Make Believe Bonus: R3ll Japan Tour x Bounce UP Pre 2nd Year Anniversary (2015)

Jersey Club In Japan, A Decade Ago

I’ve had Jersey Club on the brain recently, largely because 2023 has been the year the electronic style has enjoyed greater mainstream attention. It has been brewing for a bit now, but accelerated in recent months — for better or for worse — by established names such as Lil Uzi Vert climbing up the charts behind it or fledgling groups like NewJeans basing a massive part of their sonic palette around the style. Not to resort to music writer laziness, but you could say it’s “having a moment” — when pop artists bring Jersey creators closer to the center and sure-why-not combos like TXT and The Jonas Brothers are busting out Jersey Club remixes, you know something is up.

Yet it’s also been a good chance to personally remember…oh right, this isn’t new, but has rather been brewing for a bit now. And, as a first-hand witness, Japan was a touch ahead of the curve about a decade ago.