Stay up to date with our latest artist interviews, press coverages, news, and more.
Global Princess of J-Pop Anna Aya Releases New Single “Hit Me With Your Love”
International singer, model, actor, and multilingual artist Anna Aya released her second bilingual single “Hit Me With Your Love” on May 31, 2024. Exploring themes of infatuation and empowerment with a mix of English and Japanese lyrics, Anna’s powerful vocals and magnetic presence shine through every verse in “Hit Me With Your Love” — embodying the strength of a woman who knows what she’s worth.
YOASOBI Leaves Audience in Awe for Their First Solo Concert in America
As YOASOBI heads into weekend two of Coachella, the Japanese pop music duo, in partnership with Crunchyroll, decided to make a pit stop at the iconic Shrine Expo Hall in Los Angeles on April 18 for their first solo concert in America. Composed of producer, Ayase, and singer-songwriter, LIlas Ikuta, YOASOBI released their debut track “Yoru ni Kakeru” in 2019 and have been gaining traction ever since — their song “IDOL” became the first Japanese song to be placed in the top 10 of Billboard’s U.S. and Global 200 Charts.
Sakurako Ohara Celebrates Her 10th Anniversary
In 2013, Sakurako Ohara debuted as an actress in the movie Kanojo wa Uso wo Aishisugiteru, where a high school student who aspired to be an actress achieved an audition to choose the heroine of a movie whose role is a vocalist. The Japanese film is famous in South Korea as well because it was remade into a TV drama series where the same role was performed by Red Velvet’s Joy.
ATARASHII GAKKO! Shakes Toronto with an Energetic Performance
ATARASHII GAKKO!, the trailblazing Japanese group comprised of Mizyu, Rin, Kanon, and Suzuka, is redefining their musical boundaries. The dynamic quartet brings a melting pot of genre-blending music paired with synchronized dance moves to their first North American tour, The SEISHUN Tour. ATARASHII GAKKO! arrived in Toronto, Canada for the first time on November 13 at The Axis Club.
XG: The New Revolution of Empowerment and Self-Confidence
Xtraordinary Girls, most commonly known as XG, are a 7-member Japanese girl group formed by a subsidiary of Avex, XGALX. Consisting of members; Jurin, Chisa, Hinata, Juria, Cocona, Maya, and Harvey, the group debuted in March of 2022 with their first English single titled “Tippy Toes.” XG’s debut brought something new to the industry as a Japanese girl group singing in English, who chose to do their music promotions within the competitive market of South Korea. While this brought the group a lot of attention, it has ultimately been the group's message of self-appreciation and female empowerment that has made them a group to beat.
On The Rise: 10 Artists We Are Featuring For July 2023
As the world keeps growing and evolving, so do musicians. It’s hard to keep up with every single emerging artist around the world, but finding new sounds can help you broaden your musical horizons. Join us as we explore these 10 featured rising artists this month: LØLØ, WOODZ, Girl Ultra, Su Lee, brb., Diya Maeve, Kim Siwon, Rovv, Kenta Dedachi, and miida.