Ayase, one half of Japan’s biggest pop duo YOASOBI, has released his first EP as a singer-songwriter, ‘dialogue’, and premiered his first live-action music video to feature himself on screen under his solo name.
The five-track EP arrived digitally on May 27th. Ayase wrote, composed, arranged, and sang every track himself, making it a fully self-produced project. The songs are built around the theme of dialogue with himself, the people and things around him, and wider society.
None of the five tracks are commercial tie-ins. By singing songs written for himself in his own voice, Ayase has put forward a more personal and authentic side of his work, separate from the writing he has built his name on so far.
Announcing the release, Ayase wrote on social media that across roughly eight years as a VOCALOID producer and seven as YOASOBI‘s composer, he could never shake the urge to sing. “These are five songs filled with the feelings, conflicts, and wishes I have now”, he said, adding that both YOASOBI and Ayase would be going even harder from here.
Directed by filmmaker Takuya Setomitsu, the video focuses on the “relentless interference from the anonymous masses” in modern daily life, including faceless negative comments and hostile gazes amplified by social media.
The video presents those ideas through comedic irony and antithesis, with a cast of distinctive characters surrounding Ayase as he continues to perform while facing unwanted attention and relentless interference.
Born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1994, he was active in the western Japan live house circuit before YOASOBI, serving as vocalist and leader of the Yamaguchi-based metalcore/loud-rock band Davinci during the 2010s.
He began posting VOCALOID songs in December 2018. His 2019 song ‘Last Resort’ passed 15 million views on YouTube, and his self-cover of ‘Yoru Naderu Menou’ has gone beyond 100 million streams.
Alongside his VOCALOID work and his role as composer in YOASOBI, Ayase writes for other artists, including LiSA and uru’s ‘Saikai’, Hey! Say! JUMP’s ‘Senya Ichiya’, and LiSA’s ‘Yuke’. He topped Billboard JAPAN’s annual TOP Composers and TOP Lyricists rankings for the second year running in December 2022.
‘dialogue’ is available now on streaming platforms.
Ayase
dialogue
Release Date: 27/05/2026
Label: Independent
Stream: Links
