{"id":2108956,"date":"2026-08-24T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2108956"},"modified":"2026-08-24T14:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T11:00:00","slug":"backstage-in-tokyo-mrs-green-apple-teases-its-new-era-no-limits","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2108956","title":{"rendered":"Backstage in Tokyo, Mrs. GREEN APPLE Teases Its New Era: \u2018No Limits\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/mrs-green-apple-cr-courtesy-2026-bb9-billboard-1800.jpg?w=1024″]<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\tTrending on Billboard\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tOn July 4, there was little red, white or blue to be seen while walking around Tokyo\u2019s bustling Shibuya area. Instead, vibrant orange and lime green were omnipresent \u2014 and not because of any official holiday, although it felt like one.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tMrs. GREEN APPLE\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

See latest videos, charts and news<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n\tA seemingly endless sea of electric \u00adorange and green T-shirts, towels and totes, among other items, all celebrated Japanese pop-rock band Mrs. GREEN APPLE, which that evening was set to headline its first of two sold-out, fan club-only shows at Tokyo\u2019s MUFG Stadium (Japan National Stadium).<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tMrs. GREEN APPLE Wraps ZENJIN MITO Tour, Capturing the Band\u2019s Present & New Horizons Ahead: Concert\u00a0Recap\t\t<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\n\t\u201cTwo days in a row, sold-out \u2014 it\u2019s crazy,\u201d says vocalist-guitarist Motoki Ohmori, 29, seated in casual black clothing that contrasts his onstage look while backstage at the stadium hours before 70,000 concertgoers will flood in for the show. \u201cIt\u2019s really special and important for us to have this moment with people who love us so much, and who we love so much \u2026 This is one of our milestones. There is nowhere bigger than here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe shows were part of the band\u2019s \u00adZenjin Mito To IM\/Mutable tour, a six-show run that included two dates in April (also at MUFG Stadium, but not limited to its fan club), two fan club-only dates in May at Osaka\u2019s Yanmar Stadium Nagai and finally, these two shows in July \u2014 the first since the group announced its highly anticipated sixth album, which arrives Sept. 30 on EMI.<\/p>\n

\n\tZenjin Mito is the band\u2019s name for its ongoing series of self-produced concerts, dating back to 2014, but this was its first time booking a stadium in Tokyo \u2014 just one way in which the tour has made history. Mrs. GREEN APPLE became the first band to book four shows at MUFG Stadium, a fitting feat considering \u201czenjin mito\u201d translates to \u201cunprecedented\u201d in Japanese.<\/p>\n

\n\tJust two years after forming independently in 2013, Mrs. GREEN APPLE made its major-label debut on EMI in 2015. The band spent its first decade building a loyal and expansive local fanbase \u2014 all while honing a sound blending punk-rock influences from \u201990s American bands with Japanese idol and dance music and even Disney-esque orchestral production.<\/p>\n

\n\tBy 2025, Mrs. GREEN APPLE was regularly making history. Last summer, the band won the inaugural artist of the year honor at the country\u2019s largest international music awards, Music Awards Japan (it took home the prize again this year) and also became the first J-pop act to achieve 10 billion streams in Japan across its catalog, according to Billboard Japan<\/em>. By year\u2019s end, Mrs. GREEN APPLE was the only Japanese act on IFPI\u2019s 2025 Global Artist chart, positioned between Tyler, The Creator and SEVENTEEN at No. 13 \u2014 the highest rank a Japanese act had ever held on the list. Meanwhile, the band\u2019s 2025 anniversary compilation album, 10<\/em>, landed at No. 10 on IFPI\u2019s Global Album chart \u2014 and was the only release by a Japanese artist or act in the ranking\u2019s top 10. (The album was one piece of a yearslong celebration, which included an anniversary show and the Tokyo Tower being lit lime green in the band\u2019s honor.)<\/p>\n

\n\t2025 was also a turning point for Mrs. GREEN APPLE on the Billboard<\/em> charts. The band ended last year atop Billboard Japan<\/em>\u2019s year-end Hot 100 and Artist 100 charts after scoring its first two No. 1 hits on the weekly Billboard Japan Hot 100 list last May and June (with \u201cHeaven\u201d and \u201cBreakfast,\u201d respectively). It delivered a third this January with the soft-spoken, melodic \u201cLulu,\u201d which is a season-two opening theme for anime series Frieren: Beyond Journey\u2019s End<\/em>. Of the band\u2019s 12 total entries on the chart, six have made the top 10 \u2014 all of which were released between 2025 and this year.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cJapan has the world\u2019s second-\u00adlargest music market, and I think this chart placement has helped share the strength and appeal of our market,\u201d Universal Music Japan president\/CEO Naoshi Fujikura told Billboard<\/em> in his 2026 Global Power Players interview. (UMJ manages and books the band.) \u201cRight now, Mrs. GREEN APPLE is mainly focused on their activities in Japan, but I\u2019m really looking forward to seeing how their scope widens in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAlready this past decade, there have been numerous non-English language breakthroughs thanks to K-pop\u2019s stateside dominance, the rise of Afrobeats and, of course, Latin superstars like Bad Bunny. A band as big as Mrs. GREEN APPLE, which already has a global infrastructure in place, suggests that Japan could be home to the next such act. With the country\u2019s inherent understanding of the physical music market that prioritizes exclusives and collectibles \u2014 and as its position in the global market continues to grow, with companies such as Avex and ASOBISYSTEM doubling down on their U.S. presence \u2014 a Japanese breakout feels right on time.<\/p>\n

\n\tAnd for Mrs. GREEN APPLE, last year\u2019s momentum is now fueling the band\u2019s next era. \u201cWe\u2019ve become one of the biggest Japanese acts,\u201d Ohmori says. \u201cA lot more people know about us. Now it\u2019s about what we can deliver to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tOhmori has been thinking about how to entertain for as long as he can remember. At 12 years old, he performed an original song at his elementary school graduation, having taught himself how to play the electric bass his parents had at home. He\u2019d soon teach himself music production as well. \u201cI was making lots of music, but the sound I was making was [for a] band,\u201d he recalls. \u201cI was doing it by myself at first, but I wanted to invite someone to share in the fun and struggle. I wanted to create something with people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tSo he recruited his friends and, in the spring of 2013, officially launched Mrs. GREEN APPLE, a name meant to feel equally fresh and youthful even as the group continues to mature. The following year, the then-five-member band independently released its first mini album (aptly titled Introduction<\/em>). The group was prolific from the start, releasing an album every year after debuting on EMI from 2016 to 2019, all of which comprise Phase I, as the band calls it \u2014 which concluded in the summer of 2020 with the announcement of a hiatus.<\/p>\n

\n\tWhile on break, two of the band\u2019s founding members (its drummer and bassist) left the group, leaving the trio that remains today of Ohmori; guitarist Hiloto Wakai, 29; and keyboardist Ryoka Fujisawa, 33. By the end of 2021, Mrs. GREEN APPLE announced Phase II would officially commence that spring.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cDuring the hiatus, I started learning how to dance from professional teachers, and not just me but other members too,\u201d says Ohmori, who also released his debut solo project, the EP French<\/em>, during that time. \u201cI adapted dance elements to my music and, of course, it\u2019s connected to what Mrs. GREEN APPLE does now as well \u2026 When I started making music, it was guitar rock and more simple. But what I actually wanted to make was music with strings and more effects. So I started making music with those elements and naturally, it started becoming more classical and danceable.\u201d (He also explored other modes of self-\u00adexpression while on hiatus, from hair color to men\u2019s makeup, both of which the members are experimenting with now.)<\/p>\n

\n\tIn 2023, the band released its fifth album, Antenna<\/em>, and focused on growing its fanbase, known as Ringo Jam (\u201cringo\u201d translates to \u201capple\u201d in Japanese). \u201cIt was the only album we released during that phase,\u201d Ohmori says. \u201cWe were conscious that it was [our first] album after the hiatus, so it was harder for us \u2026 but we wanted to relax as much as possible and have fun.\u201d The album cover\u2019s vibrant, saturated splashes of color represent its sound \u2014 perhaps the biggest and best amalgamation of the members\u2019 influences, as heard on its title track. On \u201cMagic\u201d and \u201cQue Sera Sera\u201d (the latter of which closed out the band\u2019s July 4 stadium show, accompanied by a mind-boggling amount of fireworks and a drone show), it\u2019s clear that the album is also the band\u2019s most overt play toward pop and even dance music yet.<\/p>\n

\n\tNow, as the group prepares to release its first new album in three years, and first of Phase III that launched Jan. 1, Wakai says it is focused on \u201cexploring\u201d creatively and, Ohmori adds, having \u201cno limits.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cPhase I was the big first chapter, the beginning of the band. We were still boys,\u201d Ohmori continues. \u201cAnd Phase II, we were coming of age. One of the goals was to deliver our music to as many people as possible. We wanted people to know about us \u2026 So Phase III, it\u2019s not about gaining something or winning or receiving something. It\u2019s not about where we\u2019re going but where we are now. We want to enjoy what we have and what we do, we want to enjoy the moment \u2026 Even for us, it\u2019s unpredictable where Mrs. GREEN APPLE will take us.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tOhmori says his bandmates were the biggest inspiration for the upcoming set. Fujisawa says he felt that from the new music immediately: \u201cThe lyrics and words that Motoki wrote and also the soundscape he showed me were really important to me. Some songs reminded me of Phase I. From the lyrics, I can feel and see [our growth] from the start to now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cNow you know we actually get along,\u201d Ohmori says with a laugh.<\/p>\n

\n\tAs for Wakai, he drew inspiration from the band\u2019s live performances. \u201cI was thinking about how we could enjoy our music with our fans,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

\n\tWatching Mrs. GREEN APPLE live, it\u2019s clear the members get what they give, and over nearly three hours, they give a lot. From a high-energy, career-spanning setlist of the band\u2019s greatest hits to individual moments to shine (for Wakai, a hard-rock guitar solo; for Fujisawa, a classical flute solo; and for Ohmori, an acoustic song), from the extensive pyrotechnics to colorful lighting cues and costume changes, a Mrs. GREEN APPLE show feels like a cross between the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Foo Fighters, OneRepublic and Coldplay \u2014 all global stadium-level bands, which Mrs. GREEN APPLE could certainly become.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cLots of people are interested in the Japanese music scene and culture, and one of the reasons must be Japanese idols and anime,\u201d Ohmori says. \u201cBut Mrs. GREEN APPLE is a band, so it will be great if more people get to know about Japanese pop and rock music as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tAs for its upcoming album, the band is aiming big, as usual. \u201cWe imagined lots of scenes when making this music \u2014 it\u2019s like a movie,\u201d Ohmori says. The members have submitted five possible album titles to their team, only revealing that \u201cthe word is so big, it means something massive. So now, we\u2019re discussing how we can embody the word. How we can promote the whole world of this word.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re excited to see where we\u2019re going and how we get there,\u201d Ohmori continues. \u201cThat\u2019s this era now.\u201d<\/p>\n

A version of this story originally appeared in the Aug. 22, 2026, issue of <\/em>Billboard.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/music\/rock\/mrs-green-apple-members-new-album-tokyo-tour-interview-1236320939\/”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/www.billboard.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/mrs-green-apple-cr-courtesy-2026-bb9-billboard-1800.jpg?w=1024″] Trending on Billboard On July 4, there was little red, white or blue to be seen while walking around Tokyo\u2019s bustling Shibuya area. Instead, vibrant orange and lime green were omnipresent \u2014 and not because of any official holiday, although it felt like one. Explore Mrs. GREEN APPLE See latest videos, charts […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[48,226],"class_list":["post-2108956","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-billboard-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2108956","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2108956"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2108956\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2108956"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2108956"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2108956"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}