From Loner to Inspired Leading Role... Singer Yonezu Kenshi Who Sang 'Lemon' [Japanese Side]

A Childhood Spent in Isolation,
Finding Connection in the Online World
From a Boy Dreaming of "Normalcy"
to Comforting the Public
with Music for the Marginalized

"Yumenaraba dorehodo yokattadesh? (How wonderful it would be if it were a dream)."

If a certain melody naturally comes to mind when you hear this phrase, you have listened to Kenshi Yonezu's "Lemon." Currently, this song ranks number one on the karaoke popularity charts for Japanese songs. Released in 2018, its continued top position reflects its immense popularity. Last weekend, Kenshi Yonezu held his first concert in Korea at Inspire in Incheon, attracting an impressive crowd of 20,000 people and concluding successfully, making headlines. In fact, Yonezu is known for expressing the pains of his childhood, including difficulties in socializing, through his music. Today, we share the story of Kenshi Yonezu, the artist behind the song "Lemon."

Kenshi Yonezu. Kenshi Yonezu Instagram.

Yonezu was born in 1991 in Tokushima Prefecture. From a young age, he found it difficult to socialize or adapt to new environments. In an interview, he revealed, "Since I was young, I felt like a fish out of water; I often had the sensation that I couldn't understand what the person in front of me was saying." He rarely spoke with others and mostly conversed with characters born from his imagination. He quietly drew pictures, thinking he would become a manga artist.

During elementary school, he encountered songs by the Japanese band Bump of Chicken, which were used as background music for Flash animations, and listened to them exclusively. In middle school, he was exposed to various band music and began writing songs alone with a guitar. Later, he started creating music using a computer. By the second year of middle school, he formed a band with a childhood friend, composing and performing music. Although they participated in rock festivals, they did not achieve significant success. In high school, he became completely immersed in music, listening to it constantly during breaks, and reportedly got very angry when friends tried to talk to him. There are also stories of him banging on desks and leaving the classroom when it became too noisy.

For Yonezu, the online world became a vital outlet. In media interviews, he stated, "Online, people interact as virtual bodies without knowing each other's faces or genders. Being saved in this space, separate from real-life communication, was significant." He became engrossed in Japan's "Niconico Douga," a platform similar to Korea's former "TVple," where viewers can directly comment on videos. Using the pseudonym "Hachi," he began releasing songs in video format. After graduating high school and attending an art school, he balanced band activities and started producing music seriously with Vocaloid, uploading videos on Niconico Douga and gaining popularity.

Vocaloid used by Kenshi Yonezu and representative singer Hatsune Miku

Yonezu Kenshi Instagram.

He gained popularity online as a "faceless singer" before making his official debut. Early on, he expressed reluctance to hold concerts. When he released music videos, he appeared with his face mostly covered by his bangs, so few people had seen his real face. His height of 188 cm, hunched posture, and deep insecurities about his appearance influenced this choice.

However, despite hiding his appearance, his music continued to become hits. The pinnacle came when he composed "Lemon," the theme song for the Japanese forensic drama "Unnatural." The drama deals with stories of the deceased, and Yonezu wrote the song earnestly after his grandfather passed away. Starting with the line "How wonderful it would be if it were a dream," the song's lyrics perfectly matched the drama's content, leading to a surge in popularity. Released in 2018, the song became a hit, selling over 3 million copies.

His music also attracted attention in Korea. Around the time when J-pop's popularity was waning, Yonezu's music crossed over to Korea, sparking a renewed J-pop boom. With 20,000 attendees at the Inspire concert alone, the extent of his popularity is clear.

Having experienced such school years, Yonezu consistently hoped for "normalcy." He wanted to talk and socialize like others. This sentiment is further revealed in an interview with Asahi Shimbun.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, in an interview with Asahi Shimbun, Yonezu stated that despite his music being at the forefront of mainstream trends, "I have always created music from a minority position." He added, "I believe that having universality can sometimes mean missing something. For example, since most people in society are right-handed, designs that ignore left-handed people have become mainstream. Music is the same. It is important to continue self-criticism regarding those who are marginalized." Since his music was created by overcoming his own pain, it seems that this sincerity has been fully conveyed to his fans.