Globally acclaimed dancer TSUKUSHI (Fabulous Sisters) joins Japanese production duo AmPm for new single ‘Wake Up feat. Lilly Ahlberg’!

“WAKE UP” DIGIAL JACKET COVER

Since their debut in 2017 with the hit song ‘Best Part of Us’, Japanese masked production unit AmPm have collaborated with multiple artists from around the world. AmPm have released ‘Wake Up feat. Lilly Ahlberg’, the eighth advance single from their forthcoming concept album themed on global travel – this time set in Jakarta across all digital music streaming platforms. The track is a collaboration with UK-based singer-songwriter Lilly Ahlberg. Telling its story through Ahlberg’s eyes, and set against the backdrop of Jakarta, it depicts a “journey to find yourself”.

The music video features an incredible performance by TSUKUSHI, the 17-year-old dance prodigy who has appeared in several music videos. TSUKUSHI is a member of Fabulous Sisters, the world-beating dance group that won the WORLD OF DANCE global dance tournament held in Los Angeles for two consecutive years in 2016 and 2017.

As the video unfolds in a classy Asian-style restaurant, TSUKUSHI reinterprets the unique vibe and flavor created by AmPm with choreography based on jazz dance. Set in Jakarta, her beautiful dance expresses the feelings of overcoming the recent period of oppressive travel restrictions to find ourselves.

Be sure to check out the music video for ‘Wake Up feat. Lilly Ahlberg’ below, along with the streaming link here!

Music Corner Week 132: Title Mitei

Title Mitei is a four-member idol group based out of Sapporo, Hokkaido, the most northern part of Japan that got their start in April of 2020. The current lineup for Title Mitei are Yuka Toskashi, Hana Abe, Noa Tani and Sora Kawamoto. Meaning ‘Title Undecided’, the name was chosen to define the expression of being undefined, lacking, and incomplete. It reflects the struggle of being around 20 years old and feeling anxious about the future and about who we must become. The group's name was chosen to express the hope that we can become anything we want to be. They also stick to the mantra of ‘not to try be someone else’, and to cherish the present moment of being no one.  The girls stick to that to a T as they aren’t falling into the usual trappings that idol groups do now with hyper energic beats, and most heavily relying on their strong vocals to carry them.  

One of the things that I find interesting is that the group had also debuted during the pandemic and had relied on SNS to carry them in their infancy as a group. A lot of what makes this group stand out to me is songs like “Kodou”, “Itsuka” and “Hana” where the girls get to show off their vocal range with various speeds in tempo that are used in their composition. It really shows that while just being an idol group, they will make their own way in the business without falling to what is popular or outside the range for the girls themselves.  

Currently, Title Mitei has 10 singles with their latest (as of this writing) being “Hana”, and one album titled Seisyungunzou that released back in 2021. Be sure to check out their official website, Twitter, and Instagram, along with the music video for “Hana” below!

Da-iCE showcase their killer singing abilities on new album SCENE!

SCENE Jacket Cover

Popular five-member boyband Da-iCE released their new album SCENE on May 24. As Da-iCE celebrate their 12th anniversary, the new album was produced with the overall theme of “building upon everything we’ve accomplished so far”.

Da-iCE are a highly talented five-piece boyband whose two main vocalists have an incredible four-octave singing range. The group formed on January 17, 2011, consisting of vocalists Yudai Ohno and Sota Hanamura, and performers Taiki Kudo, Toru Iwaoka and Hayate Wada. Da-iCE have released numerous hits, including anime series ‘ONE PIECE’ theme song ‘DREAMIN’ ON’, ‘The Way of the Househusband’ theme song ‘CITRUS’, and ‘Kamen Rider Revice’ theme song ‘liveDevil’.

In recent years, Da-iCE have even appeared at several rock festivals in Japan, taking them to an ever-wider audience. Through their activity in various areas of the music scene, they have been praised for their killer singing ability and their high level of musicality, being labeled as “highly talented boy artists”.

Comment from Da-iCE

“12 years have passed since we formed Da-iCE. As we have taken on a variety of challenges, we have reached an ever-larger audience, who have come to expect more and more from our music. This album shows the ‘next phase’ of Da-iCE, as we have evolved beyond the boundaries of genre and vocation to become creative artists active within various areas of the music scene. We have a great deal of confidence in our new album SCENE, so we hope you’ll listen to it.”

The album’s 12 songs include ‘Star Mine’, which won an Excellent Work Award at the prestigious annual Japan Record Awards; ‘Funky Jumping’, the theme song for Capcom’s forthcoming game ‘Exoprimal’; and lead track ‘Dandelion’, which recently set TikTok and YouTube ablaze.

The music and lyrics to ‘Dandelion’ were composed by Da-iCE member Sota Hanamura. Featured as the theme song to TV Asahi’s weekly Thursday drama series ‘Keiji to Kenji, Tokidoki Hanji’, the song’s lyrics express Da-iCE’s determination to “face reality, no matter what the situation, and let the flowers bloom as we keep walking towards our goal”.

When Da-iCE sang a stripped-back version of the song on the popular YouTube series ‘THE FIRST TAKE’, viewers were amazed by the members’ incredible singing voices, placing the group in YouTube’s Trending Music chart on an ongoing basis. They were described as having “singing voices that exceed human limitations!”

The album will come with three editions, a CD-only Standard Edition, and two Limited Editions with a DVD and Blu-ray respectively. Be sure to pre-order all three editions below!

Standard Edition

Limited Edition (DVD)

Limited Edition (Blu-ray)

Takarazuka Revue Company's Cosmos Troupe, Starring Suzuho Makaze, Will Stream Final Performance of "Casino Royale - My Name's Bond -" Worldwide!

The Japanese all-female theatrical troupe Takarazuka Revue has announced the worldwide livestream of Casino Royale - My Name's Bond - on June 11, 2023.

The production will be the farewell performance of Cosmos Troupe's top star, Suzuho Makaze, at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre in Japan.

Casino Royale - My Name's Bond - features Cosmos’ top stars, Suzuho Makaze and Hana Jun, in a game of intrigue and deception set in a glamorous casino. Makaze plays the role of Bond in this gorgeous and romantic musical epic that only Takarazuka Revue can deliver.

The livestream will be presented will subtitles in several languages: English, Korean, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Indonesian, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Thai.

Tickets and information: https://beyondlive.com/contents/241　

*Due to copyright reasons, Beyond LIVE will only stream the performance of "Casino Royale - My Name's Bond -". (There will be no stream after the Sayonara Show).

Casino Royale - My Name's Bond -

Based on "Casino Royale" by Ian Fleming (translated by Rou Shiraishi, published by Sogen Suiri Bunko)

Written and directed by Shuichiro Koike

Genre: Action Romanesque

Performed by

Takarazuka Revue

(Cosmos Troupe) Suzuho Makaze, Hana Jun, etc.

Live stream information:

Developed & Produced by Takarazuka Creative Arts

Distributed by Live Viewing Japan

Final performance live stream at the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre

Japan: June 11, 2023 (Sun) 1:30pm JST

USA: June 10 (Sat) 9:30pm USA PT / June 11 (Sun) 12:30am USA ET

UK: June 11 (Sun) 5:30am BST

* Subtitle languages: English, Korean, Chinese (Simplified, Traditional), Indonesian, Spanish, Vietnamese, Thai

Delayed Streaming:

Japan: June 26, 2023 (Mon) 4:00am JST

USA: June 25 (Sun) 12:00pm USA PT / June 25 (Sun) 3:00pm USA ET

UK: June 25 (Sun) 8:00pm BST

* Only English subtitles are available for delayed streaming.

Tickets:

https://beyondlive.com/contents/241　

USD $27 (tax incl.)

Tickets are available from Friday, May 19, 2023 @ 16:00 (JST) through Monday, June 26, 2023 @ 4:30 (JST)

MIYAVI Adds Osaka Performance to 20th Anniversary Tour, Announces Europe and China Tour!

MIYAVI has recently made several exciting announcements. Apart from the Tokyo performance on September 18 at Line Cube Shibuya for his 20th anniversary, he will also be performing in Osaka. Additionally, he has planned a tour in Europe and China.

The extra show in Osaka will take place on September 1. Following that, he will embark on a Europe/China tour titled “20th & Beyond Tour 2023 -Return of the Samurai Guitarist-.” The tour will kick off in Warsaw, Poland, and include nine European cities. It will then continue to five Chinese cities, starting in Beijing. This tour marks MIYAVI’s first visit to Europe and China since 2019.

As this year marks his 20th anniversary as a solo artist, we can anticipate an extraordinary performance that showcases his diverse activities both in Japan and abroad. It’s an opportunity to glimpse MIYAVI’s evolution and eagerly anticipate what the future holds for him.

Further ticket information can be found on his official website, with concert information being located below!

Concert Information

MIYAVI “20th & Beyond” Japan Tour 2023

Sep 1 - Gorilla Hall Osaka (extra performance)

Sept 18 - Line Cube Shibuya

Return of the Samurai Guitarist Tour

Sep 21 - Hybrydy/Proxima in Warsaw, Poland

Sep 23 - Kinetic Venue in Bucharest, Romania

Sep 24 - Randal Club in Bratislava, Slovakia 

Sep 26 - Retro Music Hall in Prague, Czech Republic

Sep 27 - SO36 in Berlin, Germany

Sep 28 - Zech in Bochum, Germany

Oct 1 - Le Petit Bain in Paris, France 

Oct 2 - O2 Academy Islington in London, U.K. 

Oct 4 - Magazzini Generali in Milan, Italy

Oct 13 - Beijing, China

Oct 15 - Chengdu, China

Oct 18 - Nanjing, China

Oct 20 - Shanghai, China

Oct 22 - Guangzhou, China

*Schedule may be subject to change