Travis Japan’s Moving Pieces EP now streaming via Spotify
Travis Japan is the latest J-pop boy band to be represented by Johnny & Associates, and a rare one indeed as the boys are one of only a couple of Johnny-represented acts to currently have their music on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming platforms.
Yep, that is a big deal as, up until now, Johnny & Associates has been seemingly averse to allowing their artists’ music to appear on international streaming music services.
With Travis Japan, however, that policy has changed (Yay!) with the boy band’s debut single ‘JUST DANCE!‘ hitting Spotify, Apple Music and others back in October, 2022 when the group officially debuted worldwide.
Since then, Travis Japan has released a second single ‘Moving Pieces’, which came out last month, and arrived on streaming platforms at the same time.
Then today, the group’s debut digital EP — also titled Moving Pieces — was officially released worldwide, as well as on Spotify, Apple Music and the rest.
The EP features four very catchy songs, including their second single of the same name and, if the play numbers for their previous uploads to Spotify are anything to go by, should do very well with international streaming service users long-term.
Especially as the group already has almost 107,000 monthly listeners of their music on Spotify alone and counting.
Who is Travis Japan?
Just in case you are looking for a new J-pop boy band to listen to, and have not yet heard of Travis Japan, you are not alone.
Up until last month, I wasn’t familiar with Travis Japan either — well, at least I thought I wasn’t.
But, after doing a little research, it suddenly dawned on me I did know who Travis Japan was as the group had auditioned for and been accepted to participate in America’s Got Talent last year.
Something I would probably have missed, currently living in Europe as I now do, but at the time they auditioned I was staying at my parents in North Carolina and was interrupted while making my dinner one night by my mother shouting from the living room “Come and watch this Japanese boy band on America’s Got Talent. They’re really good”.
Yep, I do know who Travis Japan is, and I remember liking them right from the beginning.
The boys, by the way, are — Kaito Miyachika (aka Chaka), Kaito Nakamura (Umi), Ryuya Shimekake (Shime), Noel Kawashima (Noel), Shizuya Yoshizawa (Shizu), Genta Matsuda (Genta) and Kaito Matsukura (Machu).
Before their official debut, they spent time in Los Angeles training with choreographers and vocal coaches, and learning English.
A likely big reason why the group’s dance moves on their recent videos are hella smooth and cool.
Now listen to Travis Japan’s four-track debut EP Moving Pieces on Spotify down below (all four songs are catchy as hell and deserve a fair few repeats), and don’t miss watching the group’s music video for their ‘Moving Pieces’ single down there as well.
That beautifully performed and produced video was choreographed by iconic American choreographer and producer Travis Payne (Michael Jackson/Madonna/En Vogue) who, by the way, Travis Japan is named after as the choreographer was instrumental in the group’s formation.
Travis Japan is currently signed to Capitol Records.
You will find their official website here. You can listen to the group’s music via these platforms.