Arts and Entertainment
By Kayla Ross, Digital Communications Manager
This Friday, The Japanese House and Isaac Dunbar will be performing on the Xavier Yard for the Fall Concert hosted by the Office of Student Involvement.
The Japanese House is the stage name for artist Amber Bain, who took inspiration from a home that was significant to their family in childhood years. Bain originally chose this stage name to avoid recognition and also to avoid being defined by their gender.
In the early years of the singer’s success, there were rumors of The Japanese House being a side project of The 1975, due to albums In the End It Always Does and Good at Falling being under the same label, Dirty Hit. With androgynous vocals, a distinct British-alternative pop sound and a nondescript album cover, many The 1975 fans flocked to Bain’s music. Although Bain chose an anonymous name and album cover, they told Atwood Magazine in August of this year that the confusion of identity was unintentional.
Japanese house began their career in 2012.
Their biggest hit is “Saw You In a Dream,” which has over 130 million streams on Spotify. The Japanese House currently has 3.2 million monthly listeners on the platform. Other hit songs include “Touching Yourself” and “Sunshine Baby,” with the latter featuring vocals from lead singer of The 1975 Matty Healy. In the End It Always Does is the most recent album release from The Japanese House, exploring themes of LGBTQ+ love and heartbreak, the evolution of sexuality and moving on.
Following the success of opening for the Don’t Forget Me tour with Maggie Rogers, The Japanese House performance at Xavier will be their second visit to Cincinnati this year. The Japanese House also performed at both Coachella and Lollapalooza this year.
The 21-year old singer Isaac Dunbar is quickly gaining popularity with his unique style and upbeat tracks. His most well-known song is “onion boy” with over 22 million streams and 458 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify. His sound is unmistakably new but with vintage references and hints. In interviews with Paper and Interview Magazine, Dunbar explained how he draws heavy inspiration from huge pop artists of the 70s and 80s.
His most recent EP, Beep Beep Repeat, has been at the center of conversation about LGBTQ+ unity as Dunbar pose alongside drag star Kerri Colby. The album is about experiencing New York City as someone in their young twenties and having fun with the people around him.
See their show this Friday, Sept. 27, at 7:00 P.M. on the Xavier Yard.
