HARU NEMURI Makes A New Vow with Latest Sinigle!

“Don’t Make Love Vow” Single Art

HARU NEMURI has teamed up with Thailand’s Pyra for a new single called “Don’t make love vow”. Pre-add and pre-save “don’t make love vow” here:

“The song was created from a critical perspective on the system of marriage,” says HARU NEMURI on the lyrics of the upcoming single. “The institution of marriage has historically served as a mechanism to bind and regulate individuals and communities economically, socially, and religiously. In Japan, only heterosexual (men and women couples) are granted the right to use this institution, which could be seen as society imposing normative rules on forms of love and is profoundly unequal. Having to constantly prove one’s relationships to authorities and receive their endorsement is, simply put, strange. So, in this song, from the perspective of if love truly exists, does it really require such a contract? Isn’t this just an obsession by having “no guarantee without a contract”? The song attempts to separate love from the institution, challenging the necessity of the institution itself.

Pyra exploded on TikTok in 2021 with educational and critical videos about Thai society, particularly the conservatism of the junta government that took over in 2014. Her social media activism is a natural extension of her music, which she describes as ‘dystopian pop’, and deals with similar themes. Learn more on Pyra here. NEMURI and Pyra share a passion for social justice, which makes this collaboration so strong and important. HARU NEMURI and Pyra began working on this song after HARU’s December 23 show in Thailand with production continuing in Bangkok.

HARU NEMURI recently wrapped up a run of shows in the United States, with many of them selling out and venues being upgraded due to demand. The New York Times called her show one not to be missed when she performed in Brooklyn, NY at Elsewhere last month. HARU NEMURI has been expanding her presence in both the U.S. and Europe with shows and numerous collaboration releases. On October 4, the ‘SOUL KISS’ collaboration EP with Frost Children was released. A peak moment of both of their efforts, the songs on the EP encapsulate hardcore, EDM, pop, post-rock and indie - transcending borders, genres and preconceived notions. Stream it here

More on HARU NEMURI

Haru has always made music for herself first, but now the world is listening — even if they can’t understand a word of the Japanese language in which she sings, raps, and frequently screams. Not many teenagers are inspired equally by American post-hardcore icons such as Fugazi and Japanese avant-garde music legend Susumu Hirasawa, but therein lies the magic of Haru Nemuri and the work she has created over the past five years.

Her album, ‘SHUNKA RYOUGEN’ out now, was heralded by publications like Pitchfork, The Fader, Paste Magazine, noting, “blending elements of J-pop, rap, and hardcore, the experimental Japanese artist’s latest album presents a convincing balance of nihilism and hope,”. ‘Shunka Ryougen’ is available to stream in full at this link:

After world tours, festival appearances, and two LPs, the 29 year old Japanese rockstar has captivated the world with her idiosyncratic poetry. Haru’s trailblazing music seamlessly blends genres—from the punk magnetism of Karen O and Fugazi, to the glittering shoegaze of Shinsei Kamattechan, or the experimentation of Björk and Susumu Hirasawa. Armed with only her vocals and a laptop, her shows mesmerize crowds from Europe to Asia to America, the great majority of whom don’t even speak her language.

Amidst an intense schedule that included releasing nine works with the latest being the EP 'INSAINT,' and embarking on tour across approximately 30 cities worldwide, began working on this project last year. 'Soul Kiss,' her first release of 2024 and her first collaborative EP, hints at a new and expansive direction for her.

HARU NEMURI SCHEDULE

December 21: Daikanyama UNIT, Tokyo, Japan - w/Knosis

Tickets: https://bnds.us/b60l7n

Tickets for International Oversea Fans:

https://ib.eplus.jp/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=5432&date=1734706800#scrollToPanel

HARU NEMURI and New Yorks Frost Children release "Daijoubu Desu" from upcoming collaboration EP 'Soul Kiss'!

Japan’s HARU NEMURI has teamed up with New York City’s Frost Children for the upcoming collaboration EP titled ‘Soul Kiss’ out October 4. Today, fans can hear the new song across all streaming platforms and watch the music video for "Daijoubu Desu". The hybrid-genre song also features cheeky vinyl scratches from A-Trak

“There are times when people reassure me by saying “It’s going to be ok”, when I am overwhelmed, drowning in anxiety and melancholy, when I am stuck in an unforeseeable reality, or when I am at a loss not knowing how to even handle my own soul,” says HARU NEMURI on the lyrics of the song out today.  “Though I deeply appreciate the kindness and the reassurance itself, there are still times when I feel like screaming, "What's going to be okay!!!" (Though in reality, I never actually do that. Instead, I usually suppress all those emotions and with an awkward smile I would just say thank you.) Climate change, inequality, exploitation, discrimination, patriarchy, conspiracy theories, and with all the other various evil constructs created by humanity continue to hold sway in this trash-like world, we are not always ok (Daijoubu).”

HARU NEMURI and Frost Children initially met on tour in 2021 and experienced an instant and surprising musical connection. Subsequently toured together and made plans to reunite in Berlin to record this project. The sessions, initially quite open-ended and experimental, led to internet collaboration/co-writing and then the completion of the tracking in a hyperspeed series of sessions in Tokyo, and ultimately Lulu putting finishing touches in their New York studio (while occasionally testing out works in progress in DJ sets).
The final product has become a five track EP called ‘Soul Kiss’ - a peak moment of both of their efforts. The songs encapsulate hardcore, EDM, pop, post-rock and indie. A really unique and surprising Soul Kiss transcending borders, genres and preconceived notions.

Be sure to check out "Daijoubu Desu” across all streaming platforms here along with he music video below!

 ‘Soul Kiss’ Track listing

1. Daijoubu Desu

2. Burn

3. Supernatural

4. Bad Thing

5. Get Well Soon 

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HARU NEMURI will return to the United States with six shows kicking off at the end of September into early October. Frost Children are currently on a nationwide tour with support from julie and her new knife. Tour dates for both artists can be found below.

HARU NEMURI Live Dates

September 28 - Seattle, WA @ High Dive

October 1 - San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall

October 6 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Echo

October 9 - Dallas, TX @ RBC

October 12 - Brooklyn, NY @ Elsewhere

October 15 - Chicago, IL @ Reggies

Frost Children Live Dates

October 23 - Philadelphia, PA @  Brooklyn Bowl Philly

October 24 - Washington, DC @  9:30 Club

October 26 - Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West

October 27 - Nashville, TN @ The Basement East

October 29 - Dallas, TX @ Trees

October 30 - Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall - Downstairs

October 31 - Austin, TX @ Mohawk

November 2 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom

November 3 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom

November 6 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent

November 7 - Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre Taube Family Music Hall

November 12 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre

November 13 - Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre

Artist VK Blanka releases ‘Knightclub’, his first new album in nearly three years!

Japanese musician VK Blanka has released his first new album in nearly three years, ‘Knightclub’, back on Wednesday, September 4 across all streaming platforms!

This is VK Blanka’s first album since the release of ‘FATE’ nearly three years ago. In addition to previously released singles such as ‘Fortress’ (his theme song for the TV Asahi drama ‘The Woman of S.R.I. (Season 24)’and ‘Never Run’, a song inspired by the beats and arrangements VK Blanka experienced firsthand during his North American tour in February, the album also includes brand new song ‘Yomigaeri (with Noriyuki Makihara & Ayaka)’ in collaboration with fellow artists Noriyuki Makihara and Ayaka, and ‘Old Rivals [A Self-Cover of “Rivals!”]’, a new version of his song ‘Rivals!’ that blew fans’ minds when it was featured as part of the ‘Hypnosis Mic’ multimedia project.

Formats of the album packaged with video content include the music video and behind-the-scenes footage for ‘Never Run’, the lyric video for ‘Fortress’, and live footage of Vicke Blanka presents RAINBOW ROAD -TEN- ’, a special concert that was held as Festival Hall in Osaka on May 4, 2024.

About VK Blanka
VK Blanka began to gain attention with his 2018 single ‘Masshiro’, which was featured in a TV drama series, and went on to reach No.2 on the Japanese iTunes album chart. ‘Black Catcher’, his opening song for the ‘Black Clover’ anime series, became a phenomenal long-running hit, entering Spotify’s Top 10 chart of songs by Japanese artists played by overseas users for three consecutive years since 2020 and accruing over 1.5 million monthly listeners. With over 500 million plays across streaming platforms, VK Blankaʼs music has truly captured the hearts of fans worldwide.

VK Blanka has performed at events in Saudi Arabia, Italy and France, attracting over 10,000 fans to his overseas shows. Then, starting with a show in Vancouver on January 31, 2024, VK Blanka undertook his first solo tour of North America, with performances in a total of nine cities. In July, this was followed by the VK Blanka Latin America Tour 2024 in Chile and Mexico.

VK Blanka hosted his third self-produced event, RAINBOW ROAD -TEN- (The Legend), at Festival Hall in Osaka on May 4, 2024. He has also announced the VK Blanka HALL TOUR 2024, which will visit six cities across Japan, starting with a performance in Nagoya on September 27.

Be sure to check out his latest album ‘Knightclub’ on all streaming platforms here, with the lyric video for “Fortress” below!

Multidimensional Artist Project “SZNO” Making Their Major Debut with 1st Digital Single “xx”

Bandai Namco Music Live Inc. , in collaboration with MusicRay’n (Head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Ryoichi Sugiura), has launched the multidimensional artist project “SZNO” (pronounced: Suzuno), which operates in both the real and virtual realms. We are pleased to announce the release of their debut single, “xx” (pronounced “Bye-Bye”) which was made available across all digital streaming platforms.

▼About SZNO

SZNO is a multidimensional artist project that operates in both the real and virtual realms. It was born from a collaboration between Bandai Namco Music Live, known for its Lantis label and expertise in producing music content like the Love Live! series, and MusicRay’n, a Sony Music Group company renowned for discovering and nurturing talent such as Sphere, TrySail, and CHiCO. Look forward to discovering more of SZNO’s world as it gradually unfolds with each music release.

Be sure to check out “xx” on all streaming platforms here!

MAKI GOTO celebrates 25th anniversary with long-awaited new original album ‘prAyer’, her first in 13 years, out now!

2024 marks the 25th anniversary of J-pop star MAKI GOTO’s CD debut, and she has been announcing a number of anniversary projects to mark the occasion. Following the digital release of GOTO’s long-awaited new single ‘CLAP CLAP’ – her first in around 13 years – she has now released a completely original mini-album, ‘prAyer’, on September 4 across all digital streaming platforms.

 ‘prAyer’ is GOTO’s first long-play release since her digital covers album released two years ago, and her first all-new original work since 2011. This mini-album, which contains seven songs, marks the full-fledged return of MAKI GOTO on her 25th anniversary year, and is sure to thrill fans old and new.

From the album title ‘prAyer’ to the strong yet delicate psychological lyrics and GOTO’s own outlook on life, she sings beautifully about her experiences past and future. While incorporating a new approach to her sound that mixes multiple genres without clinging to the past, it is an ambitious album that shows she has evolved to something more powerful than the catchy sound of her idol days, as showcased by the single ‘CLAP CLAP’.

Be sure to check out the streaming link for ‘prAyer’ here, along with the music video for the track “prayer” below!

 About MAKI GOTO

MAKI GOTO was born on September 23, 1985, in Tokyo. Over the course of her career, she has been a successful singer, YouTuber and model. She joined the legendary J-pop idol group Morning Musume as a third-generation member after passing their second supplementary audition in 1999. After she joined, the group’s single ‘LOVE Machine’ was released, selling over a million copies. In 2001, she made her solo debut with the single ‘Ai no Bakayarou’. She graduated from the Hello! Project collective in 2007 and joined a new agency in 2008. After this, she released ‘SWEET BLACK feat. MAKI GOTO’ in 2009. On YouTube, GOTO’s channels include Gomaki no Guild, which focuses on video game “let’s plays”, and Gomaki to Ouki☆, which provides lifestyle and beauty information, with both channels drawing a large number of subscribers and viewers. In September 2024, she will hold a special solo live tour to celebrate her 25th anniversary.