Interviewed+Written by Genius Japan | Translated by @Ryuforstorm | June 7, 2023Whether you're a fan of J-Pop or not, you probably have heard of "NIGHT DANCER," which has been going around the internet for the past 6 months. Over the upbeat melody and catchy chorus “dou demo ii you na yoru dakedo..,” the song received commercial success, having reached over 70M streams on YouTube and spawned covers and dancing challenges to the song from artists around the globe such as the membеrs of TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT), BTS' Jung Kook, ENHYPEN's SUNGHOON and SUNOO and many more.

imase , the mastеrmind behind the viral hit is a 22-year-old new-generation musician from Gifu, and he has been working on his music since 2021 during the pandemic. Less than two years after his debut, the total number of his songs played on Tiktok exceeded 2 billion.
Lately, Genius Japan had the opportunity to discuss with imase about his inspirations behind the massive world hit, his upcoming lookouts and what we can see in his future music endeavors.── Your song "NIGHT DANCER" has been a major hit all over the world. Can you share with us the creative process behind the song? And how is it influenced by?

imase: I wrote this song hoping that it would make everyone wanna get hyped up and dance. I remember listening to a lot of songs, both Japanese and overseas, that have the same chord progression as “Just the Two of Us.” I came up with the melody while driving at night, so I think the execution of this song was something that everyone would want to listen to on active nights.

── You once stated an interest in exploring other musical genres and styles. What genres are you interested in, and why?

imase: Recently, I've been interested in soul music. After listening to songs like Gen Hoshino's "FUSHIGI" and jo0ji's "駄叉 (Dasa)," I began wanting to apply them into my own music.

── You were ecstatic with your first live performance of POP OVER in March. What are your expectations for major events like ROCK IN JAPAN, SUMMER SONIC, SWEET LOVE SHOWER, and imase 1st Live Tour 2023?

imase: I know that many of those who are coming to the music festivals will be seeing me for the first time, so I want to give my best performance so that they will be as interested in imase and its music as possible.

── You once appeared as a cameo in the closing credits of TV Tokyo's drama series Chaser Game (2022), for which your digital single "Analog Life" served as the theme song. Are you interested in pursuing an acting career?

imase: As for acting, I would like to challenge myself if I have the opportunity. In the future, I might even be seen acting in my own music videos, so I would like to try out little by little through such opportunities.
── Many new, young artists are pursuing an artist career and composing music independently; what advice would you provide them?

imase: I feel it's important to find your own niche. I am working with the idea in mind that pursuing what you are good at is the shortest route to success.

── Lastly, what's next for you as an artist? Are there any upcoming projects or collaborations you can share that you're particularly excited about?

imase: I want to write songs that transcend language barriers and that many people out there enjoy listening to. As for my future plans, I am very much looking forward to summer festivals and my first live tour! I’ll give all I’ve got to perform so that everyone can enjoy my music!

── Thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedules to chat with us, imase!
Photos provided by Universal Music LLC
Any unauthorized copying, alteration, reproduction, or distribution is prohibited.You can read all the lyrics and translations to imase's latest single "Nagisa" on Genius now.
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