Kenshi Yonezu

Kenshi Yonezu
Also known as Hachi
Born (1991-03-10) March 10, 1991[1]
Tokushima, Japan[1]
Origin Japan
Genres Rock, pop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, Vocaloid producer, bassist, illustrator
Instruments Vocals, guitar, vocaloid
Years active 2009–present
Labels Universal Sigma, Balloom
Associated acts Hatsune Miku
Website reissuerecords.net

Kenshi Yonezu (米津玄師 Yonezu Kenshi, born March 10, 1991), is a Japanese musician, who began releasing Vocaloid music under the stage name Hachi (ハチ) in 2009. In 2012 he debuted under his real name, releasing music with his own voice.

Biography

Early musical career

Yonezu's band Ernst Eckman (formerly Late Rabbit Edda) in 2010 (Yonezu on the far right).

Yonezu's first foray into music was in 2006 during his second year of junior high school, where he formed a band with his friend Hiroshi Nakajima, called Late Rabbit Edda, to play for the school culture festival.[2][3][4][5] He worked as the vocalist, songwriter and occasional guitarist, while Nakajima was the guitarist. In late 2007, he set up a website for the band, posting song lyrics and short novels.[6] Yonezu wrote songs for the band, and between April 2008 and March 2009 uploaded 24 original songs to video sharing website Nico Nico Douga using the name Hachi. None of the songs were widely viewed, with the greatest, "Beelzebub," receiving only 23,000 views.[7] Yonezu created his blog in this period, and called it Tekitō Edda (適当EDDA).[8][9]

Yonezu moved to Osaka after high school, and started attending a fine arts school.[10] While a student there, he started uploading songs using Vocaloid software Hatsune Miku instead, which were increasingly popular. His 2009 song "Musunde Hiraite Rasetsu to Mukuro" was his first song to receive over 1,000,000 views on the site.[11] Though Yonezu had uploaded over 30 songs sung by himself, he deleted them when his Vocaloid songs became more popular.[2] Yonezu renamed his blog Denshi-chō Hachibangai (電子帖八番, "Electronic Notebook 8th Avenue"), and it was one of five blogs awarded the Diamond Award at the 2009 WebMoney Awards.[12]

In December 2009, Yonezu's song "Clock Lock Works" was featured on an Exit Tunes compilation album, Supernova, the first time a song of his appeared on an album. In January, "Musunde Hiraite Rasetsu to Mukuro" was featured on Vocalolegend feat. Hatsune Miku, Exit Tunes' second Oricon top 10 compilation album.[13] Yonezu released two self-produced albums in 2010: Hanataba to Suisō in February, and Official Orange in November. In 2010 and 2011, Yonezu's songs were featured on many Exit Tunes albums, including Vocalonexus feat. Hatsune Miku, which was the second Vocaloid album to reach number one on Oricon's albums chart.[14] His songs were featured on the games Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA Extend (2011) and Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA F (2012), and in the Hatsune Miku concert Miku no Hi Dankanshasai (2012), which became the first number one DVD/Blu-ray for a virtual singer.[15] On Hachi's Nico Nico account, seven of his songs have been viewed more than 1,000,000 times,[16] including the song "Matryoshka," which had reached 5,000,000 views by 2012.[17]

In April 2010, Yonezu joined the animation collective Minakata Kenkyūjo (南方研究所, "Minakata Laboratory"), a group that he'd worked with since his "Clock Lock Works" video in November 2009.[18] On January 23, 2011, Yonezu uploaded his final Hachi Vocaloid video for approximately three years.[16]

Late Rabbit Edda remained active until 2010. They were renamed Ernst Eckman, and added a drummer called Sumimoto to their line up. As Ernst Eckman, they released a single song on MySpace, "Oborozuki to Sono Kōan" (オボロヅキとその考案, "Crescent Moon and that Plan").[19] Yonezu began to feel that he did not work well with other people, and decided to work alone on Vocaloid songs exclusively, giving up on being a part of a band.[20]

Balloom, major label debut

In March 2011, Yonezu and seven other musicians created Balloom, an independent music label for Internet musicians to widen their musical opportunities.[21] His debut album released in 2012, Diorama, debuted at number 6 and sold over 45,000 copies,[1][22] becoming the biggest release on the label to date. The album was one of the winners of the 5th CD Shop Awards, an award voted on by music store personnel.[23] Yonezu was picked up as a major label artist under Universal Sigma, and debuted in May 2013 with the single "Santa Maria."[24] He made the shift in order to work with musicians doing similar things as him.[25]

On October 28, 2013, Yonezu released his first Vocaloid song in two and a half years, "Donut Hole" (ドーナツホール Dōnatsu Hōru), using a live band and the vocal Gumi.[26] Kenshi Yonezu released his second album, Yankee, on April 23, 2014,[27] followed by the first concert in his career on June 27.[28] Yonezu's song "Eine Kleine" was written for Tokyo Metro to be used in its 2014 commercial campaign.[29]

Artistry

Yonezu writes and composes all of his music. In his Vocaloid songs as well as his independent album Diorama, he also arranged, programmed, mixed and performed all of the instruments by himself.[1][17] When he moved to Universal, Yonezu began working with a band to perform his music.[25] Yonezu considers Japanese bands Bump of Chicken, Asian Kung-Fu Generation and Radwimps big influences on his work, and Japanese authors Kenji Miyazawa and Yukio Mishima on his lyrics.[3][10] As an illustrator, he feels inspired by Edward Gorey's illustrations.[3] Yonezu generally composes songs on the guitar, but also occasionally uses drums to work out a melody.[30]

Yonezu separates his musical career in two, releasing music using Vocaloids as Hachi, and music using his own voice as Kenshi Yonezu. He feels that music made as Hachi was created for the Nico Nico Douga community, while songs under his real name do not have such a strong tie.[31] While he did not want to record covers of his Vocaloid songs during sessions for Diorama (2012), he felt the difference between Kenshi Yonezu songs and Hachi songs blur during sessions for Yankee (2014), and recorded a self-cover of "Donut Hole."[31][32]

He has worked as a producer for other musicians several times. The first song he composed and arranged was Internet singer Lasah's "Nilgiri" (ニルギリ) in 2010.[33] He composed and produced the song "Escape Game" (エスケープゲーム) for anime singer LiSA on her mini-album Letters to U (2011).[34] He also worked on a remix for the ending theme song of the anime Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, "Secret Base (Kimi ga Kureta Mono) (Those Dizzy Days Ver.)," which was released in 2013.[35]

Despite holding an online live performance on Ustream every month, Yonezu does not perform live often. His high school band, Late Rabbit Edda, performed live once on August 26, 2008,[36] and applied to perform in the Senkō Riot teenage music contest. The band passed the demo tape round, but failed to make it through the studio live judging and onto the final live competition.[10] Yonezu also performed as Hachi in several Vocaloid events. Despite debuting his solo career in 2012, he did not hold any live performances for two years.[37] His first concert is planned for June 27, 2014, two months after the release of Yankee.[28]

Yonezu illustrated all of his early Nico Nico Douga videos, using a scanner or a pen tablet to draw imagery.[11] When his parents bought a computer when he was 10, Yonezu made and uploaded flash animation videos for Bump of Chicken songs on the Internet.[3] He continued to illustrate for his album Diorama, creating the music videos and the cover artwork by himself, and with the help of fellow members of Minakata Kenkyūjo.[1] His Universal releases have also featured his own artwork. Yonezu primarily uses Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe After Effects and Corel Painter Essentials for animation.[18] Yonezu's illustrations became a feature in music magazine Rockin' On Japan starting in the August 2013 issue. His piece, called Kaijū Zukan (かいじゅうずかん, "Monster Picture Index"), features fictional creatures Yonezu has drawn.[38]

For creating songs, Yonezu uses music software Cakewalk Sonar.[18] When he started to create Vocaloid music, he used Vocaloid 2 software, and Hatsune Miku vocals exclusively.[2][16][18] However, in 2010, Yonezu began using Megurine Luka and Gumi in his songs as well.[16] His album Hanataba to Suisō features Hatsune Miku only, whereas Official Orange features Hatsune Miku, Megurine Luka, Gumi, as well as his own vocals on the song "Yūen Shigai (遊園市街, "Amusement City Streets").[3]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)[22] Certifications
JPN
[39]
Diorama 6 57,000
Yankee
  • Released: April 23, 2014
  • Label: Universal Sigma
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD, CD/art book, digital download
 2 93,000
Bremen
  • Released: October 7, 2015
  • Label: Universal Sigma
  • Formats: CD, CD/DVD, CD/art book, digital download
 1 84,000

Vocaloid albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak positions Sales (JPN)[22]
JPN
[41]
Hanataba to Suisō (花束と水葬, "Bouquets and Sea Burials")
  • Vocaloid album as Hachi
  • Released: February 7, 2010
  • Label: Self-produced (EQHR-0001)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 70 2,000
Official Orange
  • Vocaloid album as Hachi
  • Released: November 14, 2010
  • Label: Self-produced (EQHR-0002)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 72 2,000

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Year Peak chart positions Sales[22] Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[39]		 Billboard Japan Hot 100
[42][upper-alpha 1]
"Santa Maria" 2013 12 26 14,000 Yankee
"Mad Head Love" 11 51 10,000
"Poppin' Apathy" (ポッピンアパシー Poppin Apashī) — Non-album single
"Flowerwall" 2015 3 5 28,000 Bremen
"Unbelievers" (アンビリーバーズ Anbirībāzu) 4 5 32,000

Promotional singles

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
Billboard Japan Hot 100
[42][upper-alpha 1]
"Wonderland to Hitsuji no Uta" (ワンダーランドと羊の歌, "Song of a Wonderland and Sheep")
(as Hachi)		 2010 — Official Orange
"Go Go Yūreisen" (ゴーゴー幽霊船, "Go Go Ghost Ship") 2012 — Diorama
"Vivi" —
"Koi to Byōnetsu" (恋と病熱, "Love and Fever") —
"Living Dead Youth" (リビングデッド・ユース Ribingudeddo Yūsu) 2014 — Yankee
"Eine Kleine" (アイネクライネ Aine Kuraine, "A Little") 62
"Fluorite" (フローライト Furōraito) 2015 62 Bremen
"Hope Land" (ホープランド Hōpu Rando) —[upper-alpha 2]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Sources for chart positions are as follows: "Santa Maria",[43] "Mad Head Love",[44] "Eine Kleine",[45] "Flowerwall",[46] "Unbelievers",[47] "Fluorite".[48]
  2. ↑ Charted at number 100 on the Radio Songs sub-chart.[49]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Profile" (in Japanese). Universal Music Japan. 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 "若手ボカロP・ハチさんのインタビューを掲載！ プレゼントも" [Here's an interview with young Vocaloid creator Hachi! Presents included] (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. January 21, 2010. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "米津玄師1stアルバム「diorama」インタビュー" [Kenshi Yonezu 1st album Diorama interview]. Ryu Fuku (in Japanese). Natalie. May 16, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  4. ↑ "アーティスト late rabbit edda" (in Japanese). Kenshi Yonezu. Archived from the original on February 9, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  5. ↑ "Late Rabbit Edda" (in Japanese). MySpace. Archived from the original on October 10, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  6. ↑ "Late Rabbit Edda" (in Japanese). Kenshi Yonezu. Archived from the original on November 7, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  7. ↑ "ゆん's Public My Lists. よねづけんし" (in Japanese). Yun. Archived from the original on November 8, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  8. ↑ よね (in Japanese). Kenshi Yonezu. Archived from the original on February 8, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  9. ↑ カメラ [Camera] (in Japanese). Kenshi Yonezu. July 9, 2009. Archived from the original on August 12, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  10. 1 2 3 "『 夢の職業★3DAYS 』ーDAY2ー　米津玄師先生、初来校!!!" [Dream jobs 3 Days - Day 2: Mr. Kenshi Yonezu, first time at school] (in Japanese). School of Lock!. June 13, 2012. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2013.
  11. 1 2 "若手ボカロP・ハチさんのインタビューを掲載！ プレゼントも" [Here's an interview with young Vocaloid creator Hachi! Presents included] (in Japanese). Dengeki Online. January 21, 2010. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  12. ↑ "enjoy.Award 2009" (in Japanese). WebMoney. Archived from the original on November 9, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  13. ↑ ＥＸＩＴ　ＴＵＮＥＳ　ＰＲＥＳＥＮＴＳ　Ｖｏｃａｌｏｌｅｇｅｎｄ　ｆｅａｔ．初音ミク (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  14. ↑ 初音ミク"ボーカロイド"アルバムが史上2作目首位 [Hatsune Miku "Vocaloid" album second number one album in history] (in Japanese). Oricon. January 25, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  15. ↑ "初音ミク、バーチャルシンガー初のBD総合首位" [Hatsune Miku, first Blu-ray/DVD combined number one for a virtual singer] (in Japanese). Oricon. September 5, 2012. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  16. 1 2 3 4 "ハチ's Public My Lists. ボーカロイド作品" [Hachi's Public Lists. Vocaloid Works] (in Japanese). Nico Nico Douga. 2013. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  17. 1 2 "ハチ＝米津玄師、1stアルバム「diorama」発表" [Hachi=Kenshi Yonezu, releasing 1st album Diorama]. Natalie.mu. April 27, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2013.
  18. 1 2 3 4 "About"南方研究所"" (in Japanese). Minakata Kenkyūjo. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Ernst Eckman" (in Japanese). MySpace. Archived from the original on March 26, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  20. ↑ "米津玄師さん登場！来週は『AKB48スペシャル』" [Kenshi Yonezu makes an appearance! Next week, AKB48 special] (in Japanese). All Night Nippon. June 3, 2013. Archived from the original on November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  21. ↑ 人気クリエイター8組が音楽レーベル設立！ [8 popular creators form a music label!] (in Japanese). Oricon. March 4, 2011. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  22. 1 2 3 4 "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" [Oricon Ranking Information Service 'You Big Tree']. Oricon. Retrieved September 13, 2015. (subscription required (help)).
  23. ↑ "CDショップ大賞入賞7作品決定、過去受賞者登場ライブも" [CD Shop Awards announces seven winners, past winners' live at event] (in Japanese). Natalie. February 4, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  24. ↑ 米津玄師、ユニバーサルシグマより5月にメジャーデビュー [Kenshi Yonezu, major debut in May under Universal Sigma] (in Japanese). Natalie. April 3, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  25. 1 2 米津玄師「サンタマリア」インタビュー [Kenshi Yonezu 1st Santa Maria interview]. Minako Ito (in Japanese). Natalie. May 24, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2013.
  26. ↑ 米津玄師、2年9カ月ぶり「ハチ」名義でボカロ楽曲公開 [Kenshi Yonezu unveils first Vocaloid song as Hachi in two years and nine months] (in Japanese). Natalie. October 28, 2013. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  27. ↑ 米津玄師、新作アルバムに"ハチ"曲「ドーナツホール」も [Kenshi Yonezu, new album features "Hachi" song Donut Hole too.] (in Japanese). Natalie. February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2014.
  28. 1 2 "米津玄師アルバムより新曲PV公開、初ワンマンはUNITで" [Kenshi Yonezu, new song from album's music video unveiled, first one man live at Unit.] (in Japanese). Natalie. March 15, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  29. ↑ "米津玄師 東京メトロの新CMソング書き下ろし" [Kenshi Yonezu wrote new Tokyo Metro CM song] (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. March 27, 2014. Retrieved March 27, 2014.
  30. ↑ Tomoko Imai (April 22, 2014). "米津玄師、居場所をなくした全ての人に贈る2ndアルバム『YANKEE』インタビュー" [Kenshi Yonezu 2nd album Yankee interview, dedicated to everyone who has lost their way.] (in Japanese). EMTG. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  31. 1 2 Koichi Kamiya (April 23, 2014). 「最近はネットコミュニティを俯瞰で見ている」米津玄師が振り返る、ネットと作り手の関わり方 ["I lurk a lot on net communities recently" says Kenshi Yonezu, explaining the link between the Internet and creation.] (in Japanese). RealSound. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  32. ↑ Tomonori Shiba (April 23, 2014). "゛呪い゛を解く鍵「YANKEE」に込めた思い　" [Thoughts put into Yankee, the key to removing a curse.] (in Japanese). Natalie. Archived from the original on April 24, 2014. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
  33. ↑ 「ニルギリ」 [Nilgiri] (in Japanese). Lasah. June 29, 2010. Archived from the original on November 9, 2013. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Letters to U" (in Japanese). Tower Records. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  35. ↑ "劇場版「あの花」公開記念、「secret base」がLPサイズで" [Secret Base released in LP size to commemorate the film version of Anohana's release] (in Japanese). Natalie. August 2, 2008. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  36. ↑ ライブ決定 [Live Decided] (in Japanese). Kenshi Yonezu. August 2, 2008. Archived from the original on August 9, 2009. Retrieved November 9, 2013.
  37. ↑ "自分勝手な愛。米津玄師が語る2ndシングル「MAD HEAD LOVE / ポッピンアパシー」" [Selfish love. Kenshi Yonezu talks about his second single "Mad Head Love / Poppin' Apathy"]. Mucomi+Plus, Hisanori Yoshida (in Japanese). Barks. October 16, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2013.
  38. ↑ "米津玄師、「ROCKIN'ON JAPAN」にて新連載スタート！　架空の生物を紹介する「かいじゅうずかん」" [Kenshi Yonezu, new column in Rockin' On Japan starting! Kaijū Zukan, introducing fictional creatures]. Rockin' On Japan (in Japanese). June 26, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  39. 1 2 "米津玄師のリリース一覧" [A Look at Kenshi Yonezu's Releases]. Oricon. Retrieved September 13, 2015.
  40. 1 2 "GOLD DISC 2015年10月度". The Record (Bulletin) (in Japanese). Chūō, Tokyo: Recording Industry Association of Japan. 673: 14. November 20, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 11, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2015.
  41. ↑ "ハチのリリース一覧" [A Look at Hachi's Releases]. Oricon. Retrieved October 30, 2013.
  42. 1 2 "Hot 100｜JAPAN Charts｜Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard.
  43. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. June 10, 2013. Retrieved September 28, 2013.
  44. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. October 30, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  45. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2014/05/12". Billboard (in Japanese). May 7, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  46. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard Japan. January 21, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2015.
  47. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). September 9, 2015. Retrieved September 9, 2015.
  48. ↑ "Japan Billboard Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese). October 14, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  49. ↑ "Japan Billboard Radio Songs". Billboard (in Japanese). October 28, 2015. Retrieved October 28, 2015.


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