Japanese Pianist Yoshiki Celebrates Classical Album with 2023 World Tour

Yoshiki’s highly-anticipated classical world tour will see him perform at venues including Carnegie Hall and Royal Albert Hall

Yoshiki is a composer, classically-trained pianist, rock drummer, and the leader of the rock groups X Japan and The Last Rockstars. His upcoming classical world tour “Requiem” celebrates the 10th anniversary of his Classical album — his third classical studio record, which hit No. 1 on the iTunes charts in 10 countries.

He will be the first Japanese artist to headline historic venues including Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, Tokyo Garden Theater, and Dolby Theater, playing classical concerts with orchestra. 

From October 7-28, Yoshiki will perform his new compositions, orchestral versions of his chart-topping songs from X Japan and his new groups, plus works by Beethoven, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Rachmaninoff. 

The tour will also feature special guest performers, which will be announced in the coming weeks. To purchase tickets to the tour concerts, click here.

In addition to the tour, Yoshiki will release his latest classical single, “Requiem,” on July 21, 2023, and X Japan’s first single in eight years titled “Angel” on July 28.

The tour announcement was made at the GRAMMY Museum at an event hosted by the museum’s chief curator and VP of curatorial affairs, Jasen Emmons.

“Last year in May I lost my mother. At that time, I couldn’t do anything. I had to cancel my live TV shows, and I actually went to see a doctor,” Yoshiki said at the conference.

“The tears kept coming for days. Then I started composing this song called ‘Requiem,’” he continued. “I thought I should move forward, I shouldn’t give up. To move forward and to really thank my fans who supported me, I decided to do this tour.”

The trailer for “Requiem” can be viewed below.

Yoshiki, 57, is internationally recognized for his work in music, television, and film, including a Disney+ documentary film “Yoshiki: My Music Story,” which is currently airing, as well as “Yoshiki Live at Carnegie Hall,” available to PBS viewers nationwide.

In 2022, his talent competition series, Yoshiki Superstar Project X with NTV, ranked No. 1 on Hulu Japan, which led to his creating a new boy band “XY.” 

Other projects include film soundtracks, a song dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the Emperor of Japan’s reign, and the official theme songs for the 2005 World Expo and the 69th Golden Globe Awards. His collaborators have included KISS and Queen.

Led by Yoshiki, X Japan has sold over 30 million albums and singles and sold out the 55,000-seat Tokyo Dome a record-breaking 18 times. He was the first Asian artist to perform at venues such as Madison Square Garden and Wembley Arena.

Additionally, Yoshiki is the fashion designer of his kimono brand YOSHIKIMONO and the first Japanese male to appear on the cover of Vogue Japan. He is the first living person to have a Hello Kitty doll named after him, called “yoshikitty.” He has his own Visa and Mastercard designs, top-selling premium wines and champagne, and other major product collaborations.