Do Your Best No Matter the Situation—A World Where Everyone Supports and Helps Each Other – UNHCR Japan
At that time, I saw the news that the new coronavirus was spreading in China, but I didn’t think it would affect me. After I returned to Japan from work in Los Angeles in February, the number of infections in Europe and the United States rose rapidly until the situation completely changed in March. Japan also declared a state of emergency, and I started staying at home like everyone else. I have a new album coming out in April and a Japan tour to follow, so I’ve been discussing with my staff whether to cancel the tour given the unprecedented crisis we’re in.
As COVID-19 spreads, many things come to mind. Think about what I can do, the meaning of entertainment, what should I do as a musician, what kind of information should I spread, and why should I continue to make music. During that time I started to think a lot.
When traveling abroad, filming, etc., sudden changes in plans are common. No matter what the situation is, I will always think about how to do my best in the environment I am in, and unexpected changes may occur at any time.
During this pandemic, we artists may not be able to do much directly to save the lives of those infected. However, believing that artists and entertainment could do something, I set out to do what I could, providing music and performances to people who were working from home and couldn’t go to work or kids who couldn’t go to school, had to stay at home, and were under increasing mental stress to provide Supporting frontline healthcare workers who continue to work despite risks.
When considering what can be done from Japan, Tokyo during the state of emergency declaration, my only option is to start sharing from home. That’s when I started hosting house concerts on Instagram. Usually, I often go on tour abroad, far away from home, but forming a band with my family has brought me closer to my family through music. I want to share this experience with all my fans and supporters, at first I tried to do it non-stop, but it was actually very difficult to do it every day 🙂 However, it also brought a lot of new discoveries.
