DJ KOO speaks with new hires
The future of Avex and
the diversification of entertainment

The year 2023 marks the end of the three-year-long coronavirus pandemic and the resumption of in-person events, such as live music shows and festivals. What are the thoughts and prospects of the new graduates who joined the company in this milestone year for a fresh start in the entertainment industry? Avex held a discussion to look into just that question, with the participants in this roundtable discussion being Karen Takano, who is in charge of finding and training new employees at Avex Entertainment Inc., (hereafter AEI); Riko Okaue, who is involved in producing live music event at Avex Live Creative (ALC); Riku Shirasaki, who is involved in TikTok operations at Avex Music Creative (AMC); and Risa Tagami, who is involved in advertising and event management at Avex Alliance & Partners, (AAP), and Masahiro Matsuse who works at Avex Pictures Inc. where he deals with works to be uploaded to streaming platforms. Joining the five recent graduates is DJ KOO, who has worked with Avex for more than 30 years as part of TRF, to help make for a passionate discussion.

A generation who has a bird’s eye
view of the entertainment industry

DJ KOO (hereafter KOO) and Avex's new graduates—an entertainer who is often in the spotlight through his work in the media as a DJ and TV personality, and with him, several recent graduates who are searching for the entertainment of tomorrow with their passionate aspirations. When their flexible mindsets not bound by existing frameworks meet with KOO's own brand of innovative vision, it is almost like a chemical reaction taking place, the vision of a new kind of entertainment that appears before them. The first question KOO asked them is, "Why did you decide to enter the entertainment industry?"

Takano "I belong to the Avex Youth group for IP discovery and development in the AEI Business Development Division, and I am in charge of managing auditions to discover new talent, scouting, training students called "youth students," and managing lessons. I wanted to enter this industry because I wanted to provide an experience that gives people goosebumps whenever they engage in a cultural experience I helped to bring them, and to create something that gives people emotional support even when they are going through tough times. I believe that today's diversified entertainment has a kind of empathy that transcends language, and that there is such a wide scope of possibilities to reach a large number of people is what appeals to me about this job."

Okaue "I am in charge of live event production at ALC, and in addition to being the link between the technical staff and the performers on site, I manage the entire schedule for live events. I was totally obsessed with dancing when I was a student, so I thought I'd like to work on the production side of a business that handles live performances when I entered the workforce."

KOO "The idea of what constitutes entertainment as imagined by my generation has gradually changed, and now there are countless genres. For example, I have been asked to DJ not only at music events but also at sporting events. We have gradually accepted the changes over the past 30 years, but your generation already has a wide variety of entertainment genres all existing alongside each other. I think yours is a generation that can really look out over the whole of that playing field."

No matter your age or your experience,
if you have the ideas, you can go far

KOO saw the diversity of today's world in the genre-less spread of entertainment, and next he was curious about the new recruits' impressions of Avex, an organization to which he has belonged as an artist for more than 30 years.

Shirasaki "I work in the Digital Strategy Unit at AMC, where I'm in charge of consulting on how to increase the number of views on TikTok for artists affiliated with Avex. I am also in charge of relations work for social media-related inquiries from within the company. Even though I have only been with the company for six months, I am entrusted with important aspects of our company's TikTok's initiatives, and I am grateful to work in an environment at Avex that allows me to flexibly incorporate new opinions and ideas into my job."

Tagami "I work in the sales department at AAP to solve client companies' problems based mainly on advertising production, event management, and product development. Before joining AAP, I had the impression that Avex had a long history and was a company specializing in music and entertainment. I had imagined that new graduate employees would have little discretionary authority, but when I finally joined the company, I found the opposite to be true. I was entrusted with duties regardless of my age or career, which I think has really helped to motivate me here."

KOO "It's the sign of a great working environment to join a company with strong ideas in your head and be able to give shape to them right away. It would be a waste if you have a great idea, but it takes a long time to realize it because of your age or experience. Avex's 'anyone can try' culture is a big attractor I think."

Creating new hit content:
those who will lead Avex to become truly one of a kind

KOO confronts the new graduates head-on about their thoughts concerning their jobs, and their eyes light up as they respond to his questions. KOO then asked them about the current challenges they are facing in their first six months with Avex.

Okaue "In my case, we have a small number of people working on live production sites, so I have a relatively large amount of duties and responsibilities. I feel that the real challenge is to make the right decision between 'can I handle this on my own' and 'when I can't handle something myself, whether or not I can rely on others.'"

KOO "Compromise may be necessary at times. The word 'compromise' may give a negative impression, but unlike 'giving up,' it has the meaning of continuing to stick with a task. Our first priority is our customers, and our work is possible only because of them. Therefore, no matter how busy we are, I think it is important to consider what we can do to keep our customers happy."

Matsuse "At API, I'm involved in procuring works to be distributed through our video distribution platform and, conversely, selling our own works to other companies' distribution services such as Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. The problem I've found in my work is that it is difficult to promote our products to the world due to rights issues. However, it is difficult to solve this problem on an individual basis. I believe that one solution is for Avex itself to become the rights holder and produce its own original works."

Tagami "One issue that comes to mind is the gap between the public's perception of Avex and the reality. For example, when I visit other companies as a sales representative, I sometimes get the reaction, 'Wait, does our company have anything to do with music?' Today, Avex has adopted a 360-degree business approach and is developing a wide range of businesses that are not limited to music alone. We are constantly seeking ways to make more people aware of the fact that we are developing a diversified business plan."

KOO "I see. Various issues have been raised, but what I personally expect most from Avex right now is for them to create more hit content. You never know when or where hit content will come from, and I feel that there is a good chance that a project conceived by the five of us here will turn into a mega-hit. I want us to create something exciting, something that screams, 'This is Avex at its best!"

The infinite possibilities to produce content
that surpasses conventional industry boundaries

KOO is always there to listen to the concerns of each individual, but at the same time, he also encourages them to "be the catalyst for creating hit content," a passion he holds from his 30 years in the industry alongside Avex. KOO's final question to the recent graduates was, "What do you think will happen to the entertainment industry in the future?"

Shirasaki "Throughout the industry as a whole, I feel that obstacles to creativity are getting fewer and fewer year by year. For example, there's a new kind of software called Vocaloid that allows even amateurs to create music. I think the same applies not only to music but also to animation production. The average age of creators is also decreasing year by year, and I believe that we'll start to see the younger generation and freelancers emerging more. What we need to do in light of this situation is, 'To act together as an organization, as Avex, to do what we as individuals can't to change the entertainment industry through combined strengths.'"

Tagami "For example, there's an e-sports tournament RAGE, which is currently managed by Avex, TV Asahi, and CyberZ, and the event itself is something that transcends the boundaries of the industry. Record companies, TV stations, and video distribution platforms working together to produce something would have been unthinkable a few years ago. In response to this trend, for example, we believe that it is possible for Avex and other record companies to jointly produce content in the future. I look forward to a future in which the systems and approaches to creating entertainment will continue to evolve beyond existing boundaries."

KOO "We artists, too, feel that those kinds of barriers are disappearing. I once received an offer from Maki Ohguro, who asked me to participate in her 30th anniversary album. It was a groundbreaking event for us to collaborate, considering what happened in the '90s. Also, about five years ago, I was approached by Bandai Namco to participate in their "THE iDOLM@STER" series of games, and that was a big shock. At first, I wasn't sure if they would sign off on my performance, but it was a great success, and because of that collaboration, my name went on to dominate the first three trending spots on the Internet. I believe that in this day and age of entertainment, 1 + 1 doesn't just equal 2; it has an infinite scope of possibilities in my opinion."

Finally, as the roundtable discussion was drawing to a close, KOO suddenly offered the new recruits the chance to take a look at his notes. When we opened the notebook, we found pages and pages of his notes on how he felt, what he noticed, and what he regretted during live performances and TV recording sessions. The new employees all expressed their surprise, remarking that even someone like KOO, who has been in the business for more than 30 years, goes to such lengths in his work. The goal of entertainment is to entertain the audience. But behind the scenes, there is invisible, imperceptible effort and research going on. The goal of entertainment is to make people's hearts dance and make them happy. The "DJ KOO" way of life will be a major guiding light for the future of Avex and the five new hires who will be responsible for the future of the entertainment industry.