AceShowbiz - In 2025, Lola Amour, one of the Philippines' most celebrated bands, earned the Special Award: Philippine Popular Music at MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN, often referred to as the "Asian Grammys." Their 2025 release, The Moment, attracted special attention due to the featured collaboration with Kokoro Kohatsu, a member of PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE. Yet, their partnership extended far beyond just this track. Earlier that year, Kokoro made a surprise appearance during Lola Amour’s first-ever live performance in Japan.

Billboard JAPAN had the opportunity to speak with Lola Amour and Kokoro Kohatsu about how their collaboration began and the impact it has had on both artists.

What sparked Kokoro’s involvement in “The Moment”?

Pio Dumayas (vocals/guitar) explained, “We’re both under Warner Music, and I stumbled upon PSYCHIC FEVER’s song ‘Gelato.’ The whole band loved it, and we had a great time singing it a cappella. We posted a video of us singing it on Instagram Stories, and PSYCHIC FEVER reacted. That led to online conversations and eventually Kokoro performing on our track, ‘The Moment.’”

When asked about his reaction to the collaboration offer, Kokoro Kohatsu shared, “PSYCHIC FEVER had never performed in the Philippines, so I was excited to connect with them. I liked the song, and I felt we could create a great musical chemistry, so I put my heart into it.”

Manu Dumayas (trumpet/guitar/bass) added, “When we invited him to join us on ‘The Moment,’ he was so enthusiastic—like, ‘I’ll do anything.’ That made the collaboration smooth. We also shared a similar sense of humor, which made working together really fun.”

David Yuhico (keyboards) noted, “At first, Kokoro might have felt a bit lost, but he accepted every request happily. He’s friendly, talented, and has a wonderful singing voice. His vocals were key to perfecting ‘The Moment.’”

The first live performance together was in Manila, during the Lola Amour Presents Love on Loop ALBUM CONCERT in September 2025, correct?

Pio recalled, “Kokoro came to Manila to rehearse for the show, which was our first time doing something like this with another artist. We were all shy and nervous before meeting him, but when we did, it felt natural. We exchanged band merchandise—he brought PSYCHIC FEVER merch for us, and we gave him Lola Amour items. We taught him some Tagalog and went out to eat. We really clicked and became good friends.”

David added, “He learned the Tagalog lyrics incredibly fast during rehearsal. Things moved much quicker than I expected. I remember thinking, ‘This collaboration is going to be a huge success,’ and I was confident the show would go well.”

At the concert, you performed not only “The Moment” but also “Gelato” and “Raining In Manila” together?

Pio said, “We had posted ‘Gelato’ on our socials, and Kokoro could sing ‘Raining In Manila,’ so we decided to include those in the setlist. I’m sure he was nervous, but he didn’t show it. Even though it was our first time on stage together, he was ad-libbing and striking poses. His energy influenced me to experiment more when I play now.”

Jeff Abueg (saxophone/clarinet) remarked, “Kokoro’s Tagalog was so good that people asked, ‘Is he Filipino?’ His accent was excellent.”

Raffy Perez (drums) noted, “The collaboration was well-received not only in the Philippines but internationally. Fans love seeing us perform together. It was truly a successful partnership.”

Pio concluded, “I think people can tell this wasn’t just a business move. It was a genuine collaboration based on shared musical sensibilities and a strong personal bond.”

You also performed together in Japan in January. How was that experience?

Pio shared, “As usual, Kokoro was relaxed and confident on stage. He engaged the audience really well. During ‘Gelato,’ he even guided me and covered parts I struggled with, which I appreciated.”

Kokoro reflected, “It’s rare for me to perform ‘Gelato’ solo with a band, so I rehearsed a few ways to energize the crowd. My main goal was for Lola Amour and me to have fun on stage. I maintained eye contact and encouraged the audience to move with us. During rehearsal, the band reacted positively to my ideas, so I went with that approach at the show. I doubt I could have connected with the audience so well on my own, so I’m grateful to perform with Lola Amour.”

There was a comment from someone in the music industry calling you the Asian version of Silk Sonic. What do you think?

Pio responded, “That’s a huge honor. After playing as a band for about a decade, meeting Kokoro and doing this collaboration, hearing that comparison really shows how successful this project was. We’ll do our best to live up to that.”

What do you see as the biggest benefits of this collaboration?

Pio said, “The friendship we built is the most important. Japan and the Philippines have very different cultures, so we learned a lot from each other. Kokoro is great at controlling the crowd, and I’ve learned a lot watching how he energizes an audience—even when it’s mostly our own fans. Plus, we ate a lot together (laughs). He’s given us much to grow from. It’s only been six months since we performed together, but we’ve gained something lasting.”

Kokoro added, “Building a relationship across national borders isn’t something that happens often. I learned from them how seriously they approach music and how every band member is a key player on stage. It felt like everyone was indispensable, and I want to bring that experience back to PSYCHIC FEVER. I’m happy we overcame language barriers to share music. The audience’s reactions in both the Philippines and Japan were amazing, showing there’s great potential for cross-national performances.”

Pio shared future plans: “At the Japan show, the whole band covered ‘Gelato.’ Kokoro and I want to brainstorm about what song to cover next, and I’d love to write a song from scratch together.”

Kokoro agreed, “We’ve built a strong artistic rapport, so a new collaboration would be great. We both cover a wide range of musical genres, so the possibilities are exciting.”

This collaboration between the Philippines and Japan has expanded musical horizons across borders. With Lola Amour and PSYCHIC FEVER hinting at future projects, fans should watch closely as these talented artists continue their journey.

This interview by Kaori Komatsu first appeared on Billboard Japan.