Ayumu Imazu's 'Musubi' Goes From a TikTok Demo to No. 1 on Nine Charts, Debuts Live at BMSG FES'26
Ayumu Imazu's new song 'Musubi' (meaning 'tie' or 'knot'), released October 2, keeps growing. He performed it live for the first time at BMSG FES'26 on October 10, and the next day shared a behind-the-scenes video from the recording session. A music video has already been filmed, with a release date still to be announced.
It Started With an Unfinished Demo
The spark was a demo Imazu posted on TikTok at the end of August, before the song was finished. Posts using the track reportedly passed 60,000 in about three weeks and 70,000 in about a month. Dance videos came not only from Japanese groups but also from K-pop artists including TWICE and RIIZE.
As of October 4, two days after release, 'Musubi' was No. 1 on nine Japanese rankings across services such as Apple Music, Spotify and LINE MUSIC, and reached No. 13 on Apple Music's global Top 100. Imazu wrote the song and co-produced it with Shin Sakiura.
A Note from BRUSH MUSIC
Just like his 2024 viral hit 'Obsessed', the way in was an unfinished demo and a dance. Putting the song out early and letting listeners grow it with you is now carrying Japanese pop across borders, all the way into K-pop. Imazu's first Nippon Budokan show in January 2027 is already sold out.
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