Fujii Kaze’s new album Prema arrived on September 5, marking a defining step for one of Japan’s most exciting voices. His third full-length and first entirely in English, the record moves through funk, soul, gospel and jazz while carrying the spiritual warmth that has always shaped his music. For Kaze, it’s not just a release but a statement of where he stands today, following a meteoric rise that has already taken him from viral YouTube covers to sold-out arenas, including two unforgettable nights for 140,000 fans at Nissan Stadium.
We spoke with him just before Prema came out, at a moment of anticipation and reflection. Known for his viral Tiny Desk session and acclaimed shows across Asia and Europe, Kaze approaches this project with disarming honesty, drawing from both vulnerability and joy. What emerges is a work that looks inward while continuing to resonate worldwide with the same instinctive flow that has quickly established him as a global force.
Kaze, thanks for taking a moment to chat with us; we know it’s a busy time. With just under a week until Prema drops, are you still caught up in last-minute chaos, or does it feel like the work’s done and you’re just letting it fly now?
It has been chaotic! And it still is. I feel like I still have a lot to do and share for this album, but I'm kind of overwhelmed by everything and don't know where to start!
You said you “pretended” to know the purest form of love on Love Like This, the single you released a few weeks ago. What made you want to explore that idea, pretending something as if it’s real until maybe it becomes real?
The chorus part said those lyrics and melody from the beginning, like, "I'll never find another love like this, it's true," so I was like, "What kind of love is that? How can I find it?" So I tried to build an imaginary paradise in this song. I always do that; a little melody and words come first, and I try to make a world around it.
That song’s got a really warm '80s shimmer to it, but also a quiet sadness underneath. Did you feel that contrast while making it?
Thank you for getting it. This is not a 100% love-and-light song; it includes all the sadness and pain you had to go through to reach that brightness.
Let’s jump back a bit. When you were uploading piano covers to YouTube at twelve years old, could you even imagine the life you’re living now? Was fame ever the goal, or just a side effect?
I've always avoided setting fame as a goal. Though I secretly wanted to be a popular kid in school, always (laughs). But I intuitively knew that trying to become famous to satisfy your ego is dangerous and shallow.
Do you remember the moment you realised that millions of people were watching you? Was it exciting or overwhelming?
In my opinion, my journey has been 'slow and steady': 100 views became 1000, 1000 became 100000, and so on. So it didn't overwhelm me, but I was so grateful.
You’ve said your dad introduced you to music early on. Do you remember the first time you felt like music was something yours, not just something around you?
Probably when I got introduced to R&B music at twelve or thirteen years old. Because my parents didn't listen to modern R&B artists like Usher, Mary J. Blige, and Mariah Carey.
And when the label deal came in, when things started getting “real”, what part of yourself did you try hardest to protect?
The connection with my family, especially my parents. And all the spiritual philosophy that they gave me.
You’ve called your early YouTube videos a kind of “training”. Looking back, do you think starting so young helped you stay grounded once things got bigger?
It did. By the time I released my first song, I was already used to getting comments from people I didn't know!
You often talk about inspiration like something you follow, not something you force. Have you always had that relationship with creativity, or did it come with time and experience?
I respect Michael Jackson a lot, and he once said, "Don't write the music. Let the music write itself." These words resonated with me so much. I started trying not to get in the way of music that much.
Your first album, HELP EVER HURT NEVER, came out in the middle of the pandemic, a strange time to debut. What do you remember most from that moment?
Basically, I had been stuck in my room my whole life, uploading videos and trying to communicate with the outside world while staying inside, so my debut felt like an extension of my everyday life.
From there to LOVE ALL SERVE ALL, and now to Prema, the message seems to grow more spiritual and more personal. What shifted in you between those records?
I wanted my message to be clearer and simpler. I was shy and didn't know how to express my spirituality and my personality at first. But I gradually learnt how to open my heart and communicate with the world. Prema is my most personal work for sure.
Your Tiny Desk performance blew up with over 19 million views and got massive recognition. What has that milestone meant for you?
It makes me smile to see the comments from all over the world! I had an incredible time performing this with the musicians I admire. It was so peaceful. It makes me happy that it resonates with people.
Let's dive deeper into Prema. Casket Girl opens the album in a chaotic place: confusion, inner demons, and that tug-of-war between running and staying. Why begin the record there?
This album feels like my documentary to me. I was struggling at the beginning, fighting the demon inside. And I want this album to have a happy ending.
I Need U Back is slick and poppy on the surface, but it’s clearly about something deeper. You said it came during a moment when you were losing motivation. What helped pull you out of that space?
I remember writing this song itself helped a lot. I needed to write that high-energy, big and bold '80s-sounding song to break out of my shell.
Okay, Goodbye. What’s the story behind that one?
I've always sung about 'letting go'. This is the epitome of that, and it's my favourite so far. It's saying goodbye to all the negativity and attachments that bind you.
You’ve said that the title track, Prema, is about your relationship with God, about seeing yourself as part of something infinite. Is that a daily belief for you, or something you have to remind yourself of over and over?
It's both. My songs are basically filled with my daily beliefs and reminders.
Your sold-out European tour took you from Berlin to Paris to London, and you debuted at major festivals like Roskilde and Montreux. Did the energy feel different in each city?
Each city had its own charm, and I loved all of that. Overall, the people in Europe seemed warm and sweet to me; that's my first impression.
There’s the viral success, the packed arenas, and the millions of views. How do you deal with that much global attention?
I try not to lie to anybody, including myself. I'm staying humble and thankful.
You played to an empty stadium during lockdown, just you and a piano. Last year, there were 140,000 people across two nights at Nissan Stadium. What’s stayed the same in you through all of that?
I remember I was trying to be a good instrument of something infinite. The mindset has always been the same.
And what’s changed the most in your day-to-day life, not just as an artist, but as a person?
I'm more confident, and I love myself more. I'm no longer trying to be someone else anymore; I'm becoming more honest and true.
What message would you like to send to all your fans reading this interview right now?
Let's try to be better versions of ourselves every day and continue growing as human beings. I hope this record, Prema, can play a small part in helping with that.
