Fujii Kaze will release his third studio album ‘Prema’ on September 5th, his first full-length project since 2022’s ‘LOVE ALL SERVE ALL’. Unlike his previous work, ‘Prema’ features nine new tracks written entirely in English, with the lead single ‘Hachikō’ available now alongside a new music video directed by longtime collaborator MESS.
The album follows a three-year period during which Kaze expanded his international presence and collaborated with a range of high-profile producers. In May, he was awarded Album of the Year and Best Japanese Singer-Songwriter at the inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, receiving a total of 17 nominations.
Kaze began writing ‘Hachikō’ in 2022 during a co-writing session in Los Angeles with Canadian musician Tobias Jesso Jr. and Washington D.C.-based producer Sir Nolan, whose credits include work with Shawn Mendes, Diplo, Poppy, and many more. The song, named after the famously loyal dog in Shibuya, was later refined with South Korean artist and producer 250 (Lee Ho-hyeong). In a comment shared with the announcement, Kaze explained:
“It all started as a bit of fun. In April 2022, during a co-writing session in LA, Tobias Jesso Jr. suggested we try a song that includes Japanese. He said, ‘What’s the name of that dog in Shibuya again?’ I replied, ‘Uh… Hachikō?’ Then producer Sir Nolan created a beat on the spot. A few years later, wanting to finish the song, I watched the movie Hachikō Monogatari. Soon after, a melody and lyrics came to me, and I tried singing them to the beat.
I’d never created a song starting from the beat before, so it was a completely new experience. In the end, I refined it further with producer 250. Loyal dog Hachikō waited ten years for his deceased owner and finally reunited with him in heaven. This song is a tribute to loyalty, and in a way, it’s also about the fans who’ve patiently waited for my third album! (laughs)”
The standard edition of ‘Prema’ includes a lyric booklet with bilingual translations and commentary, housed in a three-fold paper soft pack. A limited edition offers an expanded tracklist with a second disc titled ‘Pre: Prema’, featuring post-‘LOVE ALL SERVE ALL’ material including the globally streamed ‘Michiteyuku’, ‘Feelin’ Go(o)d’ with A.G. Cook, and the unreleased ‘It’s Alright’.
In the lead-up to ‘Prema’, Kaze is also set to play his first European tour, beginning July 1st in Berlin. The tour includes dates at Roskilde Festival, L’Olympia in Paris, and a two-night stop at London’s O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire. He follows with a North American tour in August, including headline dates in Toronto, Los Angeles, and San Diego, alongside festival appearances at Lollapalooza and Outside Lands.
