Asahi Soft Drinks released a new television commercial in Japan on Tuesday for its Wonda X-BITTER black coffee drink which features Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Yoshiki.
The commercial is centred around making a fresh start, which is where Yoshiki’s own arrangement of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star comes into play. We see him abducted in a UFO in comical style and then perform his own transcendent cover of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in a forest.
As he sits in the evening forest, Yoshiki takes a sip of Wonda X-BITTER, after which a blue light shines down on him, signifying the turning of a new leaf. A boy looks at him in wonder as he begins to perform the song, and then agape as Yoshiki is beamed up by the UFO.
Yoshiki expressed his desire to add his own arrangement to the song on the day the video was shot and wrote the music score there and then. He went to practice the song alone in the studio after writing it, and in almost no time at all, returned for the main shoot. The staff couldn’t hide their astonishment at Yoshiki’s musical talent.
YOSHIKI Interview
Q: Please tell us which scene most left an impression on you, or a particular scene that you want people to look out for.
Yoshiki: Definitely the last scene when I fly up into the sky. I found that scene really amusing where I’m taken by the UFO together with the piano. The piano playing starts off super simple, but the performance quickly escalates into something complex. Be sure to check that out.
Q: Did you have to do any prep for this commercial shoot?
Yoshiki: I researched “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.” I wondered, how can I make this song that everyone knows interesting? I also studied Mozart’s arrangement.
Q: What’s a time when you have to concentrate during your everyday life?
Yoshiki: It’s got to be when I’m writing music. It’s the kind of work where you make something from nothing, so you need some serious concentration skills. When I’m composing, I mostly don’t use any instruments. I work by writing music notes down on a blank sheet, so there are times when I go to concentrate for an hour, or two hours, and before I know it half the day has already gone.”
Information
Commercial
Title: Wonda X-BITTER Black “Igai na Ensou” (15 Seconds)
Released: March 10, 2020 on Japanese TV
Product
Wonda X-BITTER Black (245ml Can)
Contents: Coffee
Released: March 10, 2020
Price: ¥115 (Before Tax)
Asahi Soft Drinks Official Website: https://www.asahiinryo.co.jp/
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