For more than two decades, Shō Kiryūin has been redefining what a rock concert can be. As the charismatic frontman of Golden Bomber, he turned the simple idea of an “air band” into one of Japan’s most original and entertaining live acts. Blending catchy music with outrageous humour, theatrical performances and constant interaction with the audience, Golden Bomber has built a loyal fanbase far beyond Japan.

Whether Shō Kiryūin’s making fans laugh, sing along or become part of the show, Shō Kiryūin’s boundless energy and unpredictable stage presence make every performance a unique experience. As he returns to Japan Expo 2026, we had the opportunity to sit down with him to talk about Golden Bomber’s remarkable journey, the band’s unconventional philosophy, and the enduring appeal of entertaining audiences by always expecting the unexpected.

Hello, could you introduce yourself to our readers who may not know you yet?

Hello, my name is Shō Kiryūin. I am the singer of Golden Bomber, a japanese band that doesn’t really play musical instruments.

How did you come up with the idea of creating a band with such a unique concept? 

We created Golden Bomber together with friends. But we had absolutely no musical talent! At first, we tried to play real musical instruments, but we felt so awkward that we gave up. So we asked musicians to play instead of us, and we use their music recorded music to perform.

Would you say such a concept opened doors for you, or rather closed them? 

I would say that it closed doors for us. Since we don’t really play our instruments, for example, music magazines never talk about us. 

We are somewhat kept at arm’s length from the rest of the music world. However, thanks to our concept, we don’t need much in terms of logistics (laughs). For example, once, one of our members forgot his bass. So he simply borrowed one from a musician who was working in the same studio as we were.

Can the “air band” concept change and evolve? 

The « Air band » concept is amazing, first of all because it is cheaper! (Laughs) And we can really take the time we need to learn skills other than music itself. At first, we thought the “air band” concept would become a trend, but we quickly realized that no one followed suit. I think that not really playing an instrument must be a bit awkward or shameful for musicians. We are considered to be quite crazy. In my opinion, the « air band » concept hasn’t really progressed or regressed during our career. It is just a hobby anyone can pick up at any day, so I recommend it to everyone.

You’ve been performing for more than 20 years. What’s the key to keeping the “air band” concept alive in the music world?

The one thing I am the most careful with is my 5th-generation iPod nano. This is the only device on which I can keep our recordings, so I can’t lose it or let it’s battery run low.

In 2017, you performed a 8-seconds concert to promote the single Deatte 8-byo, and it became the talk of the town on SNS. Do you have other original ideas like this one? 

I always try to think of unusual promotional campaigns. I really like to surprise people, like we did indeed with this 8-seconds concert. The current generation favors digital formats, we sell fewer CDs than in the past. So I suggested to our company that we should sell albums with just the package, without the CD inside. Unfortunately, I wasn’t allowed to do it. (Laughs)

You already came to Japan Expo together with Golden Bomber back in 2011. What memory did you keep from back then?

I was really happy to discover the French audience, because they are way more energetic than the Japanese audience. I really felt how enthusiastic and energetic they were. Even the people who listened to Japanese music without knowing about Golden Bomber helped liven things up, which I had never witnessed in Japan. I was very happy and surprised, I hadn’t imagined that the French audience would be so “hot”.  

For this year’s Japan Expo, you came without the other Golden Bomber members. How did you prepare for this edition? 

When I came with the band 15 years ago, it went well, but I believe that the Golden Bomber concert was slightly too complicated to be brought  to France. This year, I came by myself, and the show will be simpler than last time. I will be able to convey the energy from Golden Bomber to the French audience while making it more accessible to people who don’t know the band at all. 

For the last question of this interview, do you have a message for your french fans? First of all, I want to apologize to them for taking to long to come back to France. It’s been 15 years already! This new trip to France is going so well, and I am taking advantage of participating in Japan Expo to see my French fans again. I promise to be back very soon!

We’d like to thank Shō Kiryūin and Japan Expo for this opportunity.
This interview is a collaboration between KAvenyou, CKJPOPNEWS and NAUTILJON.