Every year, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California publishes a hotly anticipated poster detailing which artists will be playing the most buzzed-about festival in the United States and possibly the world.
The didn¡¯t disappoint, and even had a treat for fans of Japanese music. This year¡¯s Coachella, held across two weekends in April, will feature Vocaloid avatar Hatsune Miku and Harajuku ambassador Kyary Pamyu Pamyu playing on both weekends¡¯ Fridays and Sundays, respectively. The news saw , and early reaction from English-language music writers was positive, with Stereogum as ¡°wildly conceptual J-pop¡± and Pitchfork to both in a reaction piece.
This double dose of J-pop at a festival best known for Beyonce¡¯s 2018 blockbuster showing and a clientele made up mainly of Los Angeles influencers marks a high point for a recent trend for festivals booking Japanese acts. Artists from this country aren¡¯t selling out arenas abroad or commanding much media attention, but they¡¯ve carved out a certain success that¡¯s impressive in a boom-or-bust industry.
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