20-year-old Japanese singer-songwriter Rol3ert releases “(how could i be) honest?”, the second single from his three-month consecutive release series, available worldwide today (Dec 17). The music video will premiere on YouTube on Dec 19 at 10pm JST, preceded by an Instagram Live at 9.30pm JST.
“(how could i be) honest?” marks the fastest-tempo and most distorted, synth-driven alternative dance-rock track in Rol3ert’s catalogue to date. Opening with sharp guitar and synth riffs and anchored by a grinding synth bass, the song delivers an uplifting rush while carrying an emotional core that reveals the inner SOS of a 20-year-old navigating anxiety, loneliness, and desperation.
The lyrics expose feelings of helplessness and the urge to be found, contrasting bright rhythms with deeply vulnerable lines such as:
“I can’t even save myself / I can’t quit though it’s useless / I’m covered in mud so I want you to find me”
“Help me / I wish I could bleed / So I could show you this pain”
Producer MONJOE, who previously collaborated with Rol3ert on “Nerd,” returns to shape the multilayered and chaotic sonic palette inspired by Rol3ert’s original demo. Mixing and mastering duties were handled by D.O.I., a renowned figure in Japanese hip-hop production, whose low-end treatment and vocal processing contribute to the song’s distinctive and unconventional texture.
The track serves as an antithesis to a culture where hiding one’s emotions has become the norm. Rol3ert extends a quiet but direct hand to listeners — an invitation to confront vulnerability and navigate the confusing, emotional terrain of coming of age, even if it means dancing through the tears.
Rol3ert continues to shape a distinctive space in Japan’s new wave of young songwriters. In 2025 he sold out his first acoustic headline show at Daikanyama SPACE ODD, performed at FUJI ROCK FESTIVAL and SWEET LOVE SHOWER, and received Best Breakthrough Artist at the Tokyo Alter Music Award 2025.
Across Southeast Asia, Rol3ert is beginning to pick up early organic momentum. His recent covers of Regina Song (903K views) and Bernadya (837K views), released around their TIMM performances, generated strong regional discovery and active engagement from listeners across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Singapore.
The music video for “(how could i be) honest?” mirrors the song’s thematic restraint — filmed in muted tones and centered on Rol3ert alone, the visuals capture the quiet tension of wanting to speak but choosing to hold back. It also expands the band performance hinted at in the second half of “frozen,” fully showcasing the current state of Rol3ert’s live band setup.
Rol3ert will hold his next headline show “katachi” on Feb 27, 2026 at Shibuya WWW X — his first full-band one-man live following his July performance “3mpty,” which featured a stripped-back piano set. Tickets are now on sale.
