Kroi released their first new song of 2026, “Kinetic.” The song was produced by Incognito’s Bluey, who Kroi’s members are longtime fans of.
Billboard JAPAN had the opportunity to sit down with Kroi and Bluey during his visit to Japan. The roundtable discussion shed light on the powerful bonds that developed between these artists through the process of creating music together.
What led to this collaboration?
Uchida: Last year, we performed in The Great Escape, and someone floated the idea that since we were going all the way to London, we should record there. Until now, we’d never written music together with a producer, so we wanted to work with local artists or producers in the UK. I shot my shot and said “I want to work with Bluey!” I figured it would be impossible, but he accepted.
So you were a big fan of Bluey from the start?
Uchida: A huge fan. All of us love Incognito. They’re what got me into music in the first place, so I was so happy when he said okay. Being here together, talking like this? It’s like a dream.
How was it when you jammed together in the UK?
Chiba: It was the first time we’d ever had someone produce us, and it was so much fun. Normally, we would have to decide on each and every thing ourselves, but when working with Bluey, he’d tell us if there was something missing, and he’d give suggestions. We knew we could rely on him. It was a wonderful experience. We were in the studio together for about three days, and every morning, when we got together, Bluey would take us to a café next to the studio. He’d have a salad, and we’d have sandwiches and coffee. Through that time together, we built even stronger bonds than we would have through the music creation process alone. We got to know each other and become friends. It was a truly precious experience.
Bluey: Before they arrived, I was already at the café, standing there waiting for them. My friend asked me “How are you going to know it’s them?” I said “I think I’ll know when their car gets here.” So the car arrives, and they get out, and they look like characters right out of an anime (laughs). We didn’t go straight into the studio, but first went to a café, and we hit it off right away.
Masuda, do you have any memories of the meeting?
Masuda: Bluey’s a legend, so I was really nervous, and I was worried about whether I’d be able to play well in front of him. But the minute we went in, he said “who’s the drummer?” And I said “I am.” And he immediately ordered these sandwiches.
What about you, Hasebe?
Hasebe: I started taking guitar lessons back in junior high school, and when I was practicing strumming, my guitar teacher assigned me Incognito’s “Colibri” to practice on. That’s where I first heard Incognito. I was incredibly nervous playing guitar in front of the man himself during the recording, but it was so much fun. And it was so moving being able to play in Bluey’s own studio, “Colibri Sound Recorders.”
Bluey: The engineer, Mo (Mo Hausler), played a huge role in the studio. When you work with musicians like them, who’ve got really sharp, unique vibes, you need an engineer with a feeling of transparency. Transparency about whether everything’s being recorded in full, whether you’re spending too much time on it, whether you’re able to quickly record the best sounds. That transparency really brought out what we did when we played together.
This song feels a little different than most Kroi songs. There’s a freshness to it.
Uchida: Right, it has a bit of an Incognito sound to it, but we were the ones who wrote and played the music, so the song’s sound is really a fusion of the Kroi and Incognito sounds, which is great.
Bluey: I’m glad to have been part of their journey. But I’m just one little part of it. The biggest part is that they’re all wonderful musicians in their own rights, and they were able to come together to discover the shared sound of Kroi. They all believe in Leo’s songwriting, and Leo believes in their playing and their ability to communicate with the audience. They find strength in each other. They know what each of the others is capable of, and they bring out the best in each other.
I get the feeling that this collaboration connected you to each other at a deeper level and really built bonds of trust.
Uchida: We were together with Bluey for three full days, communicating a lot like this. And I felt so much love around Bluey. João (João Caetano), who laid down some percussion, also had a lot of love and respect for Bluey, so we got along really well. Everyone was drawn in by that aura of love around him. He attracts some truly wonderful performers, and I’m glad that we were able to number among them.
The way the song starts with Bluey’s voice was also very unique.
Uchida: Right. Bluey was recording the backing chorus, and we got him to record that intro for us on short notice.
Bluey: They seemed so happy, I was truly glad to be able to be involved in the process. That’s why I asked for them to let me introduce myself, for my own audience. What we’re doing right now isn’t just the work we did in the studio. We’ve started something that’s going to keep on going. I want Incognito fans around the world know that I’ve worked with Kroi. I was glad to be able to start the track by saying “Bluey from Incognito here.” That was my way of saying “Thanks.”
To wrap things up, Uchida, could you share your feelings on the creation of “Kinetic”?
Uchida: With the decision to make the song in London, I also wanted it to be the embodiment of the music we wanted to create. Making it together with Bluey felt like going back to my roots, but at the same time evolving. Now I know that was the right decision. What Bluey was talking about before was what we felt when we listened to Incognito’s music. That’s why we grooved so well when we finally met. Not everyone in the band speaks English, but we all broke out in laughs and smiles. When that happened, I truly understood that the energy that comes from music really shapes and guides people. I realized that we were on the right path, and that was truly the best thing about the whole experience.
Bluey: Maybe they thought they’d be working with Doraemon. After all, he’s blue-y too (laughs).
—This interview by Tomohiro Ogawa first appeared on Billboard Japan
