YOSHIKI
DONATES $100,000.00 TO HELP DISPLACED HURRICANE VICTIMS
THROUGH MUSICARES®
YOSHIKI, leader of the acclaimed Japanese rock group X JAPAN has donated $100,000.00 to help get immediate aid to hurricane victims in the United States and its territories. On Monday, October 9, in New York, YOSHIKI delivered the check to MusiCares®, a charity of the Recording Academy™ via Jennifer Leff, LCSW Senior Director, Health & Human Services (photo below). The donation will be funded immediately to MusiCares‘s current hurricane relief efforts already on the ground through Yoshiki Foundation America 501(c)(3). 100% of all donations to MusiCares go directly to people in need.
L-R: Nick Cucci, Executive Director, New York Chapter of The Recording Academy, Jennifer Leff, Senior Director, Health & Human Services, MusiCares, YOSHIKI and Adam Block, President of Sony Legacy Recordings. Photo: Link.
“I’m from Japan but I live in America,” YOSHIKI said. “When Japan got hit by the Tsunami Earthquake in 2011, the people of America supported Japan. I was really moved by that, so I’d like to keep supporting America as much as I can. My heart goes out to all those who are affected.”
The donation ceremony followed a Q&A with YOSHIKI and a special screening of WE ARE X, the award-winning and captivating rock ‘n’ roll documentary about X JAPAN–one of the most successful rock bands in Japanese history–at the Bryant Park Hotel in New York City.
Directed by acclaimed documentary filmmaker Stephen Kijak (Stones in Exile, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man), and produced by the Oscar©-winning production team behind Searching for Sugar Man, WE ARE X is an astonishingly intimate portrait of a deeply haunted, but truly unstoppable virtuoso and the music that has enthralled legions of the world’s most devoted fans. It was officially selected for the Sundance Film Festival, SXSW and BFI London Film Festivals, winning multiple awards and receiving critical praise from New York Times, LOS ANGELES TIMES, PITCHFORK, BUZZFEED, USA TODAY, YAHOO, LA WEEKLY, MTV UK, Classic Rock Magazine and many more. WE ARE X is a transcendent and beautifully shot rock & roll story about X JAPAN. They’ve sold over 30 million albums, singles and videos combined; sold out Japan’s 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record 18 times; and played to tens of thousands of fans outside of Japan. Under the enigmatic direction of YOSHIKI–composer, classically-trained pianist, drummer, and the creative force behind the group-X JAPAN has captivated a wide range of admirers including Sir George Martin, KISS, Stan Lee and the Japanese Emperor, while pioneering a spectacle-driven style of visual rock called “Visual Kei,” creating a one-of-a-kind cultural phenomenon. Watch the trailer for WE ARE X HERE.
Passion Pictures and X JAPAN are delighted to announce that the critically acclaimed film will be released theatrically across Europe throughout October 2017. The film’s chart-topping soundtrack boasts an impressive selection of X JAPAN back catalogue as well as the newly-released theme song, “La Venus.”
This week marks the arrival of the ‘WE ARE X’ limited edition DVD (film) and rare full Vinyl Soundtrack-released earlier this year digitally and on CD via Sony Legacy Recordings–available worldwide now through PledgeMusic: https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/wearex.
YOSHIKI and the band are currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on X JAPAN’s first album in over 21 years, set for worldwide release in 2018.
MusiCares®: A friend and ally of the music community, MusiCares© was established by the Recording Academy© to safeguard the health and well-being of all music people. A four-star charity and safety net in times of need, MusiCares offers confidential preventative, recovery, and emergency programs to address financial, medical, and personal health issues. Through the generosity of our donors and volunteer professionals, our dedicated team works across the country to ensure the music community has the resources and support it needs. For more information, visit: www.musicares.org.
Yoshiki Foundation America: is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Yoshiki has focused his extensive personal philanthropy on helping people in dire need throughout the world. Recently, he has supported the victims of Hurricane Harvey through the American Red Cross, the GRAMMY Foundation, MusiCares, Points Of Light, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, as well as the Japan Red Cross and 2011 Kumamoto-Japanese earthquake and tsunami victims. For more information, visit: http://www.yoshikifoundationamerica.org.
###
