The little brother of TIX tops the charts in Japan
The Norwegian duo Meland x Hauken’s steaming fresh single «Kimino Miru Miraiwo» tops the Japanese charts. Big brother TIX is very impressed by brother Mathias and his partner. Now they are on the radio list in Norway.
The Norwegian duo Meland X Hauken went viral in Japan in 2020. The Russian song «Chernobyl 2017» became a hit on TikTok, generating more than 100 million streams in Japan. Laden is the biggest success in Japan by a non-US/UK artist since O-Zone with Dragosta Din Tei from 2002.
The success resulted in a bidding war between the biggest Japanese record companies, and the Norwegian duo ended up signing a record contract with Universal Music Japan.
On September 7, they released their first single, Kimino Miru Miraiwo – a Japanese cover version of the viral hit Chernobyl 2017. Laden sailed straight into third place on the top chart of Line Music, Japan’s largest music platform, during the first day. This week, the song entered the first place on several of the lists over there.
– It is surreal to sit here at home in Norway and see what is happening over there. It’s just as nice now as it was years ago when Chernobyl 2017 went viral, says Sander Meland
– It’s super fun to see Norwegian music jump to live on the other side of the world. We are incredibly grateful and proud of what we have achieved. Well, we’re looking forward to the country borders over there opening, so that we can finally travel there and show off properly, shoots Mathias Haukeland inn.
Haukeland is the younger brother of the popular artist TIX, who himself is used to being at the top of the charts – albeit in Norway. He is very impressed by his younger brother’s success in Japan.
– It is absolutely enormous. It is probably no Norwegian artist who has managed to top the hit list in Japan with their own song. I am very impressed, says Andreas «TIX» Haukeland.
Collaboration with Japanese stars
Japanese YouTube and TikTok stars Morrie Brothers release a cover version of Chernobyl 2017 on Youtube. This version is the starting point for what has now become Kimino Miru Miraiwo.
– Morrie Brothers wrote new lyrics for Lade, and what was a hyper-danceable Russian song has now turned into an emotional ballad, says Haukeland.
Due to travel restrictions, which can be played in an international and modern way.
– We played Yarirafi 2022 over Zoom. It was an interesting process working with the Morrie Brothers. They understand neither Norwegian nor English, but there were about ten Japanese people in the studio who tried to understand and explain what we meant. As the vocals were wasted, we finished the song here at home in Norway, explains the duo.
– Music has no boundaries. We are living proof of that, says Meland.
The radio list in Norway
Last week the guys released a new single in Norway, On the Run (Radio Edit) which has been radiolisted on NRK Mp3. This song also comes in two versions.
– Japan wanted something a little in the «Chernobyl 2017» spirit, so we released a proper Russian version of «On the Run» a month ago. Well, we’re coming up with a more radio-friendly version, which we think is good for both training, parties and road trips. We are excited to hear which version Norwegians like best, smiles Mathias.
Meland x Hauken consists of Sander Meland and Mathias Haukeland. Together, they have generated more than 500 million streams. Meland is a songwriter and producer on several of Alan Walker’s hits, and has recently written and produced Vinni’s «Glorie». Haukeland was Spellemann-nominated for song of the year in 2022 with the song «Fallen Angel», which was Norway’s Eurovision entry in 2021. He has made it big as a producer and solo artist, and has co-written several of big brother Tix’s songs.