Yu-ka releases surprise theme song "Sunshade" for drama "Warau Matryoshka"

■ “Laughing Matryoshka” is a new TBS Friday drama starring Asami Mizukawa, Tetsuji Tamayama, and Sho Sakurai.

Singer-songwriter Yuuka has announced that she will release her new song “Sunshade” at midnight on June 28th.

“Sunshade” is the theme song for the TBS Friday drama “Laughing Matryoshka,” starring Mizukawa Asami and featuring Tamayama Tetsuji and Sakurai Sho, which begins airing on June 28th at 10pm.

Yu-ka’s song “Starry Night,” released in 2023, has exceeded 400 million total digital plays. For the second consecutive year, she has appeared at the 2024 SXSW Music Festival, one of the world’s largest multi-events, held in Austin, Texas, USA, and continues to be active both at home and abroad. She is currently on a nationwide tour, with performances in Nagoya and Osaka coming up.

“Sunshade” is a song written specifically for the drama, with lyrics by Yu-ka and music by Toru, a guitarist of ONE OK ROCK. He was inspired by the image of a “parasol” (sunshade) from a part of the original novel, and wrote the lyrics on the theme of “sun’s shadow.”

The cover photo, which was released ahead of the release, was created using an analog and irreversible technique of stitching together Polaroid photos into a collage and then setting the photos on fire. As Polaroids age, the images they capture deteriorate and the colors become less clear. Because of their transience and ephemerality, Polaroid photos are used as a symbol of not knowing when the end will come and of the emotion of cherishing the present moment.

By ruthlessly cutting and reconstructing a photograph that exudes warmth, the artist expresses the opposing scenes and emotions of “Sun/Shade,” depicting a happy time that will never last.

Yu-ka will be talking about the song on her regular radio show, ZIP-FM’s “You Kaleidoscope,” which will air from 1:30 am to 3:00 am on June 27th (1:30 am to 2:00 am on the 28th), so be sure to check it out.

■Comment from Yu-ka
When I first heard about the role, I was so happy that I immediately read the original novel and the drama script, and was instantly engrossed in the story that unfolded in layers, just like a matryoshka doll. The shadow of that person who seems perfect, the shadow that creeps up on the protagonist who is driven by justice. I was attracted to the image of a “parasol” from a part of the original novel, and I wanted to write a song with the theme of “the shadow of the sun.” Even “ordinary” things may come to an end. I thought that being aware of this might lead to the important “light” of living without regrets.
I’m really looking forward to seeing how this story will be portrayed on screen.

release information

2024.06.28 ON SALE
DIGITAL SINGLE“Sunshade”

Program Information

TBSFriday Drama “Laughing Matryoshka”
Starts 06/28 (Fri)
Every Friday from 22:00 to 22:54

Original story: “Laughing Matryoshka” by Kazuma Hayami (Bungeishunju)
Screenplay: Yoshihiro Izumi and Yu Kanda
Directed by: Kazuyuki Iwata

Performer:
Kanae Michigami: Asami Mizukawa
Toshiya Suzuki: Tetsuji Tamayama

Takashi Yamanaka: Tomoki Maruyama
Kentaro Hatate: Masato Wada
Koichi Sasaki: Dai Watanabe
Naoki Aoyama: Ryosuke Sota

Michigami Kanetaka (the official spelling of “taka” is “hashigodaka”): Watanabe Ikkei
Yoshitaka Wadashima: Masaya Kato
Kaori Michigami: Mariko Tsutsui
Mysterious Woman: Saki Takaoka

Ichiro Seike: Sho Sakurai

“Laughing Matryoshka” program site
https://www.tbs.co.jp/waraumatryoshka_tbs/

Yu-ka OFFICIAL SITE
https://yu-ka.jp/