Interview with KOHEI

We had the chance to see KOHEI perform live at Japan Festival 2026, where he brought his unique blend of J-pop and J-rock influences to the stage.

Following his performance, we spoke with him about his musical journey from Japan to Europe, the inspirations behind his work, and his experiences connecting with international audiences. In this interview, KOHEI shares his thoughts on creativity, cultural differences, and what it means to create music across borders.

Hello Kohei, and welcome to Greek Otaku Radio! We had the pleasure of seeing you perform live at Japan Festival 2026. Could you please introduce yourself to our listeners?          

Hello everyone. I’m KOHEI, a singer-songwriter and music producer from Japan, based in Switzerland, mainly active across Europe.

You grew up in Japan and now live in Europe. How has this experience influenced your music?

The biggest influence Europe has had on my music is that I’ve been able to truly experience a wide range of values and perspectives.

I live in Switzerland, and when you compare Japan and Switzerland, the cultures are different, which naturally means the values are also quite different. By actually experiencing those differences, I’ve come to realize that things I once took for granted in Japan are not necessarily normal in Switzerland, and the same goes the other way around. Through these experiences, new values are “installed” within me, and they often become inspiration that leads to my music.

For me, inspiration is a “movement of the heart.” When I encounter values different from my own, my heart is often moved, and I treat the emotions that arise at those moments as something very important, turning them into songs.

All of the music I release as KOHEI is created based on emotions born from my own life experiences, so I believe that moving to Europe has had a major impact on my music.

Your music blends J-pop and J-rock with European influences. Is this something you aim for, or does it come naturally?

I think it all developed quite naturally for me. My mother is a piano teacher, and she used to run lessons at home, so I grew up constantly hearing classical music. I think that had a big influence on me.

That said, the first instrument I picked up wasn’t the piano, but the drums (laughs).

Because of that, I listened to a lot of J-Rock and J-Pop music. By the time I started taking music seriously, there were already many well-known bands in Japan.

A lot of them were influenced by European classical music, and through that connection, I think I’ve also been strongly influenced by European music.

You’ve performed at many festivals across different countries. What attracts you to the international scene?

It’s the opportunity to connect with people from many different countries. Meeting everyone who comes to my concerts, as well as the organizers, and being able to speak with them directly is the greatest joy for me.

As I often say during my concerts, these “encounters” are truly the greatest treasure in my life.

Is there a performance or experience that has stayed with you the most? Have you noticed differences between audiences in countries?

All of my concerts are wonderful memories, but the one in Egypt stands out as especially unforgettable. Since it was my first performance in Africa, I experienced many discoveries while being exposed to a culture quite different from Japan and Europe.

One thing I always find interesting in these cultural differences is how the popularity of Japanese manga varies from country to country. Once, during a concert in France, I sang an opening song from an anime that I thought was well-known, but no one in the audience recognized it, and it ended without much excitement (laughs).

Since then, whenever I include anime cover songs in my program, I make sure to research carefully and choose them based on the country.

How do you see the music industry today, especially for independent artists?

The music industry has always been a highly dynamic and constantly evolving field, but I believe that the current era—where artists can freely share their music with the world in their own style—is truly remarkable. For independent artists like myself, I feel it is one of the best times to be active.

Recently, AI has become a frequent topic of discussion, but the music industry is always one of the first to be influenced whenever technology advances. However, each time, the industry continues to take on new challenges and create new values and cultures.

In my case, I still compose using instruments and paper sheet music, as well as modern tools, because I enjoy that balance. I believe the diversity of production styles is one of the most interesting aspects of today’s music world.

You’ve collaborated with artists from different countries. How have these collaborations influenced your music?

Through international collaborations, I feel that I’ve become able to approach music production with a more producer-like mindset. It has had a particularly strong influence on my approach to arrangement.

For me, collaboration means meeting each other halfway. Especially when working with artists from outside Japan, there are differences in language and culture, so I try to respect the other artist while also incorporating my own identity into the music. This process has helped me develop a more balanced creative perspective.

Is there an artist you would love to collaborate with in the future?

Having had the opportunity to perform in Greece for the first time this year, I would love to collaborate with Greek artists if the opportunity arises in the future!

What did you enjoy most about your time in Greece during the festival?

The food is absolutely delicious (laughs).

I had always known that Greek art has a long history, but experiencing it in person was very inspiring. It gave me a lot of creative inspiration as an artist.

Do you see yourself coming back to Greece for another show?

It’s not confirmed yet, but I’m really hoping to go! I’ll do my best to make it happen again next year. I’m very much looking forward to seeing everyone in Greece again.

What are you currently working on?

I am currently working on my solo project as KOHEI, producing music for other artists, developing new projects, and also consulting for independent Japanese musicians. I am also planning my next album, so please look forward to it.

For someone hearing your music for the first time, which song would you recommend?

I’d love to say “all of them” but if I had to choose, it would be “New You”.  I always feel that my newest song represents my current best work.

What message would you like to share with your Greek fans?

I was truly happy to share the concert experience with all of you this year. It became an unforgettable memory.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to seeing you again.

Follow KOHEI and discover his music: 

Website

Spotify

Instagram 

Questions Edited by Linda Antonopoulou