Akira Kibayashi is a Music Producer.
Based in Vancouver, Akira has been participating in successful projects.
Akira’s take on J-Pop has emerged as the supernova.
On February 28th, 2024, he started his new project magicHour with its first debut single Feel The Same, gathering the attention of his fresh synth-pop-inspired sound.The song has been played more than 60,000 times Spotify shortly after its release.
Akira single-handedly manages the entire music production process for every magicHour release.
From writing the initial lyric to arranging the instrumentals, recording his vocals, and handling the mixing and mastering—all on his laptop—he does it all himself.
Despite being a newly debuted artist, his music has already caught the attention of several Japanese publications.
Select the artwork to stream his music as magicHour:
Akira started it all as a DJ & Music Producer.
At the age of 13, he dived into the world of sound design and composition.
He then began his career as a DJ and music producer. As a teenager, he performed at a number of shows including EDC Japan's official after-party and the Mon Run music festival taken place in Hanoi, Vietnam.
After taking a break during the pandemic, he made an iconic comeback at Amsterdam Dance Event(ADE) 2023, revealing himself with his new sound and alias, Professor J.
He continues to bring energy to the crowd throughout 2024, including an opening act for DJ MAG's top 100-ranked artist, Blasterjaxx.
Akira’s first musical success goes back to 2019 when he was a part of the DJ & Producer duo AXYS.
He produced a song named 18 with another Vancouver-based artist, Miles Away — the song quickly gained recognition on various platforms and earned more than 1 million plays on YouTube alone.
He never stopped producing even after splitting apart from his partner; rather, he locked himself in a studio while waiting for his moment.
Here is some of the snippets of the unreleased dance music:
UPCOMING DJ PERFORMANCES
UPCOMING DJ PERFORMANCES
Every Friday
Every Thursday
Notable past works.
Akira believes in consistency.
With a decade of experience in music production, he is now capable of producing almost any kind of music. Here are some of his earlier works that made him stand out as a youngster.
“Next Stage” is one of the few songs released under Akira’s real name. It was chosen as the main theme for the Japanese short film Kizuato, starring Ayame Goriki in the lead role. The track appears at the 15:03 mark in the movie—currently the only way to hear it.
It may sound surprising, but it's true: the very first demo of "18" was written during a high school biology class. Indulge in this emotional, subtly nostalgic track that resonates with the experience of growing up.
Shortly after splitting up with his AXYS partner, one of the first things he did was to write music for known artists. SKE48 was one of the most famous Japanese idol groups before the pandemic; the EP that included this song won the No.1 place on the Japanese Oricon Chart.
Pop, Dance, R&B, Jazz, Afrobeat—
Any genre, top quality,
In no time.
Akira has written numerous demos in past years.
The intensive work environment has required him to finish one song within a few days.
Here are some of the unreleased demos in various genres.
Never Ending Love Song - Demo Version
Written, Produced, Mixed by Akira
With inspiration from the 50s adult standards, this was Akira’s take on the soon-to-be-a-trend jazz-pop.
Spotlight - Demo Version
Written, Produced, Mixed by Akira
The afro-R&B that everyone is talking about. It is a demo from 2021 — he was one of the earliest to notice the incoming trends.
Rendezvous - Demo Version
Written, Produced, Mixed by Akira
Another jazz-pop demo that channels the golden age of swing, transporting listeners straight back to the 1940s.
Never The Same - Demo Version
Written, Produced, Mixed by Akira
R&B demo from 2022. Emotional, heartbroken love song.
Get in touch.
What you see on this page is just a glimpse of what Akira can do. If you have any questions or inquiries, feel free to send an email using the form—or direct message him on Instagram (@itsprofessorj).