Perfume — Band
Since their major debut in 2004, Perfume (パフューム Pafyūmu) has been capturing hearts of fans across the world. The band – featuring Ayano Ōmoto (NOCCHi), Yuka Kashino (KASHIYUKA), and Ayaka Nishiwaki (a-chan) – is arguably the biggest and longest running J-Pop bands in the genre’s history. The quirky and fashion-forward artists – who work extensively with tech collective Rhizomatiks to create a stunning stage show – have played sold-out shows across North America, partnered with brands from Uniqlo to Apple, and have gone multi-platinum many times over. In 2019, the band made history, yet again, by becoming the first J-Pop band to play Coachella. The mesmerizing set was captured for their release later that year, ‘Perfume The Best: P Cubed.’ The album, a 52-track retrospective coinciding with the band’s 15 th anniversary, featured two new songs and a third disc, a DVD that featured their Coachella set. Though this is a ‘best of,’ the actual BEST of Perfume has yet to come, as the band continues to reach new pinnacles of artistic and commercial success.
Perfume At Coachella
This is historhy in the making. Perfume became the first J-Pop band to play Coachella, and here, we see them light up the stage during the 2019 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Perfume At The MTV VMAs Japan
They are poetry in motion. Perfume performs during the MTV Video Music Awards Japan in 2012, and the performance was breathtaking.
Perfume Makes Coachella History
“The way people look at us changed. People we have never crossed with before — IT workers, newspaper journalists, CEOs. We used to just have fun performing live, but now it feels like we are being tested,” a-chan told HollywoodLife about their Coachella set. “There are much higher expectations now. I don’t think we have changed because of Coachella, but I do think other people see us in a different light now.”
Perfume Lights Up The 2012 MTV VMAs — Literally
“We create our production with Rhyzomatiks, tech team lead by Daito Manabe, and MIKIKO, our choreographer and stage director,” KASHIYUKA tells HollywoodLife. “Using technology, we actually try to create something that’s warm and has a human touch. That’s always our motto.”
Perfume Strike A Pose At The 2012 MTV VMAs Japan
“Other festivals we’ve been to, especially the ones in Japan, people who go to those gatherings are dressed like they are going to the mountains,” a-chan tells HollywoodLife. “It’s all very oriented towards camping. At Coachella though, all the people were quite different. They were enjoying the music of course, but also just enjoying being there…and being themselves.”
Perfume At 2019 Coachella
a-chan, from left, KASHIYUKA, and NOCCHi of Perfume pose at the Coachella Music & Arts Festival in 2019.
“It gave us so much more confidence after performing for that crowd,” said KASHIYUKA. “At backstage, people were very friendly. Even if they don’t know the name of the artist they say ‘hi’ to them and say ‘hey, let’s get a selfie.’ “
