June 17, 2025 • 8 mins
We speak with Japanese duo Yoasobi about their recent gigs in Europe, how they became the biggest international music act from Japan and the literary origin of their music.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:14):
Hello and welcome to the Monaco Weekly. This time I
had the pleasure to interview Yaobi, the incredibly successful Japanese
duo that is conquering the global charts. I've met both
of them at the Barbican Center after the duo headlined
two nights at Wembley, London this June. Here is my
conversation with both the composer Ayase and vocalist Ikura.
(00:48):
I want to ask about your band. You, I believe
one of the fir the first Japanese acts to top
the global charts of Billboard. So are you happy that
you're having kind of this fan base, not only in
Japan but outside from Indonesia to the UK to the US?
Tell us how, how, how are you feeling about that
kind of success outside Japan.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
What
humbled and honored.
Very pleased with the reception. It's amazing. I'd never expected
this level of reception really when we started, but through
social media we do receive a lot of messages, direct
messages from fans, and it's just wonderful to see them.
(01:28):
And when we play live as well, we do get
to see the firsthand reactions and interact with them as
we saw in Wembley as well, so it's been.
It's been amazing and we hope that it would carry on.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I was in Wembley on Sunday as well. It was
an amazing, amazing. So, so tell us, where else have
you been in Europe? I know you've been also to Spain,
to the Primavera festival. Uh, so tell us a bit
more about which countries have you visited.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So on this tour, those two locations, so Spain, Primarera
and Wembley to will end. However, we'd love to visit
other destinations and we cannot wait to meet the fans
and play there.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
One question, I, I wanna ask the connection of Yobi,
the duo with uh Japanese literary scene, because I think
there's a strong connection. Uh, there's the Monogatari as well. Uh,
I wonder if you can explain a little bit more
about that.
Yes,
Speaker 2 (02:30):
so all the songs are based on writing stories and
but um in Japan, so that there are many different mediums,
whether it be from books, anime, manga, and all of
them are interconnected and we do um represent that style
as well, which is slightly unusual, but um I hope
that um the audiences get to enjoy the entirety of
(02:54):
the medium and representation.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So it's not simply just a pop song. It's a
little story,
Speaker 2 (03:01):
right? We are
producing pop songs. However, there is always a background, more
of a depth and the context through stories that we
are basing all those songs on. And through that understanding, um,
music becomes a lot more three dimensional. So it is,
I see it as more of a new form of entertainment.
(03:25):
And we produce music in J-pop genre, which I'm very
proud of. It's something that I love and I want
to continue um this act. And so through the J-pop
songs that we produce, we hope that um everyone gets
to enjoy Japanese culture and this new form of um entertainment.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Well, you're certainly both representing Japan very well and as
a big fan of Japanese music, even from the 80s,
I would like to know from both of you what was.
Your influences, music influences, could it be a little bit
of city pop as well, I don't know. I, I wonder,
I would like to hear from both of you on
that one.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
I grew up listening to notable Japanese musicians, and the
front runners at the time. Um, so Anahi, Yi, Ikimonoakari
are the ones that I can think of right now.
I mean, if I were to give you an example, um,
also Japanese bands as well, such as Wims and
(04:24):
But my parents um were an influence in the sense
that I did listen to the music that they listened
to in the 80s and the 90s, for example, Yin,
Yumi Mattoya and Southern Oars as well. And so all
those um wonderful musicians have influenced me and I think
they exist within, as an essence, um, musical influence.
(04:46):
Uh, for me, yes, um, I have been greatly influenced
by the J-pop, J-pop as well as folk songs. So, um, yes,
I have been influenced by Yumi Mastoya, as well as
Maria Takeuchi and Kubotashinobu as well. Um, so leading on
to that, I love, um, Japanese R&B as well as
hip hop.
(05:06):
Well, um, so both of those genres I love. But I,
so I was in a band actually, um, my previous
band music was a lot harder than you be sounds. So, um,
within that line, I love um metal core, hardcore, and
so I was very um.
(05:28):
I was very excited to see the picture of Slipknot
being displayed in Wembley Arena.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
The.
One of my surprises on Sunday, uh, of course, I'm
a fan of your music, but I never seen you live.
He felt sometimes at like a rock concert, and that
you're singing the beats. He was very, very energetic. So
I see a lot of rock in you. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
My
Speaker 1 (06:05):
pleasure. And I'd like to ask, I know you just
released a recent, uh, single, Watch Me. But what's the
next plans? Because you've just finished as our tour in Japan,
sold out, many places.
Are you resting a bit or are there new new
music coming out or new gigs?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
No, in fact, um, we actually have to wait for
us which is happening in Japan in 4, so we
will be playing these shows but for the next week,
we will be staying in Europe and we use, we
will use that as an period. So we will try
and absorb as much as possible. I'm enjoying being in Europe.
(06:47):
And yeah, that's our plan.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I
would like to know because I know the Japanese consume
music in a different way, like CDs, vinyls are still
very big in Japan. What do you think of that? How,
how do you see the Japanese music market compared to
other places where it's more about streaming? I prefer the
Japanese way. I love CDs and and physical media, but. Um.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
is that Japanese music scene has shifted more towards streaming
as well. Um, so they don't sell as well as before. Um,
most of the people listen to music through streaming CDs.
Vinyls are being bought as a memorabilia really, especially for
(07:35):
those um fans who love the music and they just
want to keep uh just want to buy it for
as a keepsake. So that does still exist, but mainly, uh,
people tend to just listen to streaming, so maybe not
that different to the rest of the world.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Thank you both Ayasi and Ikura. I'm a big fan
here and for more information on Yobi and the upcoming concerts,
go to Y O A S O B I dash music.jp.
The show was edited by Elliot Greenfield, and I am
Fernando Gusta Pacheco. Thank you for listening.
Hello and welcome to the Monaco Weekly. This time I
had the pleasure to interview Yaobi, the incredibly successful Japanese
duo that is conquering the global charts. I've met both
of them at the Barbican Center after the duo headlined
two nights at Wembley, London this June. Here is my
conversation with both the composer Ayase and vocalist Ikura.
(00:48):
I want to ask about your band. You, I believe
one of the fir the first Japanese acts to top
the global charts of Billboard. So are you happy that
you're having kind of this fan base, not only in
Japan but outside from Indonesia to the UK to the US?
Tell us how, how, how are you feeling about that
kind of success outside Japan.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
What
humbled and honored.
Very pleased with the reception. It's amazing. I'd never expected
this level of reception really when we started, but through
social media we do receive a lot of messages, direct
messages from fans, and it's just wonderful to see them.
(01:28):
And when we play live as well, we do get
to see the firsthand reactions and interact with them as
we saw in Wembley as well, so it's been.
It's been amazing and we hope that it would carry on.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
I was in Wembley on Sunday as well. It was
an amazing, amazing. So, so tell us, where else have
you been in Europe? I know you've been also to Spain,
to the Primavera festival. Uh, so tell us a bit
more about which countries have you visited.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
So on this tour, those two locations, so Spain, Primarera
and Wembley to will end. However, we'd love to visit
other destinations and we cannot wait to meet the fans
and play there.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
One question, I, I wanna ask the connection of Yobi,
the duo with uh Japanese literary scene, because I think
there's a strong connection. Uh, there's the Monogatari as well. Uh,
I wonder if you can explain a little bit more
about that.
Yes,
Speaker 2 (02:30):
so all the songs are based on writing stories and
but um in Japan, so that there are many different mediums,
whether it be from books, anime, manga, and all of
them are interconnected and we do um represent that style
as well, which is slightly unusual, but um I hope
that um the audiences get to enjoy the entirety of
(02:54):
the medium and representation.
Speaker 1 (02:57):
So it's not simply just a pop song. It's a
little story,
Speaker 2 (03:01):
right? We are
producing pop songs. However, there is always a background, more
of a depth and the context through stories that we
are basing all those songs on. And through that understanding, um,
music becomes a lot more three dimensional. So it is,
I see it as more of a new form of entertainment.
(03:25):
And we produce music in J-pop genre, which I'm very
proud of. It's something that I love and I want
to continue um this act. And so through the J-pop
songs that we produce, we hope that um everyone gets
to enjoy Japanese culture and this new form of um entertainment.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
Well, you're certainly both representing Japan very well and as
a big fan of Japanese music, even from the 80s,
I would like to know from both of you what was.
Your influences, music influences, could it be a little bit
of city pop as well, I don't know. I, I wonder,
I would like to hear from both of you on
that one.
Speaker 2 (04:04):
I grew up listening to notable Japanese musicians, and the
front runners at the time. Um, so Anahi, Yi, Ikimonoakari
are the ones that I can think of right now.
I mean, if I were to give you an example, um,
also Japanese bands as well, such as Wims and
(04:24):
But my parents um were an influence in the sense
that I did listen to the music that they listened
to in the 80s and the 90s, for example, Yin,
Yumi Mattoya and Southern Oars as well. And so all
those um wonderful musicians have influenced me and I think
they exist within, as an essence, um, musical influence.
(04:46):
Uh, for me, yes, um, I have been greatly influenced
by the J-pop, J-pop as well as folk songs. So, um, yes,
I have been influenced by Yumi Mastoya, as well as
Maria Takeuchi and Kubotashinobu as well. Um, so leading on
to that, I love, um, Japanese R&B as well as
hip hop.
(05:06):
Well, um, so both of those genres I love. But I,
so I was in a band actually, um, my previous
band music was a lot harder than you be sounds. So, um,
within that line, I love um metal core, hardcore, and
so I was very um.
(05:28):
I was very excited to see the picture of Slipknot
being displayed in Wembley Arena.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
The.
One of my surprises on Sunday, uh, of course, I'm
a fan of your music, but I never seen you live.
He felt sometimes at like a rock concert, and that
you're singing the beats. He was very, very energetic. So
I see a lot of rock in you. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (06:05):
My
Speaker 1 (06:05):
pleasure. And I'd like to ask, I know you just
released a recent, uh, single, Watch Me. But what's the
next plans? Because you've just finished as our tour in Japan,
sold out, many places.
Are you resting a bit or are there new new
music coming out or new gigs?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
No, in fact, um, we actually have to wait for
us which is happening in Japan in 4, so we
will be playing these shows but for the next week,
we will be staying in Europe and we use, we
will use that as an period. So we will try
and absorb as much as possible. I'm enjoying being in Europe.
(06:47):
And yeah, that's our plan.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
I
would like to know because I know the Japanese consume
music in a different way, like CDs, vinyls are still
very big in Japan. What do you think of that? How,
how do you see the Japanese music market compared to
other places where it's more about streaming? I prefer the
Japanese way. I love CDs and and physical media, but. Um.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
is that Japanese music scene has shifted more towards streaming
as well. Um, so they don't sell as well as before. Um,
most of the people listen to music through streaming CDs.
Vinyls are being bought as a memorabilia really, especially for
(07:35):
those um fans who love the music and they just
want to keep uh just want to buy it for
as a keepsake. So that does still exist, but mainly, uh,
people tend to just listen to streaming, so maybe not
that different to the rest of the world.
Speaker 1 (08:07):
Thank you both Ayasi and Ikura. I'm a big fan
here and for more information on Yobi and the upcoming concerts,
go to Y O A S O B I dash music.jp.
The show was edited by Elliot Greenfield, and I am
Fernando Gusta Pacheco. Thank you for listening.
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