Japanese singer-songwriter Fuiji Kaze has shared a groovy new single, “Hachikō.” The song arrives ahead of the release of his third studio album, Prema, out in September.
About the release, Kaze shared, “It all started with a bit of playfulness. Tobias Jesso Jr. suggested we try a song with Japanese in it. He said ‘What was the name of that dog at Shibuya?’ and I said, ‘uh…Hachiko?’… Years later, I watched the movie The Tale of Hachikō to finish the song. The melody and lyrics came naturally after that.”
He goes on to share the story that Jesso Jr. was referring to: “Hachiko, a loyal dog, waited for his deceased owner for 10 years at the station every day, and they finally got to see each other in heaven. Rather than focusing on the tragic sides of the story, the song highlights its joy and peace.” He continues, “This song is about the power of loyalty and, it seems, also about my fans who have been patiently waiting for my third album. Ha!”
The song’s chorus fits the theme, as Kaze sings “You’ve been patiently waiting for me” over building synths. The track mixes English and Japanese as the lead single of the English-language album Prema.
Prema is Kaze’s first full-length release since 2022. Featuring nine tracks, including “Hachikō,” Prema seeks to follow the success of the platinum album Love All Serve All.
Ahead of releasing a record for an international audience, Kaze will be performing all over the world in 2025. He will appear at upcoming festivals such as North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland, Lollapalooza in Chicago, and Outside Lands in San Francisco.
Kaze toured the U.S. for the first time in 2024, performing solo piano shows in New York and Los Angeles, and signed to Republic Records. He also played a set for NPR’s “Tiny Desk” which garnered over 19 million views. There, he performed tracks including “Matsuri,” “Shinunoga E-Wa,” and “Michi Teyu Ku (Overflowing)” from the Japanese film April She Will Come.
Listen to Fujii Kaze’s “Hachiko” now.
