Interview with Citrine Productions

🎶 Spotlight on Citrine Productions 🎶

Based in Tokyo, Citrine Productions has been connecting indie bands across Japan, Korea, and beyond. From humble beginnings as a podcast during the COVID lockdown to organizing live shows, tours, and festivals, they’ve become a bridge for international music exchange. In this interview, we dive into their journey, their approach to supporting indie artists, and their vision for the future of the indie scene.

 1. Can you tell us about how Citrine Productions started and what inspired its focus on indie and alternative rock? 

Hi, we are Citrine Productions, a production and promotion company based in Tokyo, Japan. We specialize in music exchange between indie bands from Japan and Korea (but we also welcome friends from all over the world). Citrine Productions actually started from a small podcast venture. The COVID lockdown was an excellent opportunity to start a long-overdue project: introducing Korean indie bands to the world.

Unfortunately, the podcast is no longer in service, but it evolved into actual live shows, tours, larger-scale concerts, and even small festivals and here we are.

Although we don’t really have a preference for a certain rock genre, we tend to be drawn towards band sounds that are more experimental, fused, and hybrid qualities often found in the fresh sounds created by indie bands.

 

2. How do you choose which artists or bands to promote and support?

We look at how coherent a team’s musical presentation is. Most indie bands are DIY not just in making music, but in every aspect related to it: songwriting, performance, recording, mixing, and mastering, as well as artwork, music videos, photography, videography, and even things an agent might handle, like show booking, tour planning, merch design and sales, and social media promotion.

Any band with a consistent vibe and message quickly catches our eyes and ears. We’re always amazed at how a small group of musicians can pull off something that would normally require at least a small agency.

Bands with this kind of consistency tend to stay grounded—even while experimenting with new styles and genres. It also helps them build and maintain a solid fanbase both online and offline.

On top of that, as we are heavily invested in the idea of “live performance first,” their performance has to be really, reallygood. We’re not just talking about technical skill of course, skill matters but the way a band engages the crowd and makes every minute of their performance a special moment is what sets livehouse shows apart from just listening through headphones.

 

3. Could you describe a typical project or tour you manage for an artist?

We work on anything band-related. Right now, we handle artist booking, casting, organizing gigs and tours, as well as A&R. We manage visas, logistics, you name it, we do it.

Though we’re still relatively new, over the past four years we’ve gained experience in producing music videos, releasing albums, and even coordinating a trans-Pacific collaboration between two artists.

We’re currently experiencing faster-than-expected growth, so we plan to streamline our business operations as we gain more access to like-minded partners in the industry.

 

4. What differences do you notice in the indie music scenes between Korea and Japan?

Before talking about differences, I want to highlight some similarities.

Both countries have no shortage of incredibly talented artists who create ingenious music that blends rock roots, current trends, and cultural flavor.

The biggest difference is accessibility. In Japan, going to a livehouse to enjoy a gig without knowing anything about the lineup is a perfectly normal way to spend a weekend night. In Korea, going to a livehouse (or "club") to see a gig is still considered a niche hobby.

Personally, I think part of the issue is the naming “club” might suggest something else entirely, unlike “livehouse,” which makes the purpose more clear.

 

5. How has the music promotion landscape changed since you started?

Definitely more bands. There are so many great bands out on the scene right now. This year has even been dubbed the “year of the band boom” in Korea. Bands that were on hiatus for many years have returned, new bands are emerging, and those who stuck around are becoming more visible to the general public through appearances at both major and local festivals.

We’re also seeing new venues opening, which is great in terms of increasing accessibility.

From the band perspective, more artists are going on overseas tours and joining festivals abroad. Such exchange can only lead to greater things.

 

6. Are there any memorable success stories of artists you’ve worked with that you’d like to share?

We made some meaningful achievements this year, like Reciprocity 2025, where three Japanese bands and two Korean bands performed at Korea’s Musinsa Garage.

We also hosted the AGMH (Any Good Music Here) Festival in both Tokyo and Seoul, which was another great opportunity for band exchange.

On top of that, we hosted shows in Seoul for renowned Japanese bands Lite and [Alexandros]. We’re working hard to take these experiences to the next level next year.

 

7. What advice would you give to indie artists looking to expand their presence in East Asia?

Don’t make people who land on your social media page for the first time do extra work to find out who you are.

Clearly specify your country, how many members are in your team, and what genre you play in your profile. Include contact and gig info. Promoters need to know whether you're an active band.

Pin a performance clip so promoters can instantly hear your music without having to dig through your feed.

You’d be surprised how much discovery happens from random algorithm recommendations and tags on other people’s posts.

Promoters are always on the lookout for great music and talent, so do your best to be seen.

Also, if you’ve released a new song, promote it for at least a month. Think of all the work that went into that release. Your music deserves much more than a few days of exposure on your IG Story.

 

 

8. Are there any upcoming projects or events from Citrine Productions that you’re excited about?

Yes! We’re hosting a 3-day indoor festival called ‘Indie’d Year-End Party’ at Shinchon YES24 Wanderloch Hall from December 29 to 31.

18 amazing Korean bands will be performing, and there will be other exciting events throughout the event. If we get enough requests, we’re also considering a livestream broadcast for fans who can’t make it to the venue.

We’re super excited to showcase a lineup that features some of the top Korean bands who are the backbone of the country’s rock scene alongside rising rookies who took the scene by storm this year.

We hope many people can join us to wrap up the year in the most memorable way.

Full details can be found on our Instagram: @citrine_productions.

✨ Looking Ahead ✨

Citrine Productions continues to grow, championing talented bands and fostering cross-cultural connections in the indie world. From livehouse gigs to international festivals, their dedication shows that indie music thrives when creativity meets collaboration. Stay tuned to The Indie Planet for more inspiring stories from the artists and teams shaping the global indie music scene.