ShowMinorSavage, a new unit formed by BMSG’s Aile The Shota along with SOTA and MANATO from BE:FIRST, have released their first EP! ShowMinorSavage was added to all major streaming services on February 22, 2023.

The three artists met at a BMSG audition and immediately hit it off, sharing similar musical backgrounds and interests. Unsurprisingly, they formed ShowMinorSavage soon after.

Their unit name comes from their intention to transform minor acts in the music scene into major acts, showing how savage they can be. Their first EP was created with this idea very much in mind.

ShowMinorSavage / SUPER ICY (Prod. Chaki Zulu) -Music Video-

The EP features the first songs produced under the group name ShowMinorSavage, including No Cap Navy, a song sampled from SKY-HI’s Nanairo Holiday created by the three members, and Thinkin’ bout you, a dope hip-hop track expressing the member’s love and featuring a vocal loop by TRILL DYNASTY. The groovy and extremely danceable song SUPER ICY was produced by Chaki Zulu.

The major debut of ShowMinorSavage is sure to create waves in the music scene, and you won’t want to miss it!

SKY-HI and NTV have announced a new major project titled D.U.N.K. -DANCE UNIVERSE NEVER KILLED-. The large-scale project aims to promote SKY-HI and other Japanese vocal and dance groups around the world.

The project will be broadcast on YouTube and other video streaming platforms and fans can expect content other forms of media content as well. D.U.N.K. will feature exciting content that blends music and dance along with conversations with artists, behind-the-scenes extras, and collaborative ventures.

The project will start on February 1, 2023 on NTV with an interview with SKY-HI about the project’s launch and a few chats with participating artists. This will be followed by a large-scale live event over three days on March 5, March 11, and March 12 featuring a lineup of incredible artists.

The theme song D.U.N.K. will be released on all streaming services on February 3, 2023. The track promises to be a killer tune that will make all of Japan dance and will inspire people to follow their dreams. With straightforward lyrics, impressive rap, and emotional vocals, get ready to tune in to this track early next month!

Rock group BAND-MAID has been chosen as the opening act for THE LAST ROCKSTARS’ first live concert in the U.S., THE LAST ROCKSTARS Live Debut 2023 Tokyo – New York – Los Angeles, starting February 3, 2023.

THE LAST ROCKSTARS’ U.S. shows in New York on February 4 and Los Angeles on February 10 are sold out. Reaction to the group has been incredible, leading to an additional New York show on February 3. To make things even more exciting, BAND-MAID will perform at all three U.S. shows.

THE LAST ROCKSTARS (Paris Mix) Music Video

BAND-MAID has become overwhelmingly popular around the world. In the United States, the band recently performed at AFTERSHOCK FESTIVAL 2022, one of the largest music festivals in the country. They also served as a supporting act for GUNS N’ ROSES during the legendary band’s Japan tour in November. This year, the group will once again perform at a selection of music festivals in the states, including Sonic Temple 2023 in Ohio and Welcome to Rockville 2023 in Florida.

This time around, BAND-MAID will perform as the opening act for one of the most impressive rock bands in recent memory. THE LAST ROCKSTARS is composed of YOSHIKI, HYDE, SUGIZO, and MIYAVI, making it a superband like no other. This will be the first time the newly-formed group will perform in the U.S.

The Ariake Arena concert on January 27 was broadcast live on WOWOW and was also streamed in movie theaters throughout Japan. The February 10 show in Los Angeles will also be streamed, so be sure to tune in!

On December 11 and 12, SKY-HI held solo concerts at Toyosu PIT to celebrate the group’s first album, THE DEBUT. The event, Round A Ground Special 2022, was a hit with fans, and a live video of the new song MISSION has now been released on SKY-HI’s YouTube channel.

MISSION (Round A Ground Special 2022 ｰBirthday Eveｰ December 11, 2022 at Toyosu PIT)

MISSION is being used as the theme song for MISSIONx2, an audition documentary show following BMSG’s attempts to find members of MAZZEL, a new 8-member boy band. SKY-HI’s trackmaker, SOURCEKEY, composed the track.

The powerful lyrics inspire listeners to pursue the best version of themselves. There’s no doubt that MAZZEL will be a group to watch.

Audition Documentary Show MISSIONx2, Ep.01 / Prologue -BMSG Trainees-

MISSIONx2 is now available to watch on the official BMSG YouTube channel.

The Metaverse event that was a smash hit in 2021 will be returning in 2023! Sanrio Virtual Festival 2023 in Sanrio Puroland, one of the world’s largest music festivals blending both the real and virtual worlds, will be held starting January 13, 2023.

A lineup of high-profile performers has been announced, including Airi Suzuki, SKY-HI, Yabai T-Shirts Yasan, and Aoi Fuji. Popular Sanrio characters such as Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll, and Kuromi will also appear, and visitors will be able to experience the virtual Puroland by utilizing unique avatars and taking part in a number of exciting events.

The 2021 event was incredibly popular, and the 2023 version will increase the duration and amount of content available. To do this, Puroland has joined forces with VRChat, a well-known US company and social platform. Artists, VTubers, and Sanrio characters will perform in a massive space on B5 of Virtual Sanrio Puroland, and fans can enjoy live performances while also communicating with other guests!

Highlights of SANRIO Virtual Festival 2023 in Sanrio Puroland

・Inspired by PURO VILLAGE at Sanrio Puroland, VIRTUAL PURO VILLAGE is now available in the Metaverse!

・The popular Sanrio Puroland parade will be performed in the virtual space with an original story!

・Starting January 13, 2023, visitors will be able to chat and play in an open space before the concert, and special events–like radio calisthenics–will be held.

・Guests can enjoy mini concerts featuring Sanrio characters every day from January 14 until January 20 (*Fee required.)

The event can be accessed via smartphone, PC, or other devices. Guests can have fun creating their own unique avatars and immersing themselves in the Sanrio Puroland atmosphere no matter where they are! Come experience this state-of-the-art Metaverse space while you can.

Experience Mini Live Shows Featuring Popular Sanrio Characters Every Day

A daily mini concert will be held daily from January 14 until January 20 with a different Sanrio character appearing each day. 

The mini-concert ticket allows guests to watch all seven mini-concerts and also includes digital items to use with your avatar, including a fan and a T-shirt. 

17 Artists Announced (So Far) to Perform During Virtual Music Festival!

Artists like Airi Suzuki, SKY-HI, and Yabai T-Shirts Yasan will take to the LUNA STAGE (*fee required), with virtual artists including Aoi Fuji appearing on the FUTURE STAGE (*fee required.)

Hello Kitty and other Sanrio characters will also appear at CHILL PARK, each giving a mini live performance. The second artist lineup and performance timetable will be announced in early December.

Free areas will be open to the public. More details and ticket information is available on the official website. 

KANGDANIEL is a member of the Korean idol group Wanna One. The artist has won a number of awards since making his solo debut in South Korea in 2019, also starring in the Disney+ drama Rookie Cops. KANGDANIEL will digitally release the song TPIR (feat. Miyavi) from his long-awaited debut EP Joy Ride in Japan on August 17, and a lyric video has already been released.

TPIR stands for ‘The Pain Isn’t Real,’ and the digital single proudly features samurai guitarist Miyavi. The track reminds listeners that no matter how painful things may be, it’s not the end. Miyavi’s guitar sounds incredibly emotional, and fans will be able to see a side of KANGDANIEL they haven’t seen before. 

To celebrate this distribution, LINE MUSIC has started a playback campaign! Those listening to TPIR over 1,210 times by December 10 (KANGDANIEL’s birthday) just need to post a screenshot on Twitter, with 10 winners being selected by lottery to win an autographed photo signed by the artist himself. For more information, see KANGDANIEL’s official site.

The lyric video for the song was shot during a visit to Japan while the artist was snapping artwork for his debut EP Joy Ride in the suburbs of Tokyo. The video was shot with a smartphone in a vlog style.

KANGDANIEL will hold his first Japan tour, ‘KANGDANIEL: 1st EP Release Tour: JOY RIDE THROUGH JAPAN,’ on October 15 and 16. Fan club tickets for the shows at Zepp Namba (Osaka) on the 15th and KT Zepp Yokohama on the 16th will go on sale on August 20 at 10:00.

The fan club is also offering a special prize for those who purchase the EP Joy Ride. Those selected will win a Meet & Greet with the artist to be held during the Japan tour. By pre-ordering the EP at select stores, fans can also grab some special bonuses! These will be announced at a later date, so keep an eye out for more info.

WOWOW will be broadcasting an incredible amount of European soccer matches during the 2022-23 season, including the Spanish LaLiga starting August 13. The UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions will decide who is the best on the continent, and many are ready to tune in. 

The WOWOW European Soccer Theme Song for this season will be Fearless by the globally popular performer Miyavi, known to many as the samurai guitarist.

Fearless was written by Miyavi himself. The artist formerly played soccer for Cerezo Osaka and channeled his memories of the competition and supporters into his music and lyrics. The song will begin airing during matches starting with the UEFA Super Cup 2022: Real Madrid vs. Frankfurt match on August 11. This season will be even more exciting than usual, with the World Cup scheduled to take place this November and December in Qatar.

Comment from Miyavi

“As a child, I wanted to become a professional soccer player and I practiced kicking a ball around every day. As a soccer fan, I imagined a song that would be played in a stadium and that everyone in the audience could sing along with.

I created the music and melody to inspire listeners to feel a sense of unity and to soothe the soul.

When I’m about to perform live or participate in a photo shoot, I always feel that sense of nervousness before a fight–that fear of failure before a challenge. I think that’s something everyone has felt at some point. All we need to do is put in the energy and work to overcome it. I hope you’ll sing along with the song, even at home in front of your TV.”

18-year-old trilingual singer MeiMei has released a new track, ‘Strangers feat. MIYAVI,’ in which the popular Japanese performer takes on the role of a samurai guitarist in the music video.

The killer tune blends MIYAVI’s shredding guitar and MeiMei’s strong yet fragile vocals. Curiously, MIYAVI accepted a direct offer from musical newcomer MeiMei to participate, and this song came to fruition. 

The music video was created by MeiMei, who speaks Chinese, Japanese, and English, and MIYAVI, a world-renowned guitarist. Sayaka Nakane, a LA and Tokyo-based video creator, served as director. The video itself portrays how young people will shape the future as they deal with anonymous ‘unknown adults’ who hit them with cruel words both online and in real life. 

Strangers feat. MIYAVI

MeiMei was selected to participate in the ‘Tokyo Tower Red Light-Up 2022’ diplomatic event and has served as a link between China and Japan. With the Beijing Olympics approaching, the artist is sure to find more work!

With diversity and borderlessness at the heart of her music, MeiMei aims to make music that transcends gender, age, or nationality. Listening to her voice, it’s hard to believe that she’s still a teenager!

Comment from MeiMei

During my time spent in both China and the US, I listened to MIYAVI’s music and saw his videos. I was a huge fan. It’s a miracle and an honor for me, a new artist, to be able to work with him. I still can’t believe it’s real. I’m too happy!

I learned so many things from MIYAVI, and he really inspired me. I want to become a better artist because of him. He gave me a lot of friendly advice and he feels like a big brother I can rely on. I hope that this song will inspire and give courage to those who are going through tough times. Everyone should be confident and live their life how they want. Please enjoy the song!

Hope everyone will love this song and support it, Let’s rock the world!!

Comment from MIYAVI

Music can connect people across borders, across race, and across language. 

Age and career are completely irrelevant. 

I hope that Mei’s fragile, beautiful, and supple voice will reach as many people as possible. I’m so happy and honored to be able to support her. 

The world is going through a difficult time, and I hope that this kind of music can connect people as we all make our way through it to a brighter future.

Let’s go Mei, let’s rock the world!!

Kollektion, a global platform connecting artists and fans through the sale of NFTs, will hold the ‘Month of Miyavi’ during the month of January 2022. NFTs and other items commemorating the 20th anniversary of the rock musician will be available.

MIYAVI started selling NFTs on the platform in October 2021 to positive fan response. In addition, fans who become holders of MIYAVI KLKTN Passes through the purchase of an NFT will be invited to a private Discord channel.

More details were announced during the Virtual Holiday Party on December 25, 2021. Fans from all over the world are invited to take part in this exciting sale!

1. MIYAVI KLKTN Pass
These NFTs were available for 24 hours only on January 2, 2022. Purchasing one gives fans access to over 380 MIYAVI NFT airdrops in the future. This also gives access to the private Discord channel.

2. Moments
These ‘Moments’ can only be seen in Kollektion, and include behind-the-scenes footage of MIYAVI’s music production and private life. This time, each NFT has been sorted into one of three levels of rarity: Common, Rare, and Legendary. 

3. ArtKards
These NFTs were inspired by MIYAVI’s album ‘Imaginary.’ Extremely limited and featuring a serial number, each item comes with a digital autographed photo card NFT and a raffle ticket for a personal video message NFT. 

4. Kodex
Introducing a new way to enjoy music in the modern era, cover art, lyrics, and liner notes will be included in each purchase.

5. Fender Official Guitar NFT (MIYAVI TELECASTER®)
FENDER and MIYAVI have come together to create a one-of-a-kind guitar NFT. Winners in the raffle will win a real signed guitar and other items!

6. Special Editions from the Hush Hush Music Video
A part of the limited-edition music video for MIYAVI’s song Hush Hush has been made into goods and are on sale now! Each comes with premium extras like photo cards and extra commentary.

Comment from MIYAVI
“To celebrate the 20th anniversary since my solo debut, Kollektion will be holding the ‘Month of MIYAVI!’ I want to continue to take on new challenges and use the power of technology to better connect with my fans in both directions, not just one way. Don’t miss out!”

KLKTN aims to create a new experience that deepens the connection between fans and creators, thereby increasing the enjoyment of fans and creating an environment where creators can enjoy their creative activities more.

BE:FIRST is a seven-member dance and vocal group created during THE FIRST boy band audition. Organized by BMSG, a company founded by popular rapper SKY-HI, the group immediately amassed an army of fans who immediately fell in love with the member’s incredible perseverance and passion during the audition program.

Original Merchandise

Long Sleeve T-Shirt: ¥5,800

Hand Towel: ¥900

Rubber Keychain: ¥700

To commemorate the group’s major debut on November 3, PARCO will play host to the ‘BE:FIRST Photo Exhibition “We Just Gifted” event starting on October 22 in Shibuya and November 13 in Nagoya. The showing will feature unreleased photos and videos of the audition process, and original merchandise and materials will only be available at the event. There are plans for an online photo exhibition and regional tour in the future, so keep an eye out for details!

BE:FIRST, the 7-member boy’s group created from winners of SKY-HI’s 6-month “THE FIRST” audition, has released their pre-debut song titled Shining One. Initially, the song was performed at the final screening of the audition process. 

The group is made up of members SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, RYOKI and LEO. Hip-hop group m-flo’s ☆Taku Takahashi, who initially produced the track, added some finishing touches to this official release. 

The BE:FIRST version of Shining One hit #1 on iTunes, LINE Music, Rakuten Music, AWA’s trending list, mora, and mu-mo. The group credits the success of the track to a blend of incredible quality, creativity, and artistry. 

The BE:FIRST version of the track and an accompanying music video were released on August 16. Performed against a white backdrop, the members perform impeccably, and the video has been a hot topic on social media since its release. Following their final audition, the members were tasked with learning a new dance in only 30 minutes, after which they were immediately filmed performing on stage. If you pay attention, you can see bits and pieces of this incredible choreography!

BE:FIRST Shining One Music Video

What do you think of this new group? 

THE FIRST is a boys group audition run by SKY-HI’s music management label BMSG which he himself has invested over 100 million yen into. The latest song to release as part of the project, Move On, dropped on July 5. The track before it, Be Free, was released just last week.

Move On shot up in the Japanese music charts upon its release, making it to No.3 on iTunes and AWA as well as No.1 on mu-mo. The song continues the success that Be Free enjoyed last week.

Move On is a song about breaking out of your shell and not subscribing to the existing framework. It’s a full-on, energetic song, the first of its kind to be released by THE FIRST. The sound and choreography mark a significant different from the boys group until now.

The song was written by SUNNY BOY and SKY-HI. SUNNY BOY has worked with not only some of Japan’s biggest artists, such as Namie Amuro, but South Korea’s biggest K-pop groups too like BTS, BLACNPINK, BIGBANG, and more. In 2018, the song SUNNY BOY wrote for BTS hit No.1 on Billboard.

[THE FIRST] Move On (Prod. SUNNY BOY) / Shota, Ryoki, Ran, Rei, Shunto, Ryuhei

Check out a performance of the song above, which has reached nearly 1 million views since its release on July 5. Be Free also broke 1 million in just five days.