Controversy Over Mrs. Band’s New Video Sparks Concern

The new music video of the three-member band “Mrs. GREEN APPLE” (hereinafter referred to as “Mrs.”) was suspended from public viewing within 24 hours of its release. In response, Universal Music LLC, involved in the video’s production, posted a notice of suspension and an apology on their website.

 

Mrs. is widely popular from their teenage years and recently topped the “Artist Ranking for Music Festivals Teens Want to See” in May. What happened with the band’s new music video, which enjoys strong support from both young people and their parents? 

 

“The title of the new song is ‘Columbus’. It was announced as the campaign song for the music platform ‘Coca-Cola Coke STUDIO’, sponsored by Coca-Cola.”

“Christopher Columbus is infamous for forcefully subjugating and colonizing indigenous peoples in the Caribbean islands, and for his involvement in introducing slave trade and perpetrating massacres. In the MV, members of the band “Mrs.” are depicted landing on an island and encountering characters resembling “ape-men.” They proceed to teach these characters music and horseback riding, a portrayal that evokes Columbus’ imposition of civilization without recognizing the humanity of indigenous peoples. This depiction, enthusiastically performed by the band members, quickly ignited controversy and spread widely, leading to widespread criticism.” (According to a person related to the video production company)

Before the MV was released, the setup was clearly announced that each of the three members would embody Columbus, Napoleon, and Beethoven respectively. This makes it clear that the title “Columbus” and the appearance of settler-like figures in the MV cannot be unrelated.

 

In cases like this, criticism typically targets the producers, music label, or those involved in planning rather than the artists themselves, based on fan psychology. However, in this instance, there are unique circumstances where criticism is heavily focused on the artists themselves. 

 

“The name ‘Motoki Ohmori’ appeared in the credits on YouTube under the title ‘Planning Director.’ Given that it shares the same reading as Mrs.’ vocalist Motoki Ohmori (27), there’s speculation that the artist himself planned this production. As a result, criticism has been directed at the artist personally.”

Will they be able to maintain the trust of children, who are their main fan base, and the support of their parents?