Yorushika

Yorushika
Yorushika's logo
Background information
OriginJapan
Genres
Years active2017 (2017)–present
Labels
MembersN-buna
Suis
Websiteyorushika.com

Yorushika (ヨルシカ) is a Japanese rock duo founded in 2017 represented by Universal Music Japan. The group is composed of N-buna, a vocaloid music producer, and Suis, a female vocalist. They are known for their juxtaposition of "passionate" and "upbeat" production and instrumentation fused with heavier lyrical content, which often explore ideas such as love and human emotion and draw from works of literature including Masuji Ibuse and Jules Verne.[1][2] The name "Yorushika" is taken from a lyric in their song "The Clouds and the Ghost" (雲と幽霊, Kumo to Yūrei): "Yoru shika mō nemurezu ni" (夜しかもう眠れずに, meaning "I can only sleep at night").[3] The eye-designed logo mark is a motif of two moons facing each other and also serves as a clock hand, portraying the time "from 6:00 to night".[4]

The duo is extremely secretive, never publicly revealing their faces together.[5]

History

Prior to the formation of Yorushika, N-buna already had a sizeable following on Niconico, a Japanese video hosting website, first releasing vocaloid music on the platform in 2012. His 2013 song "Tōmei Elegy" (透明エレジー) reached first on the platform's daily vocaloid ranking.[6] Additionally, he has produced two albums through U&R Records, a subsidiary of Niconico's owner Dwango.[7][8]

According to an interview with Natalie, N-buna and Suis met through a common acquaintance; Suis was a longtime fan of N-buna's vocaloid work. Suis first appeared as a guest vocalist during N-buna's two solo concerts in Tokyo.[3][9] N-buna reached out to Suis to form Yorushika as part of N-buna's effort to find a "more human" voice to use in his music, as opposed to vocaloid.[1] Since then, the two have released three extended plays and three full albums, all of which charted on both the Oricon Albums Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot 100 Albums Chart. Yorushika's popularity grew explosively, with critics noting that the lyrics seemed to strike a chord with younger audiences.[1] Additionally, the song "Tada Kimi ni Hare" (ただ君に晴れ) also became popular in video app TikTok.[10]

As of November 2019, their faces and detailed profiles have not been disclosed as they want their audiences to listen to their music without "preconceptions". They have hosted live performances before, but the etiquette of concerts in Japan is a strict no-image policy until told otherwise. [11]

In 2020, they provided the theme song "Ghost in a Flower" (花に亡霊, Hana ni Bōrei), the insert song "Night Journey" (夜行, Yakou), and the ending song "Liar" (嘘月, Usotsuki), for the animated film A Whisker Away.[12][13]

In 2021, Suis provided the ending theme "Shonen Jidai" (少年時代) to the Japanese version of the Disney film Luca.[14]

In 2022, they provided the theme song "Left-Right Confusion" (左右盲, Sayuumou) and "Chinokate" (チノカテ) for the Japanese TV drama "Renovation like Magic" (魔法のリノベ, Mahō no rinobe).[15]

In 2023, they provided the song "Setting Sun" (斜陽, Shayou), the opening theme song for the first season of the anime series The Dangers in My Heart, and the song "Telepath" (テレパス, Terepasu), the opening theme song for the anime series Kaina of the Great Snow Sea.

In 2024, Yorushika provided the song "Sunny" (晴る, Haru),[16] the second opening theme song for the anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey's End.

Members

  • n-buna (pronounced nabuna) – music, arrangement
  • suis (pronounced su-i) – vocals

Supporting Members

  • Mitsuyasu Shimotsuru (Guitar) [17]
  • Tatsuya Kitani (Bass) [17]
  • Masack (Drums) [17]
  • Tetsuya Hirahata (Piano) [17]

Discography

Albums

Title Album Details Chart positions
JPN[18] JPN
Hot Album 		TWN
East Asia Album
Dakara Boku wa Ongaku wo Yameta (だから僕は音楽を辞めた)
  • Released: April 10, 2019
  • Label: U&R
 5 5[19] —
Elma (エルマ) 3 2[20] —
Plagiarism (盗作)
  • Released: July 29, 2020
  • Label: Universal J
 2 1[21] 3[22]
Magic Lantern (幻燈)
  • Released: April 5, 2023
  • Label: Polydor
 — 5[23] —

Extended plays

Title EP details Chart positions
Oricon Weekly
Albums Chart[18] 		Billboard Japan
Hot 100
Natsukusa ga Jyama wo Suru (夏草が邪魔をする)
  • Released: June 28, 2017
  • Label: U&R Records
 32 35[24]
Makeinu ni Encore wa Iranai (負け犬にアンコールはいらない)
  • Released: May 9, 2018
  • Label: U&R Records
 5 6[25]
Creation (創作)
  • Released: January 27, 2021
  • Label: Universal J[26]
 4 4

Accolades

Year Ceremony Award Nominated Work Result
2020 34th Japan Gold Disc Award[27] Best 5 New Artists Won
2020 MTV Europe Music Awards Best Japanese Act Nominated
2021 13th CD Shop Awards[28] Finalist Award Plagiarism (盗作, Tosaku) Won
Space Shower Music Awards[29] Best Pop Artist Nominated

Videography

Music videos

Title Year Director
"Fireworks Beneath My Shoes" 2017 Second Origami
"Say It." Ootori
"Semi-Transparent Boy" 2018 Minakata Laboratory
"Hitchcock" Ootori
"Just a Sunny Day for You" Popurika
"The Clouds and the Ghost"
"Blur"
"Parade" 2019 Ootori
"That's Why I Gave Up on Music" Popurika and Magotsuki
"A Hole Opened Up in My Heart" Kawasaki Kenji
"Rain with Cappuccino" Popurika
"Nautilus" Kohta Morie
"Night Journey" 2020 Hiroshi Kamebuchi
"Ghost in a Flower" Popurika
"Prostitution" Takuya Katsumi
"Thoughtcrime" Rabbit MACHINE
"Plagiarism" Tetsuya Nagato
"Eat the Wind" Kyotaro Hayashi
"Spring Thief" 2021 Kohta Morie
"Matasaburo" Takuya Katsumi
"Howl at the Moon" Ryu Kato
"Bremen" 2022 Rabbit MACHINE
Left-Right Confusion" Kohta Morie
"Fruits of the Earth" Ryo Ichikawa
"Telepath" 2023 Rabbit MACHINE
"Algernon" Takuro Oishi
"Miyakoochi" Atsuyo Kanamori
"Setting Sun" Yutaro Kubo
"Moonbath" Yutaro Kubo

References

  1. ^ a b c 天野史彬 (August 28, 2019). "ヨルシカインタビュー 自分を滅却し、芸術に人生を捧げた2人の決断". Cinra.net (in Japanese). Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  2. ^ St. Michel, Patrick (April 12, 2019). "Yorushika offers a subversive meditation on artistic passion on "That's Why I Gave Up On Music"". OTAQUEST. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  3. ^ a b 風間大洋. "ヨルシカ". Natalie (in Japanese). Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  4. ^ 風間大洋 Kazama Taiyo (2017-06-28). "ヨルシカ「夏草が邪魔をする」インタビュー｜気鋭ボカロP・n-bunaが新たに挑む"バンド"という表現手段 - 音楽ナタリー 特集・インタビュー". natalie.mu (in Japanese). Natasha Inc.'s Music Natalie Editorial Department. Retrieved 2024-04-25. 「雲と幽霊」の2番に「夜しかもう眠れずに」っていう歌詞があるんですけど、以前から「夜しか眠れない」っていう言葉が頭の中にあって、だからこの曲にもこういう歌詞を付けたんです。そのフレーズが好きで、語感もすごくよかったしそこから取りました。{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^ "ヨルシカ、10月に東名阪にて2年ぶりとなるワンマン・ライヴ開催決定". Skream (in Japanese). August 8, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  6. ^ "人気若手ボカロP、ナブナが初のフル アルバムをリリース". okmusic (in Japanese). May 12, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  7. ^ "人気若手ボカロP"ナブナ"、初の全国流通盤となる新作アルバムの発売決定！". UtaTen (in Japanese). May 13, 2015. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "「ウミユリ海底譚」で知られるn-buna、童話をモチーフにしたフルアルバム発表". Natalie (in Japanese). April 26, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  9. ^ "n-bunaがバンド編成で初ライブ「1人だと思ってたけど支えられてた」". Natalie (in Japanese). August 17, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  10. ^ "TikTokで使用されている人気の楽曲の原曲はこちら！(邦楽編)". Tower Records Japan (in Japanese). November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  11. ^ "ヨルシカの顔出しはライブ待ち。ちなみにサポートメンバーは超人気バンドの元ドラマー！ | レコメンロック". www.rockband-recommended.tokyo (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-02-09.
  12. ^ "A Whisker Away Anime Film's Video Reveals Yorushika Ending Song". Anime News Network. June 12, 2020. Retrieved June 12, 2020.
  13. ^ "J-Pop Duo Yorushika's 'Usotsuki' Featured in Netflix's New Animated 'A Whisker Away': Watch Video". Billboard. 17 June 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  14. ^ "Yoshika suis reveals the reason why he doesn't show up. 'The joy of living that I felt by breathing into the work". Richhippos. 2021-06-28. Retrieved 2021-07-01.
  15. ^ "ドラマ『魔法のリノベ』主題歌「チノカテ」、8月29日デジタルリリース決定！". ヨルシカ (in Japanese). 2022-08-22. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  16. ^ "ヨルシカ「晴る」CM SPOT（A type）". YouTube. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  17. ^ a b c d "ヨルシカ Biography". yorushika (in Japanese). yorushika. Retrieved 2024-04-26. サポートメンバー：下鶴光康（Guitar）、キタニタツヤ（Bass）、Masack（Drums）、平畑徹也（Piano)
  18. ^ a b "ヨルシカ". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  19. ^ "Hot Albums 2019/04/22 付け". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  20. ^ "Hot Albums 2019/09/09 付け". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  21. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2020-08-07.
  22. ^ "Taiwan G-music Chart". g-music. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
  23. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot Albums | Charts". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2023-05-02.
  24. ^ "Hot Albums 2017/07/10 付け". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  25. ^ "Hot Albums 2018/05/21 付け". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  26. ^ "【12/9追記】ヨルシカEP『創作』2021年1月27日発売決定". ヨルシカ (in Japanese). 2020-12-09. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
  27. ^ "The 34th Japan Gold Disc Award". golddisc.jp. Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  28. ^ "The 13th CD Shop Awards 2021 Announces Its Nominees for 2020". 8 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Space Shower MVA nominees".

External links

  • Official website
  • Yorushika at Oricon (in Japanese)
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