Summary
- Fujii Kaze releases his third studio album and first English record, Prema
- Previously released singles “Hachikō” and “Love Like This” are included in the album
- Coinciding with the album drop, an official music video for “Prema” has also been released
Rising Japanese singer-songwriter Fujii Kaze has experienced a meteoric ascent in recent years. From posting covers on YouTube to signing with Universal Music’s Hehn Records in 2019, he exploded internationally when his 2020 track “Shinunoga E-Wa” went viral on TikTok in 2022. His eccentric personality, genre-blurring style and soulful vocals have since earned him a devoted global following. His latest record, Prema, marks a bold pivot in his discography, serving as his third studio album and his first recorded entirely in English. The nine-track record arrives three years after Love All Serve All and follows the pre-released singles “Hachikō” and “Love Like This,” serving as a love letter to Kaze’s global fans and his early musical influences, which range from pop, R&B, funk and jazz.
The album opens with “Casket Girl,” a mid-tempo pop-rock track that embodies a “hopeful-sad” vibe as Kaze sings about his demise against the titular figure. From there, Prema transports listeners into “I Need U Back,” an 80s-inspired funk-pop groove as Kaze confronts the ache of lost love. Originally co-written with Sir Nolan and Tobias Jesso Jr. in 2022, “Hachikō” elevates the mood with a playful, catchy tune and groovy synths. Meanwhile, “Love Like This” paires gentle nostalgia for past romance with an undercurrent of self-empowerment in a retro-summer beat.
The healing journey continues on the title track “Prema,” a gospel-tinged R&B anthem named after the Sanskrit word for divine love. Shot in India’s Phalai Village, its music video finds Kaze rising from a pile of debris and gradually restored by the warmth and kindness of local villagers. The melancholic R&B mood continues in “It Ain’t Over” as he mourns lost love, before transitioning into “You,” where Kaze takes on the role of comforter, guiding the listener to find solace post-heartbreak and learning to love oneself.
The album’s final tracks bring the emotional journey to a peaceful close. “Okay, Goodbye” opens with a doleful piano intro that breaks into an upbeat R&B arrangement, reflecting the feeling of the sun coming out amid a sky of gray clouds. The album closes with “Forever Young,” a tender ballad layered with groovy synths that depicts the feeling of finding peace at last.
Fuji Kaze’s Prema album is available to stream on all major streaming platforms now.
