Billboard Japan/Ashley Osbourne/Courtesy of Coachella
YOASOBI will take to the Mojave Stage on the first day of the 2024 Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival's opening weekend (April 12), with Lana Del Rey, Tyler, The Creator, and Doja Cat as heads. Participated in the annual desert music festival where he served as a liner. A Billboard Japan correspondent witnessed the J-pop duo's first Coachella set on stage in Indio, California.
Ayase and Ikura have been expanding their activities outside of Japan, and last August they performed in the United States for the first time at 88rising's Los Angeles event “Head in the Clouds.” At the Mojave Stage on Friday, some fans waited in the front rows of the previous act's set to see YOASOBI up close, indicating that the J-Pop star is becoming a household name in the United States as well. The front rows were packed with fans of various ethnicities, from local fans to Asian fans, including tourists from Japan and Japanese living in the United States, to Latinx fans, and there were conversations in languages other than English during the venue. was flying around. Switching between acts. The common thread was that they were all young and excited about the upcoming performance.
The “Idol” duo's set was reduced and simplified compared to a typical concert production due to the nature of the music festival and limited space on stage. However, at the same time, the distance between the audience and artists was close, and the environment was friendly to fans.
At 8:20 p.m., the scheduled start time for YOASOBI, the lights went dark, lasers flashed from the stage, and images were projected on the screen as band members took their positions. Next, Ayase and iakura appeared together on a 6-foot-tall podium with a screen in the center of the stage, and after the vocalist introduced himself with just one word, “This is YOASOBI,” the live performance began with the two of them. did. “Running at Night” was a big hit. The audience's voltage was high from the beginning, and Ayase couldn't seem to contain her joy as she responded to the dark-colored audience with a smile and a wave.
In the following song, “The Blessing,” iakura stepped down to the stage and stood in the center of the stage, emphasizing the closeness between the audience seats and the stage. Shouts of “I love you!” and “YOASOBI!” followed by heartfelt calls of “Aishiteru!” from the audience. (“I love you” in Japanese) A message from a fan who probably learned the phrase on this occasion.
Throughout the show, the vocalist addressed fans in English, saying, “Good evening everyone, we are YOASOBI from Japan,'' and introduced himself and music producer Ayase. “Honestly, we've been waiting to see you all. It's really surreal being here at Coachella. Oh my gosh,” she continued. “Honestly, it's a big dream come true for us, it's amazing! Thank you for being here to be a part of this magical moment. What an honor.”
“We were ready to rock the stage. Coachella! Get ready to groove!” Then she excited the audience: “Are you ready to dance? Ready to sing with us” Are you ready? OK, come on, Coachella, make some noise!” The band started with “Seventeen,” and the audience chanted, “Oi!” Hey! ” Along hard rock tracks. Keyboardist Wrumth Gizakuro danced to the song, highlighting her versatility and the band's ability to deliver.
In the middle of the set, ikura asked fans to turn on their smartphone lights, saying, “I want to feel a sense of unity for the next song.'' When the slow-tempo intro to “Probbly” began, the audience responded immediately, demonstrating their dedication to the hitmaker. The following song, “The Brave,” had fans jumping and headbanging to the beat, enjoying themselves to their heart's content.
“Coachella, it's coming to an end. Show us your energy! More!” Ikura said before performing her hit song “Monster,” and in “Gunjo,” she sings a song that means “I'm irreplaceable.” The lyrics were changed to “Everyone is irreplaceable.'' The band concluded their hit-filled set with Billboard Japan's 2023 Song of the Year, “Idol.” The song topped the Japan Hot 100 for a record 22 weeks.
During the nine-song, 45-minute performance, Ikura addressed the audience in English, but the setlist also included songs performed in the original Japanese. As he said during his set, “We're trying to bring our music from Japan to the world,'' and so he performed “our music'' with Japanese lyrics to the audience gathered at the world-famous Coachella. It was a memorable live performance that was delivered effectively. Host a music festival and reach listeners around the world via livestream.
YOASOBI also appeared at the 88RISING FUTURES showcase on the third day. After Tiger JK and Yoon Mi Rae opened the set, the duo took the stage, with ikura addressing the audience again in English, before the duo first performed “Probbly” to the crowd on the Mojave Stage. “I love you all so much. Thank you. Let's sing together,” she said, followed by the intro to “Idol.” ikura sang, “What type of man do you like?” / Who is your partner? / Now answer me,” she called out, “Welcome to the new school!” He then called four members of the group onto the stage. An alternative J-pop girl group also joined in to spice up the show, performing what is known in Japan as otagei (otaku dance moves) during the chorus. The audience responded enthusiastically, saying, “Hey!” Hey! ” A moment of euphoria reaches its climax as the music accompanies it.