#Japan #Toyota #Tokyo #CEIPA #SONG BRIDGE

CEIPA x TOYOTA Group Presents 'SONG BRIDGE 2026'

The Cultural and Entertainment Industry Promotion Association (CEIPA), established by five major music industry organizations, partners with TOYOTA Group for the third installment of their co-creation project, the "MUSIC WAY PROJECT." This initiative aims to support and promote the globalization and sustainable growth of Japan's music industry. From June 9 to June 11, 2026, they will host the global music co-writing camp, "SONG BRIDGE 2026."

What is Co-Writing?

Co-writing involves multiple creators collaborating to produce music, combining diverse perspectives and ideas to unlock new musical possibilities. This approach has spread from the Western music scene and has become a globally accepted production style, actively adopted in Japan and Asia in recent years. While there are online methods for generating ideas, this camp will focus on bringing creators into one studio for real-time interaction, fostering spontaneous musical creations.

Highlights of 'SONG BRIDGE 2026'

This year's camp will significantly exceed the scale of last year’s Kyoto camp, inviting approximately 40 talented creators and artists from both domestic and international backgrounds. Taking place in the vibrant Shibuya and Aoyama areas of Tokyo, the event will see eight studios in operation daily, filled with dense sessions over three days.

A key feature this time is the inclusion of top artists from rapidly growing Southeast Asian countries, such as Cup of Joe from the Philippines, who is nominated for the Best Asian Song at the MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2026. Through practical collaborations with Japanese creators and artists, the camp seeks to establish a framework for promoting Japanese music in new forms within the Asian and global music markets.

Updates from the camp will be shared regularly on the official social media accounts of SONG BRIDGE and TOYOTA Group. Starting June 2nd, the SONGBRIDGE official social media will introduce the participants sequentially.

With the slogan, "Japanese music drives the world," the MUSIC WAY PROJECT focuses on creating both people and spaces for those challenging the world through music. Anticipation builds around the works that will emerge from the co-writing camp.

Past Camp Highlights

• - First Camp (May 2025, Kyoto): Coinciding with the inaugural MUSIC AWARDS JAPAN 2025, around 20 creators and artists gathered for sessions over four days. Songs birthed from this collaboration, like m-flo loves n-choco's "ELUSIVE" and STARGLOW's “My Job,” have been released as works of participating artists.

• - Second Camp (December 2025, Tokyo): Focusing on nurturing creators and artists, this session spanned three days and adopted a workshop format. The theme was creating an original song inspired by the 16th-generation TOYOTA Crown, resulting in the song "OUT" by Yuka, which featured as the theme for a TOYOTA Crown advertisement.

Featured Artists and Creators

A lineup of prominent artists and creators from around the globe will participate (in no particular order):

International Artists:

• - Cup of Joe (Philippines): Major contender in the Philippines' AWIT Awards 2025 and currently a sensational band.
• - HINDIA (Indonesia): Awarded Best of the Best Album at the AMI Awards 2025, a representative rock artist from Indonesia.
• - SARAN (Thailand): A leading figure in Thailand's vibrant hip-hop scene, recognized as a next-generation star.
• - Shye (Singapore): A rising alternative rock icon recognized with the Southeast Asia Best New Artist Award.
• - UMI (USA): A globally recognized R&B artist known for collaborations with artists like V from BTS.

Domestic Artists:

• - Keiichi Sokabe (Sunny Day Service): A legend in the Japanese indie and J-ROCK scenes since the '90s.
• - (sic)boy: An artist who has established a unique alternative hip-hop style, gaining support across genres.
• - PSYCHIC FEVER from EXILE TRIBE: A dance and vocal group with global appeal from EXILE TRIBE.
• - Yuka: An emerging singer-songwriter with a world-class sensibility.

Domestic and International Creators:

• - her0ism (Japan): A hitmaker who has created songs for various artists, including LISA of BLACKPINK, with over 170 platinum and gold discs.
• - Yael Naim (France): A singer-songwriter whose song "New Soul" topped charts globally after featuring in an Apple commercial.
• - Neil Ormandy (UK): Recognized as a co-writer for global hits like James Arthur's