After living in London, he sets his sights on new horizons. Nariaki Obukuro wears TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO New Balance

Bold decisions are what drive future growth

Obukuro Nariaki moved his base of operations to London, England in 2019. After a period of immersing himself in the local music culture and devoting himself to songwriting, he has now returned to Japan to take on a new challenge.

"I'm currently back in Urawa, Saitama, where I was born and raised, for the first time in a while, and it's given me time to rediscover the good things about my hometown. Saitama is often thought of as a place with "nothing going on," but when you take a closer look, you'll see that it has a strong culture. The outdoor shop I'm in today, RIMBA, is one of the stores that has been driving the cultural side of Urawa for nearly 20 years. They also have records, and I often drop in like this to look around the store and talk to the owner, Yokohama (Yuichi)."

Obukuro's career began in 2014 when he launched his own music label. He first developed his talent through his producing work, and then made his solo debut in 2018. He has carved out a path unlike any other. He describes himself as "the type of person who likes to make drastic decisions first, then think about what to do next and act," and his bold personality is evident in his decision to move to the UK in 2019. And life in London has been nothing short of a continuous challenge.

"There are so many inconvenient things about life in London, like the lack of convenience stores and the mediocre food (laughs). But what surprised me the most was how people of all different races live together so naturally. I've been to many places around the world on tour, but London is overwhelmingly the most diverse. There aren't just people from the local area, there are also people from Zambia and Italy. I'm from Saitama, Japan. It was really inspiring to see how everyone has such different roots."

While there, Kobukuro-san went out into the city every day and expanded the community from scratch with his own efforts. As he visited music bars and live music venues, he found kindred spirits with a wide range of talented people.

"There was a live bar that held free jazz sessions every Monday and Tuesday, and I often went there as a patron. Gradually, I made more acquaintances and sometimes I started joining the sessions myself. It was there that I was blessed with the opportunity to meet all kinds of musicians."

"Zatto," his first album in three years, was released in January this year and can be considered the culmination of his time in London. Based on jazz and soul, the album was created in a session format with a diverse group of musicians he forged relationships with in London. Looking back on the process, Kobukuro describes it as "an experience that sharpened me in many ways."

"It was my first time recording with a live band, and there were no staff locally, so I started by looking for a studio myself. I asked all my fellow session musicians about what options were available and if there was any way to rent one for as cheaply as possible. I got help from a lot of different people."

He also had some stressful experiences while recruiting musicians to participate. "Especially during festival season, many of the musicians would be away, and we would sometimes find ourselves in a situation where we couldn't get all the members together until two days before rehearsal. So a friend introduced me to some talented people who had free time. At first I was worried about whether it would work out, but once we played in a session, everyone was a really good musician. So towards the end, I started to feel mysteriously confident, thinking, 'Well, it should all work out somehow,' and I'm no longer easily shaken by little things (laughs)."

Interacting with friends with different roots broadened my horizons and cultivated my perspective on society

Although it was sometimes difficult, Obukuro says that working with musicians with diverse musical roots was stimulating. "Everything was fresh, from the guitar approach to the drum rhythm patterns," he recalls. During their interactions, he also noticed something about the way he works.

"In order to bring out their strengths, it's not enough to give them strict instructions, saying, 'You absolutely have to play this bit like this.' I've become more conscious than ever of leaving myself space to accept other people's ideas. Also, they're usually late and never reply to emails (laughs), but their concentration during recording is incredible. I'm the type of person who always wants to give it my all, but after seeing the magnitude of their maximum output with my own eyes, I've come to accept that style, and I've realized that the stance of 'take it easy when you need to, and take it easy when you need to' is also fine. I was able to change my mindset."

On the other hand, interacting with such a diverse group of friends has had an impact not only on his music, but also on his perspective on society.

"I think my 'resolution' for events happening in the world has improved. For example, I have friends from Ukraine living in a time of war, and I often chat with them about trivial things like, 'What do you usually eat?' or 'What was your childhood like?' When I see images of the devastated city of Odessa on the media during these days, I am acutely aware that all of an individual's humble story is being torn to pieces. The same goes for Black Lives Matter. Previously, I would just casually watch footage of radical protests, but when I talk with my black friends, I learn firsthand how much unfair discrimination they have suffered throughout history. These were meaningful days in the sense that they made me think about the importance of knowing one's roots and about identity."

The current trend is casual wear with a tie

In the process of completing "Zatto," Obukuro-san looked at many works and videos of jazz and soul artists. The visual images he got from these experiences had a major influence on his fashion. His current mood is "ties."

"When I saw musicians wearing sharp suits and playing the trumpet, I thought they looked cool. I bought ties and shirts to try to emulate them, and I started thinking about how to combine them to look even better. I became hooked on the charm of it all."

The TOKYO DESIGN STUDIO New Balance polo shirt he wore on the day is sporty and functional as athletic wear, but also has a sophisticated design that makes it suitable for everyday wear. The tie, which is Obukuro's current identity, is also light and stylish.

　　　

　　

　　　

　　　

"When I wear a tie, depending on the styling, it can look too formal, which is a problem for me. But when I pair it with this sporty and light polo shirt, which has a sophisticated design with clever details at the cuffs and collar, it brings the look down just enough for a casual look, which is great. I'd like to try layering a collared shirt on top of another collared shirt myself."

Through his experiences abroad, Obukuro has gained many realizations both as an artist and as a person. Now, he is turning his attention to his roots in Saitama.

"Meeting such diverse friends has made me realize once again that my roots are a part of my identity, and it has strengthened my desire to cherish my hometown. Also, cultural and artistic activities were the first to be cut back during the COVID-19 pandemic, but I'm sure many people have realized that the things that are considered 'non-essential' are invaluable, as being exposed to art and music can give you hope for life and connections between people can be inspiring. So now I want to use my experience to take action in my hometown to support cultural and artistic activities. And not just as a musician, but on a different level. I want to think about what I can do."

This polo shirt is made from a moisture-wicking, quick-drying material, creating a fresh feel that's somewhere between a sweatshirt and a cut-and-sew top. The design combines functionality with playfulness, with cut-off cuffs and side gussets for greater mobility. Don't miss the subtle peek of the brand's signature yellow collar.

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