Following a historic year that saw KENSHI YONEZU become the first artist ever to earn an RIAA Platinum certification for a Japanese-language song and break multiple global streaming records, Japanese superstar KENSHI YONEZU has released his new single “Karasu – Raven.”
Written by KENSHI YONEZU for the FIFA World Cup 2026 season, “Karasu – Raven” arrives digitally on June 15, coinciding with Japan’s opening World Cup match against the Netherlands. The newly unveiled cover artwork was illustrated by Yonezu himself, continuing the multidisciplinary creative approach that has defined his career as both a musician and visual artist.
The release follows the extraordinary success of “IRIS OUT,” Yonezu’s theme song for CHAINSAW MAN – THE MOVIE: REZE ARC. The track became one of the biggest Japanese-language releases in recent history, setting records for the highest weekly streaming total and the fastest song ever to reach 100 million streams in Japan, while also becoming the highest-charting Japanese-language song in global chart history.
To celebrate the release of “Karasu – Raven,” Yonezu has also shared a live performance video of “IRIS OUT” from MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026, the country’s largest international music awards ceremony watch here. At the event, Yonezu emerged as one of the night’s biggest winners, taking home six awards including Best J-Pop Song, Best Digital Culture Artist, and regional honors across Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America.
The performance captures a landmark moment in Yonezu’s career as his influence continues to expand beyond Japan. Over the past several years, he has become one of the defining figures in contemporary Japanese music, with a catalog spanning blockbuster anime, film, television, and global cultural franchises.
His 2018 breakthrough hit “Lemon” became one of the most successful songs in Japanese music history, while “KICK BACK” made history as the first Japanese-language song ever certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). In 2025, Yonezu completed his largest-ever world tour, KENSHI YONEZU 2025 TOUR / JUNK, performing across Asia, Europe, and North America to more than 440,000 fans.
With “Karasu – Raven” now turns his attention to the world’s biggest sporting stage, soundtracking Japan’s World Cup campaign while continuing a run of achievements that have helped redefine the global potential of Japanese-language music.
