tiny desk concerts JAPAN

Japanese city pop is being rediscovered around the world, and EPO, one of the genre's most celebrated singers, captures everything that makes this music so loved across borders and generations in this special performance.
Joining her are Shimizu Nobuyuki, the legendary arranger and keyboardist who shaped city pop's golden age; Sahashi Yoshiyuki, a top-tier guitarist behind countless classic tracks; and GOOD BYE APRIL, a four-piece band giving city pop a fresh, modern edge. Together, they make for a one-of-a-kind collaboration that spans generations.
The setlist is packed with hits beloved worldwide: the infectious groove of Down Town, the pure weekend energy of Saturday Night Paradise, and the feel-good pop anthem U-fu-fu-fu.  EPO's clear, radiant voice blends with the rich musicianship of veteran and young artists alike, filling the intimate tiny desk space with sound.
This isn't just a trip down memory lane—it's city pop alive and evolving in the present.

Fusing a rich array of musical roots such as soul, funk, jazz, blues, rock, and world music, Original Love has carved a singular path through Japanese pop music, and now they make their first-ever appearance on tiny desk concerts JAPAN!
A self-professed fan of tiny desk, Tajima Takao put together a special, one-time-only lineup for the show. Joining the five band members (Gt: Kogure Shinya, Dr: Sano Yasuo, Ba: Komatsu Hideyuki, Cho: Mashiro Megumi, Org: Kawai Daisuke) are a three-piece saxophone section and three backing vocalists. This lavish twelve-piece ensemble delivers Original Love's lush groove and vividly colorful sound with all the raw, up-close presence that only the tiny desk can offer.
The luxurious setlist befits the band's 35th-anniversary milestone: Seppun (Kiss), practically synonymous with Original Love; the celebratory classic Fiesta; the intensely groovy The Rover; the heat-packed live favorite Yoru wo Buttobase (Leave the Night in the Dust); and their newest song, Ai wa Akari (Love Is a Torch), making its television debut. It's a best-of-and-brand-new setlist that distills 35 years of Original Love's journey.
Most of all, though, we hope you'll experience the kind of performance that only the tiny desk can create. Right in front of the audience, close enough to hear every breath, the vocals come through live, with no speakers in between. The band builds around those voices with performances that are both groovy and finely detailed, while Tajima Takao simply lets the music carry him. What comes through is not just Tajima's talent as an artist, but his warmth, love of music, and joy in connecting with people.

Now celebrating their 20th anniversary, IKIMONOGAKARI joins tiny desk concerts JAPAN! They bring a selection of hit songs you're sure to recognize, featuring special arrangements created exclusively for the tiny desk.
For this performance, IKIMONOGAKARI enlisted MONONKVL as sound producers whom they had met through their collaboration album. Drawing on their roots in jazz and soul, the music unit transforms pop songs into refined ensemble arrangements. While preserving the appeal of the original songs, they embrace the intimate proximity unique to the tiny desk setting, where performers can feel one another's every breath, to create band arrangements that could only emerge in this space.
Beloved songs, sung and cherished for 20 years, take on new dimensions through the musicians' free-flowing ideas and interplay. The true pleasure of the tiny desk lies in experiencing the moment music comes to life up close, in a setting unlike a live concert or a television broadcast. Enjoy IKIMONOGAKARI as they are today, in a performance you can only experience here.