Global music legend and fashion icon Yoshiki assembles an impressive array of international artists for his music documentary and directorial debut, YOSHIKI: UNDER THE SKY.

Created during the COVID-19 pandemic when live performances where at a standstill across the world, Yoshiki set out to create this project in an attempt to reconnect with his fans and to inspire them to persevere.

The film features a beautiful collection of both international hits and lesser-known songs, rearranged superbly by Yoshiki himself for strings and piano. The songs are performed live in different parts of the world and come together through the wonders of modern technology. In between the performances, Yoshiki mostly shares footage of himself during a Zoom interview, answering questions about the individual collaborations. There are also moments of reflection on his interactions and relationship with the fans, the power of music and some narration of personal experiences.

It is very clear throughout the film that this project is intended as a gift to his fans and as a way to nurture this co-dependent relationship between artist and audience, which suffered greatly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This clarity, mainly stemming from Yoshiki’s humble attitude, prevents the piece from becoming self-indulgent.

Musicians have historically come together time and time again during turbulent times to raise funds, awareness, and to help people around the world process their feelings of grief and loss. More than arguably anything else in the world, music consoles and unites people in a remarkable way, and it’s the one language that is understood by everyone, even those who can’t read it or speak it. Yoshiki and his group of friends and collaborators remind us of that, a reminder that is somehow still necessary, even after thousands of years of human existence, wars, natural disasters and pandemics, artists still struggle to have the importance of their work valued enough by the corporate western world.

While the musical aspect of YOSHIKI: UNDER THE SKY is absolutely mesmerising and allows for full immersion in the moment, the piece as a whole is structurally weak and lacks a clear through line, something which doesn’t make the film difficult to follow, but prevents the audience from fully connecting with its message. The structure of the presentation of the performances is somewhat repetitive and the segments in between jump from one subject to another, and while in a way they all link back to Yoshiki’s relationship with his fans, a stronger connection between them is needed but absent.

Nevertheless, Yoshiki’s documentary film is definitely a celebration of his brilliant work and of music itself and is bound to achieve what it sets out to do, which is to comfort and inspire his millions of fans around the world, some of which will be thrilled to see their faces featured in the film itself.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Erifyli Gigante

YOSHIKI: UNDER THE SKY is released in UK cinemas on 1 December.