Kenshi Yonezu talks about creation and Japanese pop culture.

PROFILE

Kenshi Yonezu | Singer-Songwriter and Illustrator
After gaining success with Vocaloid music under the stage name Hachi, Kenshi Yonezu began producing under his real name in 2012. In addition to music, he has attracted attention for his album cover illustrations and video productions. The video for his hit single “Lemon” is the most-viewed music video in Japan, and topped Billboard Japan’s year-end charts for two consecutive years, leaving a mark on music history both in Japan and abroad. His 2020 album “STRAY SHEEP” set a record of two million copies sold. He continued to work tirelessly during the COVID-19 pandemic, including performing in a virtual concert hosted by the online game Fortnite, and collaborating globally with UNIQLO on their UT collection. He was awarded an AAC Award, listed in Forbes’ 100 Asian Digital Stars, and received the Minister of NEWS RELEASE Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology’s Art Encouragement Prize for New Artists. In 2022, he released “M87” as the theme song for the film Shin Ultraman, and “POP SONG” as the theme song for a PlayStation commercial. His single “KICK BACK,” the opening theme for the TV anime Chainsaw Man, made Spotify’s Global Top 50, and became the first Japanese-language song certified Gold by RIAA®. In 2023, Yonezu released “Tsuki Wo Miteita - Moongazing” as the theme song for the RPG game Final Fantasy XVI, and “Chikyugi - Spinning Globe” – the theme song Studio Ghibli’s animated film The Boy and the Heron (Academy Award Winner for Best Animated Feature, 2024), directed by Hayao Miyazaki. In August 2024, he released his latest album "LOST CORNER". Included in the album are the theme songs "Sayonara, Mata Itsuka! - Sayonara" for the NHK morning drama " The Tiger and Her Wings" and "Garakuta - JUNK" for the film "LAST MILE”.