YUGEN PODCAST

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ ACE HASHIMOTOHe took his best friend's name — and the "hashi" in it turned out to be the job.Ace Hashimoto is a singer, songwriter and producer from Chicago, based in Tokyo since 2023. He has written and produced for SZA, Mac Miller and Chance the Rapper, and in Japan for EXILE, CRAZYBOY, King & Prince and Punipunidenki, with collaborations across Asia alongside PH-1 and BIG NAUGHTY. He came to music sideways: a bored teenage gamer who opened FL Studio because it looked like another game, still finishing a marketing degree when the paperwork and the money started arriving. Japan came from his father's record shelves — enka, Japanese fusion jazz, city pop, YMO — and from a Mega Drive soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro he only later realised was house music. A publishing deal in Los Angeles paid well and nearly finished him: making records he did not want to make, he walked away from music for an IT job in San Jose. He was still on that break when he played a show and the French producer Onra offered backstage to fund an album. That became PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE. (2021). He first played Tokyo in 2017 and moved for good six years later. He now writes with one test in mind: will this sound good at karaoke? On April 17, 2026 he released "TOP NOTCH," built the 2000s way — a Japanese version with Toya Fujita, a solo version with CUBE and 2chill, instrumentals — and "TAKE YOU HOME" followed in August. He arrived wanting to be a Japanese artist. He has settled on something harder: being the bridge his name already means.親友の名前を、そのまま自分の名前にした。その「橋」の字が、いつのまにか仕事になっていた。シカゴ出身、2023年から東京を拠点にするシンガー／ソングライター／プロデューサー。SZA、Mac Miller、Chance the Rapper らの作品に関わり、日本ではEXILE、CRAZYBOY、King & Princeらに楽曲を提供。PH-1やBIG NAUGHTYなどアジア圏との共作も多い。音楽には横から入った。ゲームに飽きた十代のある日、友人に教わったFL Studioが「もうひとつのゲーム」に見えたのが始まりで、大学でマーケティングを学んでいるうちに契約書とギャラが届くようになった。日本は父のレコード棚にあった。演歌、和製フュージョン・ジャズ、シティポップ、YMO。メガドライブ『ベア・ナックル』の古代祐三のサウンドがハウスだったと気づくのは、ずっと後のことだ。ロサンゼルスで結んだ出版契約は実入りこそよかったが、聴きたくもない音楽を作り続ける日々に消耗し、彼は音楽から離れてサンノゼでITの仕事に就く。その休止期間に出たライブで、フランス人プロデューサーOnraが楽屋で「アルバムを作れ、資金は出す」と申し出る。そうして生まれたのが『PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE.』（2021年）だ。初来日は2017年、移住はその6年後。いま曲を書くときの基準はひとつ、「カラオケで気持ちよく歌えるか」。2026年4月17日には「TOP NOTCH」をリリース。2000年代のやり方にならい、藤田織也を迎えた日本語版やインストまでを一枚に収めた。8月には「TAKE YOU HOME」が続いた。日本のアーティストになりたい——そう思って来日した。いま引き受けているのは、もう少し難しい役割だ。自分の名前がすでに意味しているもの——橋になること。■ FOLLOW ACE HASHIMOTOOfficial Links: https://linktr.ee/acehashimotoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/acehashimofo/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acehashimofoPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/acehashimotoStreaming（EP「TOP NOTCH」）: https://music.apple.com/us/album/top-notch-feat-3ee-single/1886205720■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/■ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:16 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast03:16 The name Ace Hashimoto, FL Studio as "another game", and his dad's record shelves (YMO to SMAP)09:40 Burning out on a publishing deal, the hiatus, and how Onra brought him back12:32 Learning to sing from zero, and from Streets of Rage to Shibuya-kei24:17 Working with EXILE, CRAZYBOY and King & Prince — how Japan does business26:16 Why he hates live shows: perfectionism, not nerves28:32 J-pop vs K-pop, the karaoke test, and collaborating across Asia (PH-1, BIG NAUGHTY)32:44 The "TOP NOTCH" EP, ikigai, and his daily routine35:15 Off-mic: the haircut, Koenji thrift shops, vinyl vs CDJs, skincare and meditation43:18 Growing up in Chicago, and the email that made music real at 1847:29 "Am I a Japanese artist?" — being a conduit, and the story behind "TOP NOTCH"51:39 "Go to Japan now": the 2017 ageHa show, Harajuku, and camping in Yamanashi57:37 Japan doesn't need to change: the Perfume lesson, being the bridge, what's next, and a message to fansCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: ELLI-ROSEGuest: ACE HASHIMOTOCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeArt Department:ONSA Inc.SpecialThanksSae HidakaEdit:4thclue Inc.Production:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ ACE HASHIMOTOHe took his best friend's name — and the "hashi" in it turned out to be the job.Ace Hashimoto is a singer, songwriter and producer from Chicago, based in Tokyo since 2023. He has written and produced for SZA, Mac Miller and Chance the Rapper, and in Japan for EXILE, CRAZYBOY, King & Prince and Punipunidenki, with collaborations across Asia alongside PH-1 and BIG NAUGHTY. He came to music sideways: a bored teenage gamer who opened FL Studio because it looked like another game, still finishing a marketing degree when the paperwork and the money started arriving. Japan came from his father's record shelves — enka, Japanese fusion jazz, city pop, YMO — and from a Mega Drive soundtrack by Yuzo Koshiro he only later realised was house music. A publishing deal in Los Angeles paid well and nearly finished him: making records he did not want to make, he walked away from music for an IT job in San Jose. He was still on that break when he played a show and the French producer Onra offered backstage to fund an album. That became PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE. (2021). He first played Tokyo in 2017 and moved for good six years later. He now writes with one test in mind: will this sound good at karaoke? On April 17, 2026 he released "TOP NOTCH," built the 2000s way — a Japanese version with Toya Fujita, a solo version with CUBE and 2chill, instrumentals — and "TAKE YOU HOME" followed in August. He arrived wanting to be a Japanese artist. He has settled on something harder: being the bridge his name already means.親友の名前を、そのまま自分の名前にした。その「橋」の字が、いつのまにか仕事になっていた。シカゴ出身、2023年から東京を拠点にするシンガー／ソングライター／プロデューサー。SZA、Mac Miller、Chance the Rapper らの作品に関わり、日本ではEXILE、CRAZYBOY、King & Princeらに楽曲を提供。PH-1やBIG NAUGHTYなどアジア圏との共作も多い。音楽には横から入った。ゲームに飽きた十代のある日、友人に教わったFL Studioが「もうひとつのゲーム」に見えたのが始まりで、大学でマーケティングを学んでいるうちに契約書とギャラが届くようになった。日本は父のレコード棚にあった。演歌、和製フュージョン・ジャズ、シティポップ、YMO。メガドライブ『ベア・ナックル』の古代祐三のサウンドがハウスだったと気づくのは、ずっと後のことだ。ロサンゼルスで結んだ出版契約は実入りこそよかったが、聴きたくもない音楽を作り続ける日々に消耗し、彼は音楽から離れてサンノゼでITの仕事に就く。その休止期間に出たライブで、フランス人プロデューサーOnraが楽屋で「アルバムを作れ、資金は出す」と申し出る。そうして生まれたのが『PLAY.MAKE.BELIEVE.』（2021年）だ。初来日は2017年、移住はその6年後。いま曲を書くときの基準はひとつ、「カラオケで気持ちよく歌えるか」。2026年4月17日には「TOP NOTCH」をリリース。2000年代のやり方にならい、藤田織也を迎えた日本語版やインストまでを一枚に収めた。8月には「TAKE YOU HOME」が続いた。日本のアーティストになりたい——そう思って来日した。いま引き受けているのは、もう少し難しい役割だ。自分の名前がすでに意味しているもの——橋になること。■ FOLLOW ACE HASHIMOTOOfficial Links: https://linktr.ee/acehashimotoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/acehashimofo/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@acehashimofoPatreon: https://www.patreon.com/acehashimotoStreaming（EP「TOP NOTCH」）: https://music.apple.com/us/album/top-notch-feat-3ee-single/1886205720■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/■ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:16 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast03:16 The name Ace Hashimoto, FL Studio as "another game", and his dad's record shelves (YMO to SMAP)09:40 Burning out on a publishing deal, the hiatus, and how Onra brought him back12:32 Learning to sing from zero, and from Streets of Rage to Shibuya-kei24:17 Working with EXILE, CRAZYBOY and King & Prince — how Japan does business26:16 Why he hates live shows: perfectionism, not nerves28:32 J-pop vs K-pop, the karaoke test, and collaborating across Asia (PH-1, BIG NAUGHTY)32:44 The "TOP NOTCH" EP, ikigai, and his daily routine35:15 Off-mic: the haircut, Koenji thrift shops, vinyl vs CDJs, skincare and meditation43:18 Growing up in Chicago, and the email that made music real at 1847:29 "Am I a Japanese artist?" — being a conduit, and the story behind "TOP NOTCH"51:39 "Go to Japan now": the 2017 ageHa show, Harajuku, and camping in Yamanashi57:37 Japan doesn't need to change: the Perfume lesson, being the bridge, what's next, and a message to fansCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: ELLI-ROSEGuest: ACE HASHIMOTOCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeArt Department:ONSA Inc.SpecialThanksSae HidakaEdit:4thclue Inc.Production:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ MELONiiNine years a K-pop trainee, one girl group, four languages — and her solo debut is in the one she taught herself.MELONii is a Korean singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, known until last year as Minji, main vocalist of the K-pop girl group SECRET NUMBER. Her first audition came in elementary school, for a K-pop academy her mother had found; what followed was nine years as a trainee, including "Produce 101" and "Produce 48." She remembers wanting to quit after one practice, crying in the car when her mother came to pick her up — and her mother telling her that if she could not do it, nobody could. She debuted with SECRET NUMBER in 2021 and cried again, this time from relief. In the practice room a Japanese bandmate, Léa, played her "Pretender" by Official HIGE DANdism, and J-pop took over from there: she taught herself Japanese in three years, and at karaoke she always opens with Chisato Moritaka's "Watarasebashi." After leaving the group in April 2025 she spent a year writing — around 60 songs in stock, of which, she says, one in ten gets released — and once walked past the Universal Music Japan building wishing she could work there someday. On March 31, 2026, her birthday, that label released her solo debut, "Risky Risky," a Y2K-flavored song about not changing yourself for someone you love, and the first song she ever wrote in Japanese. In June came the second single, "GASSO," a Korean version of Tiara Andini's "Janji Setia" with lyrics she wrote herself, and an Indonesian version of her fan song "Unconditional." The name is Melody plus Harmony — and, she says, it took a month.K-POPの練習生として9年。ガールズグループを経て、4か国語を操る。ソロデビュー曲に選んだのは、独学で覚えた日本語だった。韓国出身、東京を拠点に活動するシンガー／ソングライター。K-POPガールズグループSECRET NUMBERのメインボーカルMINJIとして知られた。最初のオーディションは小学生のとき、母が見つけてきたK-POPアカデミーの入所試験だった。そこから「Produce 101」「Produce 48」を経て、練習生生活は9年に及ぶ。ある日の練習後、迎えに来た母の車で「もう辞めたい」と泣いた。あなたにできないなら誰にできるの、という母の答えで、やめられなくなった。2021年、SECRET NUMBERでデビューした日も泣いた。今度は安堵の涙だった。練習室で日本人メンバーのLéaがかけたOfficial髭男dismの「Pretender」がJ-POPへの入口になり、日本語は3年で独学で身につけた。カラオケの1曲目はいつも森高千里の「渡良瀬橋」だ。2025年4月にグループを離れてからの1年は、ピアノを弾き、曲を書く日々。ストックは約60曲、世に出るのは10曲に1曲だという。ユニバーサル ミュージック ジャパンのビルの前を通りかかり「いつかここで」と願ったのも、この頃だった。2026年3月31日、自身の誕生日に、そのレーベルからソロデビュー曲「Risky Risky」をリリース。好きな人に合わせて自分を変えないで、というメッセージをY2Kのサウンドに乗せた、初めて日本語で書いた曲である。6月には2ndシングル「GASSO」、自ら韓国語詞を書いたTiara Andini「Janji Setia」の韓国語版、ファンに向けた「Unconditional」のインドネシア語版が続いた。MELONiiはMelodyとHarmonyの造語。決めるのに1か月かかったという。■ FOLLOW MELONiiOfficial Website / Fan Community: https://melonii.jp/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melonii.official/X: https://x.com/vitaminnnz_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melonii.official1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MELONii_officialStreaming（2nd Single「GASSO」）: https://vm.group/GASSOStreaming（Debut Single「Risky Risky」）: https://vm.group/RiskyRiskyStreaming（Tiara Andini feat. MELONii「Janji Setia」）: https://lnk.to/TiaraMELONiiJanjiSetiaID■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/■ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:34 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast01:45 The name MELONii, Showa and Heisei J-pop at karaoke, and BoA as her role model06:26 Youngest finalist at 11, and the nine years it took to debut10:17 PRODUCE 48, AKB48, and debuting as SECRET NUMBER's main vocalist17:11 First trip to Japan in 2018, and Ichiran ramen in Fukuoka20:14 Writing "DOOMCHITA", and 60 songs in stock24:42 Leaving the group, and a year of finding herself30:52 Why Jakarta: the love from Indonesian fans37:56 From singer to producer, and does "Asian music" exist? "No limit"42:59 The next 5 to 10 years, Coachella, and why Asian lyrics run deeper48:09 "GASSO", "Janji Setia" and "Unconditional" (Indonesia Ver.) — a message for fansCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: Isaac Y. TakeuGuest: MELONiiCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeArt Department:ONSA Inc.Edit:4thclue Inc.Production:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ MELONiiNine years a K-pop trainee, one girl group, four languages — and her solo debut is in the one she taught herself.MELONii is a Korean singer-songwriter based in Tokyo, known until last year as Minji, main vocalist of the K-pop girl group SECRET NUMBER. Her first audition came in elementary school, for a K-pop academy her mother had found; what followed was nine years as a trainee, including "Produce 101" and "Produce 48." She remembers wanting to quit after one practice, crying in the car when her mother came to pick her up — and her mother telling her that if she could not do it, nobody could. She debuted with SECRET NUMBER in 2021 and cried again, this time from relief. In the practice room a Japanese bandmate, Léa, played her "Pretender" by Official HIGE DANdism, and J-pop took over from there: she taught herself Japanese in three years, and at karaoke she always opens with Chisato Moritaka's "Watarasebashi." After leaving the group in April 2025 she spent a year writing — around 60 songs in stock, of which, she says, one in ten gets released — and once walked past the Universal Music Japan building wishing she could work there someday. On March 31, 2026, her birthday, that label released her solo debut, "Risky Risky," a Y2K-flavored song about not changing yourself for someone you love, and the first song she ever wrote in Japanese. In June came the second single, "GASSO," a Korean version of Tiara Andini's "Janji Setia" with lyrics she wrote herself, and an Indonesian version of her fan song "Unconditional." The name is Melody plus Harmony — and, she says, it took a month.K-POPの練習生として9年。ガールズグループを経て、4か国語を操る。ソロデビュー曲に選んだのは、独学で覚えた日本語だった。韓国出身、東京を拠点に活動するシンガー／ソングライター。K-POPガールズグループSECRET NUMBERのメインボーカルMINJIとして知られた。最初のオーディションは小学生のとき、母が見つけてきたK-POPアカデミーの入所試験だった。そこから「Produce 101」「Produce 48」を経て、練習生生活は9年に及ぶ。ある日の練習後、迎えに来た母の車で「もう辞めたい」と泣いた。あなたにできないなら誰にできるの、という母の答えで、やめられなくなった。2021年、SECRET NUMBERでデビューした日も泣いた。今度は安堵の涙だった。練習室で日本人メンバーのLéaがかけたOfficial髭男dismの「Pretender」がJ-POPへの入口になり、日本語は3年で独学で身につけた。カラオケの1曲目はいつも森高千里の「渡良瀬橋」だ。2025年4月にグループを離れてからの1年は、ピアノを弾き、曲を書く日々。ストックは約60曲、世に出るのは10曲に1曲だという。ユニバーサル ミュージック ジャパンのビルの前を通りかかり「いつかここで」と願ったのも、この頃だった。2026年3月31日、自身の誕生日に、そのレーベルからソロデビュー曲「Risky Risky」をリリース。好きな人に合わせて自分を変えないで、というメッセージをY2Kのサウンドに乗せた、初めて日本語で書いた曲である。6月には2ndシングル「GASSO」、自ら韓国語詞を書いたTiara Andini「Janji Setia」の韓国語版、ファンに向けた「Unconditional」のインドネシア語版が続いた。MELONiiはMelodyとHarmonyの造語。決めるのに1か月かかったという。■ FOLLOW MELONiiOfficial Website / Fan Community: https://melonii.jp/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melonii.official/X: https://x.com/vitaminnnz_TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melonii.official1YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MELONii_officialStreaming（2nd Single「GASSO」）: https://vm.group/GASSOStreaming（Debut Single「Risky Risky」）: https://vm.group/RiskyRiskyStreaming（Tiara Andini feat. MELONii「Janji Setia」）: https://lnk.to/TiaraMELONiiJanjiSetiaID■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/■ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:34 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast01:45 The name MELONii, Showa and Heisei J-pop at karaoke, and BoA as her role model06:26 Youngest finalist at 11, and the nine years it took to debut10:17 PRODUCE 48, AKB48, and debuting as SECRET NUMBER's main vocalist17:11 First trip to Japan in 2018, and Ichiran ramen in Fukuoka20:14 Writing "DOOMCHITA", and 60 songs in stock24:42 Leaving the group, and a year of finding herself30:52 Why Jakarta: the love from Indonesian fans37:56 From singer to producer, and does "Asian music" exist? "No limit"42:59 The next 5 to 10 years, Coachella, and why Asian lyrics run deeper48:09 "GASSO", "Janji Setia" and "Unconditional" (Indonesia Ver.) — a message for fansCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: Isaac Y. TakeuGuest: MELONiiCreative Producer:Yamato MiyakeArt Department:ONSA Inc.Edit:4thclue Inc.Production:OASIZ Inc.

From Asia to the World — A New Era of Soundアジアのシーンを牽引するアーティストたちとの対話を通して、"アジアミュージック"という未定義のカルチャーに輪郭を与えていく。■ DECEMBER 10　/ ディセンバー・テンSeven strangers, one Netflix series — and a band name that is also their birthday.December 10 is an English–Irish UK boy band born on the Netflix documentary series "Simon Cowell: The Next Act," which followed Cowell's search for a new group and premiered on 10 December 2025 — the date that became their name. Cowell set out to sign five and kept all seven: Cruz, Danny, Hendrik, John, Josh, Nicolas and Seán. A week before the audition, none of them was anywhere near a stage. Seán was on a remote island off the Irish coast with no phone signal, speaking Irish; John had just turned 16 and started was about to start his first job at McDonald's; Cruz was playing pre-season football and pouring drinks at a Hilton bar; another was working the grill at Nando's. They play 14 instruments between them, and the first year has been fast: the debut single "Run My Way" in January 2026, then "Angel," "Infinity (123)" and "Us Against The World"; a debut EP, "On Your Side," that entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 5; a Wembley Stadium crowd of 90,000. Japan came early: Summer Sonic SUMMER SONIC 2026 in Osaka and Tokyo, then a first solo show in the country at Spotify O-EAST in Shibuya. They sat down with YUGEN the day after Summer Sonic SUMMER SONIC, six of them (Danny is taking a break time out), still a little stunned by Japanese crowds that clap in perfect sync, and by a karaoke machine that played "Run My Way" ten times in a row.それぞれ別の道を歩んできた7人と、1本のNetflixシリーズ。そして「誕生日」が、そのままバンド名になった。イングランド＝アイルランド出身イギリス発の7人組ボーイバンド。サイモン・コーウェルが新しいグループを探す過程を追ったNetflixのドキュメンタリーシリーズ『サイモン・コーウェル: Who's The Next?』（原題『Simon Cowell: The Next Act』）から誕生し、シリーズの配信日である2025年12月10日がそのままグループ名になった。5人を選ぶつもりだったコーウェルは、最終候補の7人全員——Cruz、Danny、Hendrik、John、Josh、Nicolas、Seán——を残した。オーディションの1週間前、彼らはステージとは無縁の場所にいた。Seánは電波の届かないアイルランドの離島でアイルランド語を学び、Johnは16歳になったばかりでマクドナルドの初バイトを始めたところ。Cruzはサッカーのプレシーズンをこなしながらヒルトンのバーで酒をつくり、もうひとりはNando'sの鉄板の前にいた。7人で14の楽器を弾く。最初の1年は速かった。2026年1月のデビューシングル「Run My Way」から「Angel」「Infinity (123)」「Us Against The World」、全英アルバムチャート初登場5位のデビューEP『On Your Side』、ウェンブリー・スタジアムの9万人。日本との出会いも早かった。8月のサマーソニック2026（大阪・東京）、その直後には渋谷 Spotify O-EAST で日本初の単独公演。YUGENの収録はサマソニの翌日。休止中のDannyを除く6人は、手拍子まで揃う日本の客席と、「Run My Way」を10回リピートし続けたカラオケの機械に、まだ少し呆然としていた。■ FOLLOW DECEMBER 10Official Website: https://www.december10.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/december10/X: https://x.com/D10BandX (Japan): https://x.com/December10JPTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@december10YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@December10BandStreaming（Debut EP「On Your Side」）: https://december10.lnk.to/OnYourSideEPUniversal Music Japan: https://www.universal-music.co.jp/december10/Netflix「Simon Cowell: The Next Act」: https://www.netflix.com/title/81743409■ YUGEN OFFICIALWeb Site:http://ygen.net/■ CHAPTERS00:00 Intro01:43 Welcome to the YUGEN Podcast02:51 From five members to seven, and working with Simon Cowell05:10 How the name December 10 stuck06:20 No phones in Miami07:23 One week before the audition13:08 The Asian artists they love, and their favorite anime15:21 Seven songs mashed into one18:00 From choirs to tap dance, where each of them started22:46 Who's who in December 1025:02 What sets them apart from the boy bands before them26:17 Japanese crowds and SUMMER SONIC30:08 Meeting XG, and Asian music going global33:42 The most Japan thing: karaoke and conveyor belt sushi36:08 One song for Japan, and who should come nextCREDITSYUGEN Production Committee―MC: Isaac Y. TakeuGuest: DECEMBER 10Creative Producer:Yamato MiyakeArt Department:ONSA Inc.SpecialThanksSae HidakaEdit:4thclue Inc.Production:OASIZ Inc.