Halfway (Gen Hoshino song)

"Halfway" (Japanese: 折り合い, Hepburn: Oriai; lit. 'Compromise') is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter and musician Gen Hoshino. Written and produced by him, he handled all elements of production and the instrumentation except mixing. While experimenting with keyboards from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoshino wrote "Halfway" as a birthday song to comedian Yūki Himura. He performed it on the Himura's radio show in May 2020, before the song was surprise released by Speedstar Records as a digital single on June 19, 2020. A hip hop-styled track, it is composed of a simplistic beat that loops. The lyrics, which include a rap section, depicts a protagonist who tries to amend the everyday relationship with their partner.

Critics found the track enjoyable for its lyrics and programmed music production. It reached numbers 26 and 27 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 and Oricon Combined Singles Charts, respectively. Sho Miyake directed the music video, which was uploaded alongside the song's surprise release. It depicts two people (played by Hoshino and actress Shizuka Ishibashi) in self-quarantine during the pandemic. Hoshino performed "Halfway" during his online concert Gratitude, which celebrated the tenth anniversary of his solo career.