Awich, Chico Carlito, One Ok Rock &Amp; Paledusk from Yao Second Single “For Okinawa” Debuts at #1 on Apple Music Japan

YAO, the newly formed Japanese music collective bringing together Awich, CHICO CARLITO, ONE OK ROCK, and Paledusk, has reached No. 1 on Apple Music Japan’s All-Genre Songs Chart with its second single, “FOR OKINAWA”. The track also topped LINE MUSIC’s real-time Top 100 Songs chart and is at no. 18 on the Apple Music global charts, marking a major milestone for the collective just two months after its debut.

Released on September 4, “FOR OKINAWA” has also extended YAO’s reach beyond music, featuring in the Netflix series ‘Badly in Love 2’, which stars YAO members Awich and Taka of ONE OK ROCK. The placement further connects the collective’s music with audiences across different forms of entertainment. The latest achievements come just two months after YAO made its debut with its first single, “777”, on July 7. With “FOR OKINAWA” becoming a No. 1 hit across two major Japanese music charts, YAO has already achieved a significant milestone with only its second release.

For its latest release, YAO turned toward something deeper and more personal: Okinawa. “FOR OKINAWA” grew out of conversations between the members, particularly around the experiences and perspectives of Awich and CHICO CARLITO, who were both born and raised in Okinawa. With its distinct culture and complex history, Okinawa became the starting point for a wider conversation about how people with different histories, values, and perspectives can understand one another. What began as a song rooted in one place ultimately evolved into something more universal — a reflection on what connects us when we look beyond the differences that often divide us.

While “FOR OKINAWA” begins with Okinawa, its message extends far beyond any single place. It is about understanding where we come from, listening to experiences different from our own, acknowledging different histories and perspectives, and considering the kind of world we want to leave for the next generation. In this sense, the song reflects the philosophy at the heart of YAO, inspired by “Yaoyorozu no Kami” and its belief in coexistence across different identities, values, and perspectives. Different sounds, different histories, different perspectives — not becoming the same, but learning how to exist together.