01Profile
A Kento Nagatsuka Photo
Kento Nagatsuka
Musician — Tokyo
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Kento Nagatsuka (WONK), Tokyo.
What do you do?
Musician, Chef.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
There are a lot of musicians I love in the UK, but Sampha will be the best, I would say. He's a super talented black musician, about two years older than me, who also works as a producer working with Beyoncé and all. I've seen his live performances via the internet, such as “Tiny Desk Concerts”, and his musicianship and voice are amazing. I was really impressed by the passion in his songs and the sound. I think that's the essence of realism there.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
The mods. I also like American rockers, but I think my love of the suit style or the set-ups comes from the mod style. I like to combine the style of the present with the materials of that era. I joined a homestay program back in high school, staying at a house in Brighton for about two weeks, where the host father who was a smart-looking black man, a very fashionable person indeed, just had me fashionably influenced by him. Believe me, I was dressed like a Japanese ‘gyaruo’ at that time (laughs).
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
"Corona Sunsets Festival" in Okinawa in 2018. The stage was in the middle of the beach, and as you can imagine, the crowd was chill, and it was great to play in the sunset and listen to the sound of the sea. There are many memorable places, but this one was amazing.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
Radiohead. I want to play against them as WONK band but also write songs together and play together, too. If possible, I'd like Radiohead to remix WONK's songs (laughs).
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
An hour? If it's just me, I'd like to be with John Lennon in his house, drinking royal milk tea and writing songs together.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
A lot of the artists I've been listening to lately with great interest are London-based, like Cosima, who doesn't get a lot of play on Spotify. Cosima has an austere voice tone, a bit like Leila Hathaway. I like her pale voice. Mature and sexy than the current melancholy or modern stuff.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Fragile' by Sting. I was introduced to it at the homestay I mentioned earlier, and I fell in love with it straight away.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Englishman In New York' also by Sting. The lyric overlaps with the experience of being seen or looked at as an Asian when I went to London, and the fact that you felt sort of uncomfortable in some way in the high school that I attended during the stay.
One record you would keep forever?
'Anima' by Thom Yorke. I actually bought this recently, while I've always loved Radiohead, but this one made me wonder why I didn't have it. It was an instant decision to be honest.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'Process' by Sampha, released in 2017. I listened to every track on this album like crazy.
Best song to turn up loud?
'I Never Learnt To Share' by James Blake. I saw it on a gig recording but, I was surprised how everyone sang along to this kind of track.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'One Love' by Blue. I listened to it a lot as a high school kid.
New bands you are listening to now?
Recently, I was invited to appear on a special edition of a Sade feature for a radio channel and I listened again to ‘Sweetback’ played by three of the band's instrumentalists. I still feel really comfortable with the way it sounded back then.
03Interview
Name, where are you from?
Kento Nagatsuka (WONK), Tokyo.
What do you do?
Musician, Chef.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
There are a lot of musicians I love in the UK, but Sampha will be the best, I would say. He's a super talented black musician, about two years older than me, who also works as a producer working with Beyoncé and all. I've seen his live performances via the internet, such as “Tiny Desk Concerts”, and his musicianship and voice are amazing. I was really impressed by the passion in his songs and the sound. I think that's the essence of realism there.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
The mods. I also like American rockers, but I think my love of the suit style or the set-ups comes from the mod style. I like to combine the style of the present with the materials of that era. I joined a homestay program back in high school, staying at a house in Brighton for about two weeks, where the host father who was a smart-looking black man, a very fashionable person indeed, just had me fashionably influenced by him. Believe me, I was dressed like a Japanese ‘gyaruo’ at that time (laughs).
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
"Corona Sunsets Festival" in Okinawa in 2018. The stage was in the middle of the beach, and as you can imagine, the crowd was chill, and it was great to play in the sunset and listen to the sound of the sea. There are many memorable places, but this one was amazing.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
Radiohead. I want to play against them as WONK band but also write songs together and play together, too. If possible, I'd like Radiohead to remix WONK's songs (laughs).
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
An hour? If it's just me, I'd like to be with John Lennon in his house, drinking royal milk tea and writing songs together.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
A lot of the artists I've been listening to lately with great interest are London-based, like Cosima, who doesn't get a lot of play on Spotify. Cosima has an austere voice tone, a bit like Leila Hathaway. I like her pale voice. Mature and sexy than the current melancholy or modern stuff.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'Fragile' by Sting. I was introduced to it at the homestay I mentioned earlier, and I fell in love with it straight away.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Englishman In New York' also by Sting. The lyric overlaps with the experience of being seen or looked at as an Asian when I went to London, and the fact that you felt sort of uncomfortable in some way in the high school that I attended during the stay.
One record you would keep forever?
'Anima' by Thom Yorke. I actually bought this recently, while I've always loved Radiohead, but this one made me wonder why I didn't have it. It was an instant decision to be honest.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
'Process' by Sampha, released in 2017. I listened to every track on this album like crazy.
Best song to turn up loud?
'I Never Learnt To Share' by James Blake. I saw it on a gig recording but, I was surprised how everyone sang along to this kind of track.
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'One Love' by Blue. I listened to it a lot as a high school kid.
New bands you are listening to now?
Recently, I was invited to appear on a special edition of a Sade feature for a radio channel and I listened again to ‘Sweetback’ played by three of the band's instrumentalists. I still feel really comfortable with the way it sounded back then.