dori and Furui Riho Release Live Rendition of “Sketch” from Billboard Live Yokohama
Live EP: dori feat. Furui Riho at Billboard Live — scheduled for October 29, 2025
South Korean R&B singer-songwriter dori has unveiled a live recording of “Sketch,” performed with guest vocalist Furui Riho during his first solo concert in Japan. The release—packaged as the EP dori feat. Furui Riho at Billboard Live—was scheduled for October 29, 2025, and captures the intimate chemistry from their one-night collaboration at Billboard Live Yokohama.
Known for his velvety tone and keen melodic instincts, dori first emerged in February 2022 with the single “2 O’CLOCK,” which has amassed nearly 20 million streams on Spotify. The song also found renewed attention in Japan via TikTok uses from acts such as JO1 and Local Campione. Since then, he released a second EP in 2024, completed his first headline tour, and contributed as a songwriter to acclaimed Korean drama soundtracks including Welcome to Samdal-ri and Queen of Tears.
For his May performance at Billboard Live Yokohama, dori invited Furui Riho—an artist who frequently features his music as pre-show ambient tracks at her concerts—to join him onstage. Their duet of “Sketch” became a standout moment of the evening; the newly issued live audio preserves that spontaneous interplay and the palpable connection between the two singers.
dori’s remarks
dori reflected that releasing a live album under his own name—especially one tied to a venue he admires like Billboard Live—felt deeply emotional and almost surreal. He expressed gratitude toward his fans and team, saying the project is a milestone he’ll return to for inspiration during challenging times. He also praised Furui Riho’s artistry, calling her the very kind of performer he once imagined seeing in a film, and admiring her early gospel influences and expressive vocal style. Meeting and making music with her, he added, heightened his appreciation for her presence and craft.
Furui Riho’s remarks
Furui Riho described the invitation to appear at dori’s Japan debut as an honor, especially since she herself had performed on the Billboard Live stage the previous year. A longtime listener of dori’s music, she said sharing the stage with an artist she admired felt dreamlike. Riho noted they performed “Sketch” with original Japanese lyrics she contributed, and though she felt pressure out of respect for the song, the collaboration was joyful and memorable. She expressed hopes of writing new music together in the future and thanked dori for the opportunity.
The project was produced in partnership with Billboard Live, Billboard Japan Records and ONGRAY. Notably, this marks Billboard Japan Records’ first release originating from an international artist, underscoring the label’s growing cross-border initiatives.
The live EP frames a rare, unedited moment between two artists from different scenes, offering listeners an intimate snapshot of a concert evening where voices and cultures converged on the same stage.
