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FUSION MAGAZINE

PERSPICIAT IS UND E OM NIS IST E NAT US TEAM JERRY CORIA RIE YAMADA MONICA MAY RACHEL PETERSON JUNKO NAKAMURA AKITA YASUNARI

JAMES.C MATT SHULTZ AMANDA HARDY DAVID LANCER RICHARD CHANVEZ MIZUKI KURWA

CHIEF EDITOR JERRY

CORIA

MARKETING JOEY MACLAREN MIKE ROGERS

CINDY MENDEZ LARA ROLLINS

CONTACTS EMAIL

ED SHEERAN

INFO@FUSIONTVMEDIA.COM

MAGGY PHOTO SHOOT CREDITS PHOTOGRAPHER & PRODUCER FASHION STYLIST HAIR & MAKEUP

JERRY CORIA AYUMI HAMAMOTO MIKAKO KIKUCHI

SHEERAN

Ed Sheeran plans to embark on a major tour in 2023, and this year we are providing you with all the information you need, as well as an inside look at his great musical career.

FEBBRUARY / MARCH 2023

FRESH M USIC OF 2 0 2 3 We’re getting a head start on 2023 by recommending musicand you shouldn’t miss, starting with our top ten of the year.

CHANNING TATUM

The end of the Magic Mike film series appears to be near, or is it? In light of the upcoming 2023 release of the sequel, we had chance to talk with Channing about what is next

B RICH BRIAN

Taking a cursory look at the Rich Brian as he makes his debut in the acting world

MOMOIRO CLOVER Z

All the way from Japan we give you Momoiro Clover Z

MAGGY

FEATURED STORY HYD E We were given the rare opportunity to chat with one of Japan’s all-time greatest rock stars, HYDE; in this article, we’ll examine his recent endeavors and his plans for the future.

COACHEL L A

SPRING FASHION

This year’s Coachella festival is shaping up to be just as good as previous years, so we’re taking a look at who’s playing and why you shouldn’t miss it.

Get inspired and stay fashionable my friends let’s take a look at some of spring seasons fashion

J I M M Y K I M M EL H OSTI NG | TH E OSC AR S

AN ACTOR AND NOW A DIRECTOR COMES WITH THE NEW MOVIE AND A VERT SPECIAL ONE... PHOTOS BY ELI ADE

been just growing inside for a really long time since I’ve talked to Ryan you know seeing that representation knowing it was like you know for him back on Fruitville stations him telling me that he believed that I could do it and I think that trust and that that that those expectations from him you know definitely

AUTHOR JERRY CORIA

you know you know made me think about my own confidence about you know when was the right time for me to step behind the camera and I think all roads kind of led to the opportunity the third movie installment and I know the character so well and the story had a vision for where I wanted to go and I felt like it was the perfect time for me so

that’s the Damien Anderson Damien Anderson is a dear friend and of Adonis in his youth they grew up together they were they were like brothers so much in fact that and this is it happens and they part ways and I picture picks up with Dame after he’s been you know away for a while he comes back and he still has to share a childhood dream of being

a big league heavyweight champion of the world first I hope they’re entertained you know we we make it for people to come in and there is a lot of escapism you know with this franchise from my vantage point I also liked them to you know it’s always interesting you know take what you take from it you mean but I can tell you what’s in there there’s motivation in there there’s inspiration in there there’s a examination of real friendship and a real brotherhood you know from multiple angles as athletes and something talk about what how athletes actually get on you know about athletes between men between human beings between black men so that I want them to walk away and feeling like they could do anything no matter you know your background no matter what you’ve been through no matter how hard you know life has been that you can you know overcome hardship and obstacles and if you focus hard enough and sometimes you know the right decision is not the easy decision you can make those hard decisions you know that you can come out on top I think you know being like the 9th film throughout the sagas and being able to you know trying to find different ways to elevate the boxing and the fights and make them feel bigger and look different you know I think IMAX just gave me the real estate to do so you know I wanted to show the you know from the cloud to the canvas that was something that like we said often as we were kind of like shooting these fights and just with the you know the immersive sound you know and the visuals and being able to feel like you’re right there in the ring was something that I really want to focus on with sound design as well so you know I think yeah IMAX definitely gave me the environment to be able to capture these fights and you know like we never had before think you know being like the 3rd film throughout the sagas and being able to you know trying to find different ways to elevate the boxing and the fights and make them feel bigger and look different you know I think IMAX just gave me the real estate to do so you know I wanted to show the you know from the cloud to the canvas that was something that like we said often as we were kind of like shooting these fights and just with the you know the immersive sound you know a lot of the things that we

GOING FOR THE 3RD In this film, I think we see them both striving to retire certain aspects of their personas and embrace a more complete version of themselves. I think this is a time of kind of redefining you know who they are in relation to what they do, and of course they have their daughter Amara that they adore, but I think they’re finding themselves in that. Adonis is no longer boxing and is instead responsible for the training and management of other fighters, and Bianca is producing more than she is performing. It’s incredible that she is such a star and that she is so fearless as a performer; she learned how to box for this film and she is so good and she is so charming and so funny, and also her whole family was with us; I think these films are such sort of familial films that it was so incredible to also have

her parents and her siblings, and I think that really contributed to this feeling. I can’t even describe how amazing it was. You know, I think he’s kind of a natural director; he’s been in the business for so long— he started out as a child actor— that I think the best training for a job like this is just to be on a ton of sets, which he has done in spades; and I always think it’s not just about making a film that’s beautiful and fantastic but if you can also make the experience of making the film a beautiful and fantastic one for people, then

RUTRUM ENIM AT, BIBENDUM ENIM. VIVAMUS VENENATIS SOLLICITUDIN ENIM, VEL BIBENDUM DUI LACINIA ET.

Working on the film set for the movie John WICK 4 Hiroyuki Sanada talks abot His experience on the set, and working with Keanue

eanue told me that w hen I w ork w ith him last time in the post production and then and then he told me that I ’ m gonna make her action movie w ith C had and then oh OK w hat kind of movie you really make I w as so curious so I w ent to theater the opening day and then w ow good j ob believable itself of course fiction but you know after w atching the movie if somebody w atching text f orm w here is the assassin like so matching f or the audience is real lif e so that’ s the biggest point I think I knew you know he done great j ob f or other movies too and doing the second unit director is the best w ay to learn how to direct right so he got a good steps f or a f ew years so I didn’ t surprise and then his success as a director it’ s going to be a

great model f or the next generation w hen I received the call f rom C had and I w as so happy you know alw ays I w anted to w ork w ith them again you know C had and K eanu and especially this time my role is a kind of best f riends f or the J ohn Wick so w ith this role I could j oin this proj ect as a so happy like dreams come truebelieve he had no place to go j ust f ew remembered his brotherhood is staying in Osaka I ’ m playing K oj i S himazu he’ s a manager of Osaka continental hotel and then he grow n up w ith Jo hn Wick and K ane like a brother they train each other he w as an assassin bef ore but he has a loyalty f or the f riendship or if somebody helped me in the past I have to return the f avor so very samurai inside in the S himazu character K eanu is alw ays quiet and shy but you

know he’ s a hard w orker so really matching f or the Jo hn Wick character Jo hn Wick as a depth so that’ s w hy it’ s so believable and then people w ant to support him you’ ve done great j ob and you know of course he researched a lot and also good balance you know mixi ng betw een the Ja panese and w estern cultures so I think this is a good Jo hn Wick w orld and the shimazu’s fighting style is basically the same as Jo hn Wick because they grow n up together I had a three w eeks training bef ore start shooting but mainly w e’ ve done you know choreograph and then put the idea together so it’ s a kind of choreographing rehearsing

FUSION: I had a wonderful time. It seemed like I was always the odd one out. I really enjoyed being able to watch the two of you as if I were a fly on the wall because the opening scene between the two of you was so much fun. You know what I loved about it? At first, I thought I was watching a scene with actors that were speaking dialogue, but then I realized that there was actually no dialogue spoken and it was just true body language. Therefore, I’m curious as to what it was like for you as actors to communicate with each other sensually without using words.

Salma: Really, you are a genius. This scene served a narrative function, after all. dance is a we tell our stories and connect in the places that we need to connect because in some ways we’re similar and we free ourselves and experience something that we weren’t expecting and come out on the other side; it has an arc; it’s about two people who are transformed through it; they’re in a different situation in the same situation in different ways, and they’re at crossroads in their own lives. FUSION: it’s so true Channing and and also use Selma what was their inner dialogue if we could have heard what they were actually saying in their minds what were they saying Channing: I was pleading with myself to not drop herand telling myself again do not drop her at all, and to not drop her at all. Please. Salma; It’s like a meditation in which you have to be totally in the moment and in sync with the other person’s emotions and movements through the music; I wasn’t giving any thought to what

I might say because I was too focused on the music and the other person’s rhythm. FUSION: I was wondering if there was any way you could explain the shooting process, as it appeared to be one long take and seemed to have all the hallmarks of a Hollywood hit. Because I missed most of the action, could you maybe explain how you and your co-star managed to capture that one break? Was there a lot of choreography happening all at once? Did it feel particularly taxing? Salam: he didn’t cover it a lot so you had to it’s like one take or the other there was not any places for me it’s not a lot of places for mistakes Channing; He doesn’t shoot as they do with coverages, when the director says “we’re going to do this section from this perspective, and then you do that section from that angle, and then we’ll move on to the next section,” and so on. Salama: Moreover, he is constantly on the move, so the camera’s positioning must be precise for the best results. Salma: The camera followed your every move as if it were dancing with you; combined with your intelligence and the fact that you are my queen, this performance left me feeling like a proud papa. FUSION: is it ever really the last dance I’m to give you a little pun is Magic Mike dropping the mic or is there you’re saying there’s a chance there’s going to be another dance Channing; I think I’m goanna keep dancing but I don’t know if I’m going to Mike mikes I’m just going to in my in my done mikes mikes over yes

however this movie is a lot of fun, and its not just for single ladys, i mean you should come as a couple to see it and have fun with it, i know the first film had a more female fan based but as the film keep developing you start to see more of it and its fun FUSION: but I feel like we want to see his story I mean forget you don’t have to do the 18 I’m interested in that no no no yeah there well now in this movie Salma; I believe that for the very first time they will because we had a female source, but every single the both the movies before you know we got from everybody was just like less less story less character Just Dance more and like that’s why we changed the formula and actually put a female’s perspective into you did the opposite of what they asked you to do yes yes good for you I like that I like that...lol FUSION: Are there any messages to the fans? Channing; I would recommend that you watch the movie because the entire process was better, deeper, and more impactful, and working with the cast and crew one last time was good. I just knew that we needed to get the last one right, and if we’re going to do this right, and I don’t want it I don’t like it when the legs are sticking out I don’t want this I don’t want to do it and put a perfect final touch on a great film, everyone in the film, they were

hen 16-yearold rapper Rich Brian released his debut single “Dat $tick” on Soundcloud and YouTube, it quickly went popular, landing him a record deal with 88rising and leading to a remix containing a guest appearance by rap legend Ghostface Killah. Brian Imanuel, born in Jakarta, is a rapper who made history in 2018 when his debut album, Amen, debuted at number one on iTunes’ hip-hop rankings. He has subsequently released multiple albums and EPs, including last year’s Brightside, and collaborated with artists including 21 Savage and Joji. But this year he’s taking on acting as his next challenge. imanuel’s debut feature, Jamojoya, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, reveals that he has genuine acting chops in addition to his musical talent. James, an Indonesian rapper, plays out his struggles with family tragedy, pressure from his management and father, and the music industry in this film co-written and directed by Justin Chon (Blue Bayou, Pachinko). James’ complicated dynamic with his father is at the heart of the drama Jamojoya (played by Yayu A.W. Unru). Since James’ brother’s death, his father has handled his career, and the resulting chasm of grief has given rise to anger and resentment on both sides. James, who is Indonesian and hopes to make it big in the United States as a rapper, struggles to find an outlet for his creativity. Pressure from those in the music industry looking to take advantage of him makes it difficult for him to maintain his identity and fulfill his family obligations while pursuing his musical goals. The film is driven by an emotionally engaging story and hilarious, heartfelt, and harrowing performances. The title comes from the Indonesian myth of Prince Jamojaya, in which the prince is poisoned and transformed into a bayan tree while his brother transforms into a bird to search for him. The film aims to accurately portray Indonesian culture and family

structure through humor and uncomfortable truths. Acting was my ticket into the world, says Brian Imanuel. But before I got into music, I dabbled in cinematography and other related fields. This was my primary interest. Because I didn’t know anyone else who would be interested in appearing in my short films, I would often play the lead role. I’ve known since I was a kid that I wanted a career in film, either as an actor or a crew member. To what end did you two choose to

collaborate? Imanuel: My first encounter with Justin inspired this film. My manager has known Justin for over 20 years, and I’ve been a fan of his for even longer. So we hung out one day, with no preconceived notions or projects in mind, and it turned out that we were a great creative and personal fit. The moment we realized that, we knew we were on to something. How long did it take to finish everything? Imanuel: For the next two years we were in constant communication after that. There were many times when Justin texted me with inane

J AM OJ AYA FIL M

How long did it take to finish everything?

inquiries about life and Indonesia. All the details had to be right, he said. Imanuel: I got my start in the business thanks to this film. But before I got into music, I dabbled in cinematography and other related fields. This was my primary interest. Because I didn’t know anyone else who would be interested in appearing in my short films, I would often play the lead role. I’ve known since I was a kid that I wanted a career in film, either as an actor or a crew member. To what end did you two choose to collaborate? Imanuel: My first encounter with Justin inspired this film. My manager has known Justin for over 20 years, and I’ve been a fan of his for even longer. So we hung out one day, with no preconceived notions or projects in mind, and it turned out that we were a great creative and personal fit. The moment we realized that, we knew we were on to something.

Imanuel: For the next two years we were in constant communication after that. There were many times when Justin texted me with inane inquiries about life and Indonesia. All the details had to be right, he said. In your capacity as a Korean-American writer-director, Justin, what inspired you to create Jamojoya, a film about Indonesians? As an Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI), one of my primary motivations is to foster understanding and compassion among my people. Not a single person from Southeast Asia is featured. I’ve done my part to represent my people, the Korean Americans, and now it’s time to start exploring the world beyond [that] niche. My most recent film, Blue Bayou, featured members of New Orleans’ Vietnamese community. That would make [Jamajoya] the Southeast Asian country of Indonesia. Sixty to seventy percent of the film is in Bahasa Indonesia, their native language, and all I’m trying to do is represent them on screen. Specifically, what was it about this rap story that you found so interesting? Over the course of five years, Chon spoke with Brian for countless hours in an effort

to learn what interested him and how to keep his attention. My understanding was confirmed: he was extremely close to his dad. In contrast to the movie, he has a wonderful relationship with his father. I was wondering how the movie was made. Imanuel: The fact that Justin was ready to put in a lot of time in rehearsal was a major factor in my being cast as an actor in this film. We spent the better part of a month going over the script and practicing our lines. As part of our preparation for the show, we not only read the script but also had a lot of the Indonesian dialogue retranslated so that it would more closely reflect the way we speak. My father and I used to talk about how to pace ourselves during particularly lengthy monologues. We rehearsed without a camera many times in order to be completely prepared for the day we actually shot the scene, which included both comedic and uncomfortable moments.

A L L E H C A CO D

espite the speculations and bogus setlists that have been circulating, the lineup for the 2023 Coachella Valley Music Festival has been been announced, and it does not disappoint the many fans who have been waiting for it.

This year’s iteration of the well-known desert festival will take place in the spring and will last over the course of two weekends. The first weekend takes place between April 14 and 16, and the second takes place between April 21 and 23. Tickets for

INFORM

AT I O N

https://coachella.com :Get your tickets to coachella

the festival’s second weekend, which attendees agree is the superior of the two, are still available for purchase in extremely low amounts; however, tickets for the festival’s first weekend are no longer available at all. The performance that will be the highlight of the festival for this year will be given by Frank Ocean, who is among the most famous musicians

in the world. Tracks like “Novacane,” “Chanel,” and “Thinkin Bout You” are all evidence of Ocean’s talent as a songwriter, as well as his willingness to expose his soul about his troubles with love, drugs, and his bisexuality. These songs were all released by Ocean in the 2000s. Because the California musician has not produced any

E R E H S I A new music in almost seven years, his devoted followers were naturally pleased when they learned that he will be performing at Coachella. Ocean has a reputation for keeping his cards close to his chest. Given that he hasn’t delivered a public performance for the general public since 2019, the announcement is all the more notable because of this fact. It is a momentous occasion for both

Ocean and his passionate fan base to have the opportunity to perform at the largest music festival in the world.

scheduled performance this year because it has been so long since he has performed on a concert stage.

In addition, in the year 2020, Frank Ocean was supposed to give a performance at Coachella; however, he was forced to cancel at the eleventh hour because of the influenza epidemic. Many people are concerned that Frank Ocean may not show up for his

In 2022, it was said that Ye, who was still going by the stage name Kanye West at the time, would be the festival’s headlining act; however, this turned out to be another urban legend. Ye abruptly canceled his performance a few weeks before it was

scheduled to take place, causing the event’s organizers to hustle to find a replacement, which they ultimately did in the person of The Weeknd. After thereafter, a production and design business called Phantom Labs initiated legal action against Ye, demanding 7.1 million dollars in damages.

SHEERAN A QUEST OF A NEW ALBUM AUTHOR JOSEPH SMITH | PHOTOS ATLANTIC RECORDS

he title and pronunciation of Ed Sheeran’s upcoming sixth studio album have been announced. Sheeran and Aaron Dessner, a member of the National, an American alt-rock band, collaborated on all 14 tracks of the album. Dessner was also instrumental in the making of Taylor Swift’s albums Folklore and Evermore. The release date is set for May 5th. Songs will range from “pared back, folk-leaning textures to bolder, full-band/orchestral arrangements,” according to promotional materials, indicating a return to more traditional singer-songwriter performance after the polished pop of much of Sheeran’s catalog. Remove some of Ed Sheeran’s new album’s cover art. Title is what Ed Sheeran’s new album cover reads. Taking Refuge in the Atlantic: A Photographic Asylum After a series of personal events in early 2022, Sheeran said in a statement released alongside the album announcement that he had abandoned ten years of work on - (originally planned as a purely acoustic album) and the hundreds of songs that had resulted from it. In slightly

more than a week, he had replaced a decade’s worth of work with his darkest ideas. Important turning points in Sheeran’s life include the loss of his “best friend... a brother to me,” music entrepreneur Jamal Edwards, whose platform SBTV helped launch his career, and the plagiarism trial he eventually won in April 2022, after being accused of copying another song for his hit Shape of You. Sheeran continued by saying that he was currently experiencing a downward spiral of fear, sorrow, and anxiety. He explained, “For the first time in my adult life, I’m not trying to design an album that people will like; instead, I’m simply putting something out that’s honest and true to where I am in my adult life.” “For the first time in my adult life, I’m not trying to design an album that people will like,” he said.

Sheeran announced the news in a tweet in a statement today, revealing that his wife Cherry Seaborn was diagnosed with a tumor last year, while she was carrying the couple’s second child. Sheeran did not update fans on his wife’s health after he said the tumor could not be treated until after the birth of the kid. the couple’s daughter was born in May of this year. Sheeran claims that he has been “trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album” for the past ten years, which is how long it took to complete the Subtract album. The author continues, “But at the beginning of 2022, a sequence of events affected my life, my mental health, and eventually the way I regarded music and art. Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumor, with no route to therapy until after the birth. After the unexpected death of my best friend and brother Jamal, I found myself defending my reputation and profession as a songwriter in court. I was

in the midst of a downward spiral of worry, melancholy, and terror. Feeling like I couldn’t come up for air, I sank to the depths of despair. Sheeran’s “mathematical” album series, which began with 2011’s “+,” is said to be wrapping up with this release (pronounced Plus). Sheeran co-wrote and co-produced “Subtract” with Aaron Dessner of The National. Sheeran’s newest album, F64, was released in January and is a tribute to his late buddy, the rapper Jamal Edwards.

tract into the ideal acoustic album, recording hundreds of songs with a firm idea of how the finished product should sound. The beginning of 2022 brought about a series of changes in my outlook on life, my mental health, and the music and art I enjoyed. Songs are my kind of self-care. The process aids me in comprehending my emotions. I sat down to write and just let whatever came out flow into the tunes. And in a little over a week, I swapped out ten years of effort for my darkest ideas.

Sheeran’s full statement from today is as follows: I had spent a decade crafting Sub-

The process aids me in comprehending my emotions i sat down to write and just let whatever came out into tunes

2023 BEST

IN MUSIC The best of the best music is here with we choose this year’s final picks and we heard your votes and popular demand here is this years final artists that made it our selection

TOP BEST PICKS FOR THIS 2023

ARE HERE

LIZZO FEATURING SZA - SPECIAL” REMIX The Lizzo’s single “Special” was such a smash hit that she enlisted the help of a guest star for the remix. The latest version of “Special” features an inspiring opening verse from R&B superstar SZA. The collaboration was first performed by the duo during Lizzo’s Live in Concert HBO Max special in November 2022.

“THE MUSIC THAT YOU WILL PLACE ON REPEAT”

SAM SMITH– “I’M NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS” Sam Smith, in case you were wondering, is “Not Here to Make New Friends.” The singer looked stunning in the burlesque-inspired video for the new single from their Gloria album. Sam responded to criticism for filming a suggestive video within King Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace castle shortly after the video’s release in late January. On The Graham Norton Show, the singer stated, “There was nothing shady going on, and it wasn’t strange. Stranger things have occurred in that castle. Let’s face it, “They made a joke.

TAYLOR SWIFT – “LAVENDER HAZE” Quicksilvers, get set. The Easter eggs are plentiful in this one. Taylor Swift sings of drowning out the world when you’re in a “lavender cloud” of love.

CHLÖE – “PRAY IT AWAY” Quicksilvers, get set. The Easter eggs are plentiful in this one. Taylor Swift sings of drowning out the world when you’re in a “lavender cloud” of love.

MEGHAN TRAINOR FEAT. KIM PETRAS– MADE YOU LOOK” REMIXJUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU COULDN’T GET ENOUGH OF MEGHAN TRAINOR’S “MADE YOU LOOK” ALLOW OVER YOUR FYP, SHE’S BACK WITH A REMIX FEATURING NONE OTHER THAN KIM PETRAS.

BEYONCÉ – VIRGO’S GROOVE The pivot point of Beyoncé’s Renaissance is Virgo’s Groove. Even though it was released approximately two years after the rest of the 2020s disco resurgence, it completely annihilated the competition. Not even a collaboration between Dua, Kylie, and Jessie could have produced a song as lavish, brilliant, and incredibly rich as this one. With its shiny surfaces and endless grooves, Virgo’s Groove perfectly evokes a swanky nightclub complete with velvet sofas, mirrored dance floors, and huge balconies, and all the mystery and enchantment of a Donna Summer song at its pinnacle. While Beyoncé’s vocals are pushed to uncharted territory throughout Renaissance, Virgo’s Groove showcases her ability to effortlessly vary cadence and tone. Virgo’s Groove is the center of a new period in Beyoncé music, from which all the other songs on the album radiate.

ICE SPICE– “PRINCESS DIANA” You really believed I had feelings for you, didn’t you? Ice Spice, the rapper who gained fame thanks to the viral videos for his songs “Munch,” “Bikini Bottom,” and “In Ha Mood,” is back with another catchy, upbeat single.

MILEY CYRUS – “FLOWERS” I mean, what else is there to say? The significance of Miley’s work is obvious. Have doubts? “Flowers” beat out all previous Spotify records for the quickest song to reach 100 million streams.

SAM SMITH–”GLORIA” Sam Smith’s next album features the title track “Gloria,” which is a gay love letter. That’s fantastic, and we’d like to see more of it.

SZA– SHIRT or a song that was first previewed on social media in 2020, “Shirt” features some surprisingly light vocals that let SZA’s messiest confusions float free, unhindered by the hungry concerns that fuel them. She sings, “In the dark right now / Feeling lost, but I like it / Comfort in my sins, and all about me / All I got right now / Feel the taste of resentment / Simmer in my skin,” and the rumbling sub weighs down this fever dream like a cartoon’s surprise anvil, bringing our attention back to the gravity of her words.

FUSION We are very excited to have you as our guest on our show! For all the viewers, can you please kindly introduce yourselves? RENI : I’m Reni Takagi AYA : I’m Aya Sasaki SHIORI: I’m Shiori Tamai KANAKO : I’m Kanako Momota FUSION: Your music is very energetic and you have a lot of power in your music, can you kindly share your biggest motivation? RENI : We dance together with the audience to our songs and also the audience can call out during the concert. At this time, the audience can not call out due to the pandemic, but we have many songs that have exciting rhythm and movements. Our audience and us become one at our concerts. This has become our motivation and keeps us energized. It makes us enjoy our music more and it is also a major source of our motivation. SHIORI : We have many songs that get us and the audiences excited. That’s why Momokuro Clover Z sings the songs, all the lyrics convey our messages to our fans. As of 2022, we have been together as a group for 15 years.

Many of our songs, we can sing better now because of how long we have been a band, and improving and maturing. FUSION: Question 3.You are the first female group to hold a solo concert at the National Olympic Stadium in Japan. Can you talk about your experiences and feelings towards doing that? KANAKO : The concert that we were planning to hold at Japan National Stadium, we thought wasn’t going to happen because we learned that the stadium was going to be renovated. So, we didn’t expect to play our concert at the Japan National Stadium, but we made it just in time to play the concert before the stadium renovation. We were so delighted as this was like a dream come true for us. The concert instantly became one of our most memorable shows we’ve ever played. FUISION: You have done several collaborations with different artists from Japan and America. Can you talk to us about the experiences you’ve had while doing it, and are you open to new collaborations with different artists from Hollywood?

AYAKA : When we collaborated with KISS, we never would’ve expected to have KISS produce one of our songs, so we were very happy about that. When we shot the music video together, KISS was very kind and very friendly to us, so we had such a great time with them. We were also invited to watch KISS’s concert, so we had a lot of fun with them. Our song that KISS produced is very important for us, so we always play it at our shows. KANAKO When Lady Gaga came to Japan for her concert, we got to perform as her opener. We were a little nervous to be opening for someone who is a world famous artist, but we were able to watch her live performance up close from the audience, and we learned a lot from her performance. We started our show in full gold outfits, it was a very impressive stage. FUSION: You recently made an appearance with IRI and performed one of your songs, “HAND,” which has a very positive and encouraging message. Can you talk about this song and the message behind it?

MOMOIRO

SHIORI : We played on the same stage (at a festival) but we didn’t do collaborations. “HAND” is a slow rap song; we had created rap songs previously, but it was a new challenge for us to sing a slow rap. Each of us has been rapping for a long time already, but for this song, we had to rap for a longer portion than we are used to, which our experience had prepared us for. With, “HAND,” there is a catchy melody at the chorus, and our messages are sent to the listeners clearly. RENI : The lyrics go, “You are not alone” and “Everyone hand in hand”. The whole world has been experiencing this difficult time and everyone experiences it differently. We hope the meaning of the song, “HAND” can be delivered to the world to give people encouragement. FUSION: What challenges do you think you face now as a group and how do you overcome them as a team KANAKO: When we started our career, we needed a lot of work on the music portion of being an artist in this industry because we were so

young. So, we would love to continue to develop our skills with creating music and to keep progressing and keep releasing the best songs we can to our fans. FUSION: You have been active for a while now and over the years, everyone in the group has different ambitions and inspirations. For this year, what are your ambitions and aspirations, and what goals are you aiming for this year? SHIORI : Before the pandemic, we held concerts in America, France and Europe. We still can not see our fans around the world, and we aren’t able to connect with those fans who haven’t heard of us yet. Due to the pandemic, it is still difficult for us to go abroad, but when the time comes, we would love to see people all over the world. One of our biggest challenges is language. We would like to communicate with our fans in English, so we would really like to learn English as well.

you have any plans to work on any special collaborations in the future with any anime projects? FUSION: Talk about your feelings about performing at this year’s ROCK in Japan festival, when you learned that you would perform this year, what was going through your mind and talk about your goals and accomplishments that you wanted to do at this live concert? RENI:.May Be right now it’s difficult to travel overseas, but in the future the fans from around the world would like to see you again. Would you be open for the idea of making a tour in america?

SHIORI: Creating good opening songs for anime has attracted A LOT OF attention from fans from America and Canada and around the world. Do

O CLOVER Z

MAGGY FASHION, CARS, AND EVERYTHING ELSE AS WE HAD A SIT DOWN WITH THE SUPER MODEL AND AS GET AN EXCLUYSIVE CLOSER LOOK ON WHAT MAGGY HAS NEXT ON HER CAREER PHOTOS BY JERRY CORIA

AUTHOR: AMANDA STEVENS FASHION STYLIST : AYUMI HAMAMOTO

HAIR MAKEUP: MIKAKO KIKUCHI

SKIRT M USINSA SHOES SERGIO ROSSI

SKIRT MUSINSA SHOES SERGIO ROSSI

SKIRT M USINSA SHOES SERGIO ROSSI

lease tell us how you got your start in show business.

MAGGY; When I was 16 years old, I made my first appearance. At Yokohama station, a model agency found me and asked to meet with me. I am thankful that during my debut year I was given the opportunity to have my very own regularly featured corner on television and in magazines. As a result of this opportunity, I am the person that I am today.

Why did you decide to pursue a career in the fashion industry? MAGGY: My fascination with the glamorous world of fashion began when I was about 5 years old and was sparked by advertising for CHANEL. During the graduation ceremony from elementary school, there was a moment in which I mention my desire, and I said that I wanted to become a fashion model. Yet, I lacked self-assurance, and as a result, I don’t believe that I would have been successful in this field had it not been

for the scout from the modeling agency. What, in your opinion, are some of the most challenging aspects of working in this field? MAGGY: In my view, maintaining one’s status quo while simultaneously pursuing opportunities for improvement calls for a significant investment of time and energy. It is only by constant work that we can learn to adapt to new circumstances, display the unique attributes that make us

There’s no denying your enthusiasm for automobiles, but tell us: when did it all begin? MAGGY: When I was a little girl, I remember visiting my aunt in Canada and seeing that she was driving a bright red JEEP. At the time, I remember thinking that when I grew up, I wanted to be a woman who was attractive when riding in a car. As a result of coming to Tokyo for business and seeing Porsches, Ferraris, and Bentleys driving around the city, I developed an obsession with sports vehicles.

T OPS FORT E_ FORT E(CORONET ) PANT S - AM I PARIS NECKL ACE - T OM W OOD BOOT S - J IM M Y CHOO

Are you into classic cars or are you into modern cars with high tech? MAGGY: I got my MT license with the intention of one day being able to drive a historic automobile, but of days I’m more into newer sports cars. I enjoy things that sparkle and shine, if that makes any sense. But I can’t help but think that one day I’d enjoy the experience of driving a classic Mercedes open automobile. Which piece of advise from your experience would you give your younger self? MAGGY: I would like everyone to know that I am where I am now because of the support that I received from a lot of individuals. At this point in time, it can be challenging to maintain a broad perspective. I am writing to encourage you to practice gratitude in all that you do and to keep up the wonderful job. What are your plans moving forward, what do you hope to accomplish, and how do you intend to increase your level of physical activity?

self? who we are, and generate results that are better than envisioned. (me) Do you still want to work in the entertainment industry, whether it be on television or in other forms of media? MAGGY: I’m not very interested in shows where I have to say what the audience wants to hear, such as scripted variety shows, but I am interested in shows where I can be myself and use my own words. Nonetheless, I still struggle to portray an

authentic demeanor when I’m on TV. Explain how you feel when you take the runway on stage. MAGGY: I put a lot of thought into how I present myself in the clothes I wear, and I do my best to exude the vibe that the brand is going 4 when I walk. When I attend fashion exhibitions in Japan like the Tokyo Girls Collection, I attempt to connect with my followers by waving whenever I see a board with my name on it.

Exactly what is it about fashion that most excites you? MAGGY: It’s fun to be able to foresee fashion and experiment with styles that I normally wouldn’t try because of this ability. I also appreciate working in a setting where the director, camera operator, stylist, and makeup artist all collaborate with the mindset of “Let’s create something wonderful together!”

JACKET JAKKE(JACK OF ALL TRADES PRESS ROOM) PANTS MUSIC LEGS(ぽこ·あ·ぽこ) BOOTS SERGIO ROSSI (SERGIO ROSSI CUSTOMER SERVICE) OTHER STYLIST’S OWN

aggy: I would like to participate in motor sports to a greater extent. As I run a channel on YouTube dedicated to automobiles, it would make me very happy if I could act as a conduit to encourage more people from other parts of the world to view it and to bring automobiles from other countries into Japan. Another one of my goals is to one day own my very own auto racing team.

In closing, what do you want the audience to take away from this? MAGGY: Through Fusion, I’m sure I was introduced to a good number of folks for the very first time! I would appreciate it if you will check out my Instagram and YouTube. Speak about the many ensembles you are wearing in the photo shoot; everything looks amazing on you, and it’s fun to see all of the different combinations.

MAGGY: I enlisted the help of my go-to stylist, who is also quite fashionable and is familiar with both my preferences and the things that look best on me, for this photoshoot for Fusion. I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to dress in the most recent Givenchy creation. I’ve been trying to get into better shape so that I can appear presentable in any kind of clothing at any moment, so it’s encouraging to hear that I can pull off the look.

My time spent working with Maggie has provided me with a significant amount of motivation to pursue a career in the fashion modeling profession in Japan. It’s no surprise that Maggy’s background is a very heavy one with a lot of experience in the modeling industry. However, her love and passion for cars makes her very unique and one-of-a-kind. Her sense of fashion, which was styled by ayumi hamamoto, gave us a clear visual of cool yet confident and very stylish looks. Taking a look at Maggy’s YouTube channel, where you can see a lot of reviews from different vehicles, it gives it a different aspect of her life besides fashion and modeling because she is incredibly passionate and loving about cars. This is the inspiration that you should take away from this; stay original and showcase your hard work and due diligence. Maggie presents a sufficient amount of detail for anyone interested in automobiles; be sure to check out her channel on YouTube. Moreover, if you would want to keep in contact with her, please check out her Instagram, where you may gain fashion and other lifestyle inspiration from the various things she does. Make sure to stay connected with MAGGY INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/maggymoon

J ACKET AM I PARIS(AM I PARIS J APAN) PANT S M USIC L EGS(ぽこ·あ·ぽこ) PIERCE T OM W OOD (T OM W OOD PROJ ECT ) BOOT S SERGIO ROSSI

FASHION AND ATTIRE BY: GIVENCHY / GIVENCHY.COM

FUSION: You really don‘t need any introduction. The world loves you and you are very well loved in all of the US and South America, but for the first time viewers watching, can you please introduce yourself? HYDE: I am HYDE. I’ve been an artist for a long time, and I use various styles to express my music. FUSION: Let‘s talk about what you are currently doing. You have returned as a solo artist and have been releasing music since 2018. Is there any new music that fans can expect for this year or early next year? HYDE: I’m gonna perform a few new songs on stage. And I wanna release at least 20 new songs by the end of next year. JUST KIDDING!!! FUSION: You are performing at this year‘s Rock in Japan festival, what are your plans and what are you looking forward to with this year‘s festival? HYDE: I wanna get crazy at the festival this year! When I’m on stage, I give it all I’ve got every time. And though all these monster bands will be hitting the same stage, I want the audience to think that my performance was the wildest one at the festival. FUSION: When you are performing on stage, what goes through your mind and how do you keep the fans entertained? HYDE: I’m thinking, „What am I gonna do next?“, „What‘s for dinner tonight?“ and „That guy is looking at his iPhone”, stuff like that! (laughs)

FUSION: What does Rock in Japan Festival mean to you personally? HYDE: I’ve been offered more different bits at this festival than any other. Though I’ve taken part in Rock in Japan Festival before, I’ve never actually played on the main stage. I kept thinking that maybe I wasn’t good enough, but now, finally I got a chance to hit that stage. So I feel very motivated today!

FUSION: A lot of fans have discovered you in different ways, some hear your music in anime intros and some have followed your music from the early days from L‘Arc-en-Ciel and some have discovered you in your other side projects, what challenges do you face because you are always staying original to yourself and many people love your artistry and creativity HYDE: I keep exploring what I’m capable of as an artist. If I was to copy other bands, my originality wouldn’t show up in my music. What I wanna do is to continue expressing myself with as much power as possible, combined with what I’m really good at. Today, my show is gonna be completely different from all the other bands. Of course, that doesn‘t mean I’m saying other bands are less fun to watch. What I’m gonna do is create that perfect balance between me and the other bands. FUSION: What keeps HYDE going and what keeps you inspired after being in this industry for such a long time? HYDE: There are many fans who come to my concerts, and say, „I LOVE HYDE‘S SONGS!“. I don‘t want my fans to be embarrassed, I want them to think, „I’m happy loving HYDE“. That gets me fired up! I then come up with more fun ideas, my fans get more excited and ready to enjoy my next show. I keep moving forward, powered by this kind of motivation every day FUSION: Fans are always excited with your collaborations, are you doing anything special, are you working with anyone this year? HYDE: This year?? Well, something might be happening. But I can’t really say what it is. Not yet! (laughs) FUSION: Let‘s talk about fashion. We American people love your sense of fashion and

it inspires many. How do you stay on top of your fashion and who inspires you in the fashion world? HYDE: I don‘t think my band is the type to perform in T-shirts! It depends on the situation, I guess. I choose my outfit based on what I like, and I don‘t mind looking flamboyant on stage. I wanna show the world beyond reality to my audience, so if I was to wear ordinary clothes, my show would make no sense. That’s why I plan my every outfit, like today, I decided on something in Japanese style. FUSION: You are a great showmanship, but was there ever a time when YOU felt you got nervous and couldn‘t do so well on stage and if so how did you overcome that? HYDE: I get nervous when I do things that I usually don’t do, such as making a speech at a wedding or buying ice coffee at the convenience store. I get so nervous when I say, „May I have an ice coffee?“ to the cashier, but then I’m not sure what to do next! FUSION: What‘s next for HYDE? Are there any hopes for you to perform outside of Japan, perhaps in Los Angeles? HYDE: Of course, I will continue with my music, and I would like to be a blonde bro! (laughs) FUSION: Is there anyone in the States you would like to work with and collaborate with? HYDE: I would love to be invited to tour with, “Slipknot” in America! My name is HYDE. I’m super excited to be performing on this stage today (at Rock in Japan Festival). I would love it if the world would watch my show and get to know who HYDE is. I would also be delighted if you could take even a moment of your time to watch me perform!

E D HY THE EXCLUSIVE FROM ROCK IN JAPAN FEST

. Yokuoushoku Shakai, is a very well known J-pop band and their name is often abbreviated as Ryokushaka. Ryokushaka is a four-piece band, with two female and two male members; HARUKO(Vo./Gt.), ISSEI (Gt./Cho.), PEPPE (Key./Cho.) and ANAMI (Ba./ Cho). They deliver their music with heartfelt harmony and thoughtful lyrics to all listeners, full of positive messages. Ryoku Shaka had an exclusive interview with Fusion, prior to their high energy performance in front of a full audience at Rock in Japan Festival. Ryokushaka shared about their history, music and dreams over their 10 year career. FUSION: Please introduce yourself for all the viewers around the world. How did the group come together? HARUKO (Vo./Gt.) : Ryokuoushoku Shakai was created when we were classmates in the same high school, and we recently celebrated our 10 year anniversary. Ryokushaka is a four-piece band, composed of two males and two females. Everyone is involved in the writing process, so everyone adds their own color to the songs. FUSION: Talk about your inspirations as a group; what are some of the elements that make you so unique? SHINGO (Ba./Cho.) :Four members making songs together means each member has their own strengths and musical inspiration in their lives, so each element of our music mixes when we make songs together. We compose songs based on music we have never listened to before; we mix all that music together, so those new sounds merge nicely and it becomes a very unique and interesting sounding song. Our band formed with two males and two females, the male vocalist has his own main chorus part in the song and that way, both female and male vocalists make nice harmony together. We think it is unique and interesting to listen to Ryokushaka’s music. FUSION: Your music is very inspirational, it has a lot of different rhythms that go very well with the singers voice. Can you talk about the creative process when making music?

ISSEI (Gt./Cho.) : The vocals are superior in our band so the singing parts are our top priority. We apply the vocals first, then we start adding the melody and the notes. Our audience thinks Ryokushaka has such great harmony between the vocalists along with the songs. We can not really analyze those things, but the fans talk about us that way, so I think so!

happen, and the chance to do something with that time are limited. So, we enjoy doing something because we have limited time. Personally, I added my vocal part into this song, “Toki.” This song was made for us but also the audience; we try to sing this song to make a balance amongst our band, the audience and our music when we are on stage.

FUSION: Talk about the song, “Toki No Itazura.” What was the main message you wanted to give all listeners with this beautiful song, and what was the inspiration of this song?

FUSION: Can you talk about the challenges that you face together as a band and how do you overcome these challenges together? PEPPE (Key./Cho.) : First of all, we’ve been talking about wanting to have a live tour in the USA since we formed the band. We haven’t reached that dream, even though we’ve been performing for 10 years. We can not really go abroad due to the pandemic, but we would love to go and see all the fans around the world, when the time

HARUKO (Vo./Gt.) : When we had originally formed the band that would become, Ryokushasha, we sang about “Toki (Time),” a lot, because everything has an end. We think about the whole concept of time and the fragility, with some things meant to

comes. This is one of our biggest dreams. We certainly w ould love that dream to come true. FUSION: Your song lyrics are very positive and encouraging. A s songwriters, how difficult is it to deliver such powerful messages f or the listeners to enj oy? HARUKO (Vo./Gt.) : Speaking of difficulties, of course, we hope the meanings and messages of our songs are conveyed to the audience and they understand our music. When I exp ress my ow n f eelings, there are no lies and it is the same w hen I put my honest f eelings into each song. To be honest, this is a little bit different than the meaning of difficult. We also think that it could have a dif f erent meaning as it depends on how the listeners receive the meanings f rom the songs. I believe that it is important to be honest w ith myself , that w ay it’ s more likely the listeners receive our messages through our music and it is better to be as honest as w e can. S o w e w ould like to continue to be as honest as w e can w hen w e deliver our songs to our f ans. FUSION: What is the group w orking on now , is there anything w e can look f orw ard to?

HARUKO (Vo./Gt.): A ll of us are involved in making songs together. There are so many combinations of notes and other patterns w e haven’ t done yet! We w ould like to exp lore Ryoku S haka in w ays w e haven’ t attempted to yet, creating songs w ith a new style of sounds and compositions, including lyrics. FUSION: You are now here at ROC K in JA P A N Festival. What are your f eelings right now and how great is it to be perf orming here? HARUKO (Vo./Gt.) : A s the name of this f estival goes, “ The Rock in Ja pan Festival, ” this f estival is the biggest f estival in Ja pan. I t’ s a great honor f or us to perf orm on the stage of this festival. This is not the first time we’ve performed here, but we don’ t take this of f er f or granted. A ctually, it is so splendid f or us to share our songs and music w ith the audience in the same space at this f estival. I alw ays think this w ay every time w e have a perf ormance here. We are perf orming right af ter this interview . I t has been a long time since w e had the stage at Rock in Ja pan Festival because of the pandemic. We love to f eel the audience’ s vibes throughout our w hole bodies! !

YOKUOUSHOKU SHAKAI

The Fall 2023 runways all agreed that large belts were a must-have accessory, joining the many (too many) fantastic shoe and bag proposals.

The best kind of runway trend is the one that can be easily implemented into one’s daily life without requiring any additional financial outlay. At the Fall 2023 runway shows, designers like Antonio Marras, Del Core, Etro, and more encouraged us to wear our coats and jackets off one shoulder or completely off both shoulders.

FASHION WEEK!

Incredible accessories, a more subdued Gucci, and outstanding presentations by Prada, Ferragamo, and Bottega Veneta were just some of the highlights of Milan Fashion Week. There were also several significant trends for Autumn 2023 presented, which expanded on the runway looks seen in New York and London. Find out what key ideas emerged from Milan Fashion Week‘s shows before the month of fashion finishes. Now that Milan‘s FW23 schedule of five days comes to a close on February 28, three of the four fashion weeks in the most recent cycle have come to a close. To be honest, I didn‘t have high hopes

Milanese designers aren’t afraid to show some skin on the runway, so this fall, layering won’t be about keeping warm.

for Milan. Even though I knew names like Gucci and Prada would come through in some capacity, the lack of anticipation leading up to the event made me wonder if I should bother. So, I guess I‘m putting my thoughts in my mouth right now. Since Milan shook things up. Gucci and Prada far surpassed everyone‘s expectations, while the work of Maximilian Davis, Glenn Martens, and Matthieu Blazy at Ferragamo, Diesel, and Bottega Veneta respectively, served as a reminder of the critical role played by a brand‘s creative director.For your viewing pleasure, the Highsnobiety staff has gotten together in typical fashion and compiled a small selection of our favorite outfits from the entire five-day

Different designers have taken different approaches to Fall 2023’s “consciously undone” aesthetic, but split sleeves, which were prominent on the Milan runways, and offthe-shoulder necklines have emerged as two of the most popular ways to show off the upper arm are two of the most noticeable. schedule. Bally has been given new life by designer Rhuigi Villasenor, whose newest collection has an air of Italian glitz and a touch of equestrian polish. As a woman who takes great pride in her relationship with horses, I was naturally drawn to this ensemble: a tailored double-breasted blazer, sleek pants, and a pair of versatile croc-embossed riding boots that are equally at home on the saddle or the streets of New York City. bibendum. Aenean a ante massa. Donec convallis imperdiet tellus, fringilla scelerisque orci tempus ornare. Nullam vitae metus venenatis,

To cater to our current obsession with balaclavas and other knit head coverings, designers have included them in their Fall 2023 collections both as standalone pieces and as integral parts of various autumnal outfits.

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What if we took the superhero motif and added a fashion twist? The models in Prada, Sportmax, Moschino, and Trussardi wore dresses with billowing capes that encased them like a cocoon as they walked down the runway.

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