Aussie entertainers play into hands of Japanese

Austrade media release

11 Dec 2006

Some of Australia’s top entertainers and musicians are testing the Japanese market with success by using Austrade, the Australian Government’s export promotion agency, with its six offices around Japan ready to help with strategies.

Austrade’s Tokyo-based Senior Trade Commissioner Phil Ingram said although the Japanese market is dominated by J-Pop, with very few foreign big names, there are tactics for Australian entertainers and promoters to consider. 

“Austrade has helped promote Delta Goodrem’s album in Japan as well as assist roots guitarist 8 Ball Aitken with a recent tour, we’ve helped classical and relaxation style Australian performers also.  And right now, the Australian version of the ‘Queen’ musical show “We Will Rock You” produced and promoted by Louise Withers and Associates of Sydney, with its 60 Aussie entertainers is currently performing to crowds of 2,000 people at a time. They will spend three months in Japan and generate $6 million in exports,” Mr Ingram said. 

“This is the second time the “We Will Rock You” musical has hit Japan.  For three months during the Japanese summer in 2005, cast, musicians and technical crew performed “We Will Rock You” 103 times to sell out crowds of 160,000 non-stop clapping and dancing Japanese fans, earning over $6 million in export sales for Australia.” 

Mr Ingram said Australian artists that have succeeded in the US first, or who’ve been ranked highly in the Australian charts over a period of time like Delta Goodrem have a better chance of success in Japan than lesser known artists.

Austrade’s Fukuoka office recently transformed into media central for Delta Goodrem’s flying visit to Japan to promote her album.  Her single “Flawed” has been chosen as the title track of the movie Adiantum Blue released in Japan on November 25.  Austrade’s Fukuoka-based Business Development Manager, Fumi Matsumoto negotiated the visit with Sony Music who sponsored her promotional visit. 

Another successful visit to Japan was up and coming Brisbane-based Australian roots guitarist 8 Ball Aitken, who recently completed his second trip to Japan in as many years. 

Austrade’s Osaka-based Entertainment Business Development Manager, Cindy Lineburg said the team work between Austrade’s Brisbane and Osaka offices directly led to San Entertainment’s CEO, Etsuko Fujimoto inviting 8 Ball Aitken to participate in the Japan-Oz Music events held in Kyoto, Rokko and Osaka, finishing with feature concerts in Kobe and a performance in Kyoto.  “In Kyoto, 8 Ball was mobbed by Japanese teenage girls wanting their photograph taken with this larger than life Aussie cowboy,” Ms Lineburg said.

8 Ball Aitken said the Japanese audiences were great.  “Everyone told me that Japanese audiences rarely get revved up, but having the audience run to the stage to dance when our Japan-Oz band played in the finale was truly mind-blowing,” he said.  “Austrade has been vital in our recent Japanese export activity.  They oiled the wheels of business by using their networks to find the right buyer in the Japanese market.  Austrade are the catalyst that made the export possible in a non-English speaking market whilst being professional and easy to work with,” 8 Ball said.

Australian classical and relaxation music is also making a mark in Japan.  Patrick Togher and Associates, who manages Slava Grigoryan and over 30 other Australian classical musicians has worked with Austrade to bring Jane Rutter and four opera singers to Japan – Elisa Wilson, Tania Ferris, David Hamilton and David Thelander who are visiting Japan for performances of Handel’s Messiah and Bach’s Christmas Oratorio.

Mr Togher said Austrade has been invaluable in establishing connections with Japanese companies who wish to engage classical artists of the highest calibre and nourishing relationships his business already enjoys with opera companies and orchestras.  “The Japanese are sophisticated consumers of classical music and it’s important that only the finest Australian artists are introduced to that market,” Mr Togher said.

In addition, Cary Lewincamp, classical guitarist from Tasmania has toured Japan three times in 2006 to play relaxation music at aged care homes around Japan and special Australia-Japan Year of Exchange events.

ENDS

Media contact

Karla Davies, Senior Media Adviser
Tel: 02-9390-2745
Mob: 0421 288 755

For further news and information from the Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) visit www.austrade.gov.au/mediacentre.