May 23, 2024

KAF Returns With All-New EP “GSA” The Virtual Artist Explores A Dizzying Array Of New Sounds On Latest Release!

May 23, 2024/ Ken

Vocalist KAF has released her EP GSA across all streaming platforms, her first new collection of solo material since 2023. The three-song set finds the pioneering virtual artist exploring new terrain, as this set marks the first time the 20-year-old creator has worked on a solo release with producers besides longtime collaborator Iori Kanzaki. The resulting tracks find KAF dabbling in a variety of uptempo sounds, placing her emotional singing against a fresh sonic backdrop.

GSA zips into dizzying musical mash-ups right away on opener “Gestalt.” KAF dashes over speedy guitar and piano melodies, while detouring into trap-accented passages and festival-ready EDM, her voice matching the mood of the mutating sounds around her. It’s one of her most ambitious works to date, and one of her most urgent. “Swimmer” plays out as a ballad with electronic touches, placing the emphasis on the versatility of KAF’s singing as she moves from a whisper to a soar. Closing number “From Apocalypse” picks up the pace once more, KAF finding reasons to push forward despite emotional challenges, set over a rippling beat.

With GSA, KAF offers a hint at where she will go next as she preps more music for release in 2024, while also reminding that one of her defining characteristics as an artist is an openness to experiment. She’s musically curious, and open to challenge new sounds in order to grow.

Be sure to check out GSA here!

ABOUT KAF:

Debuting in 2018, KAF uses an anime-style avatar to present herself to the world, while creating music centered around her versatile and powerful voice. She’s become one of the most prominent virtual singer’s in Japan, with her original songs and covers earning millions of views. In March 2023, she released her third full-length album, further showing her artistic growth and ability to capture the complexities of growing up in 21st century Japan. She’s performed at some of the country’s most celebrated venues, including a sold-out night at the historic Nippon Budokan in Tokyo and the first-ever arena show by a virtual artist in January 2024.

Virtual singer KAF releases music video for ‘My Voice’, the 14th song in her ‘Suite’ series – a collaboration with Shinichi Osawa (MONDO GROSSO)

September 29, 2023/ Ken

The ‘Suite’ series by Japanese virtual singer KAF is a series of collaborations with real-life artists and songwriters.

For the 14th entry in the series, KAF’s collaborator is MONDO GROSSO, the solo project of Japanese artist Shinichi Osawa. Osawa is a musician, composer, DJ and producer who has worked with numerous domestic and global artists as a producer and remixer, as well as producing music for commercials, installations and soundtracks, and even producing a music bar focused on vinyl records. The title is ‘My Voice’. The song was released on September 6 – and now, a music video has also been released.

Created in collaboration with VFX artist group khaki, this is the first music video to feature KAF’s virtual human form. KAF plays the lead in the music video, which uses state-of-the-art technology that is unique to KAF, allowing her to show expressions that transcend dimensions. The video was directed by filmmaker Hironobu Nagasawa.

An infinitely real “somewhere that is not here”. As the boundaries fade, KAF’s ongoing efforts to express her own “my voice” from in between the virtual and the real combine with khaki’s worldview that exceeds imagination and reality, resulting in a video that will leave viewers stunned.

Check out ‘My Voice’ across all streaming platforms here, and its music video below, and check out the current state of KAF’s ever-evolving world – a song that stands apart from past entries in the ‘Suite’ series.

KAF profile

KAF is a virtual singer and founding member of KAMITSUBAKI STUDIO. She made her debut in 2018 at the age of 14, performing via 3D avatars without revealing her true face. Even in a crowded field where a diverse variety of expression continues to be born, she has established her own style as an artist thanks to her unique singing voice and worldview. Several of the collaborations in KAF’s ‘Suite’ project have grabbed the attention of music fans, generating over 200 million YouTube views and counting, and fostering a devoted fan community in Japan and around the world.

KAF’s partnership with Iori Kanzaki, who has been her main writer since the beginning of her career, has received high acclaim, and in August 2022 KAF held a triumphant headline performance at the legendary Nippon Budokan in Tokyo titled FUKAKAI III/SOU. In January 2024, she will hold her fourth headline concert at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, titled Kaika; marking the beginning of KAF’s second chapter, this concert follows her Budokan performance to continue the trend of this solo virtual singer playing arena-sized venues. KAF strives to transcend the boundaries between the virtual and real worlds, setting the standard for a new generation of music artists.

Check out more information via their official website!

Kaf Spins a New Spell with a New Album!

October 27, 2020/ Ken

V-Youtuber Kaf announced that she will be releasing a brand new album, 魔法 (Mahou) on November 25. This will be the latest album done by the artist since 観測 (Kansoku) back in September of last year and will be her second album overall. The album will contain fifteen tracks total and in addition, a poetry CD containing audio plays, a photo book, an acrylic key chain, a trading card, a rubber band, etc. will be included. The album comes in two editions, Mahou α (Ein Lied, um die Welt zu verandern.) and Mahou β (Wer schon sein will, muss leiden.). The design of the enclosed key chain and a rubber band is different for both editions. The album will be sold exclusively at the online shop BOOTH (Japanese only) and will be distributed on December 16th.

Be sure to check out her latest music video “戸惑いテレパシー” (“Tomadoi Telepathy”) along with the track listing below!