The Challenge of SKY-HI the Entrepreneur: The Essence of Work Revealed Through Conviction

SKY-HI is an artist with diverse activities as a rapper, trackmaker, and producer. In 2020, he established the new management & label company BMSG (Bee Em Es Gee). The following year, he launched the audition program "THE FIRST." The seven-member boy group "BE:FIRST," born from this program, has dominated various charts. Their high-quality singing, dancing, and rapping, combined with each member's personal story and songwriting talent, has made them a major topic of conversation.

This time, Dentsu Inc. planner Kohei Morimoto, who develops content in collaboration with companies (such as corporate anthem contests) and is also involved in the "world's safest browser 'Brave'" project, spoke with SKY-HI as a business leader about the essence of work.

Wanting to eliminate the loneliness and anxiety artists face

Morimoto: Congratulations on BE:FIRST's major debut. This opportunity arose from our collaboration on the "World's Safest Browser 'Brave'" campaign timed with your major debut. I'd like to ask SKY-HI about what you value as a business leader and the secrets to building your organization.

SKY-HI: Thank you. I'm looking forward to this.

Morimoto: BMSG's slogan is "To prevent talent from being stifled." As a manager, what stance do you take when working with artists?

SKY-HI: Being an active artist myself, I deeply understand the loneliness and anxiety artists carry. No matter how talented or strong-willed someone is, their confidence can be shaken by the smallest trigger. Many also lose their footing and quit when they hit a plateau after breaking through.

Music is intangible, so artists can only establish their style by continuing to create. That's precisely why I prioritize supporting them to feel confident that "I'm okay," and making them understand that feeling anxious or expressing those feelings is never a bad thing.

Morimoto: When supporting artists, are there any particular challenges you feel?

SKY-HI: I really feel Japan lags behind in mental health. I gather insights daily from various sources for company management, but I haven't found any quick-fix solutions in the mental health field. I realized we have to create them ourselves.

For example, when talking with friends in the US, conversations like "Which mental health clinic was good?" or "I have a mental health clinic appointment today at 8 PM" are commonplace. Japan doesn't have that kind of environment where you can talk about it casually, right? I believe awareness of mental health should improve not just in the entertainment industry, but throughout society. Especially for artists and idols who expose themselves to the public, mental health support is absolutely essential.

Morimoto: I see. So what kind of support has BMSG provided in this context?

SKY-HI: In our case, it just so happened that we spent a month together with the artists at a training camp. Because they saw how seriously I was committed, they came to believe in me. I think it's this trust – this sense that "this person won't betray me" – that somehow makes it work. We talk frequently, whether by phone or in person, working to resolve or process anxieties and worries before they become overwhelming. But we can't just keep relying on their trust. Within three years, we aim to clearly establish and complete a system to support artists' loneliness and anxiety.

Why BMSG Continues to Pursue "No Lies"

Morimoto: Speaking with small and medium-sized business owners nationwide, I often sense many struggle with communication and maintaining employee motivation. What do you consciously do to build trust with artists, SKY-HI?

SKY-HI: It's about not lying to the artists. For example, numerous media outlets covered the fact that we raised 450 million yen through crowdfunding. But in the context of artistic activities, that's an amount that could vanish in an instant if you don't carefully consider how to use it. Yet, from the artists' perspective, it makes the company seem like it has a lot of money, right? So, I make a point to explain as thoroughly as possible how much things like music video production costs, advertising expenses, and setting up office space will cost.

Morimoto: Being transparent is incredibly important. Many executives struggle with maintaining the right distance with employees, but I think being completely honest about everything is one effective solution.

SKY-HI: Running a company is my first challenge, and I'm still learning and experimenting every day. For someone like me right now, the only thing I can do is earn their trust. To do that, being honest at all times is absolutely crucial.

Morimoto: That mindset aligns with the judging criteria of the audition program "THE FIRST": "Creativity First, Quality First, Artistry First."

SKY-HI: Yes, I believe we pursued the principle of "no lies" to build trust with the audience. Throughout the audition process, we showed our genuine, unfiltered selves, and we never compromised our artistic expression to pander to anything. That's precisely why, when we received such a huge response, I felt happy knowing "the world is seeking authentic content."

BE:FIRST / Gifted. -Music Video-

People desperately chasing their dreams can't possibly be bad people.

Morimoto: At the same time, I learned from SKY-HI's words and actions that "a professional director is a professional at consideration." Like when he gave everyone matching water bottles during a tense moment at the training camp. It's such a small detail, but it shows the kind of thoughtfulness that makes people there naturally want to open up.

SKY-HI: Camp is cold, and it's not all fun. If even one person thought, "I want to go home," that would be my responsibility, right? I was constantly thinking about and acting on how to keep everyone motivated without feeling anxious.

Morimoto: Auditions must be tough for the selectors, but I was also moved by how you made an effort to speak with those who weren't chosen.

SKY-HI: I think corporate recruitment is similar, but it's a bit different in nature from sports where you compete for medals based on scores. Even if someone wasn't selected because they were lacking in some area compared to others, the result might be different three months later. First and foremost, I'm truly grateful they applied to an audition for a company with no track record like ours. More than the outcome, I hoped this audition would become a catalyst for their growth three months or a year down the line.

Morimoto: I felt that it's precisely because we see everyone's humanity in the process of creating content that it moves the hearts of those watching.

SKY-HI: It might sound like the doctrine of innate goodness, but when people lay everything bare and desperately chase their dreams, there's no way anyone is fundamentally bad (laughs). It's the environment that breeds dissatisfaction, anxiety, and jealousy that's flawed. Creating a space where no one mocks someone for being their authentic self and giving it their all – that's THE FIRST's greatest success.

Morimoto: That mindset applies to work too. For example, someone you think is unapproachable at work might just be quiet or have a stiff expression, but after talking to them, you often find they're surprisingly nice.

SKY-HI: People tend to give up on others too easily (laughs). Even if you think someone isn't a good fit or isn't capable, by not giving up and continuing to engage with them, you might see something new or build a different kind of relationship. Of course, reality isn't all about ideals, but by genuinely continuing to express those ideals, you find staff who genuinely follow through. So, I believe in my ideals and intend to keep expressing them.

The world is shifting toward "benevolence"

Morimoto: This time, we proposed a full-screen device ad for Brave's "New Tab Page," a next-generation privacy-focused browser, and secured your placement to coincide with your major debut. Brave is a company tackling the social challenge of "making the internet a better place" from the user's perspective. While the fields differ, I felt there was a connection with BMSG. How do you perceive Brave?

Brave... Launched by Brendan Eich, creator of JavaScript and co-founder of Mozilla/Firefox, it's the world's safest browser (according to University College Dublin research). Used by 46 million people globally (as of December 2021). Protects personal information and blocks non-consensual ads (though users can choose to display them). A groundbreaking product centered on the user, offering fast browsing while also saving data and battery life.
https://try.bravesoftware.jp/ref/ja-traffic-apr-2021/w.html?refcode=IYW203

SKY-HI: I believe society is now beginning to shift towards a more "benevolent nature." More people are confronting issues of discrimination and division, and increasingly, individuals are considering sustainability as a personal responsibility—not just seeking immediate gratification. The mindset of "making money at any cost," prevalent in the past, is gradually becoming less acceptable.

I believe the internet has both merits and demerits, but Brave aligns with the current era by championing goodness. While society is built on a mix of good and evil, I still think creators and platform providers should strive toward goodness. In that sense, it resonates with our own philosophy.

Morimoto: Thank you for your understanding. We'll continue to follow BMSG's activities, but please also take care of your own physical and mental health, SKY-HI. We look forward to working with you in the future.

SKY-HI: Thank you. Likewise, I look forward to working with you.