The renowned Japanese musician and singer-songwriter Kiyoharu He made some strong statements in a recent interview, after finishing a tour with the band Boris. His comments resonated in the Japanese music industry and opened a debate about the authentic essence of rock and its representation in today's culture.

In the interview, Kiyoharu expressed his admiration for Boris, a band that has been taking its music to international stages for years. He suggested that Boris be the main band at the Fuji Rock festival, representing Japan. This statement highlights his opinion on the lack of recognition for true talents in the Japanese music scene.

Kiyoharu continued. criticizing the way Japan treats musicianshighlighting that in the country Mediocre musicians tend to be more valued than those with real talent.. For him, this trend is leading to the decline of rock in Japan. Furthermore, he highlighted that rap has surpassed rock in popularity, reflecting a disconnect between the authenticity of rock and what the public perceives.

One of the most notable points of his criticism was directed at the relationship between music and the anime industry. Kiyoharu mentioned that some rock bands gain international fame because one of their songs becomes a hit thanks to a popular anime. He criticized how these bands use their success in anime to promote themselves as if they had a consolidated international fanbase, calling this practice “really regrettable” and reflecting on how the music scene works in Japan. Bands gain recognition not for their genuine talent, but for their association with popular entertainment products.

In conclusion, Kiyoharu emphasized that the essence of rock is being perceived as false for those seeking authenticity in music. He noted that audiences can detect a lack of authenticity in contemporary rock music. Kiyoharu's statements generated an intense debate in the music communityand many are wondering whether these criticisms will lead to a change in the way music is valued and promoted in Japan.

• «King Wildebeest, huh?».
• «Today's rock bands lack appeal in the lead singer's voice».
• «Stupid Japanese people love popularity abroad».
• «There is no choice, because without deriving from anime music there is no success abroad.».
• «I thought they were saying more old-fashioned things, but they are actually saying something very reasonable. The success of anime songs is due to the power of anime. Artists are overrated because of anime, but they are confused about it. Who would have thought it would come to this?».
• «It's brave. Saying it now makes young people criticize him out of envy.».
• «The problem is that this person does not realize that the illusion of the “authentic” is disappearing. He should be alone in the “authentic city”».
• «Not just rock bands».
• «Almost everything he sells is anime music.».
• «Nowadays, anime music is the main battlefield».
• «The focus of anime has changed, now they are thinking about international distribution from the beginning».
• «I heard that even when they do concerts overseas, most of the participants are Japanese. Festivals and concerts overseas are heavily influenced by anime.».
• «Is this comment from this year? It's shocking».
• «Even outside of anime songs, animated music videos are gaining more attention. It seems that the combination of animation and music is becoming more and more important.».

Source: Rolling Stone Japan