Dole Philippines’ agricultural operations director Jorge C. Paez thanked “PPAP” singer Pikotaro for singing about pineapples. Paez gave Pikotaro a year’s supply of pineapples on behalf of the company at Roppongi’s International House of Japan on April 11, 2017.

Japanese “talent” Pikotaro, left, poses with Jorge Paez, Dole Philippines’ Agriculture Operation Director, at a special award ceremony in Tokyo on Tuesday. Pikotaro was awarded a pineapple-shaped certificate of appreciation from the fruit food and drinks company for his contribution in “raising pineapple awareness” in the world.

Paez noted that the release of the singer-songwriter’s massive hit “PPAP,” which went viral last August, has boosted the company’s pineapple sales. Pikotaro will also receive a one-year supply of pineapples. In accepting the award, the singer said it is he who should thank Dole and other pineapple import companies. – Japan Today

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The PPAP song: Why everyone is singing about pineapples

TOKYO (AP) — The Japanese comedian behind the viral hit “PPAP” is astonished by the global success of his “pen-pineapple-apple-pen” song.

Dressed in his trademark yellow outfit with snake and leopard patterns, Pikotaro debuted a two-minute “long” version of his 45-second song before taking questions at a Tokyo news conference Friday.

His responses had the packed audience of journalists and others laughing, but it was often difficult to separate fact from fiction.

He expressed amazement that a song that he said cost 100,000 yen ($1,000) to produce in a six-hour session in a rented studio could explode worldwide.

“The internet is amazing!” he said.

In the song, Pikotaro, as the 53-year-old character who performs it is known, mimics stabbing a pen into an apple and a pineapple while singing simple English lyrics and dancing to a catchy beat.

The performer, whose real name is Kazuhito Kosaka according to Japanese entertainment news media, was little known before “PPAP” took off in September.

The song initially was popular among Japanese students, then started spreading globally and got a major boost when pop star Justin Bieber tweeted it was his favorite video, Pikotaro said.

“PPAP” has more than 65 million YouTube views and was the first Japanese song to get into the U.S. Billboard top 100 singles in 26 years. Guinness World Records recognized it Friday as the shortest song to make the top 100.

It has also spawned 40,000 lip-synching copies uploaded to the internet.

Pikotaro said it feels great to be imitated, and that those from India are his favorite so far. He discouraged imitators from using real fruit, though, deeming it wasteful. … (read more)

via mercurynews.com – via YouTube