Women's voices are beyond the hit charts - A collection of interviews exploring the current state and attitude of 30 women who live with music / Author: Rio Hirai

[Now accepting reservations/Release date: early November 2023]

[Shipping fee for this product is 550 yen nationwide]

＜Overview＞

Billboard Japan's serial "Us and Music" is published as a book
The theme is gender balance in the charts

This book is a book version of the series "Us and Music" that began on the online media Billboard Japan in the fall of 2022 as part of the Japanese version of "Women In Music," a project by the American magazine Billboard to recognize female artists who have made significant contributions to the music industry and empowered women through their activities (previous recipients include Beyonce and Madonna).

The series begins with the question, "Why is there such an skewed gender balance, with only 27 female artists in the top 100 hit charts?" and discusses how to interpret this fact and how to respond to it, with female artists, female leaders in the music and entertainment industries, and female creators active around the world. The book version being released this time features interviews with a total of 30 people who appeared in the series over the approximately one year period from September 2022, when the series began, to September 2023, which have been re-edited for the book.

From YouTube leaders to top artists
Interviews with 30 women who live with music

The book features 30 people, including artists from various fields such as rappers, bands, singer-songwriters, track makers, YouTubers, and dancers who are active in the American showbiz scene, as well as women in management positions at leading companies in the Japanese entertainment business, such as YouTube (Google), Spotify, and Hayashi International Promotions, and music writers. By arranging the frank voices from each position in one book, the book will highlight the "views" and "feelings" of women in the entertainment industry in 2022-23.

<Interviews for this publication *Titles omitted, in alphabetical order>

Noriko Ashizawa (Head of Music Planning and Promotion at Spotify Japan) / Akko Gorilla / UA / eill / ermhoi / Kyary Pamyu Pamyu / Sakura Tsuruta / Mai Sasaki (YouTube Artist Relations) / SCANDAL / chelmico / CHAI (Mana, Yuuki) / Chara / Chanmina / TOMOO / Mika Nakashima / Ryoko Nakajo (Head of YouTube Japan) / Nishina / Kaori Hayashi (CEO of Hayashi International Promotions Co., Ltd.) / Harami-chan / Harunemuri / Maasa Ishihara / Haruko Nagaya, peppe (Rokuoushoku Shakai) / Shiho Watanabe (Music Writer)

*Special content: "Considering gender balance in hit charts" Roundtable discussion: Maho Kakei (music writer) / Seiji Kameda (music producer) / Yuko Kameda (EMI Records)

The first book by up-and-coming writer/editor Rio Hirai
A masterpiece condensed one year of research into 256 pages

Author Hirai Rio is an up-and-coming writer/editor for whom this is her first book, and is active in a wide range of media, mainly women's and culture magazines. Her life's work is interviewing women on the theme of "how women live and work," and she has spoken to over 200 women to date. This book makes full use of her experience and perspective, and the serialization that took place over the course of a year is condensed into 256 pages.

◎Author profile

Hirai Rio: Born in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1989. Worked as an editorial assistant while studying art at Meiji Gakuin University's Faculty of Letters. Started working as an editor and writer at Ito Soken Co., Ltd. in 2012. Became independent in October 2015. In 2021, he founded the production team "FIUME Inc." In addition to editing magazines and web media, he also creates advertising content, writes copy, and plans events. At the same time, he continues to interview women about their "work and lifestyle" in various media, and has spoken to over 200 women so far.

■ Book information
Title: "Women's voices are beyond the hit charts - A collection of interviews exploring the current status and attitude of 30 women who live with music"
Author: Rio Hirai
Release: Scheduled to be delivered sequentially from early November 2023 (pre-orders will also be accepted on various EC sites)
Design: Hikari Taguchi
Cover illustration: Kotomi Fujiwara
DTP: Gengosha
Interview cooperation: Hanshin Contents Link Co., Ltd., Billboard Japan Editorial Department
Specifications: 256 pages, 2C, paperback, 46-size
Published/distributed by: So Sweet Publishing Co., Ltd.
Price: 2,400 yen + tax (2,640 yen)
ISBN: 9784991221132