Capitol Music Group signs Travis Japan, Japanese boy band from Johnny & Associates

L→R. Travis Japan / Machu, Shime, Shizu, Chaka, Noel, Umi, Genta, Michelle Jubelirer, Sir Lucian Grainge. September 28, Santa Monica, California.

Making their worldwide debut on October 28^th

SANTA MONICA and TOKYO – September 28, 2022 – Capitol Music Group (CMG), a division of Universal Music Group (UMG), the world leader in music-based entertainment today announced that popular boy band, Travis Japan, from Johnny & Associates – Japan’s leading talent management agency, have signed with CMG, and will make their international debut on October 28 with a worldwide release on Capitol Records.

Travis Japan was originally formed when Travis Payne, Michael Jackson’s choreographer, was asked by Johnny & Associates to help them form a group that would be able to grow on a global scale. The group was named “Travis Japan” after Travis himself.

The group has been active since 2017 with its current seven members, performing original songs and live concerts in arena-scale venues. Their incredible dancing abilities and outgoing personalities have made them highly popular after polishing their skills during countless lessons to aim for a worldwide debut.

Having spent time in the United States, the band further improved their performance and English language skills while sharing living quarters. Travis Japan participated in the “World of Dance,” the world’s largest urban dance competition right after arriving in the U.S. After qualifying in 3rd place, Travis Japan scored 4^th at the U.S. level in the team division, and 9th at the world competition held in July.

This was followed by an appearance on the popular American TV audition program “America’s Got Talent”, performing their signature song, “My Dreamy Hollywood” in English and managing to excite the audience with their perfect dance formations, synchronized moves, as well as a stunning acrobatic display and an acapella performance. The group received a standing ovation – not only from the judges but also the audience – sending the group to the semi-final stage.

The group has steadily built up a fanbase in the U.S. – where their journey from “World of Dance” to “America’s Got Talent”, combined with their superb skills as performers, caught the attention of Capitol Records and UMG, and the decision was made to sign and release their music globally.

Capitol Records is the flagship label of Capitol Music Group, which has produced hit artists such as The Beach Boys, Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Kyu Sakamoto, and many more.

The time has come for Travis Japan to boldly take on this challenge of a worldwide debut by teaming up with one of the greatest record labels.

Comments

TRAVIS JAPAN

CHAKA

“The cherished goal of Travis Japan, a major debut, has finally come to fruition! We are grateful for all those who have supported us, especially our fans! Now we embark ever further upon our Dreamy Journey to the world!”

UMI

“We are realizing one dream, but we will keep going to the next.”

SHIME

“As this group of 7, our debut has at last begun! It’s Showtime for Travis Japan!!”

NOEL

“We have but one life to live, and from the bottom of our hearts we are happy to be sharing ours for the happiness and dreams of all!”

SHIZU

“We now get to spread joy in the name of Travis Japan to all the world!”

GENTA

“Travis Japan will do it!

We are going to achieve Johnny-san’s Dream!”

MACHU

“I hope to carve out across the world a new era as the unique challengers we of Travis Japan are.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO, Universal Music Group

“Having worked together to achieve enormous success in Japan in recent years, we are pleased to expand our working relationship with Julie and the great team at Johnny & Associates, and to welcome Travis Japan to the Capitol Music Group & UMG family.”

Michelle Jubelirer, Chairman and CEO, Capitol Music Group

“I’m thrilled that Travis Japan is joining the CMG family, and that we’ll be collaborating with Johnny & Associates to help bring the band’s vision to a global scale.  American audiences were captivated by Travis Japan during their appearances on America’s Got Talent and in competition at the World Of Dance championship, and we’ll be looking to build upon that momentum as we plan for success.”

Naoshi Fujikura, President & CEO Universal Music Japan

“I’m delighted to welcome Travis Japan, an incredible next generation boy band from Johnny & Associates, one of Japan’s top talent management agencies, to UMG and Capitol Music Group. Additionally, it gives us great pleasure to promise them our complete support as they continue to build their ground-breaking careers globally. We look forward to celebrating their success with their fans worldwide!”

Julie K. Fujishima, President Johnny & Associates, Inc.

“Ever since the founding of our company 60 years ago, we have created and sent our boy bands off in Japan. Today, for the first time ever, we are so thrilled to announce Travis Japan’s worldwide debut with Capitol Music Group. We are excited to embrace this new chapter of our legacy and overcome new challenges and accomplishments that come along our way.

We hope to take you all on this exciting and amazing journey and deliver our Johnny’s entertainment spirit to fans all over the world!”

Travis Payne

I’m thrilled for Travis Japan and their new music! It’s been a long time coming, but we’ve finally made it happen! So excited for the world to see!

ABOUT CAPITOL MUSIC GROUP
Capitol Music Group (CMG) is comprised of Capitol Records, Blue Note Records, Astralwerks, Harvest Records and Capitol Christian Music Group. Capitol Music Group is based in Hollywood, California within the iconic Capitol Tower.

Artists that record for CMG labels include: The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Beck, Bee Gees, Jon Bellion, Lewis Capaldi, Rosanne Cash, Christine and the Queens, FLETCHER, Neil Diamond, Capella Grey, Halsey, Don Henley, Hillsong United, Niall Horan, Charles Lloyd, tobyMac, Paul McCartney, Mooski, NF, Norah Jones, Katy Perry, Gregory Porter, Queen Naija, Maggie Rogers, Calum Scott, Bob Seger, Troye Sivan, Surf Mesa, Chris Tomlin, Toosii and Tauren Wells. For the U.S.: Disclosure, Empire Of The Sun, and Sam Smith.

ABOUT CAPITOL RECORDS
For more than 75 years, Capitol Records has played a significant role in popular culture as one of the world’s premiere music companies and the first label to be based on the west coast of the United States. Formed in 1942 by renowned songwriters Johnny Mercer and Buddy DeSylva, along with music retailer Glenn Wallichs, Capitol has been home to some of the world’s most important and acclaimed recording artists, including The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Nat “King” Cole, Peggy Lee, Linda Ronstadt, Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner and countless others. In the 21^stCentury, Capitol continues its prominence in helping to define popular music and culture with a diverse array of artists that includes Beck, Doechii, Halsey, Queen Naija, Katy Perry and Sam Smith, to name only several. Capitol Records is the flagship label of Capitol Music Group, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group (UMG) and is headquartered in the world-famous Capitol Tower in Hollywood, California.

ABOUT JOHNNY & ASSOCIATES
Since 1962, Johnny & Associates has been the preeminent name in Japanese Entertainment. Through innumerable self-produced and collaborative efforts across all media types, it has been a pioneer of techniques, strategies, and technologies now commonplace to the Asian talent management industry; accruing along the way countless internationally recognized laureates for music, stage, and screen as well as multiple listings in the Guinness Book of World Records for number of hit singles as well as concerts and shows produced. Their incredibly talented cast of artists and entertainers has excited and inspired, along successive generations, the dreams of countless fans young and old and continue to represent the very best of the hope and spirit of Japan to the world beyond.

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