Kroi and Bluey from Incognito Share Their Journey to ‘Kinetic’ and the Trust They Found in London: An Interview

New Music Release: Kroi Debuts “Kinetic”

Kroi has launched their first single of 2026 titled “Kinetic,” produced by Bluey of the renowned band Incognito, whom the members have admired for years.

During a recent visit to Japan, Billboard JAPAN engaged in a roundtable discussion with Kroi and Bluey, exploring the strong connections forged among them during the music creation process.

Origins of the Collaboration

Uchida recounted the idea that emerged during their performance at The Great Escape last year, suggesting they record while in London. “Until now, we’d never written music together with a producer, so we wanted to work with local artists or producers in the UK. I shot my shot and said, ‘I want to work with Bluey!’ I figured it would be impossible, but he accepted.”

A Longtime Fan

Expressing his enthusiasm, Uchida stated, “A huge fan. All of us love Incognito. They’re what got me into music in the first place, so I was so happy when he said okay. Being here together, talking like this? It’s like a dream.”

Jamming in the UK

Chiba reflected on their collaborative sessions, emphasizing it was their first experience with a producer. “Normally, we would have to decide on each and every thing ourselves,” he noted. “But when working with Bluey, he’d tell us if there was something missing, and he’d give suggestions. It was a wonderful experience. We built even stronger bonds than we would have through the music creation process alone.”

Bluey added a light-hearted moment from their meet-up, recalling, “Before they arrived, I was already at the café, standing there waiting for them. My friend asked me, ‘How are you going to know it’s them?’ I said, ‘I think I’ll know when their car gets here.’ So the car arrives, and they get out, and they look like characters right out of an anime (laughs).”

First Impressions

Masuda shared his initial nervousness about meeting Bluey, recalling, “I was worried about whether I’d be able to play well in front of him. But the minute we went in, he said, ‘who’s the drummer?’ And I said, ‘I am.’ And he immediately ordered these sandwiches.” Hasebe also reflected on the experience, stating, “I was incredibly nervous playing guitar in front of the man himself during the recording, but it was so much fun.”

Bluey commended the recording engineer, Mo Hausler, for his role in the process: “When you work with musicians like them, who’ve got really sharp, unique vibes, you need an engineer with a feeling of transparency.”

A Unique Sound

Uchida noted a distinct freshness in “Kinetic,” saying, “It has a bit of an Incognito sound to it, but we were the ones who wrote and played the music. It’s really a fusion of the Kroi and Incognito sounds.” Bluey acknowledged the group’s shared journey, highlighting their collaborative spirit and mutual respect.

Building Bonds of Trust

Uchida expressed gratitude for the time spent together, commenting, “We were together with Bluey for three full days, communicating a lot like this. And I felt so much love around Bluey.”

Recording Insights

Uchida praised the creative process, particularly the unique introduction of Bluey’s voice in the track. Bluey added, “They seemed so happy, I was truly glad to be able to be involved in the process. I want Incognito fans around the world to know that I’ve worked with Kroi.”

Final Thoughts on the Creation of “Kinetic”

In closing, Uchida reflected on the significance of their collaboration: “Making it together with Bluey felt like going back to my roots, but at the same time evolving…. When that happened, I truly understood that the energy that comes from music really shapes and guides people.”

Bluey humorously concluded the discussion, saying, “Maybe they thought they’d be working with Doraemon. After all, he’s blue-y too.”

—This interview by Tomohiro Ogawa first appeared on Billboard Japan