YOASOBI

Formed in Japan in 2019, YOASOBI is a J-pop duo pairing composer Ayase with vocalist ikura to turn works of fiction into songs. The project is built on a precise narrative principle: each track is based on a preexisting text, giving YOASOBI’s music a highly structured songwriting approach—somewhere between electronic pop, synth‑pop, immediate choruses and a dramatic tension inherited from contemporary Japanese songwriting. Their first single, “Yoru ni Kakeru” (2019), quickly established this method with Ayase’s dense, dynamic production and ikura’s clear delivery. Their discography is organized around releases such as THE BOOK (2021), THE BOOK 2 (2021) and THE BOOK 3 (2023). Over successive releases the duo has broadened its scope to include anime theme songs—e.g., “Kaibutsu” (2021) for Beastars and “Idol” (2023) for Oshi no Ko—while remaining committed to the link between text and music. Straddling the Japanese pop scene, anime culture and a highly narrative melodic writing style, YOASOBI occupies a distinctive place in recent Japanese music production.