Yourness
Japanese pop rock band
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Yourness (ユアネス, Yuanesu) is a Japanese four-piece rock band formed in Fukuoka, Japan. The band consists of Yuji Kurokawa (vocals and guitar), Shohei Koga (guitar), Yudai Tanaka (bass), and Takahiro Ono (drums).
Yourness | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Fukuoka, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2014–present |
| Label | Hip Land Music |
| Members |
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| Website | yourness |
Biography
The band’s early days involved Shohei Koga and Yudai Tanaka connecting in high school through a mutual acquaintance on the social media platform Gree, leading to their first studio session and the formation of a cover band.[1] They later enrolled at Fukuoka School of Music & Dance (FSM), where they met Yuji Kurokawa, who was studying in the PA course rather than singing. Koga discovered Kurokawa’s singing talent through school connections and a video of him performing at a high school cultural festival, covering songs by One Ok Rock. Despite Kurokawa’s initial lack of serious musical ambition, the other members’ drive to make a living through music inspired him to commit fully to the band. In 2017, after their original drummer left for Tokyo, Yourness invited Takahiro Ono, a standout drummer from their FSM cohort, to join officially. Ono’s bold personality and skill, demonstrated during a memorable self-introduction at school where he declared his intent to make a living through music, made him a natural fit. This lineup change marked a turning point, accelerating the band’s growth. The band’s name, a portmanteau, was created by combining letters from each member’s name in a group chat, resulting in a unique term that sounds like a real word but exclusively refers to the band when searched online. Initially, the band lacked a clear concept, forming casually to perform live, but their shared ambition to pursue music professionally solidified their direction.[1]
In March 2018, they released their first nationally distributed mini-album, Ctrl+Z, which marked their entry into the broader Japanese music scene.[2] Approximately one month after Ctrl+Z, the band relocated to Tokyo, seeking a better environment for music creation.[1] The move allowed them to focus more on music, free from the demands of part-time jobs that had dominated their time in Fukuoka, while living close to each other in Tokyo helped them adjust to the city and enhance their creative process.[1] The release of Ctrl+Z was followed by a successful tour with sold-out shows and appearances at major summer festivals, which boosted their popularity.[2]
In late 2018, Yourness released their first EP, Shift, which they described as forming a conceptual whole with Ctrl+Z.[2] The EP was crafted to explore a broader sonic palette while reaffirming their identity as a guitar rock band. The title Shift references the computer command, complementing Ctrl+Z (undo), symbolizing a process of revisiting and moving forward from the past.[2]
In 2019, Yourness focused on building their foundation through extensive live performances, including touring with the band Mol-74, and performing with Kami wa Saikoro o Furanai in their hometown of Fukuoka.[3] On November 20, 2019, they released their second EP, entitled ES.[3]
In 2020, Yourness achieved significant milestones, including providing the opening theme "Kago no Naka ni Tori" (The Bird in the Cage) for the anime series Sing "Yesterday" for Me, which became a long-hit on streaming platforms and garnered international attention, with fans from various countries covering it on YouTube despite the language barrier.[4][5] They also composed, arranged, and performed the instruments on the track "Yakudō" for Maaya Sakamoto, which was used as second theme song for second phase of smartphone game Fate/Grand Order.[5] This marked their first songwriting for another artist, with Sakamoto’s lyrics and direction providing a new perspective on production, influencing Koga’s approach to band work.[4] In November of that year, Yourness released their third EP, Be All Lie, which featured five songs, including the title track with a fully animated music video directed by Koga.[4]
On December 1, 2021, Yourness released their debut full-length album, 6 Case, via Hip Land Music. As their sixth disc overall, the title derives from the initial letters of their previous works, serving as a conceptual summary of their career to date.[5]
In 2023, Maaya Sakamoto invited them to collaborate with her again on her album Kioku no Toshokan, where Koga composed and arranged the song "Taion," while the band handled its instrumentation.[6]
Band members
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| 6 Case |
|
Extended plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Ctrl＋Z |
|
| Shift |
|
| ES |
|
| Be All Lie |
|
| VII |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [8] | ||||||||||||||
| 2020 | "Kago no Naka ni Tori" (籠の中に鳥, lit. 'The Bird in the Cage') | — | 6 Case | |||||||||||
| 2021 | "Alles Liebe" | — | ||||||||||||
| "Amulet" (アミュレット) | — | |||||||||||||
| "49/51" (feat. Nemoi) | — | |||||||||||||
| 2022 | "Arienai yo" (ありえないよ。) | — | 'Non-album single' | |||||||||||
| "Blur" | — | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | "Tsutaetakatta Koto" (伝えたかったこと, lit. 'What I Wanted You to Know') | — | ||||||||||||
| 2024 | "ECG" (feat. Rino) | — | IV | |||||||||||
| 2025 | "Tenkyū" (天泣, lit. 'Heaven's Tears') | — | 'Non-album single' | |||||||||||
| "Gen" (眩, lit. 'Dazzling') | — | |||||||||||||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||||||||||||