{"id":60103,"date":"2023-11-17T18:03:58","date_gmt":"2023-11-17T23:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/2023\/11\/17\/kenshi-yonezu-on-kick-back-becoming-first-japanese-language-song-certified-gold-by-riaa-interview\/"},"modified":"2023-11-17T18:03:58","modified_gmt":"2023-11-17T23:03:58","slug":"kenshi-yonezu-on-kick-back-becoming-first-japanese-language-song-certified-gold-by-riaa-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/2023\/11\/17\/kenshi-yonezu-on-kick-back-becoming-first-japanese-language-song-certified-gold-by-riaa-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenshi Yonezu on \u2018KICK BACK\u2019 Becoming First Japanese-Language Song Certified Gold by RIAA:\u00a0Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><!-- no image --><\/p>\n<div>\n<!-- do not apply CSS styles to this element! --><\/p>\n<div class=\"pmc-paywall\">\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/artist\/kenshi-yonezu\/\">Kenshi Yonezu<\/a>\u2018s \u201cKICK BACK\u201d was recently certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It\u2019s the first song with Japanese lyrics to reach this milestone.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tReleased on Oct. 12, 2022, \u201cKICK BACK\u201d was written as the theme song to the anime series <em>Chainsaw Man<\/em>. The series enjoys popularity in North America; many listeners probably discovered the song through the anime.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tGold status means the song has achieved over 500,000 units in the U.S. Billboard Japan spoke with the multi-hyphenate about his latest global hit that became the first-ever J-pop song to achieve this feat in the American market.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/M2cckDmNLMI?version=3&amp;rel=1&amp;showsearch=0&amp;showinfo=1&amp;iv_load_policy=1&amp;fs=1&amp;hl=en-US&amp;autohide=2&amp;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>How did you feel when you heard about being certified gold in the U.S.?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tReally happy. It\u2019s all thanks to <em>Chainsaw Man<\/em>. It\u2019s still kind of hard to believe, but in any case, it made me happy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>This is a certification within the U.S. market. What are your thoughts on the American music scene and listeners there?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tI\u2019ve been listening to American pop music since I was a kid, so it\u2019s really gratifying to have been accepted there. I want to know what kind of people are enjoying my music, so I sometimes wonder what it\u2019d be like to sit down with them and ask directly. I\u2019ve never been to the U.S. before but it\u2019d be great if I could go do a show there someday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe 32-year-old creative wrote the music and lyrics for \u201cKICK BACK\u201d and enlisted Daiki Tsuneta of King Gnu and millennium parade to work on the arrangement with him. Yonezu has been a fan of <em>Chainsaw Man<\/em> since the serialization of the original manga began, and being tapped to work on the opening theme for the anime version was a meaningful experience to him.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe song also drew attention for sampling J-pop girl group Morning Musume.\u2019s \u201cSouda! We\u2019re ALIVE.\u201d With drum and bass as its foundation, the track is unique with frequent key changes and full of outlandish developments. The \u201cLemon\u201d hitmaker looked back on the creation of this single.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>You mentioned you have been a fan of the <\/strong><strong><em>Chainsaw Man <\/em><\/strong><strong>manga that the anime is based on. How do you feel about the work now that you have written the opening theme for the anime?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe manga <em>Chainsaw Man<\/em> is still being serialized and I always catch it when it comes out every week. It\u2019s always gripping and I think it\u2019s a truly exceptional manga. It\u2019s a great honor for me as a pop songwriter to be involved in such an amazing work, and that feeling seems to grow more and more each day.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>Could you share the songwriting process with us? Looking back, what kind of song were you aiming for?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tFirst, I remember feeling that I couldn\u2019t do this assignment half-heartedly and that I didn\u2019t want to ruin the manga by being involved in it because It\u2019s such a great work. I had a lot of fun working on the song. It was also more like hanging out with a friend than work because Daiki Tsuneta and I communicated about the arrangement. Looking back, I strongly feel that it was a really enjoyable time. When we were making \u201cKICK BACK,\u201d the vibe was full of this sense of messing around, like, \u201cLet\u2019s go nuts with this,\u201d or something like that. I\u2019d love to do this kind of thing again.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe lyrics of \u201cKICK BACK\u201d are in Japanese. The \u201cLemon\u201d hitmaker\u2019s observations about his commitment to writing songs in Japanese and about the way the appeal of a piece of music can be conveyed without depending on words were also noteworthy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>\u201cKICK BACK\u201d is the first song with Japanese lyrics to be certified gold by the RIAA. What are your thoughts on Japanese-language songs making their way across borders to be heard in other countries?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tI\u2019ve lived as a Japanese person for 32 years, and am someone who has truly surrendered my identity to the Japanese language. When I write songs, I really get the sense that things like my methodology, what I want to do, and the joy I feel when singing and performing are largely tied to the Japanese language. It\u2019s what feels most comfortable to me. To go even further, that special power won\u2019t reside (in the song) otherwise. So, I hope to continue doing what I do while facing myself in this way.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tBut to be honest, I\u2019m not sure at all how my songs are being interpreted by people outside of Japan, and especially people in the U.S., as in this case. I\u2019d love to actually meet with people who like this song and hear what they have to say.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>The emotion and energy of a song can come across even if we don\u2019t understand the meaning of the words. What are your thoughts on this particular work?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tI often find myself hearing a song in a language I don\u2019t understand and thinking, \u201cThat\u2019s good.\u201d I\u2019ve been feeling really strongly lately that I want to value that sense of \u201cI don\u2019t understand it, but It\u2019s good.\u201d Looking at social media, I get the feeling that if people start flocking to a single place all the time by seeking value and meaning in a song, that fundamental aspect of music will become increasingly obscure. So if people who don\u2019t understand Japanese hear this song and think \u201cthat\u2019s good,\u201d then I\u2019m glad I made it. If that\u2019s how people are interpreting it, I feel grateful.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe music video accompanying \u201cKICK BACK,\u201d directed by photographer\/video director Yoshiyuki Okuyama, also made a splash. Featuring Yonezu and Tsuneta working out at the gym, the situation gradually escalates in an over-the-top way as Yonezu tries to one-up his music collaborator who maintains his cool. The experience of shooting the mind-boggling visuals \u2014 make sure to watch until the credits \u2014 was apparently an emotional one for Yonezu.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>You have received comments from many countries on the music video for this song. The video left quite an impact. How do you feel looking back on it?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThat was amazing. That was the skill of the director, Mr. Okuyama, and I feel so fortunate to have ended up with such a great music video. For the past few years, I had been in this mode where I try to incorporate humor and funny elements into my songs and music videos to sort of remake myself by observing from a bird\u2019s eye view. When the visuals for \u201cKICK BACK\u201d were done, I felt that there was nothing more I could do. It was such an epoch-making event for me. I feel like I\u2019ve done everything I could.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tYonezu continues to have a busy and fulfilling 2023, releasing three new songs: \u201cLADY\u201d on Mar. 21, \u201cMoongazing\u201d on June 26, and \u201cSpinning Globe\u201d on July 17.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t\u201cMoongazing\u201d was written as the theme for the video game <em>Final Fantasy XVI<\/em>. \u201cSpinning Globe\u201d is the theme for Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s latest animated film <em>The Boy and the Heron<\/em>, set for release in U.S. theaters Dec. 8. Both songs are reaching audiences around the world.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tThe prolific singer-songwriter reflected upon the position of \u201cKICK BACK\u201d at this point in his career and shared his outlook for the future.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>How do you consider \u201cKICK BACK\u201d to be positioned in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tAs I said earlier, it\u2019s a song that ended a mode in my life, and I think it\u2019s also a song that disrupted my public image. I also reconfirmed a lot of things by writing this song. I realized people wanted something like this, and it also occurred to me that I like this kind of thing. All in all, it\u2019s become very important to me.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<strong>What do you have in mind for your future endeavors?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tI recently traveled abroad and it was a great experience. Not for my career or anything like that, but in the sense of spending time in cities built by people who grew up in a completely different culture, where the language is different from my own. I\u2019m more interested in that kind of thing and\u2026 I\u2019m not sure how to put it, but I just want to make good stuff. If I can do that, then that\u2019s enough. And I also kind of feel that if my senses don\u2019t change in a gradual way like that, I won\u2019t be able to make good stuff anymore. I hope to have fun doing what I do. I\u2019m willing to do whatever it takes to make that happen.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\t<em>This interview by Tomonori Shiba first appeared on Billboard Japan.<\/em><\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph larva \/\/ lrv-u-margin-lr-auto  lrv-a-font-body-m   \">\n\tBy: Billboard Japan \/ Photo: Courtesy Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/music-news\/kenshi-yonezu-kick-back-certified-gold-riaa-interview-1235488918\/\">Aller \u00e0 la source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kenshi Yonezu\u2018s \u201cKICK BACK\u201d was recently certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. It\u2019s the first song with Japanese lyrics to reach this milestone. Released on Oct. 12, 2022, \u201cKICK BACK\u201d was written as the theme song to the anime series Chainsaw Man. The series enjoys popularity in North America; many listeners probably [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-60103","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-musique","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60103","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60103"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60103\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60103"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60103"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cyberlego.com\/web\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60103"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}