Discover Penthouse
The Japanese band Penthouse is carving its own path. This six-member Japanese band has crafted an intriguing discography, blending city pop, soul, and other musical influences. Most members balance their band commitments with other professional careers–embodying a lifestyle that fully embraces one’s interests and passions.
This article answers frequently asked questions about the band Penthouse.
Table of Contents
Who is the band Penthouse?
Penthouse is a six-member band from Japan. Formed in 2019, the members are all alumni of a music circle from their college days. The band initially began by posting covers and original songs on their social media platforms. In 2021, they made their major record label debut.
The band adopts a unique approach to work-life balance. Surprisingly, most members have or continue to work full-time positions outside of their musical endeavors. Even as the band experienced rapid growth, half of the members opted to balance their office jobs with their commitments to the band.
Over the years, they have gained attention for their catchy, city-pop meets soul hits. They were selected to be a part of Spotify Japan’s RADAR: Early Noise 2022, which showcases emerging talent in the country.
Who are the members of the band Penthouse?
Penthouse’s members are Shintaro Namioka (vocals/guitar), Maho Oshima (vocals), Hayato Sumino/Cateen (keys), Shintaro Yano (guitar), Takuma Ohara (bass), and Tatsunori Hirai (drums).
More details on each member are outlined below.
Shintaro Namioka
Vocals/Guitar
Shintaro Naimoka (浪岡真太郎) is the founder, vocalist, and guitarist of Penthouse. He played a pivotal role in bringing the current members together to form the band. He also serves as the composer and lyricist for the group, responsible for shaping the band’s discography.
Before the group was created, Namioka was the vocalist for the Japanese hard rock band QUORUM. The band gained notable success, including performances across the United States—including SXSW in 2015—and even performed over 100 times in one year. The band went on hiatus at the end of 2019.
When Penthouse was initially formed, Namioka worked full-time at an IT company. In 2022, he left this job to pursue music full-time.
Maho Oshima
Vocals
Maho Oshima (大島真帆) is a vocalist of Penthouse. She is the sole member of the group to have graduated from the prestigious Aoyama Gakuin University. Her musical journey was inspired by vocalist Miwa Yoshida of DREAMS COME TRUE, which led her to start vocal lessons during middle school.
Outside of the band, Oshima works at an employment agency. She has been spotlighted by her company for her outstanding performance, setting records as a top consultant. Reflecting on her different endeavors, Oshima emphasizes, “Some people may think that even if they have a dream, they will have to give up once they get a job, but that is not the case. That’s why I want to continue being a consultant and being a band as long as possible.”
Hayato Sumino (Cateen)
Keys
Hayato Sumino (角野隼斗), also known by his YouTube channel name, Cateen (かてぃん), is the keyboardist of Penthouse.
Sumino is a renowned classical pianist who has earned numerous accolades internationally for his impressive In Japan, he has performed at prestigious events such as the annual New Year’s Eve TV special, Kōhaku Uta Gassen. In July 2024, he will be performing at the renowned Nippon Budokan.
Excitingly, Sumino is gearing up for his worldwide debut in August 2024, marking a significant milestone in his career. Despite his busy schedule, he remains active on his YouTube channel, with over 1,000,000 subscribers. He currently resides in New York City.
Shintaro Yano
Guitar
Shintaro Yano (矢野慎太郎) plays guitar for Penthouse. Alongside Namioka, he works on sound mixing, as well as parts of songwriting and lyrics for the band. When the group was created Yano also helped to take on managerial responsibilities within the group, handling administrative tasks and scheduling to support the band’s operations. In a candid feature, he shared, “I believe that a band encompasses a variety of tasks and roles that cannot be seen from the outside. I feel like there’s no point in hiding that, so I sometimes talk about that role on my social media.”
Outside of the band, Yano is involved in management at a media company. He showcases his multifaceted talents in both music and his professional career.
Takuma Ohara
Bass
Takuma Ohara (大原拓真) is a bassist of Penthouse. Namioka initially reached out to Ohara when discussing the formation of the band, which played the foundation for Penthouse’s journey from that point onward.
Outside of Penthouse, Ohara was employed at the major media company Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), where he served as an assistant director. However, in 2023, he decided to leave his position at TBS to fully commit to his activities with the band. Despite this transition, he reflects on the valuable lessons gained from his experience, stating, “Living a life where you do two (or more) things simultaneously offers a unique sense of excitement, discovery, and learning compared to dedicating oneself solely to a single pursuit; and I recommend it to those interested.”
Tatsunori Hirai
Drums
Tatsunori Hirai (平井辰典) is the drummer of Penthouse. After graduating from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate School of Engineering in 2014, he went on to pursue work in the pharmaceutical industry, while continuing to contribute his drumming talents to the band.
Hirai has shared that the first time he joined a band was through his music circle in college. At one point, he was even playing the drums for 10 different bands.
As he grew up in an academically rigorous environment, Hirai shares how being in a band in college helped him to learn many important life skills. His message to current students echoes this sentiment, as he advises, “Academic pursuits are just one aspect of dedicating yourself wholeheartedly to something; there’s no need to limit yourself.”
Want to learn more? Fans can see more glimpses of each member through videos on their YouTube channel.
How was the band Penthouse formed?
Penthouse was formed through vocalist/guitarist Namioka’s initiative. Transitioning from his hard rock background, he envisioned a band with a musical style that could be more widely accepted. To bring this vision to life, he contacted alumni from his college music circle, beginning with bassist Ohara. While their interests in music differed, he invited members he felt could contribute significantly to the band’s evolution.
The band officially commenced their activities in June 2019.
What is the name of the members’ former music club?
During their time in university, the members were part of a music circle named Todai POMP (東大POMP). The name “Todai” is a familiar nickname for the University of Tokyo, renowned as one of Japan’s most prestigious universities. “POMP” stands for “Place of Music People.”
While the club name reflects their connection to the University of Tokyo, Todai POMP welcomed members from neighboring universities as well, including vocalist Oshima.
Why is the band named Penthouse?
In a video on their YouTube channel, the band members discussed the origin of their name, with vocalist/guitarist Namioka acknowledging it as a challenging question. Bassist Ohara mentioned that, when they were brainstorming potential names, each member brought ten different suggestions to the table.
During the conversation, keyboardist Cateen jokingly suggested, “Why don’t we just say we like penthouses?” This lighthearted remark elicited laughter from the group. While the complete origin story may not be publicly revealed, it’s clear that the members do want to live in penthouses.
What genre of music is the band Penthouse?
Penthouse describes their music genre as “City Soul.” Initially, they had thought to coin this term to succinctly define their style as “combining the catchiness of City Pop with the powerfulness of Soul.”
However, they also gained recognition within the existing genre of “City Soul,” which has also been described as “pop music blending soul, jazz, rock, and other genres, in a crossover style.”
How did the band Penthouse get recognized?
Penthouse’s breakthrough came with the song “Could I Be Yours?” (…恋に落ちたら). Released in May 2021, the song charted on various music rankings—notably, reaching the top of the country’s iTunes Store R&B/Soul Ranking. The touching love song played a pivotal role in helping Penthouse gain visibility in the music industry.
Namioka initially created the song during the pandemic; it was inspired by a conversation about romance, during a virtual group call with his music friends. Although he created a demo, he initially set it aside as it diverged slightly from Penthouse’s usual style. However, bassist Ohara discovered the song while browsing through their music drive and expressed how much he liked the song. Namioka decided to arrange it for the band, which eventually led to its release.
Check out the song above.
When was Penthouse’s major debut?
The group made their major record label debut with Victor Entertainment on November 24, 2021, releasing the Extended Play “Living Room.” This album swiftly climbed to the top of the country’s iTunes Store R&B/Soul Ranking—a nod to their growing popularity.
Why do some members have jobs outside of the band?
Unlike many bands signed to major record labels, the members of Penthouse either have or continue to maintain full-time jobs outside of the band.
There are several reasons behind this decision. Firstly, they aim to demonstrate the lifestyle benefits of pursuing multiple interests concurrently. As drummer Hirai shares, “My experiences in work also benefit my band activities. Having two distinct thinking frameworks—one for work and one for the band—has been incredibly helpful in approaching various challenges.”
“Having two distinct thinking frameworks—one for work and one for the band—has been incredibly helpful in approaching various challenges.”
Tatsunori Hirai
Additionally, Penthouse strives to inspire other students and individuals to continue their musical pursuits beyond graduation. By maintaining their band activities alongside their other professions professional careers, they seek to encourage others to pursue their passions in their careers.
In a group interview, the band expressed, “I believe there are people who want to continue their [music] activities even after entering society. If we can give courage to those people and they can continue, we would be very happy.”
Where do I follow Penthouse?
Follow the Japanese band Penthouse’s journey through the links below:
Official Website
Social Media Links
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