One evening I discovered a song called *Jade* by X Japan, and I was captivated from the very first listen. That one song led me to discover one of Japan’s most influential rock bands.
Transcript:
Have you ever heard a song that completely stopped you in your tracks?
That’s exactly what happened to me one evening when I discovered a Japanese band I’d never heard before… and it sent me down a rabbit hole I never expected.
One evening I came across a song called *Jade* by a Japanese band named X Japan.
I was captivated. The music was powerful, emotional and almost theatrical. I couldn’t stop listening. I had to find out more.
The more I learned about X Japan, the more I realized this wasn’t just another rock band.
Their founder, Yoshiki, once said he always wanted to push things as far as possible and disrupt everything.
After hearing that, their story suddenly made perfect sense.
Before selling millions of albums and filling Tokyo Dome, they were sleeping in their cars and performing in tiny live houses while chasing what seemed like an impossible dream.
People kept telling them certain goals couldn’t be done. Somehow they kept proving everyone wrong.
Along the way they helped create the style the world now knows as Visual Kei, inspiring countless bands that followed.
What I admire most isn’t simply the music. It’s the determination to keep believing in a dream, even when nobody else could see it.
Sometimes all it takes is one song to open the door to an entirely new world.
I’m Tess with JRok Music.
I think I’m going to listen to Jade one more time.
I’ll see you in the next story.
X Japan – Jade (Official Music Video)