Yoasobi’s New Narrative

By Adam Davidson

Japanese pop culture is hardly new to America. But J-pop might be less familiar to stateside audiences. Still, dedicated club nights are spotlighting artists like Ado and Kenshi Yonezu, whose popularity continues to mount. And now, Yoasobi, a duo that formed in Tokyo in 2019, is in the midst of an arena tour that will take them to Barclays Center this Thursday, August 6. 

The group, made up of songwriter and producer Ayase and vocalist Ikura, writes songs that turn novels into music. The approach has yielded unique and versatile results, with hits like “Idol” and “Yoru ni Kakeru” (“Into the Night”) racking up billions of streams. 

This North American run, the Never Ending Stories Tour, comes in support of The Book For, the fourth and final album in their The Book series, which has spanned the group’s career. The album features songs including “Orion,” a track for the video game Overwatch, and “Watch Me!,” the opening theme for the anime Witch Watch.

Onstage, Yoasobi bring their storytelling concept to life, immersing audiences in their fantasy world through dynamic performances and cinematic visuals that blur the line between concert and narrative. We spoke to them about the tour, their process, their solo work, and more. 

What journey do you want to take Brooklyn fans on with your upcoming show at Barclays Centre? 

Ikura: With our upcoming Never Ending Stories North American tour, we really want to embody Yoasobi’s concept of turning stories into music and bring that to life with live performances.  

What was that process like to bring these stories to life?  

Ayase: When we create music in the studio, we are always turning stories into songs. But when we perform onstage as Yoasobi, we need to make sure it is entertaining, with strong visual elements to maximize the fun that we created in the studio. 

Have you added anything new for this upcoming tour that fans haven’t seen from previous shows? 

Ayase: We have definitely evolved as a group, and we have become more focused on narratives and turning stories into songs. We also have a stronger emphasis on visuals and will include stories that you’ve never experienced before.  

With the American shows, what has your experience been like touring the U.S.? Is there anything unique compared to European or Asian audiences? 

Ikura: Audiences in the U.S. really know how to have fun. They are more expressive and more physical and clearly show that they are being entertained. What I’ve discovered is that when we perform with more energy, it feels as if we are exchanging energy with the audience. That experience has taught us to bring even more excitement and energy into the shows coming up. 

Yoasobi has such an immersive live show. How do you approach festivals, with their different settings? 

Ayase: I feel that, fundamentally, festivals and indoor arenas and domes are very different environments for performances. At festivals, you are under the sun and, therefore, lighting and visual effects are different. There are also so many festivalgoers who might not know Yoasobi, so they’re being introduced to our music for the first time. Therefore, we have to bring a more physical energy so we catch the attention of new audiences so that we can immerse them into our stories and enjoy the space together.  

You were the special guest for Billie Eilish at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan in 2025. What was that experience like? 

Ikura: We felt truly honored to be a special guest for Billie Eilish. We were able to watch her perform afterwards, and she is such a big inspiration to see somebody perform all over the world with such a high-level production and expression. It is definitely something we would like to achieve for ourselves, too.  

Ikura, last time we spoke, you mentioned your ambition to grow as a performer and develop through your solo work. How did this experience help you grow? 

Ikura: I met so many people, traveled to different places, and learned a lot about myself, and I grew as a person. With the depth that I gained as a solo performer, I’m bringing everything I discovered with that experience back into the upcoming performances with Yoasobi. Also, as a vocalist, I feel much stronger now, and the communication and collaboration within the band got so much stronger as well. 

Ayase, what was it like bringing your solo vision to life, and how did the songwriting process differ from Yoasobi? 

Ayase: It was a great experience. I always wanted the opportunity to sing as a solo vocalist, but I was so busy with Yoasobi, so I didn’t have time. But you only live once, so I just decided to take the leap of faith and do what I wanted to do as a solo artist. Usually, songwriters create music from their own thoughts and feelings. However, this was a new experience for me, as I have been making music based on stories with Yoasobi. It was a great new discovery to really understand what I’m feeling and what I’m thinking and see a different side of myself that I didn’t know existed. That discovery and depth of experience that I gained as a solo artist will feed back into Yoasobi. 

With the Book series coming to a close, how did you want to conclude this chapter of your career? 

Ayase: Even though the Book series is coming to an end, that doesn’t mean that Yoasobi’s core concept—creating music from stories—will end. The next stage in our careers will give us much more freedom, as we won’t be bound or limited by specific concepts. We want to give fans more unexpected stories with a more exciting chapter of Yoasobi.

Is there a track on The Book For that you’re most excited to perform?  

Ikura: Definitely! We haven’t had the chance to perform the lead track from the new album, “Orion,” so I’m excited to see how audiences in the U.S. will react to it. I’m also looking forward to the challenge of bringing this song to life in a live setting.  

J-pop has been growing internationally, especially in the U.S. What has that been like to witness? 

Ikura: Yoasobi definitely wouldn’t be here without the support of our fans, staff, and the wider community. Therefore, we feel a strong sense of gratitude. Overall, I feel like J-pop artists are rising up, and we’re looking to reach the next level and achieve higher goals. I hope we can give back to those who have supported us in our journey and keep delivering what people expect from us so J-pop can continue to elevate and get to the next level.