2 days ago
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Rastafarian reggae artiste Warrior King continues to be moved by the warmth and camaraderie of the Japanese people. During his recent Positive Energy Asia tour, the Virtuous Woman singer experienced firsthand the deep-rooted kindness and politeness that define Japanese culture.
“I tried to give one of my servers a tip and he was confused about the gesture and they politely refused it. That was interesting,” he said.
Japanese culture emphasises “omotenashi”, which means anticipating and fulfilling a customer’s needs without expecting anything in return. This philosophy is deeply ingrained in the service industry. Attempting to tip can sometimes be met with confusion or even be politely refused.
“I love Japanese culture, as it is centred around core values like respect, harmony, and consideration for others, which align closely with my own core values and philosophy,” he said.
Warrior King thoroughly enjoyed the tour, with major highlights like sold-out shows at the Yokohama Bay Hall, where he was the only performer. He had no fewer than eight shows in Japan, climaxing with an exciting performance at the packed Forest Inn Sangoro in Yamagata on July 21.
The 46 year-old singer, who celebrated his birthday on July 27, also won a new legion of fans as his Positive Energy Asia tour snaked through The Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Thailand, territories he was visiting for the first time.
“The crowds were amazing. Each show was more than a concert — it was a spiritual encounter. I was impressed that the fans, the majority of them, knew songs like Breath of Fresh Air, I Love You and Baby Girl. They sang them word for word,” he said.
The single, Breath of Fresh Air, along with his most popular songs on the tour, featured on his début 2002 album Virtuous Woman, which achieved chart success, spending nine weeks on the Billboard charts.
“The fans knew every song on the album,” he said laughing.
Warrior King is currently in Florida where he is doing some recordings with the Inner Circle band. He is booked to appear in a show in Guyana and then he will make an appearance at Carifesta, the 15th edition of the Caribbean Festival of Arts, in Barbados, in August.
At Carifesta, the artiste will be representing Jamaica on behalf of the Ministry of Culture. He will also be performing on the Welcome to Jamrock cruise on October 28.
English (US) ·