vs the global music industry, and "a new lane"

1:01:29 A tearful Hibiya show, and ten years from now

1:04:58 The album "meet me in my head", the November tour, and the next guest

■ FOLLOW Rol3ert

Official Website: https://rol3ert.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rol3ertmusic/

Streaming（1st Album『meet me in my head』）: https://rol3ert.lnk.to/meetmeinmyhead

■ 日本語

東京育ち、英語で歌う2005年生まれの次世代ポップスター。かつてSNSで"アメリカ人"を演じた彼は、いま日本人のまま世界を目指す。

2005年、アメリカ・オハイオ州生まれ。2歳になる前に日本へ移り、東京で育ったシンガーソングライター。英語は公立校に通いながら独学で身につけた。それでも曲はほぼ英語で書く。英語で歌うと「自分に話しかけている」感覚になるからだ。14歳まではフェンシングでプロを目指していたが、音楽に出会って「これだ」と思った。応援してくれていた母に打ち明けるのが、いちばん難しかったという。自室で楽曲制作を行い、GarageBandやLogic Proを使いながら、「いい意味でチープ」なサウンドを生み出すフリープラグインを駆使してきた。名前はもともとRobert。ありきたりだと感じてBを3に置き換え、小文字のlを足した。本格的に活動する前のSNSでは日系アメリカ人を演じていたこともある。いまは日本人アーティストとしてアメリカを目指し、日本の音楽が世界に届く「新しい道」をつくりたいと話す。Instagramのカバー動画が400万回再生を超え、2025年1月に「meaning」でデビュー。FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL '25への出演、渋谷WWW Xのワンマン完売、「savior」のBillboard JAPAN Heatseekers Songs首位を経て、『MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026』でラジオ特別賞を受賞した。2026年10月21日に初のフルアルバム『meet me in my head』をリリース。11月には同名のツアーで、ずっと目標にしてきた大阪BIG CAT、東京Spotify O-EASTに立つ。

■ ABOUT YUGEN

YUGEN features English-language conversations with artists from across Asia and beyond, exploring their music and the stories behind it.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

http://ygen.net/

CREDITS — YUGEN Production Committee

MC: ELLI-ROSE / Guest: Rol3ert / Art Department: ONSA Inc. / Special Thanks: Sae Hidaka / Edit & Production: 4thclue Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ ACE HASHIMOTO

He took his best friend's name — and the "hashi" in it turned out to be the job.

Ace Hashimoto is a singer, songwriter and producer from Chicago, based in Tokyo since 2023. He has written and produced for SZA, Mac Miller and Chance the Rapper, and in Japan for EXILE, CRAZYBOY, King & Prince and Punipunidenki, with collaborations across Asia alongside PH-1 and BIG NAUGHTY. He came to music sideways: a bored teenage gamer who opened FL Studio because it looked like another game, still finishing a marketing degree when the paperwork and the money started arriving. Japan came from his father's record shelves — enka, Japanese fusion jazz, city pop, YMO — and from a Mega Drive soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro he only later realised was house music. A publishing deal in Los Angeles paid well and nearly finished him: making records he did not want to make, he walked away from music for an IT job in San Jose. He was still on that break when he played a show and the French producer Onra offered backstage to fund an album. That became PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE. (2021). He first played Tokyo in 2017 and moved for good six years later. He now writes with one test in mind: will this sound good at karaoke? On April 17, 2026 he released "TOP NOTCH," built the 2000s way — a Japanese version with Toya Fujita, a solo version with CUBE and 2chill, instrumentals — and "TAKE YOU HOME" followed in August. He arrived wanting to be a Japanese artist. He has settled on something harder: being the bridge his name already means.

親友の名前を、そのまま自分の名前にした。その「橋」の字が、いつのまにか仕事になっていた。

シカゴ出身、2023年から東京を拠点にするシンガー／ソングライター／プロデューサー。SZA、Mac Miller、Chance the Rapper らの作品に関わり、日本ではEXILE、CRAZYBOY、King & Princeらに楽曲を提供。PH-1やBIG NAUGHTYなどアジア圏との共作も多い。音楽には横から入った。ゲームに飽きた十代のある日、友人に教わったFL Studioが「もうひとつのゲーム」に見えたのが始まりで、大学でマーケティングを学んでいるうちに契約書とギャラが届くようになった。日本は父のレコード棚にあった。演歌、和製フュージョン・ジャズ、シティポップ、YMO。メガドライブ『ベア・ナックル』の古代祐三のサウンドがハウスだったと気づくのは、ずっと後のことだ。ロサンゼルスで結んだ出版契約は実入りこそよかったが、聴きたくもない音楽を作り続ける日々に消耗し、彼は音楽から離れてサンノゼでITの仕事に就く。その休止期間に出たライブで、フランス人プロデューサーOnraが楽屋で「アルバムを作れ、資金は出す」と申し出る。そうして生まれたのが『PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE.』（2021年）だ。初来日は2017年、移住はその6年後。いま曲を書くときの基準はひとつ、「カラオケで気持ちよく歌えるか」。2026年4月17日には「TOP NOTCH」をリリース。2000年代のやり方にならい、藤田織也を迎えた日本語版やインストまでを一枚に収めた。8月には「TAKE YOU HOME」が続いた。日本のアーティストになりたい——そう思って来日した。いま引き受けているのは、もう少し難しい役割だ。自分の名前がすでに意味しているもの——橋になること。

■ FOLLOW ACE HASHIMOTO

Official Links: https://linktr.ee/acehashimoto

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acehashimofo/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acehashimofo

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acehashimoto

Streaming（EP「TOP NOTCH」）: https://music.apple.com/us/album/top-notch-feat-3ee-single/1886205720

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL

Web Site:

http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:16 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

03:16 The name Ace Hashimoto, FL Studio as "another game", and his dad's record shelves (YMO to SMAP)

09:40 Burning out on a publishing deal, the hiatus, and how Onra brought him back

12:32 Learning to sing from zero, and from Streets of Rage to Shibuya-kei

24:17 Working with EXILE, CRAZYBOY and King & Prince — how Japan does business

26:16 Why he hates live shows: perfectionism, not nerves

28:32 J-pop vs K-pop, the karaoke test, and collaborating across Asia (PH-1, BIG NAUGHTY)

32:44 The "TOP NOTCH" EP, ikigai, and his daily routine

35:15 Off-mic: the haircut, Koenji thrift shops, vinyl vs CDJs, skincare and meditation

43:18 Growing up in Chicago, and the email that made music real at 18

47:29 "Am I a Japanese artist?" — being a conduit, and the story behind "TOP NOTCH"

51:39 "Go to Japan now": the 2017 ageHa show, Harajuku, and camping in Yamanashi

57:37 Japan doesn't need to change: the Perfume lesson, being the bridge, what's next, and a message to fans

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: ELLI-ROSE

Guest: ACE HASHIMOTO

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

SpecialThanks

Sae Hidaka

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ ACE HASHIMOTO

He took his best friend's name — and the "hashi" in it turned out to be the job.

Ace Hashimoto is a singer, songwriter and producer from Chicago, based in Tokyo since 2023. He has written and produced for SZA, Mac Miller and Chance the Rapper, and in Japan for EXILE, CRAZYBOY, King & Prince and Punipunidenki, with collaborations across Asia alongside PH-1 and BIG NAUGHTY. He came to music sideways: a bored teenage gamer who opened FL Studio because it looked like another game, still finishing a marketing degree when the paperwork and the money started arriving. Japan came from his father's record shelves — enka, Japanese fusion jazz, city pop, YMO — and from a Mega Drive soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro he only later realised was house music. A publishing deal in Los Angeles paid well and nearly finished him: making records he did not want to make, he walked away from music for an IT job in San Jose. He was still on that break when he played a show and the French producer Onra offered backstage to fund an album. That became PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE. (2021). He first played Tokyo in 2017 and moved for good six years later. He now writes with one test in mind: will this sound good at karaoke? On April 17, 2026 he released "TOP NOTCH," built the 2000s way — a Japanese version with Toya Fujita, a solo version with CUBE and 2chill, instrumentals — and "TAKE YOU HOME" followed in August. He arrived wanting to be a Japanese artist. He has settled on something harder: being the bridge his name already means.

親友の名前を、そのまま自分の名前にした。その「橋」の字が、いつのまにか仕事になっていた。

シカゴ出身、2023年から東京を拠点にするシンガー／ソングライター／プロデューサー。SZA、Mac Miller、Chance the Rapper らの作品に関わり、日本ではEXILE、CRAZYBOY、King & Princeらに楽曲を提供。PH-1やBIG NAUGHTYなどアジア圏との共作も多い。音楽には横から入った。ゲームに飽きた十代のある日、友人に教わったFL Studioが「もうひとつのゲーム」に見えたのが始まりで、大学でマーケティングを学んでいるうちに契約書とギャラが届くようになった。日本は父のレコード棚にあった。演歌、和製フュージョン・ジャズ、シティポップ、YMO。メガドライブ『ベア・ナックル』の古代祐三のサウンドがハウスだったと気づくのは、ずっと後のことだ。ロサンゼルスで結んだ出版契約は実入りこそよかったが、聴きたくもない音楽を作り続ける日々に消耗し、彼は音楽から離れてサンノゼでITの仕事に就く。その休止期間に出たライブで、フランス人プロデューサーOnraが楽屋で「アルバムを作れ、資金は出す」と申し出る。そうして生まれたのが『PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE.』（2021年）だ。初来日は2017年、移住はその6年後。いま曲を書くときの基準はひとつ、「カラオケで気持ちよく歌えるか」。2026年4月17日には「TOP NOTCH」をリリース。2000年代のやり方にならい、藤田織也を迎えた日本語版やインストまでを一枚に収めた。8月には「TAKE YOU HOME」が続いた。日本のアーティストになりたい——そう思って来日した。いま引き受けているのは、もう少し難しい役割だ。自分の名前がすでに意味しているもの——橋になること。

■ FOLLOW ACE HASHIMOTO

Official Links: https://linktr.ee/acehashimoto

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/acehashimofo/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acehashimofo

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/acehashimoto

Streaming（EP「TOP NOTCH」）: https://music.apple.com/us/album/top-notch-feat-3ee-single/1886205720

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL

Web Site:

http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:16 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

03:16 The name Ace Hashimoto, FL Studio as "another game", and his dad's record shelves (YMO to SMAP)

09:40 Burning out on a publishing deal, the hiatus, and how Onra brought him back

12:32 Learning to sing from zero, and from Streets of Rage to Shibuya-kei

24:17 Working with EXILE, CRAZYBOY and King & Prince — how Japan does business

26:16 Why he hates live shows: perfectionism, not nerves

28:32 J-pop vs K-pop, the karaoke test, and collaborating across Asia (PH-1, BIG NAUGHTY)

32:44 The "TOP NOTCH" EP, ikigai, and his daily routine

35:15 Off-mic: the haircut, Koenji thrift shops, vinyl vs CDJs, skincare and meditation

43:18 Growing up in Chicago, and the email that made music real at 18

47:29 "Am I a Japanese artist?" — being a conduit, and the story behind "TOP NOTCH"

51:39 "Go to Japan now": the 2017 ageHa show, Harajuku, and camping in Yamanashi

57:37 Japan doesn't need to change: the Perfume lesson, being the bridge, what's next, and a message to fans

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: ELLI-ROSE

Guest: ACE HASHIMOTO

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

SpecialThanks

Sae Hidaka

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ MELONii

Nine years a K-pop trainee, one girl group, four languages — and her solo debut is in the one she taught herself.

MELONii is a Korean singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, known until last year as Minji, main vocalist of the K-pop girl group SECRET NUMBER. Her first audition came in elementary school, for a K-pop academy her mother had found; what followed was nine years as a trainee, including "Produce 101" and "Produce 48." She remembers wanting to quit after one practice, crying in the car when her mother came to pick her up — and her mother telling her that if she could not do it, nobody could. She debuted with SECRET NUMBER in 2021 and cried again, this time from relief. In the practice room a Japanese bandmate, Léa, played her "Pretender" by Official HIGE DANdism, and J-pop took over from there: she taught herself Japanese in three years, and at karaoke she always opens with Chisato Moritaka's "Watarasebashi." After leaving the group in April 2025 she spent a year writing — around 60 songs in stock, of which, she says, one in ten gets released — and once walked past the Universal Music Japan building wishing she could work there someday. On March 31, 2026, her birthday, that label released her solo debut, "Risky Risky," a Y2K-flavored song about not changing yourself for someone you love, and the first song she ever wrote in Japanese. In June came the second single, "GASSO," a Korean version of Tiara Andini's "Janji Setia" with lyrics she wrote herself, and an Indonesian version of her fan song "Unconditional." The name is Melody plus Harmony — and, she says, it took a month.

K-POPの練習生として9年。ガールズグループを経て、4か国語を操る。ソロデビュー曲に選んだのは、独学で覚えた日本語だった。

韓国出身、東京を拠点に活動するシンガー／ソングライター。K-POPガールズグループSECRET NUMBERのメインボーカルMINJIとして知られた。最初のオーディションは小学生のとき、母が見つけてきたK-POPアカデミーの入所試験だった。そこから「Produce 101」「Produce 48」を経て、練習生生活は9年に及ぶ。ある日の練習後、迎えに来た母の車で「もう辞めたい」と泣いた。あなたにできないなら誰にできるの、という母の答えで、やめられなくなった。2021年、SECRET NUMBERでデビューした日も泣いた。今度は安堵の涙だった。練習室で日本人メンバーのLéaがかけたOfficial髭男dismの「Pretender」がJ-POPへの入口になり、日本語は3年で独学で身につけた。カラオケの1曲目はいつも森高千里の「渡良瀬橋」だ。2025年4月にグループを離れてからの1年は、ピアノを弾き、曲を書く日々。ストックは約60曲、世に出るのは10曲に1曲だという。ユニバーサル ミュージック ジャパンのビルの前を通りかかり「いつかここで」と願ったのも、この頃だった。2026年3月31日、自身の誕生日に、そのレーベルからソロデビュー曲「Risky Risky」をリリース。好きな人に合わせて自分を変えないで、というメッセージをY2Kのサウンドに乗せた、初めて日本語で書いた曲である。6月には2ndシングル「GASSO」、自ら韓国語詞を書いたTiara Andini「Janji Setia」の韓国語版、ファンに向けた「Unconditional」のインドネシア語版が続いた。MELONiiはMelodyとHarmonyの造語。決めるのに1か月かかったという。

■ FOLLOW MELONii

Official Website / Fan Community: https://melonii.jp/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melonii.official/

X: https://x.com/vitaminnnz_

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melonii.official1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MELONii_official

Streaming（2nd Single「GASSO」）: https://vm.group/GASSO

Streaming（Debut Single「Risky Risky」）: https://vm.group/RiskyRisky

Streaming（Tiara Andini feat. MELONii「Janji Setia」）: https://lnk.to/TiaraMELONiiJanjiSetiaID

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL

Web Site:

http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:34 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

01:45 The name MELONii, Showa and Heisei J-pop at karaoke, and BoA as her role model

06:26 Youngest finalist at 11, and the nine years it took to debut

10:17 PRODUCE 48, AKB48, and debuting as SECRET NUMBER's main vocalist

17:11 First trip to Japan in 2018, and Ichiran ramen in Fukuoka

20:14 Writing "DOOMCHITA", and 60 songs in stock

24:42 Leaving the group, and a year of finding herself

30:52 Why Jakarta: the love from Indonesian fans

37:56 From singer to producer, and does "Asian music" exist? "No limit"

42:59 The next 5 to 10 years, Coachella, and why Asian lyrics run deeper

48:09 "GASSO", "Janji Setia" and "Unconditional" (Indonesia Ver.) — a message for fans

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: Isaac Y. Takeu

Guest: MELONii

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ MELONii

Nine years a K-pop trainee, one girl group, four languages — and her solo debut is in the one she taught herself.

MELONii is a Korean singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, known until last year as Minji, main vocalist of the K-pop girl group SECRET NUMBER. Her first audition came in elementary school, for a K-pop academy her mother had found; what followed was nine years as a trainee, including "Produce 101" and "Produce 48." She remembers wanting to quit after one practice, crying in the car when her mother came to pick her up — and her mother telling her that if she could not do it, nobody could. She debuted with SECRET NUMBER in 2021 and cried again, this time from relief. In the practice room a Japanese bandmate, Léa, played her "Pretender" by Official HIGE DANdism, and J-pop took over from there: she taught herself Japanese in three years, and at karaoke she always opens with Chisato Moritaka's "Watarasebashi." After leaving the group in April 2025 she spent a year writing — around 60 songs in stock, of which, she says, one in ten gets released — and once walked past the Universal Music Japan building wishing she could work there someday. On March 31, 2026, her birthday, that label released her solo debut, "Risky Risky," a Y2K-flavored song about not changing yourself for someone you love, and the first song she ever wrote in Japanese. In June came the second single, "GASSO," a Korean version of Tiara Andini's "Janji Setia" with lyrics she wrote herself, and an Indonesian version of her fan song "Unconditional." The name is Melody plus Harmony — and, she says, it took a month.

K-POPの練習生として9年。ガールズグループを経て、4か国語を操る。ソロデビュー曲に選んだのは、独学で覚えた日本語だった。

韓国出身、東京を拠点に活動するシンガー／ソングライター。K-POPガールズグループSECRET NUMBERのメインボーカルMINJIとして知られた。最初のオーディションは小学生のとき、母が見つけてきたK-POPアカデミーの入所試験だった。そこから「Produce 101」「Produce 48」を経て、練習生生活は9年に及ぶ。ある日の練習後、迎えに来た母の車で「もう辞めたい」と泣いた。あなたにできないなら誰にできるの、という母の答えで、やめられなくなった。2021年、SECRET NUMBERでデビューした日も泣いた。今度は安堵の涙だった。練習室で日本人メンバーのLéaがかけたOfficial髭男dismの「Pretender」がJ-POPへの入口になり、日本語は3年で独学で身につけた。カラオケの1曲目はいつも森高千里の「渡良瀬橋」だ。2025年4月にグループを離れてからの1年は、ピアノを弾き、曲を書く日々。ストックは約60曲、世に出るのは10曲に1曲だという。ユニバーサル ミュージック ジャパンのビルの前を通りかかり「いつかここで」と願ったのも、この頃だった。2026年3月31日、自身の誕生日に、そのレーベルからソロデビュー曲「Risky Risky」をリリース。好きな人に合わせて自分を変えないで、というメッセージをY2Kのサウンドに乗せた、初めて日本語で書いた曲である。6月には2ndシングル「GASSO」、自ら韓国語詞を書いたTiara Andini「Janji Setia」の韓国語版、ファンに向けた「Unconditional」のインドネシア語版が続いた。MELONiiはMelodyとHarmonyの造語。決めるのに1か月かかったという。

■ FOLLOW MELONii

Official Website / Fan Community: https://melonii.jp/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melonii.official/

X: https://x.com/vitaminnnz_

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melonii.official1

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MELONii_official

Streaming（2nd Single「GASSO」）: https://vm.group/GASSO

Streaming（Debut Single「Risky Risky」）: https://vm.group/RiskyRisky

Streaming（Tiara Andini feat. MELONii「Janji Setia」）: https://lnk.to/TiaraMELONiiJanjiSetiaID

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL

Web Site:

http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:34 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

01:45 The name MELONii, Showa and Heisei J-pop at karaoke, and BoA as her role model

06:26 Youngest finalist at 11, and the nine years it took to debut

10:17 PRODUCE 48, AKB48, and debuting as SECRET NUMBER's main vocalist

17:11 First trip to Japan in 2018, and Ichiran ramen in Fukuoka

20:14 Writing "DOOMCHITA", and 60 songs in stock

24:42 Leaving the group, and a year of finding herself

30:52 Why Jakarta: the love from Indonesian fans

37:56 From singer to producer, and does "Asian music" exist? "No limit"

42:59 The next 5 to 10 years, Coachella, and why Asian lyrics run deeper

48:09 "GASSO", "Janji Setia" and "Unconditional" (Indonesia Ver.) — a message for fans

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: Isaac Y. Takeu

Guest: MELONii

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ DECEMBER 10 / ディセンバー・テン

Seven strangers, one Netflix series — and a band name that is also their birthday.

December 10 is an English–Irish UK boy band born on the Netflix documentary series "Simon Cowell: The Next Act," which followed Cowell's search for a new group and premiered on 10 December 2025 — the date that became their name. Cowell set out to sign five and kept all seven: Cruz, Danny, Hendrik, John, Josh, Nicolas and Seán. A week before the audition, none of them was anywhere near a stage. Seán was on a remote island off the Irish coast with no phone signal, speaking Irish; John had just turned 16 and started was about to start his first job at McDonald's; Cruz was playing pre-season football and pouring drinks at a Hilton bar; another was working the grill at Nando's. They play 14 instruments between them, and the first year has been fast: the debut single "Run My Way" in January 2026, then "Angel," "Infinity (123)" and "Us Against The World"; a debut EP, "On Your Side," that entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 5; a Wembley Stadium crowd of 90,000. Japan came early: Summer Sonic SUMMER SONIC 2026 in Osaka and Tokyo, then a first solo show in the country at Spotify O-EAST in Shibuya. They sat down with YUGEN the day after Summer Sonic SUMMER SONIC, six of them (Danny is taking a break time out), still a little stunned by Japanese crowds that clap in perfect sync, and by a karaoke machine that played "Run My Way" ten times in a row.

それぞれ別の道を歩んできた7人と、1本のNetflixシリーズ。そして「誕生日」が、そのままバンド名になった。

イングランド＝アイルランド出身イギリス発の7人組ボーイバンド。サイモン・コーウェルが新しいグループを探す過程を追ったNetflixのドキュメンタリーシリーズ『サイモン・コーウェル: Who's The Next?』（原題『Simon Cowell: The Next Act』）から誕生し、シリーズの配信日である2025年12月10日がそのままグループ名になった。5人を選ぶつもりだったコーウェルは、最終候補の7人全員——Cruz、Danny、Hendrik、John、Josh、Nicolas、Seán——を残した。オーディションの1週間前、彼らはステージとは無縁の場所にいた。Seánは電波の届かないアイルランドの離島でアイルランド語を学び、Johnは16歳になったばかりでマクドナルドの初バイトを始めたところ。Cruzはサッカーのプレシーズンをこなしながらヒルトンのバーで酒をつくり、もうひとりはNando'sの鉄板の前にいた。7人で14の楽器を弾く。最初の1年は速かった。2026年1月のデビューシングル「Run My Way」から「Angel」「Infinity (123)」「Us Against The World」、全英アルバムチャート初登場5位のデビューEP『On Your Side』、ウェンブリー・スタジアムの9万人。日本との出会いも早かった。8月のサマーソニック2026（大阪・東京）、その直後には渋谷 Spotify O-EAST で日本初の単独公演。YUGENの収録はサマソニの翌日。休止中のDannyを除く6人は、手拍子まで揃う日本の客席と、「Run My Way」を10回リピートし続けたカラオケの機械に、まだ少し呆然としていた。

■ FOLLOW DECEMBER 10

Official Website: https://www.december10.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/december10/

X: https://x.com/D10Band

X (Japan): https://x.com/December10JP

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@december10

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@December10Band

Streaming（Debut EP「On Your Side」）: https://december10.lnk.to/OnYourSideEP

Universal Music Japan: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/december10/

Netflix「Simon Cowell: The Next Act」: https://www.netflix.com/title/81743409

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL

Web Site:

http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:43 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

02:51 From five members to seven, and working with Simon Cowell

05:10 How the name December 10 stuck

06:20 No phones in Miami

07:23 One week before the audition

13:08 The Asian artists they love, and their favorite anime

15:21 Seven songs mashed into one

18:00 From choirs to tap dance, where each of them started

22:46 Who's who in December 10

25:02 What sets them apart from the boy bands before them

26:17 Japanese crowds and SUMMER SONIC

30:08 Meeting XG, and Asian music going global

33:42 The most Japan thing: karaoke and conveyor belt sushi

36:08 One song for Japan, and who should come next

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: Isaac Y. Takeu

Guest: DECEMBER 10

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

SpecialThanks

Sae Hidaka

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ DECEMBER 10 / ディセンバー・テン

Seven strangers, one Netflix series — and a band name that is also their birthday.

December 10 is an English–Irish UK boy band born on the Netflix documentary series "Simon Cowell: The Next Act," which followed Cowell's search for a new group and premiered on 10 December 2025 — the date that became their name. Cowell set out to sign five and kept all seven: Cruz, Danny, Hendrik, John, Josh, Nicolas and Seán. A week before the audition, none of them was anywhere near a stage. Seán was on a remote island off the Irish coast with no phone signal, speaking Irish; John had just turned 16 and started was about to start his first job at McDonald's; Cruz was playing pre-season football and pouring drinks at a Hilton bar; another was working the grill at Nando's. They play 14 instruments between them, and the first year has been fast: the debut single "Run My Way" in January 2026, then "Angel," "Infinity (123)" and "Us Against The World"; a debut EP, "On Your Side," that entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 5; a Wembley Stadium crowd of 90,000. Japan came early: Summer Sonic SUMMER SONIC 2026 in Osaka and Tokyo, then a first solo show in the country at Spotify O-EAST in Shibuya. They sat down with YUGEN the day after Summer Sonic SUMMER SONIC, six of them (Danny is taking a break time out), still a little stunned by Japanese crowds that clap in perfect sync, and by a karaoke machine that played "Run My Way" ten times in a row.

それぞれ別の道を歩んできた7人と、1本のNetflixシリーズ。そして「誕生日」が、そのままバンド名になった。

イングランド＝アイルランド出身イギリス発の7人組ボーイバンド。サイモン・コーウェルが新しいグループを探す過程を追ったNetflixのドキュメンタリーシリーズ『サイモン・コーウェル: Who's The Next?』（原題『Simon Cowell: The Next Act』）から誕生し、シリーズの配信日である2025年12月10日がそのままグループ名になった。5人を選ぶつもりだったコーウェルは、最終候補の7人全員——Cruz、Danny、Hendrik、John、Josh、Nicolas、Seán——を残した。オーディションの1週間前、彼らはステージとは無縁の場所にいた。Seánは電波の届かないアイルランドの離島でアイルランド語を学び、Johnは16歳になったばかりでマクドナルドの初バイトを始めたところ。Cruzはサッカーのプレシーズンをこなしながらヒルトンのバーで酒をつくり、もうひとりはNando'sの鉄板の前にいた。7人で14の楽器を弾く。最初の1年は速かった。2026年1月のデビューシングル「Run My Way」から「Angel」「Infinity (123)」「Us Against The World」、全英アルバムチャート初登場5位のデビューEP『On Your Side』、ウェンブリー・スタジアムの9万人。日本との出会いも早かった。8月のサマーソニック2026（大阪・東京）、その直後には渋谷 Spotify O-EAST で日本初の単独公演。YUGENの収録はサマソニの翌日。休止中のDannyを除く6人は、手拍子まで揃う日本の客席と、「Run My Way」を10回リピートし続けたカラオケの機械に、まだ少し呆然としていた。

■ FOLLOW DECEMBER 10

Official Website: https://www.december10.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/december10/

X: https://x.com/D10Band

X (Japan): https://x.com/December10JP

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@december10

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@December10Band

Streaming（Debut EP「On Your Side」）: https://december10.lnk.to/OnYourSideEP

Universal Music Japan: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/december10/

Netflix「Simon Cowell: The Next Act」: https://www.netflix.com/title/81743409

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL

Web Site:

http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:43 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

02:51 From five members to seven, and working with Simon Cowell

05:10 How the name December 10 stuck

06:20 No phones in Miami

07:23 One week before the audition

13:08 The Asian artists they love, and their favorite anime

15:21 Seven songs mashed into one

18:00 From choirs to tap dance, where each of them started

22:46 Who's who in December 10

25:02 What sets them apart from the boy bands before them

26:17 Japanese crowds and SUMMER SONIC

30:08 Meeting XG, and Asian music going global

33:42 The most Japan thing: karaoke and conveyor belt sushi

36:08 One song for Japan, and who should come next

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: Isaac Y. Takeu

Guest: DECEMBER 10

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

SpecialThanks

Sae Hidaka

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound
アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ LEE JISOO
The only Korean member of HANA — and, for years, the only person telling her no.
JISOO is a Korean singer and songwriter based in Tokyo, one of the seven members of HANA, the girl group born out of "No No Girls," the audition project produced by Chanmina with SKY-HI's label BMSG. Born and raised in Korea, she decided on music in her second year of high school, became a trainee before she graduated — and then walked away from the company she had spent years dreaming of. 2023, the year she spent lost between meetings and doubts, was the hardest of her life; she was close to quitting music altogether when a friend called to tell her about an audition in Japan. She had taught herself the language by watching sports anime. The premise of the show was that every girl in it had been told no by someone; hers, she says, had come from herself. Since debuting with "ROSE" she has played guitar with the band at Summer Sonic and travelled from New York to Australia with the group, and on September 8, 2026 she released her first solo single, "MISMATCH," written in Korean and English with producer Nathan. The title comes from her own slightly mismatched eyes — searching the Korean word for it turns up the sound of clapping, and the song became exactly that: a round of applause for everything about yourself you were told to fix. Its B-side, "Movie Star," is a letter to Chanmina.

HANA唯一の韓国人メンバー。そして長いあいだ、彼女に「NO」と言い続けていたのは、彼女自身だった。
韓国出身のシンガー／ソングライター。ちゃんみながプロデュースし、SKY-HI率いるBMSGが手がけたオーディションプロジェクト「No No Girls」から誕生した7人組ガールズグループHANAのメンバー。高校2年で音楽の道を決め、高校3年で韓国の事務所の練習生になる。しかし、憧れ続けた場所と、実際にその中にいることのあいだにある差に気づき、自ら退所した。行き先を探しながら迷い続けた2023年は「人生でいちばんつらい年」。音楽をやめることさえ考えていたある日、かつて一緒に練習生をしていた友人からの電話で「No No Girls」というオーディションの存在を知る。日本語は、スポーツアニメを浴びるように観て独学で身につけたものだった。「誰かにNOと言われた女の子たち」のためのオーディション——彼女にとってのNOは、他の誰でもなく自分自身から向けられていた。「ROSE」でのデビュー以降、SUMMER SONICではバンドセットでギターを弾き、ニューヨークからオーストラリアまで、グループでの海外での活動も増えている。2026年9月8日、初のソロシングル「MISMATCH」をリリース。韓国語と英語で書かれ、プロデューサーNathanとつくり上げた一曲だ。タイトルの由来は、左右で形の違う自分の目。韓国語で検索すると出てくるのは拍手の音だった。そこから曲は、直せと言われてきた自分のすべてに拍手を送る歌になった。カップリングの「Movie Star」は、ちゃんみなへの手紙である。

■ FOLLOW LEE JISOO
Official Website: https://hana.b-rave.tokyo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zeesimnidaa/
X: https://x.com/HANA__BRAVE
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hana_brave_official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HANA_BRAVE_Official
Streaming（1st Single「MISMATCH」）: https://leejisoo.lnk.to/MISMATCH/presavepreadd
Official Fan Club: https://bmsg.shop/pages/hana-fc-members

■ YUGEN OFFICIAL
Web Site:
http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro

01:33 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast

06:52 An only child in a group of seven

10:45 Where the music started — and the teacher who told her not to

17:03 Becoming a trainee, and walking away from the company she dreamed of

19:15 "The one saying no was me"

24:12 A solo trip to New York, where nobody cared

30:17 Learning Japanese from anime

34:48 The solo single "MISMATCH"

46:58 Hearing "ROSE" for the first time

54:20 Learning to be herself again

59:05 Left on a mountain road

63:30 Five years from now

■CREDITS
YUGEN Production Committee
―
MC: Sara Giusto
Guest: LEE JISOO

Creative Producer:
Yamato Miyake

Art Department:
ONSA Inc.

Art Director:
sami

Art Department Coordinator:
Riku Matsuse

Edit:
4thclue Inc.

Production:
OASIZ Inc.

■ PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE
From EXPG classrooms across Japan to viral charts in nine countries — a seven-member group that treats borders as optional.
PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE is a seven-member dance and vocal group under LDH JAPAN, formed through "BATTLE OF TOKYO - ENTER THE Jr.EXILE" in 2019 and debuting in July 2022 as the seventh group from EXILE TRIBE. Most of the members met as children at EXPG, the performing arts school run by LDH, and trained there for years before anyone called them artists; before their debut came musha shugyo, 100 stages across all 47 prefectures of Japan. The group later spent two years based in Thailand, recording and training in the countryside. In 2024 "Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY" passed 270 million views on TikTok and entered the Spotify Viral Top 50 in nine Asian countries; in February 2025 they completed their first US tour, signed with Warner Music Group's 10K Projects and performed at SXSW. Their second album "DIFFERENT," released July 10, 2026, is their first in four years. Their fanbase is ForEVER, and their mission is "IGNITE OUR DREAMS."
Appearing on this episode are JIMMY (rap) and WEESA (vocal), both born and raised in Nagoya, who together host the interFM radio show "PSYCHIC FEVER No Border Boundaries."
日本各地のEXPGの教室から、9カ国のバイラルチャートへ——国境を前提にしない7人組。
LDH JAPAN所属の7人組ダンス&ボーカルグループ。2019年の「BATTLE OF TOKYO - ENTER THE Jr.EXILE」で結成され、2022年7月にEXILE TRIBE7組目のグループとしてデビュー。メンバーの多くはLDHのパフォーマー養成所EXPGで子どものころに出会い、アーティストと呼ばれるまでに何年もの稽古を重ねた。デビュー前には武者修行として、全国47都道府県100ステージを回っている。その後、拠点をタイに移して2年間、田舎町でレコーディングと稽古を続けた。2024年には「Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY」がTikTokで2億7000万回再生を超え、アジア9カ国のSpotifyバイラルトップ50にチャートイン。2025年2月には初のUSツアーを完走し、ワーナー・ミュージック・グループの「10K Projects」と契約、SXSWにも出演した。2026年7月10日リリースの2ndアルバム『DIFFERENT』は4年ぶりのアルバムとなる。ファンネームは「ForEVER」、掲げるミッションは「IGNITE OUR DREAMS」。
この回に出演するのは、ともに名古屋出身のJIMMY（ラップ）とWEESA（ボーカル）。2人はinterFMのレギュラー番組『PSYCHIC FEVER No Border Boundaries』（毎週水曜22:00〜）でパーソナリティも務める。
■ FOLLOW PSYCHIC FEVER
オフィシャルサイト: https://www.ldh.co.jp/management/psychic_fever/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psyfe_official/
X（メンバー）: https://x.com/psyfe_member
X（スタッフ）: https://x.com/psyfe_official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@psyfe_official
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0oOpw3qIA1q5OhsrywSSw
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0PgE39BqM3dTVk5lyttaBb
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@psyfe_official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psyfe.official
Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/PSYCHICFEVER
オフィシャルファンクラブ: https://pcf.exfamily.jp/
オフィシャルファンクラブ（海外向け）: https://intl.pcf.exfamily.jp/
2nd ALBUM『DIFFERENT』: https://m.tribe-m.jp/ldh_page/discography_psychicfever_2026_2nd_album_different_index

00:00 Intro
01:24 Welcome to YUGEN Podcast
02:09 Seven members: dance, rap, beatbox — and a DJ
03:11 The performance that made them want this
05:15 ELLY, and the path from dancer to artist
06:39 EXPG: entering at ten, five years of training
10:15 LDH and black music
12:37 Musha shugyo: 100 stages, 47 prefectures, by bus only
14:53 What 100 stages taught them
16:24 Debut, and the EXILE TRIBE family
17:14 No rivals — they all grew up at EXPG
20:05 Aiming global, and BALLISTIK BOYZ
20:41 Two years in Thailand
22:48 Why Thailand: T-Pop and F.HERO
23:30 Traffic jams, and Suphan Buri
25:59 Seven members, zero fights
27:01 JP THE WAVY and "Just Like Dat"
29:00 The fan-made clip that went viral
30:28 Breaking the walls between genres
32:30 The US tour
34:42 Japanese crowds and American crowds
35:39 Why listeners outside Japan connect
37:13 Early-2000s boy bands, and their sound
38:42 How they make a song
40:42 Where the choreography comes from
42:21 Writing as a duo
44:25 "J-Pop has already changed — no one outside Japan knows"
47:58 What Japanese music needs to travel
51:03 What makes a good song
51:36 Dream collaborations
53:20 A new generation's responsibility
56:50 The second album, DIFFERENT
1:00:23 How they want to be remembered

■ PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE

From EXPG classrooms across Japan to viral charts in nine countries — a seven-member group that treats borders as optional.

PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE is a seven-member dance and vocal group under LDH JAPAN, formed through "BATTLE OF TOKYO - ENTER THE Jr.EXILE" in 2019 and debuting in July 2022 as the seventh group from EXILE TRIBE. Most of the members met as children at EXPG, the performing arts school run by LDH, and trained there for years before anyone called them artists; before their debut came musha shugyo, 100 stages across all 47 prefectures of Japan. The group later spent two years based in Thailand, recording and training in the countryside. In 2024 "Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY" passed 270 million views on TikTok and entered the Spotify Viral Top 50 in nine Asian countries; in February 2025 they completed their first US tour, signed with Warner Music Group's 10K Projects and performed at SXSW. Their second album "DIFFERENT," released July 10, 2026, is their first in four years. Their fanbase is ForEVER, and their mission is "IGNITE OUR DREAMS."

Appearing on this episode are JIMMY (rap) and WEESA (vocal), both born and raised in Nagoya, who together host the interFM radio show "PSYCHIC FEVER No Border Boundaries."

日本各地のEXPGの教室から、9カ国のバイラルチャートへ——国境を前提にしない7人組。

LDH JAPAN所属の7人組ダンス&ボーカルグループ。2019年の「BATTLE OF TOKYO - ENTER THE Jr.EXILE」で結成され、2022年7月にEXILE TRIBE7組目のグループとしてデビュー。メンバーの多くはLDHのパフォーマー養成所EXPGで子どものころに出会い、アーティストと呼ばれるまでに何年もの稽古を重ねた。デビュー前には武者修行として、全国47都道府県100ステージを回っている。その後、拠点をタイに移して2年間、田舎町でレコーディングと稽古を続けた。2024年には「Just Like Dat feat. JP THE WAVY」がTikTokで2億7000万回再生を超え、アジア9カ国のSpotifyバイラルトップ50にチャートイン。2025年2月には初のUSツアーを完走し、ワーナー・ミュージック・グループの「10K Projects」と契約、SXSWにも出演した。2026年7月10日リリースの2ndアルバム『DIFFERENT』は4年ぶりのアルバムとなる。ファンネームは「ForEVER」、掲げるミッションは「IGNITE OUR DREAMS」。

この回に出演するのは、ともに名古屋出身のJIMMY（ラップ）とWEESA（ボーカル）。2人はinterFMのレギュラー番組『PSYCHIC FEVER No Border Boundaries』（毎週水曜22:00〜）でパーソナリティも務める。

■ FOLLOW PSYCHIC FEVER

オフィシャルサイト: https://www.ldh.co.jp/management/psychic_fever/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/psyfe_official/

X（メンバー）: https://x.com/psyfe_member

X（スタッフ）: https://x.com/psyfe_official

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@psyfe_official

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCy0oOpw3qIA1q5OhsrywSSw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0PgE39BqM3dTVk5lyttaBb

Threads: https://www.threads.com/@psyfe_official

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/psyfe.official

Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/PSYCHICFEVER

オフィシャルファンクラブ: https://pcf.exfamily.jp/

オフィシャルファンクラブ（海外向け）: https://intl.pcf.exfamily.jp/

2nd ALBUM『DIFFERENT』: https://m.tribe-m.jp/ldh_page/discography_psychicfever_2026_2nd_album_different_index

■ CHAPTERS

00:00 Highlights

01:10 Intro

02:18 Seven members: dance, rap, beatbox — and a DJ

06:46 EXPG: entering at ten, five years of training

09:15 What the school actually taught them

10:24 LDH and black music

12:44 Musha shugyo: 100 stages, 47 prefectures, by bus only

15:02 What 100 stages taught them

16:32 Debut, and the EXILE TRIBE family

20:49 Two years in Thailand

22:57 Why Thailand: T-Pop and F.HERO

23:38 Traffic jams, and Suphan Buri

26:09 Seven members, zero fights

27:05 JP THE WAVY and "Just Like Dat"

29:09 The fan-made clip that went viral

32:41 The US tour

37:22 Early-2000s boy bands, and their sound

40:53 Where the choreography comes from

42:25 Writing as a duo

44:36 "J-Pop has already changed — no one outside Japan knows"

48:00 The language barrier, and how to break it

51:45 Dream collaborations

53:16 A new generation's responsibility

54:33 Chasing classics, not virality

57:01 The second album, DIFFERENT

1:00:27 How they want to be remembered

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: Isaac Y. Takeu

Guest: PSYCHIC FEVER

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

Art Director:

sami

Art Department Coordinator:

Riku Matsuse

Edit:

4thclue Inc.

Production:

OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound
アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。
■ Miisha Shimizu（清水美依紗）
From TikTok covers to Disney, Wicked and Miss Saigon — a voice that refuses to fit one category.
Miisha Shimizu is a singer, musical theatre actress and voice artist from Mie, Japan, raised by a Filipino mother she calls her guiding light. After two years of musical theatre school in New York, the pandemic sent her home with her dream close to slipping away — until her mother suggested posting her singing on TikTok. One year later, Disney Japan called: she became the voice of "Starting Now," the Japanese theme song for Disney's Ultimate Princess Celebration. Since her 2022 major debut "High Five," she has voiced Glinda in the Japanese dub of the film Wicked — the very role of her lifelong idol Ariana Grande — and played Éponine in Les Misérables. In 2026 she takes on her dream role: Kim in Miss Saigon, the part made legendary by Lea Salonga. Her songs include "TipTap," "Home," "Wave" and the new single "Reunion." Her five-year goal: a Grammy nomination — with a song written in Japanese.
TikTokのカバー動画からディズニー、『ウィキッド』、そして『ミス・サイゴン』へ——ひとつのカテゴリーに収まらない歌声。
三重県出身のシンガー・ミュージカル俳優・声優。フィリピン人の母のもとで育ち、その存在を「人生の道しるべ」と語る。高校卒業後にニューヨークでミュージカルを2年間学ぶも、パンデミックで帰国。夢を諦めかけたとき、母の「TikTokに歌を投稿してみたら」という一言が転機になった。投稿から約1年でディズニーから直接オファーが届き、「Starting Now 〜新しい私へ」（アルティメット・プリンセス・セレブレーション日本版テーマソング）の歌唱アーティストに抜擢される。2022年に「High Five」でメジャーデビュー。映画『ウィキッド ふたりの魔女』日本語吹替版では、憧れ続けたアリアナ・グランデが演じるグリンダ役の吹替を担当し、ミュージカル『レ・ミゼラブル』ではエポニーヌ役を務めた。2026年は夢の役だった『ミス・サイゴン』キム役に挑む。代表曲に「TipTap」「Home」「Wave」、最新シングルはアニメ『天は赤い河のほとり』エンディングテーマ「Reunion」。5年後の目標は、日本語の楽曲でグラミー賞にノミネートされること。
■ FOLLOW MIISHA SHIMIZU
Official Website: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/shimizu-miisha/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miisha3148/
X: https://x.com/mEry97239295
X (Staff): https://x.com/miishastaff
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mii3148
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2LUSHUA3gusbD-KPBzkfg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/artist/2ITl7YzD1Hm6NVojBhKkOp
Official Fan Club "NAMASTE": https://miisha0310.fanpla.jp/
■ YUGEN OFFICIAL
Web Site:
http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:27 Welcome to YUGEN Podcast
02:15 Musical theatre, voice acting, pop — why she refuses one category
05:55 Posting covers since high school
08:57 The Disney call, in the middle of Don Quijote
10:24 One year from her first post to a Disney theme song
12:17 Two years in New York
14:16 What acting school actually teaches
16:23 In musical theatre, dancing is acting with the body
18:25 Kim in Miss Saigon — a real person, not a stereotype
20:32 Lea Salonga, and her own roots
22:00 The song that made her fall for the show
23:22 Growing up on Ariana Grande
24:26 Glinda — dubbing Wicked in Japanese
27:37 Meeting Ariana
28:34 Almost giving up, and her mother's suggestion
31:41 New York, depression, and the way back
35:07 What New York taught her about her own voice
36:47 "Wave" — letting the vulnerability show
39:10 "Home" — for her family, and for her father
41:29 Two ways into a song: the role and the self
43:25 Roles she still wants — and why they cast her as Kim
47:17 What "Asian music" actually means
50:30 Writing in Japanese to reach the world
51:41 Japanese and Filipina, raised by her grandmother
53:27 New single "Reunion"
55:31 Her favourite line in the song
57:56 Five years from now: a Grammy, in JapaneseCREDITS
YUGEN Production Committee
―
MC:
Isaac Y. Takeu
REIKO
Guest: Miisha Shimizu
Creative Producer:
Yamato Miyake
Art Department:
ONSA Inc.
Art Director:
sami
Art Department Coordinator:
Riku Matsuse
Edit:
4thclue Inc.
Production:
OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound
アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。
■ Miisha Shimizu（清水美依紗）
From TikTok covers to Disney, Wicked and Miss Saigon — a voice that refuses to fit one category.
Miisha Shimizu is a singer, musical theatre actress and voice artist from Mie, Japan, raised by a Filipino mother she calls her guiding light. After two years of musical theatre school in New York, the pandemic sent her home with her dream close to slipping away — until her mother suggested posting her singing on TikTok. One year later, Disney Japan called: she became the voice of "Starting Now," the Japanese theme song for Disney's Ultimate Princess Celebration. Since her 2022 major debut "High Five," she has voiced Glinda in the Japanese dub of the film Wicked — the very role of her lifelong idol Ariana Grande — and played Éponine in Les Misérables. In 2026 she takes on her dream role: Kim in Miss Saigon, the part made legendary by Lea Salonga. Her songs include "TipTap," "Home," "Wave" and the new single "Reunion." Her five-year goal: a Grammy nomination — with a song written in Japanese.
TikTokのカバー動画からディズニー、『ウィキッド』、そして『ミス・サイゴン』へ——ひとつのカテゴリーに収まらない歌声。
三重県出身のシンガー・ミュージカル俳優・声優。フィリピン人の母のもとで育ち、その存在を「人生の道しるべ」と語る。高校卒業後にニューヨークでミュージカルを2年間学ぶも、パンデミックで帰国。夢を諦めかけたとき、母の「TikTokに歌を投稿してみたら」という一言が転機になった。投稿から約1年でディズニーから直接オファーが届き、「Starting Now 〜新しい私へ」（アルティメット・プリンセス・セレブレーション日本版テーマソング）の歌唱アーティストに抜擢される。2022年に「High Five」でメジャーデビュー。映画『ウィキッド ふたりの魔女』日本語吹替版では、憧れ続けたアリアナ・グランデが演じるグリンダ役の吹替を担当し、ミュージカル『レ・ミゼラブル』ではエポニーヌ役を務めた。2026年は夢の役だった『ミス・サイゴン』キム役に挑む。代表曲に「TipTap」「Home」「Wave」、最新シングルはアニメ『天は赤い河のほとり』エンディングテーマ「Reunion」。5年後の目標は、日本語の楽曲でグラミー賞にノミネートされること。
■ FOLLOW MIISHA SHIMIZU
Official Website: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/shimizu-miisha/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miisha3148/
X: https://x.com/mEry97239295
X (Staff): https://x.com/miishastaff
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mii3148
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_2LUSHUA3gusbD-KPBzkfg
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/artist/2ITl7YzD1Hm6NVojBhKkOp
Official Fan Club "NAMASTE": https://miisha0310.fanpla.jp/
■ YUGEN OFFICIAL
Web Site:
http://ygen.net/

■ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:27 Welcome to YUGEN Podcast
02:15 Musical theatre, voice acting, pop — why she refuses one category
05:55 Posting covers since high school
08:57 The Disney call, in the middle of Don Quijote
10:24 One year from her first post to a Disney theme song
12:17 Two years in New York
14:16 What acting school actually teaches
16:23 In musical theatre, dancing is acting with the body
18:25 Kim in Miss Saigon — a real person, not a stereotype
20:32 Lea Salonga, and her own roots
22:00 The song that made her fall for the show
23:22 Growing up on Ariana Grande
24:26 Glinda — dubbing Wicked in Japanese
27:37 Meeting Ariana
28:34 Almost giving up, and her mother's suggestion
31:41 New York, depression, and the way back
35:07 What New York taught her about her own voice
36:47 "Wave" — letting the vulnerability show
39:10 "Home" — for her family, and for her father
41:29 Two ways into a song: the role and the self
43:25 Roles she still wants — and why they cast her as Kim
47:17 What "Asian music" actually means
50:30 Writing in Japanese to reach the world
51:41 Japanese and Filipina, raised by her grandmother
53:27 New single "Reunion"
55:31 Her favourite line in the song
57:56 Five years from now: a Grammy, in Japanese

CREDITS
YUGEN Production Committee
―
MC:
Isaac Y. Takeu
REIKO
Guest: Miisha Shimizu
Creative Producer:
Yamato Miyake
Art Department:
ONSA Inc.
Art Director:
sami
Art Department Coordinator:
Riku Matsuse
Edit:
4thclue Inc.
Production:
OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ REIKO BMSG on Being a Third Culture Kid in J-Pop

REIKO is a Filipino-Japanese R&B singer signed to BMSG, the Tokyo label founded by SKY-HI, discovered through the 2021 audition series THE FIRST with no formal training in singing or dance. A self-described "third culture kid" who writes across Japanese, English, and Tagalog, he has become one of the most distinctive new voices in Japanese pop — and one of the very few carrying Tagalog into it.His catalogue moves freely between the two countries that made him: "LOVE DEEPER," built on a sample of Toshinobu Kubota, a founding figure of Japanese R&B, and "Folklore Vol.1 – Tadhana / Multo," his Tagalog covers of Up Dharma Down and Cup of Joe — two of the most beloved names in modern Filipino ⁠music.In⁠ 2024 he played his first show outside Japan in Manila, his first time back in the country since he was seven. Bridging Tokyo and Manila, REIKO carries both sounds to the world.

**マニラ生まれ、日本育ち。タガログ語をJ-POPのど真ん中へと運び込むシンガー。**SKY-HIが設立した東京のレーベルBMSG所属。2021年、歌もダンスも未経験のままオーディション「THE FIRST」に参加し、その成長速度と音楽的ポテンシャルからトレーニー契約を勝ち取った。日本語・英語・タガログ語を行き来しながら曲を書く彼は、自らを「第三文化の子（Third Culture Kid）」と呼ぶ。その作品は、彼をつくった二つの国のあいだを自在に往復する。日本のR&Bの礎を築いた久保田利伸をサンプリングした「LOVE DEEPER」。そして、フィリピンの現代音楽を代表するUp Dharma DownとCup of Joeの2曲をタガログ語でカバーした「Folklore Vol.1 – Tadhana / Multo」。2024年、初めての日本国外公演をマニラで行った。7歳のとき以来の、故郷への帰還だった。東京とマニラを双方向に結びながら、その両方の響きを世界へ届けている。

■ FOLLOW REIKOOfficial Website: ⁠https://reiko-bmsg.tokyo/⁠Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/reiko__official/⁠X: ⁠https://x.com/reiko__official⁠TikTok: ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@reiko_bmsg.official⁠Facebook: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/REIKOBMSG⁠REIKO Official YouTube: @reiko_bmsgStreaming: ⁠https://reiko.lnk.to/artist⁠Official Fan Club "R&ME": ⁠https://bmsg.shop/pages/reiko-fc-members⁠■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:⁠http://ygen.net/⁠【Time Stamps】00:00 - Intro & Welcome REIKO to the YUGEN Podcast00:30 - Born in Manila, Singing in Japan01:14 - The School Lunch He Couldn't Eat02:31 - The Eldest of Eight: Learning Japanese On His Own04:48 - "What Are You?" — Half, Quarter, and Identity05:42 - Finding the Words: Third Culture Kid07:37 - The Message Behind the Music: Be Yourself09:54 - The Moment He Realized He Was Different12:52 - Japanese Schools, Order, and Holding On to Your Identity15:03 - The Day He Started Singing: A Second Grade Music Class17:08 - Ariana Grande's "Break Free" Changed Everything17:54 - Self-Taught: Karaoke, YouTube, and a Perfect Score21:31 - Auditioning for THE FIRST During Covid22:41 - His First Dance Lesson Ever — Next to BE:FIRST's SOTA23:53 - What Dancing Saved Him From, and What SKY-HI Saw25:11 - The Three Rounds: Creativity, Quality, Artistry28:56 - Two Years as a BMSG Trainee30:19 - MAZZEL, the Spotlight, and the Decision to Go Solo33:33 - Rebuilding Himself as a Solo Artist35:11 - Facing His Own Insecurities37:13 - Perfectionism and the Lyric That Freed Him38:18 - What "Be Myself" Means to Him41:09 - The Story Behind His Debut Single "Butterfly"43:02 - Why He Writes in English, Japanese, and Tagalog46:02 - How Each Language Changes What He Writes48:35 - Singing Tagalog Covers for His Parents49:11 - Performing in Manila in 202451:01 - Two Live Cultures: Listening vs. Joining In54:41 - Releasing a Fully Tagalog Song in Japan56:59 - "Let the Song Do the Work"57:32 - What Asian Music Could Be59:45 - His Role: Connecting Cultures1:01:49 - Folklore Vol.1 and What's NextCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: Isaac Y. TakeuGuest: REIKOCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeCreative Direction:GOLDNRUSH Co., Ltd.Art Department:ONSA Inc.Art Director:samiArt Department Coordinator:Riku MatsuseProduction:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

■ REIKO BMSG on Being a Third Culture Kid in J-Pop

REIKO is a Filipino-Japanese R&B singer signed to BMSG, the Tokyo label founded by SKY-HI, discovered through the 2021 audition series THE FIRST with no formal training in singing or dance. A self-described "third culture kid" who writes across Japanese, English, and Tagalog, he has become one of the most distinctive new voices in Japanese pop — and one of the very few carrying Tagalog into it.His catalogue moves freely between the two countries that made him: "LOVE DEEPER," built on a sample of Toshinobu Kubota, a founding figure of Japanese R&B, and "Folklore Vol.1 – Tadhana / Multo," his Tagalog covers of Up Dharma Down and Cup of Joe — two of the most beloved names in modern Filipino http://music.In 2024 he played his first show outside Japan in Manila, his first time back in the country since he was seven. Bridging Tokyo and Manila, REIKO carries both sounds to the world.

**マニラ生まれ、日本育ち。タガログ語をJ-POPのど真ん中へと運び込むシンガー。**SKY-HIが設立した東京のレーベルBMSG所属。2021年、歌もダンスも未経験のままオーディション「THE FIRST」に参加し、その成長速度と音楽的ポテンシャルからトレーニー契約を勝ち取った。日本語・英語・タガログ語を行き来しながら曲を書く彼は、自らを「第三文化の子（Third Culture Kid）」と呼ぶ。その作品は、彼をつくった二つの国のあいだを自在に往復する。日本のR&Bの礎を築いた久保田利伸をサンプリングした「LOVE DEEPER」。そして、フィリピンの現代音楽を代表するUp Dharma DownとCup of Joeの2曲をタガログ語でカバーした「Folklore Vol.1 – Tadhana / Multo」。2024年、初めての日本国外公演をマニラで行った。7歳のとき以来の、故郷への帰還だった。東京とマニラを双方向に結びながら、その両方の響きを世界へ届けている。

■ FOLLOW REIKO
Official Website: https://reiko-bmsg.tokyo/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reiko__official/
X: https://x.com/reiko__official
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reiko_bmsg.official
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/REIKOBMSG
REIKO Official YouTube: @reiko_bmsg
Streaming: https://reiko.lnk.to/artist
Official Fan Club "R&ME": https://bmsg.shop/pages/reiko-fc-members
■ YUGEN OFFICIAL
Web Site:
http://ygen.net/
【Time Stamps】
00:00 - Intro & Welcome REIKO to the YUGEN Podcast
00:30 - Born in Manila, Singing in Japan
01:14 - The School Lunch He Couldn't Eat
02:31 - The Eldest of Eight: Learning Japanese On His Own
04:48 - "What Are You?" — Half, Quarter, and Identity
05:42 - Finding the Words: Third Culture Kid
07:37 - The Message Behind the Music: Be Yourself
09:54 - The Moment He Realized He Was Different
12:52 - Japanese Schools, Order, and Holding On to Your Identity
15:03 - The Day He Started Singing: A Second Grade Music Class
17:08 - Ariana Grande's "Break Free" Changed Everything
17:54 - Self-Taught: Karaoke, YouTube, and a Perfect Score
21:31 - Auditioning for THE FIRST During Covid
22:41 - His First Dance Lesson Ever — Next to BE:FIRST's SOTA
23:53 - What Dancing Saved Him From, and What SKY-HI Saw
25:11 - The Three Rounds: Creativity, Quality, Artistry
28:56 - Two Years as a BMSG Trainee
30:19 - MAZZEL, the Spotlight, and the Decision to Go Solo
33:33 - Rebuilding Himself as a Solo Artist
35:11 - Facing His Own Insecurities
37:13 - Perfectionism and the Lyric That Freed Him
38:18 - What "Be Myself" Means to Him
41:09 - The Story Behind His Debut Single "Butterfly"
43:02 - Why He Writes in English, Japanese, and Tagalog
46:02 - How Each Language Changes What He Writes
48:35 - Singing Tagalog Covers for His Parents
49:11 - Performing in Manila in 2024
51:01 - Two Live Cultures: Listening vs. Joining In
54:41 - Releasing a Fully Tagalog Song in Japan
56:59 - "Let the Song Do the Work"
57:32 - What Asian Music Could Be
59:45 - His Role: Connecting Cultures
1:01:49 - Folklore Vol.1 and What's Next
CREDITS
YUGEN Production Committee
―
MC: Isaac Y. Takeu
Guest: REIKO
Creative Producer:
Yamato Miyake
Creative Direction:
GOLDNRUSH Co., Ltd.
Art Department:
ONSA Inc.
Art Director:
sami
Art Department Coordinator:
Riku Matsuse
Production:
OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ Lola AmourThe band that gave Japanese City Pop a new life in the streets of Manila.Lola Amour is a highly acclaimed Filipino rock band renowned for their unique blend of funk, pop, and rock, elevated by their signature brass section. They have taken the modern OPM (Original Pilipino Music) scene by storm with their infectious melodies and sophisticated arrangements.Drawing heavy inspiration from Japanese City Pop and jazz fusion, their music captures the vibrant, bustling energy and nostalgia of Manila. With massive hits that resonate across generations, Lola Amour is crafting the soundtrack of a modern, cosmopolitan Philippines, bridging cultural soundscapes from Asia to the world.マニラの街にJ-City Popの息吹をもたらした、フィリピン屈指のポップ・ロックバンド。ファンク、ポップ、ロックに彼らの象徴とも言えるブラスセクションを融合させた独自のサウンドで、現在のOPM（オリジナル・フィリピーノ・ミュージック）シーンを牽引している。日本のシティポップやジャズ・フュージョンから多大なインスピレーションを受けており、その洗練された楽曲群は、マニラの活気あふれるエネルギーとノスタルジーを見事に表現している。世代を超えて愛される数々の大ヒット曲を生み出し、アジアの音楽的な架け橋として、フィリピンの新しいサウンドスケープを世界へと発信し続けている。■ FOLLOW Lola AmourOfficial Website: https://lolaamourmusic.ph/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolaamourphfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lolaamourmusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lolaamourmusicLola Amour Official YouTube: @LolaAmourMusic Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/artist/29zSTMejPhY0m7kwNQ9SPIApple Music: https://music.apple.com/ph/artist/lola-amour/1236340988■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/【Time Stamps】00:00 - Episode Highlights & Intro01:28 - Welcome Lola Amour to the YouGan Podcast03:05 - The Story Behind the Name "Lola Amour"04:47 - Forming the Band: Merging Two Rival High School Bands07:17 - Philippines' Band Competition and Karaoke Culture09:59 - Balancing Music with College and Careers11:17 - Handling Creative Differences & Celebrating 10 Years Together12:48 - The Evolution of Their Songwriting Process14:11 - The Making of "Raining in Manila" & Japanese City Pop Influence18:07 - How "Raining in Manila" Went Viral19:39 - Life Changes and Balancing Day Jobs After Exploding in Popularity22:36 - Winning at the Japan Music Awards 202524:56 - Collaborating with Kokoro from Psychic Fever27:13 - Songwriting Camp: Writing an Album in 9 Days30:24 - The Meaning of the Filipino Word "Lambing"32:06 - Culture Shocks in Japan: Romance, Commuting, and Concert Etiquette39:09 - Performing Overseas and Defining Asian Music43:59 - Lola Amour's Mission and Bringing Filipino Music to the Global Stage45:12 - Goals for the Next 10 Years & Dreaming of Summer Sonic47:00 - Outro, Upcoming Plans, and Guest RecommendationsCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: Isaac Y. TakeuGuest: Lola AmourCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeCreative Direction:GOLDNRUSH Co., Ltd.Art Department:ONSA Inc.Art Director:samiArt Department Coordinator:Riku MatsuseProduction:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ Lola AmourThe band that gave Japanese City Pop a new life in the streets of Manila.Lola Amour is a highly acclaimed Filipino rock band renowned for their unique blend of funk, pop, and rock, elevated by their signature brass section. They have taken the modern OPM (Original Pilipino Music) scene by storm with their infectious melodies and sophisticated arrangements.Drawing heavy inspiration from Japanese City Pop and jazz fusion, their music captures the vibrant, bustling energy and nostalgia of Manila. With massive hits that resonate across generations, Lola Amour is crafting the soundtrack of a modern, cosmopolitan Philippines, bridging cultural soundscapes from Asia to the world.マニラの街にJ-City Popの息吹をもたらした、フィリピン屈指のポップ・ロックバンド。ファンク、ポップ、ロックに彼らの象徴とも言えるブラスセクションを融合させた独自のサウンドで、現在のOPM（オリジナル・フィリピーノ・ミュージック）シーンを牽引している。日本のシティポップやジャズ・フュージョンから多大なインスピレーションを受けており、その洗練された楽曲群は、マニラの活気あふれるエネルギーとノスタルジーを見事に表現している。世代を超えて愛される数々の大ヒット曲を生み出し、アジアの音楽的な架け橋として、フィリピンの新しいサウンドスケープを世界へと発信し続けている。■ FOLLOW Lola AmourOfficial Website: https://lolaamourmusic.ph/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lolaamourphfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lolaamourmusicTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lolaamourmusicLola Amour Official YouTube: @LolaAmourMusic Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/artist/29zSTMejPhY0m7kwNQ9SPIApple Music: https://music.apple.com/ph/artist/lola-amour/1236340988■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/【Time Stamps】00:00 - Episode Highlights & Intro01:28 - Welcome Lola Amour to the YouGan Podcast03:05 - The Story Behind the Name "Lola Amour"04:47 - Forming the Band: Merging Two Rival High School Bands07:17 - Philippines' Band Competition and Karaoke Culture09:59 - Balancing Music with College and Careers11:17 - Handling Creative Differences & Celebrating 10 Years Together12:48 - The Evolution of Their Songwriting Process14:11 - The Making of "Raining in Manila" & Japanese City Pop Influence18:07 - How "Raining in Manila" Went Viral19:39 - Life Changes and Balancing Day Jobs After Exploding in Popularity22:36 - Winning at the Japan Music Awards 202524:56 - Collaborating with Kokoro from Psychic Fever27:13 - Songwriting Camp: Writing an Album in 9 Days30:24 - The Meaning of the Filipino Word "Lambing"32:06 - Culture Shocks in Japan: Romance, Commuting, and Concert Etiquette39:09 - Performing Overseas and Defining Asian Music43:59 - Lola Amour's Mission and Bringing Filipino Music to the Global Stage45:12 - Goals for the Next 10 Years & Dreaming of Summer Sonic47:00 - Outro, Upcoming Plans, and Guest RecommendationsCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: Isaac Y. TakeuGuest: Lola AmourCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeCreative Direction:GOLDNRUSH Co., Ltd.Art Department:ONSA Inc.Art Director:samiArt Department Coordinator:Riku MatsuseProduction:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Sound

アジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、“アジアミュージック”という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。

【訂正】

32:53 優里さんのお名前を「Yuki」と言い間違えております。大変失礼いたしました。

[Correction]

32:53 I mistakenly referred to Yuri as "Yuki". I apologize for the error.

■ BGYO

The Storm of the Philippines Taking P-Pop to the World.A five-member Filipino boy group consisting of Gelo, Akira, JL, Mikki, and Nate. Debuting in 2021, BGYO quickly established themselves as a powerhouse in the P-pop (Philippine Pop) scene with their sharp choreography, top-tier vocal performances, and powerful presence.Known as the "Aces of P-pop," they have continually pushed the boundaries of Filipino music, releasing hits that resonate not just locally but across the globe. With their relentless energy and passion, BGYO is taking the world by storm, proving that Philippine music is a global force to be reckoned with.

フィリピンから世界へ — P-POPの未来を担う「嵐」。

フィリピン発の5人組ボーイズグループ。メンバーはGelo、Akira、JL、Mikki、Nate。2021年にデビューするや否や、一糸乱れぬシャープなダンスと高いボーカルスキルで、瞬く間にP-POPシーンのトップへ躍り出た。「The Aces of P-pop」と称され、フィリピン国内にとどまらず、グローバルな音楽シーンでも熱い注目を集めている。その圧倒的なエネルギーと情熱で、フィリピン音楽の新たな可能性を世界に証明し続けている、今最も勢いのあるグループ。

■ FOLLOW BGYO

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bgyo_ph/

X: https://x.com/BGYO_PH

facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BGYO_PH

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bgyo_ph

BGYO YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bgyoofficial Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/intl-ja/artist/10bk3EHVC30yi6F10nmvL8?si=3DJ-9SoHQBigxSdVho475w&nd=1&dlsi=8b73dc034799450c

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/bgyo/1549491522

■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:

http://ygen.net/

【Time Stamps】

0:00 - Intro

2:05 - Introduction to BGYO

3:51 - Defining P-Pop and representing the Philippines

4:41 - The power of speaking "Taglish"

6:19 - The group's diverse and global backgrounds

7:35 - The struggles of debuting and performing during the COVID-19 pandemic

9:55 - Star Hunt Academy and how the members got scouted

11:06 - Strict daily training routines and diets

13:12 - Childhood dreams before becoming P-Pop idols

15:09 - JL's funny audition story

16:55 - Korean trainers and learning to dance from scratch

18:30 - The members' athletic backgrounds

20:20 - Balancing intense idol training and college studies

23:03 - Living together, building brotherhood, and resolving fights

24:17 - Group roles and collaborating on songwriting and choreography

26:03 - Musical influences, exploring R&B, and favorite artists

29:52 - What Original Pinoy Music (OPM) means to them

32:41 - Dream collaborations

33:50 - Touring internationally and performing at Summer Sonic in Thailand

39:16 - The growth and future of the Asian music market

40:04 - The core message of BGYO's music: Confidence and self-acceptance

42:19 - Performing in Japan and learning from other artists at D.U.N.K. Showcase

44:06 - Enjoying Japan: Favorite foods and Konbini hacks

45:31 - Future music genres they want to explore

46:27 - Hobbies and private life off-stage

48:33 - BGYO's ultimate vision and taking Asian music to the global scale

CREDITS

YUGEN Production Committee

―

MC: Isaac Y. Takeu

Guest: Akira & JL from BGYO

Creative Producer:

Yamato Miyake

Creative Direction:

GOLDNRUSH Co., Ltd.

Camera Department:

Rem EguraShohei

UdaSeiichiro Okuma

Art Department:

ONSA Inc.

Art Director:

sami

Art Department Coordinator:

Riku Matsuse

Production crew:

Yo Takahashi

Yuna Ishiyama

Production Assistant:

Taiga Hironaka

Tetsuya Watanabe

Production:

OASIZ Inc.