Billboard JAPAN’s “MONTHLY FEATURE” series, present various artists and works that have caught its eye. This month, we spoke with ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U, a Tokyo-based DJ who performs around the world. 

In recent years, we’ve been seeing more and more DJs and producers from Japan paving their own way and building a reputation in the overseas festival and club scenes. ¥ØU$UK€ ¥UK1MAT$U has become one of the icons of this trend, gaining fans in Japan and abroad through his play style, which leaps between genres and eras, and his unique mixing sensibilities. His set for the Boiler Room, a globally influential live streaming platform that shares local club cultures, has already reached over 18 million total views on YouTube in just over one year. This is a testament to the accolades he has received from the global club scene.

In addition to recently performing at Coachella 2026, he has also toured South America, including performing in Lollapalooza. Billboard JAPAN was able to interview him remotely while he was staying in Colombia. We talked to him about what led to him becoming connected to the global scene and to the philosophy behind his musical activities.

You’re in Colombia now, right? I’ve heard this is your first tour of South America?

Yeah, it’s my first time here on tour. Last year was the first time I toured the U.S., too. On this tour, so far, I’ve already played in Argentina and Chile, both with Lollapalooza. I remember reading about Lollapalooza in magazines back when I was in high school, so I’m really happy to be able to be a part of it now.

What have the reactions of the South American audiences been like?

The festivals are huge, but a lot of people have come to my sets, which is great. The fans here will sing what sound like soccer cheers while I play, or call out my name…In Chile, when I played Skrillex, a mosh pit broke out.

I know your set on Boiler Room: Tokyo played an important part in your breakout as a global artist. Looking at the YouTube video now, I see it’s got over 18 million views.

I’m very thankful for it. I wanted a lot of different people to see the set, so I really thought it out, and I’m glad it’s been watched by so many people. I felt it went well, but I never expected it to get this big. Lately I’ve been making playlists of songs to choose from, with all kinds of BPMs, so that no matter what kind of DJ plays before me, I can mix over from them, keeping the flow. Lately I’ve been picking from there and improvising a lot. But with Boiler Room: Tokyo, I knew going in that I had one hour. When I know a set is a make-it-or-break-it set, I design it carefully.

I go back and rewatch it from time to time, and every time I do, I discover something new. It was a wonderful performance.

That makes me so happy to hear. I love cinema, and when you watch a movie a second time, it’s totally different than the first time, so I guess it’s kind of like that. At least, I hope it is.

The last time we talked, you mentioned that you’d watched director Shinji Aoyama’s EUREKA several times.

Recently, I went to see Sho Miyae’s Two Seasons, Two Strangers like three times. Every time I watched it, it made a different impression on me. It was like I’d notice different details, or like nothing was happening but actually a whole lot was going on. It’s a wonderful film. Also, One Battle After Another. That’s a really powerful film, but when you watch it a second time, it’s totally different. It would be hard to provide a short explanation of just how it was different, though.

It’s heavy but humorous.

Right. There’s a certain lightness that lingers on. It’s well-crafted entertainment.

That’s true for your own music, too. There are a lot of different sides to your one-hour set. It’s extremely multifaceted.

I don’t personally feel like I brought out a lot of humor in my set, but I’m glad you feel that way. I’d like to inject some humor, but I’ve got so much going on I just can’t. I still place higher priority on impact and emotion… But if you feel there’s humor in there… I guess, yeah, if you look at films directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, it’s not so much that there’s humor because he’s trying to be humorous, but the way his characters live is, in itself, humorous. That’s also the kind of actor Leonardo DiCaprio is.

Come to think of it, you’ve mentioned that you were influenced by Ryuichi Sakamoto, and he and Alva Noto worked on the score for The Revenant.

I’ve always loved Ryuichi Sakamoto. I’ve seen most of the movies he’s been involved with. It’s a little hard to say exactly how he’s influenced me, though…

I sense a lot of influence. Like the way your music is layered.

Ah, I see. Yeah, that might be so. I do feel like I’ve been getting better and better at equalizing as I mix. I feel like maybe his influence comes through there. I put in my practice, and I’ve done a good number of sets, so I think I’m getting better. Playing in different places, I’ve gained a sense of how the situation varies depending on where you’re playing. I’ve learned what kinds of problems come up and what’s difficult to do, and through my experiences I’ve also learned how to deal with these issues. Experience has really helped me out.

So you practice?

I do. I practice mixing between two songs. Sometimes I discover really wonderful mixes. I mean, I have to practice. I’m always trying new things, not just repeating the same thing. Sometimes, things don’t go well, you know? You’re playing in front of an audience, and you mess up. You try to cover it up by mixing as best you can, but there are songs that match and songs that just don’t. Even with two great songs, you’ll realize that their melodies that clash or they just don’t work together. I feel like I’ve gotten better at identifying those kinds of mismatches in advance, but I still make the occasional mistake. The mixer is divided up into three or four bands, and usually the melody is in the middle range, so I’ll drop the mid-band, slowly lowering the volume so the melody doesn’t stand out much, until I’m like “I think I can work the next track in around here”… So I manage to cover up mistakes like that (laughs).

With more experience under my belt, I feel like I’ve become quicker on my feet. When you’re DJing, your mind is always racing. And what you do differs depending on the event, too. Like, if I’m playing in Australia I might play AC/DC, or, since I’m playing in Lollapalooza, I’ll put on a song by Jane’s Addiction (which is fronted by Perry Farrell the founder of Lollapalooza). The theme of Boiler Room: Tokyo is world peace, so I ended with a song with that kind of feel. When I pick what to play, I think about the vibe of the other performers and DJs, the label, and the like.

You’re really dedicated to entertainment and giving the audience a good show. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Zone Unknown, the event you organize in Osaka. Do you think over the past decade you’ve developed even more of an entertainer’s mentality?

I think so. I’ve always thought that a DJ is an artist, but also an entertainer. Every time I play, I do the best I can to give everyone in the audience something they can take back with them from the show. I love all kinds of music, which I guess has also influenced me.

You had surgery for brain cancer and were on the brink of death a decade ago, right?

Right. Over the past ten years, I’ve just slowly and steadily done my very best. The Boiler Room: Tokyo set went viral, and a lot of people watched it, but it’s what I’ve always been doing. I want to keep getting better, little by little, both as a DJ and as a person.

Has the importance you place on the feel and power of your sound been a constant over the past decade?

Good question. Over the past ten years, I’ve encountered all kinds of new music, and I think my own musical sensibilities have expanded. But I’ve always liked that strength and impact, and I’ve always liked really delicate music, too. Powerful music is easier for the audience to dance to. I listen to all kinds of music every day, but I do feel like the music I pick tends to be powerful.

But your sets also include ambient music and post-classical music. I feel like they combine hard and soft, and there’s a durability to the sound. That’s what makes the layers of the sound so beautiful.

Hmm, I see. Sometimes I’ll be mixing two songs, the original versions, and people will ask me what remix I’m playing. When I’m equalizing, I’m balancing the highs, middles, and lows with the mixer. I’m just playing what feels good to me, but maybe that changes something in the music. Then again, sometimes when I’m doing that on stage, things don’t go well, and it can be hard going. But I don’t remember the position of the high, mid, and low knobs for each transition, so I just try and find what feels good to me.

Your sets really reflect a joy in living. A strong sense of catharsis about life. I’m sure that your recovery from brain surgery plays a big part in that. But I also get the sense that recent changes in life and society are also part of it. Is that something you feel yourself?

Yes, I do. I try to reflect that (intentionally), but sometimes I think it also just comes across unconsciously. I always hope that my sets will give listeners a bit more power they can tap into in their lives, some encouragement that they’ll take back with them after the show. The world is turning into an uglier, darker place. I don’t think that’s going to stop. There’s misery everywhere you look. So I hope when people listen to my sets, they feel better. Then again, there are a lot of people who can’t come to hear me play in person… It’s a tough situation. But I do want to make the world a better place in whatever way I can. I don’t think I’ve succeeded in that yet, though.

But I feel really fulfilled, and I’ve been so lucky. In my overseas performances, a huge company is serving as my agent, so everything from getting visas to entering different countries has gone smoothly. I’ve been doing this for 20 years, so I feel like my hard work is starting to pay off a little. But I still don’t feel like I’ve been rated very highly in Japan. I’m extremely Japanese, through and through, and I have no intentions to move overseas. Like, when it comes to food, I like eel on rice (laughs). Japan’s still a pleasant place to live. The supermarkets and the record shops I want to go to are all in Japan. I often go to Disk Union and Tower Records.

You’ll be playing at Coachella for the first time, soon, right?

Right. I was so happy when I got the offer. I put my all into every event, but for Coachella I’m planning on playing a set with a message of peace. Being able to perform at Coachella as a DJ is kind of cool. I think of myself as a DJ, and there’s a lot of untapped potential in DJs. I don’t think it will ever be completely tapped. There’s so much music that’s already come out that you could never go through all of it, and on top of that, new music keeps on coming out. That just broadens the horizons of DJs even more.

–This interview by Shino Okamura first appeared on Billboard Japan

Gracie Abrams appears to be brewing new music. Over the past few days, the pop star has shared a number of cryptic posts seemingly teasing a new project in the works — most recently posting a video of a snippet of a song Monday (April 20) on Instagram.

In the clip, Abrams wears a simple red T-shirt and looks at her phone, the light from the screen illuminating her face. A twinkly track plays over the speaker, previewing an ethereal mix of reverberant chimes that cut off right as the singer’s voice hits the first note.

Fans in the replies are as excited as they are impatient for Abrams to reveal what exactly she’s teasing. “OH WE ARE SO BACK,” one person wrote, while another commented, “GIRL STOP TEASING.”

Billboard has reached out to Abrams’ team for more information.

The video comes after a number of other potential clues the hitmaker has posted ahead of her yet-to-be-announced third studio album. In recent days, she’s posted two photos of a journal labeled “3” with a sticker displaying the word “Witch” beneath one such practitioner of magic flying on a broomstick. The most recent snap of the journal, posted on April 16, features three different stickers reading, “DFH.”

It’s no secret that Abrams has been in the studio. This year alone, she’s shared a number of photos of herself in the studio with longtime collaborator Aaron Dessner on Instagram. During her 2024-25 Secret of Us Tour, she was open about working on music whenever she had the time.

“Aaron and I are catching each other in these little pockets between hectic times,” she told Billboard in her 2025 cover story. “Every day that I live with the music, things start to become a little clearer. There’s something we’re starting to crack that is making both of us feel energized.”

The musician last dropped an LP in 2024, reaching No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with The Secret of Us.

Check out Abrams’ possible new song teaser below.

It really wouldn’t be the Little Miss Drama Tour without some drama. After threatening to cancel her final show in Atlanta, Cardi B got her first headlining trek across the finish line on Saturday night (April 18), but promised her ATL fans she won’t be returning to State Farm Arena.

“I’m pissed off right now, I’m not going to lie. This arena been playing a lot of f—ng games with me. This will be the last time I’m ever in this b—h,” she declared prior to performing “Pretty & Petty.” “Next time, I’m having my concert in the parking lot, b—h! I’m tired of y’all playing with me. This is y’all f—ng second time. I still f—k with the Atlanta Hawks though.”

Before Saturday’s show, an impassioned Cardi hopped on Instagram Live, claiming that the “disrespectful” State Farm Arena employees were mistreating her team.

“Your f—king employees are being disrespectful… I’m not performing today,” Cardi explained during a fiery clash with the arena staff. “We got in here, your employees are being f—king rude for no reason, being rude for no reason. I feel a certain type of way, because you being disrespectful. I did 35 shows, and I never had a problem, and we’ve been kind to everybody.”

Billboard reached out to the Atlanta State Farm Arena for comment and Cardi’s reps for further clarification.

She added in a subliminal tweet on X: “When you hold power and authority, use it with kindness and respect. Never abuse it… because not everyone will endure your arrogance in silence. Treat others exactly like you demand to be treated. Atlanta… I’ll see you soon.”

Cardi brushed off whatever issues she had with the arena staff and delivered a pair of shows to close out the Little Miss Drama Tour in style. The Bronx native brought plenty of stars out for guest appearances across the two dates, with cameos from Mariah the Scientist, Jeezy, T.I. and Missy Elliott.

“I think I need some help to wake y’all up. It’s a lot of y’all, there’s only one of me. So I’ma just bring out this motherf—g legend,” Cardi said while introducing Missy. “Ladies and gentlemen, make some noise for Missy Elliott!”

The Grammy-winning rapper joined Cardi on stage Saturday night to perform a pair of anthems with “Get Ur Freak On” and “Lose Control.” “Are you f—ng serious? Oh my God, hold on b—h, I’m trying to have a moment. It’s Missy Elliott, b—h, and she came out for me,” Cardi said after Missy departed.

Cardi B’s first headlining North American trek is officially over after 35 dates of the Little Miss Drama Tour. It could continue with a European leg, but Cardi has yet to announce possible shows overseas.

One night she was bored in bed, so Olivia Rodrigo shared not one, but two “Drop Dead” music videos on the internet.

A few days after the premiere of her You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love lead single’s official visual — which featured the pop star frolicking around the Palace of Versailles in Paris — she posted a second video supporting “Drop Dead” on Monday (April 20). Only available to watch on Spotify, the alternate “taken that Eurostar to France” version shows Rodrigo sipping on a Guinness in a London pub, filming herself strolling through the city’s streets and admiring landmarks such as Big Ben before boarding a train, equipped with her guitar case.

Her next destination turns out to be the City of Love, where the Grammy winner sings her lyrics in front of the Eiffel Tower and visits the Arc de Triomphe. “One night, I was bored in bed/ And stalked you on the internet,” she croons. “It’s feminine intuition/ ‘Cause I always had a vision of us standing like this/ All pressed up in the bathroom line/ You’re lookin’ like an angel on the walls of Versailles.”

Rodrigo unleashed “Drop Dead” alongside its official video on Friday (April 17), ushering in the era of her third studio album, which is slated to arrive in June. She last dropped an LP in 2023, topping the Billboard 200 with Guts.

The hitmaker’s alternate visual supporting her single’s streaming performance comes about four months after YouTube announced it would be withdrawing its data from Billboard‘s charts, meaning that the views “Drop Dead” gets on the platform won’t count toward its position on the Billboard Hot 100 next week. To date, Rodrigo has notched 30 entries on the chart, including three No. 1 hits: “Drivers License,” “Good 4 U” and “Vampire.”

Watch the “drop dead (taken that Eurostar to France)” video only on Spotify.