Pop-Culturalist.com

Jeff Miyahara is the creative director behind KLKTN, a digital collectible built for a new era in fandom. Brought to you by a team of industry insiders, KLKTN exists at the intersection of creativity and technology, enriching connections between artists and fans, and bringing the best of music’s experiential culture into the digital world. Their most recent collaboration finds them teaming up with Daniel Kang and MIYAVI to create music history. Pop Culturalist was lucky enough to speak with Jeff about the release.

PC: For readers who may be unfamiliar with ​​KLKTN, can you introduce them to the platform, its mission, and how you got involved with the organization?
Jeff: Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with over 270 artists—some of the biggest names in K-pop and J-pop like Girls’ Generation, EXO, Namie Amuro, and MIYAVI. Technology has always had an amazing relationship with music and entertainment, and I wanted to emphasize that more here at KLKTN with crossover relevance. When we saw the amazing effect web3 had on sports, we aspired to become the NBA Top Shot for K-pop, J-pop and Asian culture.

PC: Platforms like KLKTN are creating opportunities for artists to connect and explore new aspects of their creativity. Tell us about the recent collaboration with MIYAVI and creating this month-long celebration.
Jeff: MIYAVI is such an amazing icon, and we are proud to have worked closely with the artist to create such amazing digital collectibles. We’ve just dropped the music video for “Hush Hush” featuring Kang Daniel as well as exclusive artwork for MIYAVI’s Special Editions and KDX, which provide collectors not only a chance to own a very limited piece of music history but also a rare chance to virtually meet MIYAVI himself!

PC: Each piece is so unique. Which was your favorite to work on? Which was the most challenging?
Jeff: By far, the music video was the biggest challenge! Getting both MIYAVI and Kang Daniel in the same music video was nothing short of a creative miracle! We had MIYAVI filmed in LA, Kang Daniel was in Korea, and some of the team were in Japan. It truly was a global team effort. MIYAVI and KLKTN spent a lot of time creating each individual Special Edition and ArtKard, which keen fans can spot as Easter eggs in the music video! As a guitarist, the airdrop for the first ever MIYAVI Telecaster Fender guitar was a super cool exclusive perk for our top Kollektors!

PC: What has the fan response been to the collection?
Jeff: The most rewarding part of creating KLKTN has been watching how much the fans have been engaging in our social media, such as our community Discord channels. MIYAVI fans from around the world are discovering new friends and making lasting relationships on Discord. MIYAVI himself has been so inspired by the community that he’s been actively looking in Discord for feedback on his music as well as thinking of new ways of how to give back to his community and fans.

PC: Besides this celebration, what’s ahead for ​​KLKTN?
Jeff: Without spilling the beans too much, I can confidently say we’ve got some really exciting PFP projects with the hottest names in Asia and across the globe. We’ve also got a really exciting new way for music fans to discover new artists and to rekindle their love for music through a really cool active listening experience. Ok, I’ve said too much. The best thing to do is to sign up on KLKTN.COM, as well as to follow our socials and get in touch with us on our Discord!

To keep up with Jeff, follow him on Twitter and Instagram.