Kobametal

{{Short description|Japanese music producer}} {{Nihongo|'''Key Kobayashi'''|小林啓|Kobayashi Kei}},<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/colin-mcquistan/an-interview-with-key-kob_b_6260750.html|title=An Interview With Key Kobayashi|date=2014-12-03|work=HuffPost UK|access-date=2018-05-04|language=en-GB|archive-date=2018-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505065835/https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/colin-mcquistan/an-interview-with-key-kob_b_6260750.html|url-status=live}}</ref> better known by his pseudonym '''Kobametal''', is a Japanese music producer under the talent agency Amuse, Inc.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.fuse.tv/2015/01/kobametal-interview-babymetal-creator|title=Meet Kobametal, the Mysterious Mastermind Behind Babymetal|work=Fuse|access-date=2018-05-04|archive-date=2018-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505065700/https://www.fuse.tv/2015/01/kobametal-interview-babymetal-creator|url-status=live}}</ref> He's also the CEO of Babymetal World LLC.

He is best known as the producer and manager of the kawaii metal group Babymetal.

== Biography ==

Kobayashi's interest in heavy metal music started around his sixth grade in elementary school after listening to the band Seikima-II.<ref>{{Cite news|title="Hedoban" Shinko Music|date=July 4, 2013|pages=42–55}}</ref> He joined Amuse in 1996 and spent the early years of his career doing media promotion for visual kei bands such as Siam Shade and Cascade.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://babymetal.net/depth-interview-kobametal-key-person-behind-babymetal/|title=In-depth interview with Kobametal, the key person behind BABYMETAL|date=2014-08-20|work=BABYMETAL|access-date=2018-05-05|language=en-US|archive-date=2018-05-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505135025/http://babymetal.net/depth-interview-kobametal-key-person-behind-babymetal/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On March 14, 2009, he accompanied {{ill|Mini-Pati|ja|ミニパティ}}, a patissier-themed girl group formed by Amuse in cooperation with the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, in their appearance at the farewell concert of Karen Girl's, of which Suzuka Nakamoto was a member.<ref>{{Cite web |title=【可憐Girl's任務完了スペシャルイベント】in SHIBUYA BOXX: 可憐Girl's応援Blog |url=http://karengirls.seesaa.net/article/115753758.html |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=karengirls.seesaa.net |archive-date=2016-10-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018213138/http://karengirls.seesaa.net/article/115753758.html |url-status=live }}</ref> After watching Nakamoto's performance, Kobayashi planned to launch a new musical unit combining J-pop and heavy metal with her as the lead singer.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=December 2012 |title=KOBAMETALにきく BABYMETALというコンセプト |magazine=Marquee |publisher= |volume=94 |isbn=9784434174476}}</ref> Future Babymetal member Yui Mizuno was also present at the concert.<ref>{{Cite web |title=さくら学院『15歳』 |url=https://ameblo.jp/sakuragakuin/entry-11881291041.html |access-date=2023-08-08 |website=さくら学院オフィシャルブログ「学院日誌」Powered by Ameba |language=ja |archive-date=2016-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230013631/http://ameblo.jp/sakuragakuin/entry-11881291041.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010, the idol group Sakura Gakuin was formed by Amuse with a theme of school life and club activities. One of the sub-units formed within the group was the Heavy Music Club, produced by Kobayashi, and Mini-Pati was also absorbed as the Cooking Club sub-unit. In February 2011, Amuse announced that the members of Heavy Music Club, namely Nakamoto, Mizuno, and Moa Kikuchi, would perform under the name Babymetal.<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 1, 2011 |title= |script-title=ja:リリースファーストアルバム『さくら学院 2010年度～message～』情報 |url=https://www.sakuragakuin.jp/news/single.php?id=39 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205185513/https://www.sakuragakuin.jp/news/single.php?id=39 |archive-date=December 5, 2022 |access-date= |website=さくら学院}}</ref>

On March 13, 2016, he received an Excellence Award from the Association of Media in Digital (AMD) in Japan for his success in promoting Babymetal internationally.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://amd.or.jp/award/22/works/22_award_09.html|title=第22回 AMD Award 優秀賞｜ＢＡＢＹＭＥＴＡＬ一般社団法人デジタルメディア協会|website=amd.or.jp|language=ja|access-date=2018-04-30|archive-date=2018-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501004535/https://amd.or.jp/award/22/works/22_award_09.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2022, Kobametal was appointed as a director of Kulture, Inc, an Amuse subsidiary which would handle the integration of new technologies such as the metaverse and NFT into the entertainment industry.<ref>{{Cite web |title= |script-title=ja:BABYMETALプロデューサーがアミューズ新会社の取締役に就任、新技術取り入れ次世代エンタメ創出 |trans-title=BABYMETAL Producer Appointed as Director of New Amuse Company to Create Next-Generation Entertainment Incorporating New Technology |url=https://natalie.mu/music/news/482800 |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=音楽ナタリー |publisher=Natasha, Inc. |language=ja |archive-date=2022-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220702132152/https://natalie.mu/music/news/482800 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In April 2025, Kobametal was appointed as the CEO of Babymetal World LLC, a company established by Amuse in United States to expand Babymetal global activities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=BABYMETAL OFFICIAL WEBSITE |url=https://babymetal.com/mob/news/diarKijiShw.php?site=TO&ima=0957&id=288228&lang=en |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.babymetal.com |language=ja |archive-date=2025-05-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250524044321/https://babymetal.com/mob/news/diarKijiShw.php?site=TO&ima=0957&id=288228&lang=en |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}} {{Babymetal}} {{authority control}}

Category:Heavy metal producers Category:Japanese record producers Category:Amuse Inc. artists