Debuting in November 2021, BE:FIRST is made up of seven dance and vocal members which includes SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, RYOKI, and LEO, who are signed to renowned Japanese rapper and artist, SKY-HI’s management company and label, BMSG. Under the name BE:FIRST, this seven-member group has swept the No.1 spots on various charts in Japan, such as their debut single, ‘Gifted.’ and second single, ‘Bye-Good-Bye’ which hit number one on the Billboard JAPAN HOT 100. The latter single’s music video received over 26 million views on YouTube. BE:FIRST has announced the release of their first album, which will be made available on all major digital streaming platforms on 29 August 2022, Monday. The physical album ‘BE:1’ is available for purchase from today, via BMSG’s Music Shop.
BE:FIRST are the ‘BE:1’; with each of the seven members making up what their management, BMSG stands for – Brave, Massive, Survive, and Groove, and respectfully making it a point to clad every single listener as 'one', through their love and encouragement to each individual. On the formation of BE:FIRST, BMSG management’s founder SKY-HI shares, “When we were working to form BE:FIRST, my thoughts were that as a group, every member is expected to endlessly give their all, and to have pride and love for being number one while being uniquely special. Importantly, I want the group to respect others who are equally qualified as number one in what they do. With this in mind, on the last night of their audition and on the dawn of them taking their first great steps out into Japan, then Asia, then the world, I named this seven-member group BE:FIRST.”
The album opens with the hip-hop-tuned boasting track, ‘BF is...’, which BE:FIRST performed at VIVA LA ROCK 2022 and ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL. ‘Be Free’, a re-recorded pop dance track, was showcased in the group’s audition program, ‘THE FIRST’, where BE:FIRST was born.
‘Softly’ is an R&B track in which HIRO (Mhiro from F.OH.) produced the topline and showcases MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, and LEO vocal abilities. ‘Milli-Billi’ reveals cutting edge dance music with cynical and boasting lyrics, and hard hip-hop track ‘Spin!’ features SOTA, SHUNTO, and RYOKI splitting rap verses. ‘Grateful Pain’ portrays the pain that each member of BE:FIRST has experienced in reaching the point that they are at now, and how they managed to turn those hardships into a positive and hopeful future.
Other previously released tracks include their debut and topping singles, ‘Gifted’, ‘Bye-Good-Bye’, the spellbound single, ‘Betrayal Game’, of which the music video of its flashy, yet appealing dance performances generated viral excitement among their fans. The album’s focus track, ‘Scream’, has had over 7 million Youtube views, and topped Billboard JAPAN HOT 100 chart in less than 2 weeks since its release on 25 July 2022.
BE:FIRST members, SOTA, MANATO and RYOKI share their comments on their debut album, ‘BE:1’:
SOTA: 'BE:1' showcases our steps thus far and what's coming next for BE:FIRST and for us individuals. For me personally (as someone who once had a career as a professional dancer), it was just like a dream that I was able to create music that excited me enough to want to dance!’
RYOKI: “The lead single, 'Scream', is such a cool song that all of us (BE:FIRST) got super excited. The message in the lyrics and the up-and-down of the music line would grab listeners' hearts. All the other tracks in the album are a variety of genres, so I want people to check out all the songs in BE:1.”
MANATO: ‘I am thrilled that we were able to release our first album less than one year after debuting as BE:FIRST, especially during this difficult time. Each track is of a different genre, and each song could qualify as a lead single! On top of being able to participate in the journey of creating music, getting direction from artists whom I used to listen to and collaborating with uprising creators are unforgettable experiences for me. We can’t wait for everyone to enjoy this album as much as we have putting it together.’
SKY-HI adds on, “With their debut album release, all seven voices take turns to perform under a spotlight on each track. This album, ‘BE:1’ will walk along with the listeners for a better tomorrow while shifting their emotions right-to-left and up-and-down with a mixture of hip-hop, R&B, rock, and pop tunes. I see this album as a classic art piece that people can pass on to generations as it is infinitely powerful, empathetic, bittersweet, yet filled with joy.”
BE:FIRST recently performed ‘Don’t Wake Me Up’ as a guest artist with British DJ, record producer, and songwriter, Jonas Blue in Fuji Rock Festival ’22 on 29 July 2022. This performance marks a significant milestone for BE:FIRST – the first boy band to perform at all three major rock festivals in Japan (i.e., Summer Sonic, Rock In Japan Festival, and Fuji Rock Festival) within less than one year of their debut. Upcoming, and in line with the release of their album, ‘BE:1’, BE:FIRST will be performing at BMSG FES on 17 and 18 September 2022, together with BMSG artists, including SKY-HI, Novel Core, Aile The Shota, edhiii boi, and all the other trainees. BE:FIRST will also be embarking on their first Japan tour from 23 September 2022. More details on BE:FIRST activities will be shared in the upcoming weeks.
