Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2011

A new light is about to shine on the J-pop scene this summer as Japanese record label Pony Canyon gets ready to release the debut album of the newest member of its roster, Jamil. His upcoming release, American Boy, is arriving at record stores and iTunes this August, while anime fans will be hearing his song “The Rock City Boy” all summer as opening song to animated feature Fairytail.

With an infectious pop sound, inspired in part by his home country but more by his travels in other cultures, Jamil’s American Boy represents a unique new sound—and a unique new character—completely different from the usual cookie-cutter J-pop artists.

Jamil took some time out from his increasingly busy schedule to answer a few questions from Metropolis.

So where are you from originally? I’m from the U.S. My family bounced around the country a lot, but I went to high school in California. I’ve been here almost six years now.

What brought you to Japan? University. I received a scholarship to attend an international school here, so I thought I would come try it out. I felt so enclosed and sheltered in America, so I wanted to see more of the world. Initially, I only planned on coming here for six months, but after studying Japanese I decided that I wanted to create music here and I ended up staying.

Do you speak Japanese? How’s your kanji? I do. I actually write all of my own lyrics and that includes the songs I write in Japanese. When I first came here I knew no Japanese at all, so I am very proud that I’m able to talk and converse with people and friends in their language, and that I’m able to express myself in Japanese through my lyrics. My kanji isn’t that bad. I learned a lot just from talking with people and using email.

Your experiences traveling around the world helped influence your pop sound and peace-oriented, world view lyrics. Where have you traveled and where was the most inspirational place you visited? I lived in Thailand for a year as an exchange student. That is what really triggered my interest in the world outside my front door. I still visit there often and I actually wrote six songs for this album in Thailand, so that definitely had a large influence on the overall sound of the project. I was also inspired to write a few of my songs while traveling in Italy and France.

Tell us about your debut album and when it will be released… It’s my baby—my first full album as a solo artist in Japan. It’s called American Boy, and it will be out on August 3. I wrote it over the course of two years, so I feel like it contains a wide mix of different feelings and emotions, yet it still has a strong “togetherness” to it. I truly think that musically there is something on the album for everyone.

Where can people get their hands on your CD when it comes out? It will be available at all major record stores, Amazon and of course it will also be available for purchase and download from iTunes.

What will be the first single from the CD? Tell us a little about the song… Yeah, the first single is called “The Rock City Boy” and it will also be used as the opening song for the upcoming anime feature release called Fairytail.

Which song off the CD is your personal favorite and why? Well, I really like “Bokumama” because its the first song I wrote completely in Japanese, so it means a lot to me, personally. Another one of my favorites is called “I Miss You.”

Where can people see you perform live? I’m doing shows all over Japan, so people should check my homepage to find out where and when I’m playing. We are constantly adding new tour dates, definitely check out the website for all of the latest shows and other great info.

What kind of performance can people expect at your live shows? I like to laugh and have a good time between songs, so there is a lot of interaction between me and the crowd. Come expecting to have a really good time—I know I do! Also, I just wanted to say that Metropolis was the first magazine I read when I came here. You guys helped me out a lot, so I just wanted to express my thanks!

For more information:
Jamil official website: www.jamil-music.com
Official website (Japanese) www.ponycanyon.co.jp