Rol3ert on finding hope in messy feelings, growing up & making music like a kid

Rol3ert is learning how to grow up in real time — and turning all of that uncertainty into music.

Born in the US and raised in Japan, the Japanese-based singer-songwriter and producer launched his solo career in January 2025, building a cross-cultural sound that blends English lyricism with J-pop-inspired melodies. Since then, tracks like '(how could i be) honest?' and 'savior' have helped him gain traction across Asia, while his latest single, 'Boy', digs into the tension between youth and adulthood.

Rol3ert was recently in Singapore for Mediacorp's CLOUD 9 festival (which featured an exclusive collaboration between Rol3ert and WHYLUCAS), where he joined a genre-spanning lineup that included FIFTY FIFTY, Em Beihold, MAX, ØZI, K-Clique, KIARA, and more. While he was in town, Bandwagon caught up with him for a playful Singlish lyric-guessing game that led into conversations about remixes, hope, bad days, and the one thing that still makes him feel like a complete kid.

 

 

 

 

 

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You dropped a version of '(how could i be) honest?' with DAUL and THAMA — how did that come together, and what did they bring to the track that surprised you?

The thing that I like about the original track is that it’s a little chaotic and kind of messy in a good way, and I didn’t want to lose that aspect, even if it’s a remix. So I asked DAUL to keep that playful and kind of stupid aspect of the sound, and he actually did it. When he sent me the first demo, I was really impressed by it because he literally combined that playful aspect and his professional, really polished production really well. I really liked it.

DAUL and THAMA — I think we never met before we finished the song. I had a Korean event in Osaka and the person I met was the CEO of a company. It was THAMA’s CEO, so I asked him, “I wanna make a Korean version of the song,” and he introduced me to DAUL and THAMA, and it happened. Thanks to him, it came to life.

What’s the most hopeless thing you’ve done recently?

Hopeless thing? Um... hopeless thing… It’s a little embarrassing, but I dropped my phone in the toilet. So I changed it, but I mean — I pulled it up and cleaned it 100%, but still, I feel kind of hopeless with my phone. So I think I’m gonna buy another one, yeah.

You have a song called 'savior'. If your music could save someone from a bad day, which of your songs would you prescribe first and why?

I would probably choose 'HOPE'. When it comes to lyrics, I always try not to end it with just bad things. I always write whenever I’m really struggling with a lot of things, and this song called 'HOPE', I think I did a really great job because I put a hope aspect of my struggling emotions in the last bridge, like the post-hook.

So if you have a bad day, you can feel like you can actually understand your pain more. I think you’re gonna find your hope throughout the song, so yeah, I would choose 'HOPE'.

You’re 20, played Fuji Rock, won Best Breakthrough Artist, and you’ve now completed another stage at CLOUD 9 right here in Singapore. What’s one thing you still do that makes you feel like a complete kid?

When I make music, it always makes me feel like I’m a kid. When I was a kid, I was always kind of into something without thinking of other things. Whenever I make music, my concentration level comes up to like 200%. Maybe like 300%, so I don’t really think — I don’t have to think about other stress or problems or incidents and stuff, and it feels great.

When I wrote 'Boy', I was thinking about how I grew up, how I was into something without thinking about other things. That’s why I put my childhood picture in the jacket — the album cover — of the song. It feels great when I write, yeah.

Lastly, what would you like to say to fans listening from Singapore and beyond?

Thank you so much for listening to my music. It means a lot to me because I make music in Japan and some of you guys know my songs, and it’s absolutely insane, so yeah, I really can’t thank you guys enough.

I have so many shows coming up in Japan and other countries. Unfortunately, not in Singapore right now, but I hope I can see you guys again in person on tour or something.