warai boshi (feat. jjean & SOMAOTA)

KANE, a beatmaker, rapper, and member of the Ikebukuro-based crew Geek Kids Club, teams up with jjean and SOMAOTA on "Waraiboshi," a track from his forthcoming album. The collaboration grew out of KANE's encounter with SOMAOTA at the Yui no Oto music festival and connections formed through the production of jjean's solo music.

The track brings together the spirit of chasing childhood heroes and the everyday reality of pursuing music. Through imagery drawn from games and adventure stories, it portrays a determination to embrace uncertainty and detours as part of one's own story and step into a new chapter alongside friends.

From the candid admission, "I want to make this my job because I love it," to the creative impulse that keeps them writing lyrics and layering sounds late into the night, each artist expresses the resolve to remain the protagonist of their own life, even when their dreams are laughed at or the journey takes the long way around.

The two featured artists each bring a distinct approach to self-expression. Rooted in hyperpop, jjean pursues a vision of "making music like a film," imagining a story for each track and translating it into sound from its protagonist's perspective. SOMAOTA, an MC with Black petrol who is also known for his work and collaborations with DUCK HOUSE, draws on everyday life, weaving observations of its contradictions and broader social issues into his rap with humor and satire.

The track is produced by Noli Stark, whose music credits include the FINAL FANTASY VII REMAKE series, KINGDOM HEARTS III, and numerous Japanese television dramas, including Tomodachi Game R4 and Bengoshi Sodom.