Iyowa

Iyowa is a Japanese musician, Vocaloid producer, songwriter and illustrator. He is best known for his 2021 single "Kyu-Kurarin", which has been viewed over 100 million times on YouTube. His artist name came about from having a weak stomach.

Career Iyowa began composing music in elementary school using the Nintendo DS software Jam with the Band. He became interested in Vocaloid music when he was in junior high school, when he discovered Jin's song Children Record.

In 2018, Iyowa debuted as a Vocaloid producer, submitting his music to Nico Nico Douga. Iyowa then released his debut album Sleeping Pink Noise on November 17, 2019. The album was initially released only on CD, but later released on streaming formats. The following year, on June 8, 2020, Iyowa released "Clover Knight" as his debut single on his own label, Igusuri Records.

On September 4, 2021, Iyowa released "Kyu-Kurarin". This song's music video gained 100,000 views on Nico Nico Douga one week after its release, and 10 million views on YouTube by June 19, 2022. This song reached number one on the Niconico Vocaloid Songs Top 20. It is the longest charting song on the chart, and is still charting as of July, 2024. The song has lyrics that allude to depression and suicide, and many users have discussed the meaning of the lyrics. It was a single from Watashi no Heritage released in December of the same year. This album debuted at number 50 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums, and became his first entry on the chart.

On October 22, 2022, Iyowa released a song titled "Heat Abnormal" featuring vocal synth character Adachi Rei, which was number one in the VOCALOID Collection 2022 Autumn. Later, on December 7, 2022, Iyowa's song "Leave You on the Back of the Earth" featuring RIME became the number one single on Billboard Japans newly instituted Niconico Vocaloid Songs Top 20 singles chart. Six months later, "The Peachy Key" reached number one, making Iyowa the artist with the most number one songs on the chart.

In January 2023, Iyowa was featured on the song "Droplet" from Japanese voice actress and singer Mai Fuchigami's EP Mai Create. That year, he produced "Zanshi", a song from another voice actress and singer Saori Hayami's third studio album, Shiro to Hanataba. The following year, on February 27, 2024, Iyowa released the single "Journey's Prequels, Journey's Traces" featuring virtual singer Hatsune Miku. The song was created for "Pokemon feat. Hatsune Miku Project VOLTAGE 18 Types/Songs", a collaborative project between the Japanese media franchise Pokémon and Hatsune Miku.

Iyowa released his third album, Films, Sunny Spots, Graduations on June 26, 2024. It reached number nine on both Oricon Albums Chart and Japan Hot Albums, becoming his first album to enter the top 10 on the Oricon charts.

Artistry Iyowa's songs are known for making heavy use of dissonance, and are often described as emotionally charged. The abrupt jumps in scale and the abundance of dissonance led to his early career to be described as "that sounds like it was written at random, but it is a song and it is mutant". In 2022, he described his musical style as "Strong characteristic and strange music".

Vocaloid music videos are generally commissioned from a different person than the composer, but Iyowa produces all of his own music videos and his songs. In particular, Kawatani is a strong influence on Iyowa, and many of Iyowa's songs are influenced by his works.

Personal life Iyowa is a college student as of 2022. After he graduates, he plans to continue working as a producer while working another job.

Discography

Studio albums +List of studio albums Title Details Peak chart positions JPNHot Sleeping Pink Noise Release date: November 17, 2019 Label: Self-released Format: CD, digital download, streaming — — Watashi no Heritage Release date: December 22, 2021 Label: Igusuri Records Format: CD, digital download, streaming 50 — Films, Sunny Spots, Graduations Released: June 26, 2024 Label: Igusuri Records Format: CD, digital download, streaming 9 9 "—" denotes releases that did not chart

Extended plays Title Details Dreamy Climax Release date: June 24, 2019 Label: Self-released Format: CD

Singles Title Year Album "Clover Knight" 2020 Watashi no Heritage "Potpourri-san" "Golden Number" "Goodbye Jackpot" "Living Millennium" "OVER!" 2021 "Almost Ended" "Adipocere" "Kyu-Kurarin" "We Are Special" "Pajamy" 2022 Films, Sunny Spots, Graduations "Phenomenon" "AKUMA!" "Primary" Films, Sunny Spots, Graduations "Heat Abnormal" "Take You to an Alien" 2023 "Till Your Tear Goes" "Leave You on the Back of the Earth" "Dandelion" "Actress" "KLY" "BABEL" 2024 "The Peachy Key" "Dreaming Scales" "Journey's Prequels, Journey's Traces" Pokémon feat. Hatsune Miku Project Voltage18 Types/Songs Collection "Firefly" Mwlánd "Write Over Me" TBA "Over!!" 2025 "Wasure Mono" "SLIP" "Daphnie in love" "Everything"

Guest appearances Track Year Artist(s) Album "Astraea's Disappointment" 2020 Guchiry Mugenhouyou "Octagon" 2021 Titana Dual Nature / Impure "Before monochrome" suisoh Metropolis "Cloudsurf" 2023 Yuigot Guidebook "Droplet" Mai Fuchigami Mai Create

Production discography Track(s) Year Credit Artist(s) Album "Pinedrop" 2021 Songwriter Sangatsu no Phantasia 101 / Yakou "Orangescale" 2022 Songwriter, producer Yuka Nagase A Look Front "Jiai wa Shitatari" Producer SEE Camisole "Super Rare" Songwriter, producer PMarusama Love Holic "Battle at the Big Bridge" Producer Nobuo Uematsu Electronica Tunes -FINAL FANTASY Series- "Supesharoze" Songwriter, producer Zonko "Hello My Treat" Songwriter, producer MKLNtic Happy Life "My Wonder" Songwriter, producer Sangatsu no Phantasia Golden Ray -Kaitai Shinsyou- "Melon Soda Float" Songwriter, producer SoundOrion SOUND OF BES2 "Wadachi no Hana" 2023 Songwriter, producer Minori Suzuki Fruitful Spring "Parallel Searchlight" Songwriter, producer Sana Natori NATORI SANA MUSIC COLLECTION Vol.3 "Zanshi" Songwriter, producer Saori Hayami Shiro to Hanataba "Honno Kansou" Songwriter, producer Yuka Nagase Launchvox "High Heels" Songwriter, producer Sou Sense of Wonder

Remixes 2019 Manika – "To Azalea" (Iyowa Remix)2020 Kairiki Bear – "Darling Dance" (Iyowa Remix)2021 Hiiragi Magnetite – "Marshall Maximizer" (Iyowa Remix) Kaf - "Me Logic" (Iyowa Remix)2022 Haruka Kudo - "GROOVY MUSIC TAPE" (Iyowa Remix) Deco*27 – "Animal" (Iyowa Remix) Manika - "I'm the only one left behind in March" (Iyowa Remix) BCNO - "Capotasto" (Iyowa Remix)2023 Mikitop – "Ghost Girl" (Iyowa Remix)2024 Inabakumori – "Relay Outer" (Iyowa Remix)2026'

Hachi – "Matryoshka" (Iyowa Remix)