Japanese singer-songwriter and musician DEAN FUJIOKA released his first new album in almost three years History In The Making on January 30, 2019. He is now embarking on his first-ever Asia Tour “Born To Make History” to promote the album.

The tour is scheduled for 13 performances that will run into April. Locations include Japan, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan. It began on February 16 at Tokyo Electron Hall Miyagi in Miyagi Prefecture.

The 2-hour show was centred around his latest album such as his smash hit Echo which was used as the main theme for the Fuji Television mini series The Count of Monte-Cristo: Great Revenge (2018) in which he also acted. The set-list was laced with older tracks too including Cycle.

The singer spoke in English, Chinese and Japanese throughout his performance as his concert effortlessly blended together a multitude of genres from electronic to hip-hop, R&B, punk and jazz, sending the audience into an awe-swelling musical captivation.

As the show opened, the audience was sucked into a black hole of dazzling lights as DEAN took to the stage. “Let’s do this, Sendai!” he shouted, turning the voltage up on the audience from anticipated waiting to full-throttle.

It kicked off with a digital arrangement of effects and synths. The main man pulled out his electric guitar further drew the crowd into his world, kindling the fire to a blaze in an instant.

“When I was making my first album I never thought that the day would come where it would be complete and I would be performing live in Japan like this. Please enjoy listening to this song about the amusing and unexpected possibilities people go through.”

Upon stating this, DEAN went on to sing Maybe Tomorrow live for the first time, the theme song for the ongoing TV Asahi Saturday night drama I Give My First Love to You. This was followed by another one from the new album: the a capella number Accidental Poet.

Moving into the middle of the set, DEAN changed pulled out the punk rhythms. “I made a song about welcoming the new seasons. It’s one to support people changing their lifestyles!” The song in question was Sakura during which the venue beamed with beautiful pink lights and supported by fans singing in chorus.

A real banger was next on the set as it rose the artist to further international fame: History Maker, the opening theme for the hit anime series Yuri!!! on Ice. He followed it up with Everybody put your hands up! and History In The Making. The crowd’s excitement soared to climactic heights as the night drew towards its closure.

DEAN FUJIOKA’s tour is off to a tremendously successful start. The Japan leg of the tour will conclude on March 30 at NHK Hall in Tokyo after which he will travel to Shanghai, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Speaking about his latest 15-track album, DEAN commented that, “I want people to listen to [it] like a documentary about sound.” He refers to the order in which the songs are consciously placed in the album as they are in order of when they were recorded, allowing for the listener to hear the progression and transformation of his sound.

His tour is sure to be a one-of-a-kind experience as he reflects on stage the life he has lead up to this day. If you have the chance to see him live―do.