Strange Maps, the latest work by the enigmatic horror-mystery author Uketsu, debuted at No. 1 on the inaugural all-genre list of the newly launched Billboard Japan Book Charts.

Known for his distinctive storytelling style blending prose with an abundance of visual elements including diagrams, drawings, and illustrations, Uketsu has drawn attention not only in Japan but around the world for creating books that even people who don’t usually read find immersive and accessible. The author’s “Strange” series has surpassed 8.5 million copies in worldwide circulation, while Strange Pictures has topped 2.1 million copies across 37 countries and regions, earning recognition as a “global sketch million-seller.”

The fourth entry in the series, Strange Maps, interweaves text with more than 200 maps, unfolding against unsettling settings such as abandoned seaside settlements and weathered tunnels. The book brings together everything cultivated throughout the previous “Strange” titles, resulting in what feels like a definitive culmination of the series.

With its ability to offer a new kind of reading experience even to those unaccustomed to books, Strange Maps has already surpassed 700,000 copies in circulation. Dubbed a “nationwide map mystery sensation,” the title debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s all-genre book chart, Japan Book Hot 100, which integrates print sales, e-books, and library lending. It has also held the top spot for four consecutive weeks on Billboard Japan Hot Bungei (Literary) Books.

Uketsu appeared in person — though fully masked as usual — at the Billboard Japan Book Charts awards ceremony held on Dec. 16. In this interview, conducted shortly after the event, the elusive author discusses the background behind Strange Maps and his thoughts on the “Strange” series. From Billboard Japan’s perspective as a music media outlet, the conversation also explores how Uketsu engages with music in daily life and how that listening influences his creative work.

What kind of music do you usually listen to?

I lived in the U.K. as a kid, and at the time, acts like the Spice Girls, Westlife, and Steps were hugely popular. I listened to them constantly in the car. Oasis and R. Kelly were popular too, but they felt a bit difficult to my younger ears and I didn’t really connect with them.

After returning to Japan, the first band I truly fell in love with was Southern All Stars. I also listened to them in the car, and I clearly remember thinking, “This really sinks in.” When I reached junior high and high school, I became strongly interested in understanding the roots of the music I loved, and tracing the influences behind (SAS frontman and principal songwriter) Keisuke Kuwata led me to rock and pop from the ’60s and ’70s. From there, I gradually moved back through the ’80s and ’90s as well.

Out of all the music you’ve heard, is there one song that left the strongest impression on you?

“Sayonara Jinrui” (Goodbye, Humanity) by Tama. I first heard only about ten seconds of it on TV, as part of an old clip, but even that was enough for me to think, “This is completely different from anything else.” It was nothing like Southern All Stars, and it really stuck with me.

At the time, most of the songs around me were love songs, and as a kid, I couldn’t really relate. They felt like music from a world of adults. Tama’s songs, on the other hand, used familiar imagery like the moon and stars, things that were close to a child’s world. In that sense, they felt more accessible than typical pop music and easy to grasp right away. So “Sayonara Jinrui” is still a very special song to me.

How do you discover new music?

I often look at Billboard’s global charts. I basically follow the charts. To be honest, there are songs that are hard for me to get into, but I listen to them with something close to a sense of obligation, like, “I need to listen to this properly.”

I’m an amateur, but I do release music through videos from time to time, so I want to keep track of what kinds of sounds are out there right now. It’s less about me making that kind of music myself and more about knowing what exists.

Your books are read by many people outside of Japan as well. What do you hope international readers will enjoy about your work?

I try to avoid writing stories that can only be understood if you have a deep knowledge of Japanese grammar or Japanese culture. I want to steer clear of works that require prior knowledge or an understanding of Japanese culture to be enjoyable, as much as possible.

So for readers overseas, I’d be happy if they could approach my books casually, without thinking, “This is Japanese literature.” If they naturally sense some Asian or Japanese qualities coming through in the process, that would be great. Above all, I believe the books are easy to read, so my strongest feeling is simply, if you have some time, please give them a try.

Regarding your new book, Strange Maps, it’s described as a culmination that brings together elements from the entire series. Where did you put in the most effort?

With Strange Houses, my first book, I always felt some regret. At the time, my skills weren’t quite there yet, and especially toward the ending, I wasn’t able to fully pull it together as a mystery. That feeling stayed with me for a long time. This time, writing my first full-length novel since Strange Houses, I wanted to incorporate motifs like abandoned settlements and deserted villages from that book while making sure the story worked properly as a mystery.

On top of that, I brought together everything I’d learned and wanted to try across the previous three books: the literary-fiction approach I developed in Strange Pictures, and the complex, layered foreshadowing I challenged myself with in Strange Houses 2: Eleven Floor Plans. I wrote it with the intention of consolidating everything. After spending nearly a year on its creation, I wanted this one to be the book I could confidently hand people who want to know what kind of writer Uketsu is and say, “Please start with this.”

Beyond debuting at No. 1 on Japan Book Hot 100, Strange Maps also spent four consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Japan Hot Bungei Books list and has surpassed 700,000 copies in circulation as of December 2025. Why do you think it’s being read by such a wide range of people, from adults to young readers and children across Japan?

There was a fairly long gap since my previous book — I hadn’t released anything new for about two years, so the fact that people waited that long really surprised me and I’m grateful. That’s entirely thanks to the readers who stuck with me.

From my perspective, I simply wrote what I personally found interesting, just as I always do. It ended up being read by many people, but that’s the result of readers nurturing the work themselves.

Listening to you, it feels like you’re very conscious of what readers will enjoy, from an entertainment standpoint. Did you ever think, “This might sell better if I do it this way”?

As for that, there’s one thing I’ve always kept in mind. If I start thinking about writing for a large audience, at least in my case, it probably won’t work. So, I write under the premise that there’s only one reader and I’m writing just for that single person. While I’m writing, I imagine their reaction in my head, almost as if I’m asking, “What do you think?” or “What if this comes next?” Maybe it’s a form of self-dialogue, but the idea of pleasing one reader is something I’ve never wavered from.

I’d like to ask about your vision for the future. You mentioned at the press conference that you want to write whatever you feel like writing at the time. Are there any themes or genres you’re currently interested in?

Honestly, I don’t know if I could pull it off properly, but I’m somewhat interested in political dramas and financial stories. They’re fields I’ve never touched before, but there are so many compelling works in those genres, and I feel they might suit my tastes.

If I ever do attempt something like that, it would probably be quite different from what I’ve done so far. I don’t know how many years it might take, but I’d like to take that someday.

—This interview by Takanori Kuroda first appeared on Billboard Japan

Shakira will end the historic Mexican trek of her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour with a bang on March 1, when she gives a free concert at the heart of Mexico City, the Zócalo, where she is set to return after nearly 20 years. The Colombian superstar announced the show on Friday (Feb. 20) in a brief video shared on her social media.

“¡México lindo! Remember 2007 when I sang for you at the Zócalo? Today, I want to tell you that this experience will happen again this Sunday, March 1, at 8:00 PM,” Shakira said in her message. “You have given me so, so much, and I hope I can give back a little bit of that love you’ve given me.”

The head of government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, reinforced the announcement with a video shared on her social media, in which she appears alongside Daniel Concenzo, president of Grupo Modelo, the concert’s sponsor. “Shakira is an extraordinary Latin artist who has triumphed worldwide, and here in Mexico, we love her very much,” Brugada said in her message.

“We will be broadcasting part of the show live on my channels, for everyone who wants to join in this celebration,” Shakira added.

The show in Mexico’s main public square will crown a historic series of concerts by the Barranquilla-born artist in the Latin American country, which began in March 2025 and has included 31 dates in various cities, 12 of them at the capital’s Estadio GNP Seguros. The 13th date at this iconic venue is scheduled for Feb. 27. Before arriving in Mexico City, the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer will perform this Saturday (Feb. 21) in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, and on Feb. 24 in Mérida, Yucatán.

Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour set a Guinness World Record for the highest-grossing tour by a Hispanic artist of all time, grossing a staggering $421.6 million and sold 3.3 million tickets across 86 reported shows, according to Billboard Boxscore.

Mexico City’s Zócalo is considered an emblematic and highly significant venue, a square full of symbolism where politics, social movements, culture and religion converge. It is the second-largest public plaza in the world, only behind Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Shakira debuted at the Zócalo on May 27, 2007, when she drew a crowd of 210,000 people (according to official figures), surpassing the previous record of 170,000 set by the Mexican rock band Café Tacvba in 2005.

The attendance record is currently held by the Argentine band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs, who gathered 300,000 people on June 3, 2023. In second place is Grupo Firme, which brought together 280,000 people a year earlier.

In 2022, singer-songwriter Atlus had already been building a name for himself with indie projects including 2021’s Low Expectations, and earning millions of streams with songs such as “I Wish I Had Cheated” and “OH NO!,” but when he got a call from Jelly Roll, Atlus wasn’t in a recording studio or playing a show.

He was working his day job at the time, driving commercial semi-trucks.

“I remember being like, ‘Yo, Jelly, I only got 30 minutes, I’m on my lunch break,’” Atlus tells Billboard. “And he was like, ‘Dude, you’ve got millions of streams. What are you doing driving trucks?’ But I’m very cautious like my mom, so when the music thing started happening, I was like, ‘I’ll just keep working.’ He flew me out to Nashville, and I started meeting people, writing with people.”

Atlus also performed alongside Jelly Roll at Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre in 2022. Fast forward to 2026, and Atlus is driving hits instead of trucks. Atlus turned a story about stinging infidelity into an RIAA-certified Platinum single in 2025 with “You’re a F—king B—ch Hope You Know That S—t.” In August, he announced he’d inked a deal with BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville. His debut single for the label, “Devil Ain’t Done,” is at No. 54 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart.

Managed by Range Media Partners’ Shawn McSpadden and Riot Management Group’s Andrew Perlowich, Atlus will release his 15-song BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville debut, Art of Letting Go, next month on March 20.

For Atlus, who grew up in Denver in a single-parent home marked by poverty, the album marks not only a career triumph, but also a way of sharing his story of overcoming adversity, and inspiring others to prevail over their own obstacles.

“If you came from somewhere like how I grew up, then maybe you can use it as a way to help you chase your dreams,” Atlus says. “If can do it coming from where I came from, other people can, too.”

As Billboard’s February Country Rookie of the Month, Atlus spoke about his upcoming album, his inspirations, and the importance of writing about his journey.

You released your first indie album back in 2021. How have you grown as an artist in that time?

The first album was pretty rap-centric. I was in a rock band growing up with friends in high school, but we never really took it serious. It got to the point where me and my guitarist got in a really toxic part of it, before the band broke up. He was basically blaming me for the reason why the songs weren’t sounding good, saying I couldn’t sing. I got insecure about singing for a bit and ended up rapping, because I was like, “If I can’t sing, maybe I can rap.” I started rapping, and really loved NF because of his vulnerability, and then I went down the Jelly Roll rabbit hole.

But eventually I was like, “What am I doing?” and started singing again. I went into a real studio and heard my voice, and was like, “Okay, I just needed an engineer and the right equipment.” I had been singing into a drum mic and we had no money. There was stolen software that had beeps and watermarks in it and to me, it just sounded terrible. I was trying to be NF on my first album, but then got back to my roots, just singing and then started writing. I was driving semi-trucks and I wrote in the truck. There was no structure to them, just freestyling. I had 10 hours a day [while driving] to figure it out.

Your real name is Sean Haywood. What is the story behind the name Atlus?

In seventh grade, we had a creative writing project on Greek mythology. I was flipping through the book and I have ADHD, so I have this thing where if I’m not passionate about something or can’t connect to it, I have to fight myself hard to do it. My mom was like, ‘Find a way to emotionally connect to the homework.’ I landed on Atlas, where the titan holds the world on his shoulders. I saw that and thought, “That’s my mom.” I wrote the paper about how my mom is like Atlas. When I split from the band and went solo, I thought about that name and how I want to be that for her.

Is that a large part of what drives you?

The goal was hopefully to make it as a musician and be able to hold that weight for her. The good news is I got to help her retire two years ago because of the success of music. I finally got to be ‘Atlas’ for her. Now, it’s like every day I want to be able to hold that weight no matter what. I don’t think it’s just a me thing. We all have to carry weight. We all have our own problems, no matter where you’re at in life or how you grew up. The music lets people know they are not alone.

What music did you listen to growing up?

My mom was always working and when she listened to music it was like K-LOVE and this religious music that made her feel close to God. My dad would listen to country, like Rascal Flatts, Phil Vassar, Mark Wills. Rascal Flatts had a hold on me for a long time. I felt like I could hit every note when I was younger, and I wanted to be [Rascal Flatts’ lead singer and high tenor] Gary [LeVox] so bad. And then puberty hit, and I lost my dream of being Gary forever.

“Secondhand Smoke” is another of the standout titles on this new album. What sparked the idea for that?

I had a bunch of ideas and I told the writers I wanted to write a song with that title, but I didn’t want it to be negative. I view it as therapy for my mom to carry through the hardest part of our life. She was a single mom, raising her kids and working three jobs. The cigarette was the only chance she had to really have some “me time.” So secondhand smoke always seemed positive to me.

What kinds of jobs did your mother work when you were growing up?

She’s done a ton of them. We used to wake up early before school and help her with a paper route, and then she would work at the gas station at night. At one point she became a teacher, so she would do the paper route, take us to school, work at the school, then take us home and go work at the gas station.

The album’s title track “Art of Letting Go” is also very personal for you, about your sister’s struggle with addiction, and ultimately, her passing. What do you recall about writing and recording that song?

She passed away three years ago. Usually when I have a problem, I just run straight to the studio or I’ll go write. That song for me was the first time I didn’t want to just run to the studio, because I didn’t want to face it. I remember one of the writers, Lou [Ridley], called me the night before the writing session and told me how she had lost a close family member. I told her about my sister. And she’s like, “We should write about loss.” I knew I was just avoiding it, but it felt like the perfect time when she called. It was like, “Oh, we should just both try to deal with this. ” And then we could have each other when we’re writing it. We cried a lot in that session. That was a tough one.

When did you start writing for this project?

I’m always just writing songs, just to keep sharp with it. Once we signed with BMG, we had some stuff already. “Art of Letting Go” was already written. I think after signing, the first month of January, I think I booked 60 writes. I was like, “I don’t want to do anything but write, and make sure we have a good project.” I had so many things I wanted to talk about, in terms of childhood and growing up, that I hadn’t dived into yet.

You have some more uptempo songs on this album, too, like “Spare Key.” What sparked the idea for that?

I don’t want to do a whole album of just ripping people’s hearts out. I think if you’re a consumer and you’re listening to an album and it’s just “Art of Letting Go” 15 times, that’s going to be tough to get through.

My producer was throwing out names of song titles and he said, “Spare Key.” I had just bought my first house in Tennessee and had given a spare key to my girl. I remember thinking this could be a fun love song, but then my brain is like, “But what if she gave the key back?” I should have just done a little love song, but I love it because it spirals and people might not expect that twist to it.

Who would you love to collaborate with?

Adele, Jessie Murph — and when it comes to rappers, Drake or NF, Jelly Roll.

What was the first concert you ever went to?

It’s like an extreme metal band, August Burns Red. I wasn’t much of a concertgoer, because we didn’t have much money. But my brother was super into heavy metal, so that was the first one I went to.

What is one song you wish you had written?

Lately, “Orange Juice” by Noah Kahan.

What podcasts are you into right now?

I love motivational ones, or ones where they’re just talking and getting to know people. So, Joe Rogan, anything kind of like that.