Twenty-five years have passed since anime song singer Hiroshi Kitadani released “We Are!,” the first opening song of the ONE PIECE TV anime series and the first of many opening songs he would go on to sing for the show. “UUUUUS!” the opening theme for the Egghead Arc, with its rapid shifts and changes, is the creation of Kitadani, composer Kohei Tanaka, and lyricist Shoko Fujibayashi — the golden trio known as the “‘We Are!’ Pirates.” “UUUUUS!” means not only “us” but sounds similar to the Japanese pronunciation of “earth” and the Japanese word for “tomorrow” (Asu), pointing to the future of the series. Hiroshi Kitadani talked with Billboard Japan about what went into the creation of this stunningly densely-packed song and what lies beyond.

You debuted “UUUUUS!” on-stage at the BANDAI CARD GAMES Fest 23-24 World Tour in Los Angeles, held in late January. What was the atmosphere like?

Hiroshi Kitadani: I sang “We Are!” “OVER THE TOP,” and ” UUUUUS!” With “UUUUUS!” I was a bit worried about debuting it in L.A. I felt like it might be safer to start the song off with a bang in Japan first… But now, because of video streaming sites, overseas viewers can watch the latest episodes at the same time as in Japan, so the crowd went wild. On stage, we were playing the opening animation to ONE PIECE, and the lyrics were also shown on-screen, written phonetically in the English alphabet, so the audience sang along.

When we were kids, we’d learn old anime songs from reruns on TV, but now, with subscription-based streaming services and streaming sites, it’s easy to hear “We Are!” which was released 25 years ago. So not only do people who were kids back then know it, but even modern kids know it. I think that’s why people around the world love “We Are!” even 25 years later.

Why do you think ONE PIECE is so popular worldwide?

Hiroshi Kitadani: Talking with people overseas, I often hear that “In Japanese anime and manga, the main characters and their friends always get completely thrashed by their enemies, but they usually come back stronger, which really gets you in the feels.” That’s true of Luffy, and also of Goku from Dragon Ball. Overseas heroes like Batman or Superman are incredibly strong right from the start, so I think Japanese anime and comics resonate with audiences because of how the characters turn their frustration into power.

You’ve performed five of ONE PIECE‘s theme songs. Could you reflect on what each of those songs meant to you? Let’s start with “We Are!” the first opening theme song for ONE PIECE, which came out in 1999.

Hiroshi Kitadani: “We Are!” was my debut song as Hiroshi Kitadani. The director I worked with when I first debuted under a previous stage name, later joined an agency called Imagine, who Kohei Tanaka was with. Because of that connection, one day I was approached and told, “They’re going to make an anime version of the most popular manga in Weekly Shonen Jump. Kohei Tanaka is going to submit a song for the opening song competition, and we’d like you to do a temporary vocal track for it.” Then they made the decision to go with “We Are!” for the theme song, but they still hadn’t yet decided who would sing it. Due in part to Kohei’s prompting, the staff began saying “Why not just have it sung by the singer who did the temporary vocal track?” My record company had just told me that they didn’t really see a future for me with them, so I was wondering what to do, career-wise. So this “We Are!” offer came out of the blue. That was the start of my rags-to-riches story.

In 2011, 12 years after releasing “We Are!” you sang “We Go!” which was used in the Fish-Man Island arc, when the crew reaches the New World.

Hiroshi Kitadani: Kohei wrote “We Go!” as a response song to “We Are!” At the time, I was really concerned with what people thought about me, so I was reading a lot of 2channel (laughs). I was worried I’d go on there and see people saying “Hiroshi Kitadani is back, but this song is terrible.” But, instead, when “We Go!” was broadcast, there were a lot of comments like “Dani’s back!” and “Cool!” and “That’s the One Piece sound!” I was so happy I cried.

Then in 2016 you sang “We Can!” with Kishidan.

Hiroshi Kitadani: The offer from Kishidan was totally unexpected. It was the first time I’d sung with someone else as solo artist Hiroshi Kitadani, but we had great chemistry. Kishidan wrote the song, instead of the same trio that had started with “We Are!” but even now there are fans who say they love “We Can!” which makes me really happy.

Then at the start of the Wano Country arc, in 2019, you sang “OVER THE TOP.”

Hiroshi Kitadani: “We Are!” began without anyone knowing who would even sing the song. “We Go!” was a response song to “We Are!” So “OVER THE TOP” was the first song that Kohei wrote to-order, just for me. We’ve worked together a long time, so he was able to write a song with the vocal range where I do my best singing, where I could give the song a distinctive appeal and bring out its flavor. The pandemic started after I released the song, so I haven’t had many opportunities to perform it on stage, but it’s a song that I wish even more people would have chances to hear.

How did you feel when you first heard “UUUUUS!” the current opening song?

Hiroshi Kitadani: To be honest, my first response was “Huh?” Like “It’s not bad…but I prefer music more like ‘OVER THE TOP.’” But Kohei said “It grows on you,” and, sure enough, the more I heard it the better and better it sounded. The show opening is on YouTube now, and it has over 10 million views. One of the comments on the video said “It’s the best song so far.” I know Kohei must always be under a lot of pressure, so I’m amazed that he suggested this song, which is so ambitious but risky.

I feel like “UUUUUS!” must have been harder to sing than any of the past songs. Do you have any basic advice for anyone trying to sing it?

Hiroshi Kitadani: It’s hard to come up with any kind of succinct advice (laughs). However, for all five of the ONE PIECE songs, not just “UUUUUS!” I’d say it’s important to sing it with a smile on your face. When you sing while smiling, that smile comes out in your voice, making the song brighter and more exciting. When I was recording “We Are!” there were a lot of important people in suits at the recording. It was my first time recording in that kind of atmosphere, and I got really tense. On top of that, every time I’d finish recording a take, they’d be whispering to each other. I was in the recording booth, so I had no idea what they were saying. I was starting to get into a negative mindset, thinking “Was that a bad take?” when Kohei said “This is a song that’s going to give hope and inspiration to people around the country, so smile when you sing it. When you sing with a smile, your voice will have a smile.” That snapped me out of it. I sang while smiling, and they said it was a good take. I’m really glad for the advice Kohei gave me, and it’s something I cherish in my heart even now.

This interview by Harunoto first appeared on Billboard Japan

Sabrina Carpenter has shared a collection of photos from The Eras Tour, including a snapshot from her visit to the Sydney Zoo with Taylor Swift.

The singer commemorated her time on tour with Swift, which concluded on March 9, in a post on Instagram two weeks after the most recent Eras Tour leg ended. Carpenter was Swift’s opening act across several dates in Latin America, Australia and Asia. The Eras Tour returns in May for a European leg, with Paramore as opener.

“that’s a wrap for us on the eras tour,” Carpenter wrote Saturday night (March 23). “sitting at home reflecting on what a whirlwind this was and how very honored i feel to have been part of it. I want to thank every crowd for being so welcoming and generous to us and making some of the most impressive friendship bracelets I’ve ever received. also a huge thank you to the incredible crew for being so hardworking and talented.”

She then penned some heartfelt words directly to Swift: “and the most thank you’s I’ve ever thank you’d to Taylor. I feel so lucky to witness the magic that is you and this tour. there is truly no one like you and there never will be! i love you with all my heart and i will cherish this taybrina era (and all the eras) till the end of time.”

Photos shared included Eras Tour stage shots, backstage moments and a picture of Carpenter walking by Swift’s side at the zoo in Sydney.

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Another special Eras memory happened in Sydney: When Carpenter was unable to perform her set one night due to rain delays, Swift invited her to sing a mashup of Evermore‘s “Coney Island” and Fearless‘ “White Horse” with her.

“She heroically sacrificed her show, which I think is a crime against Sydney,” Swift explained during the acoustic section at Accor Stadium on Feb. 23.

Swift said “White Horse” was a favorite of Carpenter’s. YouTube footage exists of the “Nonsense” singer (and longtime Swiftie) covering the song when she was a young girl.

See Carpenter’s photos from The Eras Tour on Instagram.

La estrella argentina conversa en una charla íntima sobre relaciones, cómo vuelca sus sentimientos en canciones, y su próxima colaboración con Alejandro Sanz. Moderado por Leila Cobo de Billboard.

Nicki Nicole:
Al sacar esa canción, ya no era más mía, era de muchas otras mujeres y también personas que dijeron: “Che, ya no quiero vivir más en el pasado, simplemente quiero vivir el presente, disfrutarlo”. Entonces sí, obviamente que se habla de amor hacia otras personas que se fueron o que están o que vienen, pero también se habla mucho de uno mismo, que es para mí la catarsis más importante. Me gustó mucho también el hecho de los mensajes que recibí de muchas mujeres. Mucho apoyo, mucho cariño, que es algo que es un poco difícil cuando se te mezcla lo privado con la exposición, porque como que sale mucha gente a decir: “Ah, bueno”, ¿entiendes? “Ahora van a hacer esto”. O sea, como que salen a opinar y esas cosas y es difícil. Entonces, yo dije: “Okey, esto está pasando, está en mí decir algo o no decirlo, pero siento que lo tengo que decir y también va de la mano con lo que soy”. Yo canto lo que vivo y digo lo que siento. Y si no fuera así, no estaría siendo yo al 100%.

Leila Cobo:
Muchas gracias por haber sido parte de nuestro primer Encuentro de la Música en Español. Ahora, nuestro grandísimo finale, una artista que realmente es ejemplo de lo que es cruzar este Atlántico. Nicki Nicole viene de vender nueve Movistar Arenas en Buenos Aires. Más de 100.000 personas pagaron para irla a ver tocar. Y pasado mañana, toca aquí mismo en el WiZink Center su primer sold-out en España, aquí en Madrid.

Russian authorities arrested four men suspected of carrying out the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people, President Vladimir Putin said Saturday (March 23) in an address to the nation. He claimed they were captured while fleeing to Ukraine.

Kyiv strongly denied any involvement in Friday’s assault on the Crocus City Hall music venue in Krasnogorsk, and the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate claimed responsibility.

Putin did not mention IS in his speech, and Kyiv accused him and other Russian politicians of falsely linking Ukraine to the assault to stoke fervor for Russia’s war in Ukraine, which recently entered its third year.

U.S. intelligence officials confirmed the claim by the IS affiliate that it was responsible for the attack, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. U.S. intelligence agencies gathered information in recent weeks that the IS branch was planning an attack in Moscow, and U.S. officials privately shared the intelligence with Russian officials earlier this month, the U.S. official said. The official was briefed on the matter but was not authorized to publicly discuss the intelligence information and spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity.

Putin said authorities detained a total of 11 people in the attack, which also injured more than 100 concertgoers and left the venue on Moscow’s western rim a smoldering ruin. He called it “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and said Russian authorities captured the four suspected gunmen as they were trying to escape to Ukraine through a “window” prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border.

Russian media broadcast videos apparently showed the detention and interrogation of the suspects, including one who told the cameras he was approached by an unidentified assistant to an Islamic preacher via a messaging app and paid to take part in the raid.

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Russian news reports identified the gunmen as citizens of Tajikistan, a former Soviet republic in Central Asia that is predominantly Muslim and borders Afghanistan. Up to 1.5 million Tajiks have worked in Russia and many have Russian citizenship.

Tajikistan’s foreign ministry, which denied initial Russian media reports that mentioned several other Tajiks allegedly involved in the raid, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Saturday’s arrests.

Many Russian hard-liners called for a crackdown on Tajik migrants, but Putin appeared to reject the idea, saying “no force will be able to sow the poisonous seeds of discord, panic or disunity in our multi-ethnic society.”

He declared Sunday a day of mourning and said additional security measures were imposed throughout Russia.

The attack, the deadliest in Russia in years, is a major embarrassment for the Russian leader and happened just days after he cemented his grip on the country for another six years in a vote that followed the harshest crackdown on dissent since the Soviet times.

Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities, who have relentlessly suppressed any opposition activities and muzzled independent media, failed to prevent the attack despite the U.S. warnings.

The assault came two weeks after the U.S. Embassy in Moscow issued a notice urging Americans to avoid crowded places in view of “imminent” plans by extremists to target large Moscow gatherings, including concerts. Several other Western embassies repeated the warning. Earlier this week, Putin denounced the warning as an attempt to intimidate Russians.

Investigators on Saturday combed through the charred wreckage of the hall for more victims, and authorities said the death toll could still rise. Hundreds of people stood in line in Moscow to donate blood and plasma, Russia’s health ministry said.

Putin’s claim that the attackers tried to flee to Ukraine followed comments by Russian lawmakers who pointed the finger at Ukraine immediately after the attack. But Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, denied any involvement.

“Ukraine has never resorted to the use of terrorist methods,” he posted on X. “Everything in this war will be decided only on the battlefield.”

Ukraine’s foreign ministry accused Moscow of using the attack to try to build support for its war efforts.

“We consider such accusations to be a planned provocation by the Kremlin to further fuel anti-Ukrainian hysteria in Russian society, create conditions for increased mobilization of Russian citizens to participate in the criminal aggression against our country and discredit Ukraine in the eyes of the international community,” the ministry said in a statement.

Images shared by Russian state media showed emergency vehicles still gathered outside the ruins of Crocus City Hall, which could hold more than 6,000 people and hosted many big events, including the 2013 Miss Universe beauty pageant that featured Donald Trump.

On Friday, crowds were at the venue for a concert by the Russian rock band Picnic.

Videos posted online showed gunmen in the venue shooting civilians at point-blank range. Russian news reports cited authorities and witnesses as saying the attackers threw explosive devices that started the fire, which eventually consumed the building and caused its roof to collapse.

Dave Primov, who survived the attack, told the AP that the gunmen were “shooting directly into the crowd” in the front rows. He described the chaos in the hall as concertgoers raced to escape: “People began to panic, started to run and collided with each other. Some fell down and others trampled on them.”

After he and others crawled out of the hall into nearby utility rooms, he said he heard pops from small explosives and smelled burning as the attackers set the building ablaze. By the time they got out of the massive building 25 minutes later, it was engulfed in flames.

“Had it been just a little longer, we could simply get stuck there in the fire,” Primov said.

Messages of outrage, shock and support for the victims and their families have streamed in from around the world.

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council condemned the attack and underlined the need for the perpetrators to be held accountable. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also condemned the terrorist attack “in the strongest possible terms,” his spokesman said.

IS, which lost much of its ground after Russia’s military action in Syria, has long targeted Russia. In a statement posted by the group’s Aamaq news agency, IS’s Afghanistan affiliate said it had attacked a large gathering of “Christians” in Krasnogorsk.

On Saturday, the group issued a new statement on Aamaq saying the attack was carried out by four men who used automatic rifles, a pistol, knives and firebombs. It said the assailants fired at the crowd and used knives to kill some concertgoers, casting the raid as part of IS’s ongoing war with countries that it says are fighting Islam.

In October 2015, a bomb planted by IS downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacation-goers returning from Egypt.

The group, which operates mainly in Syria and Iraq but also in Afghanistan and Africa, also has claimed several attacks in Russia’s volatile Caucasus and other regions in the past years. It recruited fighters from Russia and other parts of the former Soviet Union.

The group’s Afghanistan affiliate is known variously as ISIS-K or IS-K, taking its name from Khorasan Province, a region that covered much of Afghanistan, Iran and Central Asia in the Middle Ages.

The affiliate has thousands of fighters who have repeatedly carried out attacks in Afghanistan since the country was seized in 2021 by the Taliban, a group with which they are at bitter odds.

ISIS-K was behind the August 2021 suicide bombing at Kabul airport that left 13 American troops and about 170 Afghans dead during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. They also claimed responsibility for a bomb attack in Kerman, Iran, in January that killed 95 people at a memorial procession.

On March 7, just hours before the U.S. Embassy warned about imminent attacks, Russia’s top security agency said it had thwarted an attack on a synagogue in Moscow by an IS cell and killed several of its members in the Kaluga region near the Russian capital. A few days before that, Russian authorities said six alleged IS members were killed in a shootout in Ingushetia, in Russia’s Caucasus region.

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Spring is here! With a new season comes a lighter color scheme, and switching up nail color is an easy way to change your aesthetic for the new season.

Whether you’re the type to change your nails as often as your outfits, a casual collector who can’t turn down a sweet deal on nail polish, or anyone searching for shade inspiration, we’ve put together a list of nail polishes that are perfect for spring and summer.

Below, find a roundup of pastels, neutrals and a few bolder colors to help your nails transition from one season to the next.

Best Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2024

Essie expressie, Quick-Dry Nail Polish, 8-Free Vegan, Bright Lilac, Sk8 With Destiny, 0.33 fl oz

$7.00 $10.00 30% off

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When it comes to pastels, you can’t go wrong with lilac. This quick-dry nail polish from Essie’s Expressie collection blends lilac polish with blue undertones and a cream finish. The full collection features 10 different colors including orange, yellow, burgundy, blue, pink and green.

Best Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2024

Londontown Amalfi Love Nail Polish


Feeling blue? Lighter blues are said to evoke feelings of tranquility. This gorgeous, ocean-blue shade of long-wear, chip-resistant, fast drying, high-gloss nail enamel will turn heads. And according to hundreds of customer reviews, you’ll love the shade.

Golf Le Fleur

Golf le FLEUR Nail Polish


Go green for spring!  Tyler, the Creator’s Gold le FLEUR* nail polishes is available in blonde, pink and black, but we’re partial to the shade “Jade” for spring.

Best Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2024

essie Salon-Quality Nail Polish, 8-Free Vegan, Pastel Pink, Fiji, 0.46 fl oz

$8.69 $10.00 13% off

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Pastel pink polish good to have in your collection, and not just for spring. Essie’s nail polish in dozens of colors, including multiple shades of pink.

Best Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2024

Olive & June Nail Polish HZ, Rosy Neutral


Keep is neutral for spring. Similar to pastel pink, neutral shades can be worn all year long.

Dazzle Dry

Dazzle Dry Oh My! Nail Polish


Crushin’ on coral? If you want to get a little bold with your color choice, coral is a fun and flirty shade for spring and summer.

Best Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2024

Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish, Streak-Free, Shiny Finish, Long-Lasting Nail Color, Daisy Dukes

$3.28 $3.99 18% off

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Don’t knock a classic. Sally Hansen’s Xtreme Wear polish is an affordable, long-wear nail paint with a decent shade range. And the bright yellow will help you bring a little sunshine to your fingertips this spring.

Best Nail Polish Shades for Spring 2024

Olive & June Yes Please Long Lasting Polish


Turquoise brings the good vibes. Whether you’re prepping for spring or summer, this stunning colors will Tk.

Amazon

OPI Nail Lacquer Crème Pink Nail Polish, Strawberry Margarita

$10.05 $11.99 16% off

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Some people like to tone it down for spring but there’s no need to wait until summer to dip into the brighter side of the color wheel. This OPI nail lacquer is a top seller in the shade Strawberry Margarita, and 16% off during Amazon’s Big Spring Sale.

On Kenny Chesney‘s new studio album Born, out today (March 22) via Blue Chair Records/Warner Music Nashville, he continues his reputation for recording songs that both elevate the spirit and cut to the bone.

Landing nearly four years after his 2020 album Here and Now, Chesney’s latest revels in both taking risks and taking in every moment life gives you. Chesney included more songs than ever on his new project, clocking in at 15 tracks, each one mining universal truths and detailing yearnings for love, freedom and connection.

He works once again with his longtime producer Buddy Cannon, crafting an album that is a patchwork of songs, musical commemorations of a myriad of life moments, drawing on spontaneous road trips and dive-bars filled with the scent of ocean breezes, as well as high-octane instances of embracing wide-open independence, and tempered by more contemplative spaces accepting how time refines lives, both healing hurts and spilling heartbreaks, etching memories firmly into consciousness. Some songs, such as “Take Her Home,” touch on lasting love, while “Guilty Pleasure” centers on passion in the moment. A feeling of gratitude for the full spectrum of life courses through the album.

“There was no theme we’re singing about that holds it together,” the eight-time entertainer of the year winner said in a statement regarding the album. “But if you listen to all 15 songs, you’ll get the high energy fun, chasing adventures, don’t let people get you down piece and you’ll get the more reflective thinking about someone who’s died, the person you know you shouldn’t call emotions that have always been in the music, too.”

Perhaps a line in one of the album’s tracks, “Few Good Stories,” sums it up best: “When it’s all said and done, I’ll know I lived it well If I ain’t got nothing but a few good stories to tell.”

Here’s a look at Billboard‘s ranking of the album’s 15 tracks: