On September 27, the vocal dance unit ATARASHII GAKKO! began ‘AG! CALLING WORLD TOUR Pt.2’ at PNE Forum in Vancouver, Canada. The second leg of the tour will see a total attendance of about 40,000 fans.

The group performed two songs from their June album AG! Calling live for the first time: Essa Hoisa and Maji Yoroshiku. During the second half of the performance, the remixed versions of fan-favorite tracks Saisyu Jinrui and Koi Geba were played for the first time to massive applause, ending the first day of the group’s North American tour with a bang.

The group will perform in 13 North American cities, including Seattle, San Francisco, and Mexico City, making this ATARASHII GAKKO!’s largest overseas tour to date. 

<Member Comment>

“Finally! AG! CALLING WORLD TOUR Pt. 2 has begun!

How far will our power spread?! I can’t comprehend it but I’m so excited.

Every time we perform overseas and outside of Japan, we’re so moved by how enthusiastic the audiences are and how they’ve been waiting to see us. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of fans we’ll meet on this North American tour. 

Our youthful journey is a never-ending story!

After returning to Japan, we’ll be fully devoting ourselves to our Japan tour starting in November, so get ready to see how much we can power up! Thanks for supporting us!”

Harajuku-based artist Kyary Pamyu Pamyu charmed overseas fans during her first world tour in five years. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu WORLD TOUR 2023 -POPPP- took the artist to seven cities in four countries around the world.

In May, Kyary began the U.S. leg of her tour, stopping in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago with French DJ/trackmaker Moe Shop as her opening act.

The artist performed in Paris and London in June, along with Barcelona and Madrid for Primavera Sound 2023, one of the biggest music festivals in Europe.

NATHAN GEY – NATHAN GEY

NATHAN GEY – NATHAN GEY

The Cabaret Sauvage in Paris and the London Earth Hall in London were filled to the brim with local fans, eager to see Kyary Pamyu Pamyu live for the first time in years. The audience sang the popular track Cherry Bon Bon in unison, dancing along with the legendary choreography.

The London show featured Hannah Diamond as Kyary’s opening act. Signed to the UK label PC Music, Diamond is a leader in the HyperPop scene.

KPOP CONCERT – FANNY LE MONNIER

JAME WORLD – VANESSA LE PENNEC

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, who continues to be active around the world, wowed the packed London venue with her expert dance moves and musicianship.

At Primavera Sound, a festival taking place over two weeks in Barcelona and Madrid, Spain, a large crowd gathered in front of the stage, instantly captivated by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s unique style and Yasutaka Nakata’s addictive electro sound.

Clips of the world tour have been posted on Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s Twitter and Instagram. Also, check out the Primavera Sound playlist on Spotify.

On July 15, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform a solo concert at the Hibiya Open Air Concert Hall, which will also mark her triumphant return to Japan following her successful world tour. The artist will also perform at several summer festivals. Audiences around the world are enthralled with the Kawaii performer, and it’s only a matter of time before she performs for global audiences yet again.

Heading towards the concert venue inside the Hyatt Regency in Chicago, it was no surprise to see the line for Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s show snaking through the halls to wrap around the building. Anime Central–the largest anime and manga convention in the midwest United States–played host to the concert, and fittingly, plenty of fans were clad in over-the-top cosplay, while many others proudly wore past Kyary concert tees, touting their steadfast devotion to Japan’s most kawaii pop princess.

This would be the third stop on Kyary’s first world tour in five years, following successful shows in New York and Los Angeles.

Since her debut over a decade ago, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu has steadily amassed a global following, bringing new fans into the fold with every catchy tune and feast for the eyes she releases. Her name conjures thoughts of oversized bows and danceable earworms, and just last year, the artist performed for a hyped crowd at Coachella, a music festival that needs no introduction.

In October 2022, Kyary wrapped up her lengthy 10th Anniversary Tour around Japan, performing the majority of her 105 songs at the legendary Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. During this tour, the artist made global headlines by announcing the Local Japan Project, a way to revitalize towns and cities around Japan suffering from the pandemic’s aftermath through collaborative releases with small businesses. From limited-edition foods to special pink KPP-inspired train cars, the impact was palpable–if not by sheer funds, by contagious cheeriness.

Named Japan’s Kawaii Harajuku Ambassador by the Mayor of Shibuya, Kyary dabbles in a little of everything, from fashion and dance to cultural endeavors. Her natural ease in front of a crowd has a way of pulling in an audience–and Chicago was no exception. She came prepared to share the deeper meaning of kawaii while challenging stereotypes, accepting individuality, and sharing thoughts of a more open and artistic future.

Prior to the start of the show, French DJ and trackmaker Moe Shop warmed up the crowd with an intense set that had the room shaking with a combination of bass and mass jumping. Although seating was provided for audience members, it was impossible to stay standing as the set began, featuring some of the electro-artist’s biggest hits from Baby Pink to GHOST FOOD (feat. TOREINA). As the first few seconds of CANDY CANDY (Moe Shop Remix) began, the room seemed to burst open, with more and more pink glowsticks beginning to illuminate the crowd.

Packed with kawaii devotees from wall to wall, brief quiet fell as stagehands rushed to decorate the set with POPPP icons, cueing some guests in the front to begin chanting Kyary’s name. As the venue lights dimmed, a brief film briefly introduced Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s history as if she was a character in a storybook, a hero desperate to illuminate the darkness in the world with all things pink and cute.

With her trusty dancers in tow, she finally took the stage as De.Ba.Ya.Shi. 2021, the techno-heavy first track on Kyary’s newest album Candy Racer, set the stage for a night of addictive tunes and carefree fun.

A highlight of the concert’s first half was Dodonpa, sending the crowd into an absolute frenzy. The experimental track’s erratic energy, heavy house influence, and gibberish lyrics invite anyone to sing along, regardless of mother tongue, making it an immediate fan-favorite with international Kyary fans.

Upon its release as the fifth single from Candy Racer, Kyary encouraged anyone interested to use the song in their online videos, also opening an official contest encouraging creators to send their best interpretation. The artist navigated through the tricky lyrics with relative ease as the audience egged her on, jumping along with the chorus’s hypnotic beat.

As the song concluded, fans screamed and cheered as Kyary finally began her brief English MC clad in a completely pink princess dress, complete with crown. Asking the audience their favorite color, the correct answer was obvious, and the artist nodded enthusiastically. “This is a pink show,” she stressed.

Leaping into Ninja Re Bang Bang, the artist and dancers performed the legendary choreography with ease as diehard fans imitated the shinobi hand gestures in time with the track.

In 2011, Kyary leaped from the local scene in Harajuku to the outside world with the release of PONPONPON. The bizarre and colorful music video immediately made the rounds on YouTube, and despite being relatively unknown at the time, the artist instantly had a viral hit on her hands. During the Chicago show, a remixed intro of the song, originally produced by Yasutaka Nakata, struck fans with the promise of lethal nostalgia. As the track began in earnest, Kyary bid the fans to dance along–it seemed that the request wasn’t necessary, as the audience was already in full swing.

KYARY ANAN pic.twitter.com/aw77siGxOL

— きゃりーぱみゅぱみゅ (@pamyurin) May 20, 2023

Cherry Bonbon and Kyary ANAN followed, the latter of which saw fans chanting the singer’s name along with the lyrics. Though some present at the concert were likely unfamiliar with the music filling the hall, the energy was unrivaled, and it was nearly impossible to escape the waves of exhilaration and feverish fondness that penetrated the air.

If you weren’t a Kyary Pamyu Pamyu fan when you walked in, you certainly were when you walked out, whether her sound was your typical poison or not.

Invader Invader and Fashion Monster, tracks used in popular GU ads in Japan during the early 2010s, have similar staying power in the U.S., and are both credited as some of Kyary’s most popular songs. Prior to the start of Fashion Monster, a brief interlude began, in which the video monitors broadcast an impressive collection of snapshots of Kyary’s fashion over the past decade. A costume change was imminent, and when the artist returned to the stage, she donned a pink mask and pink ruffled dress, both seen during her Budokan performance late last year. Holding her mic beneath the mask seemed like an annoyance, but Kyary seemed to thrive off of the challenge, not missing a beat.

In its entirety, the setlist included nearly 20 tracks, easily checking off a bucket list item for hundreds of fans in the audience. Entry to the concert was included with a pass to the popular convention, though seating wasn’t guaranteed, causing dedicated fans to line up for hours prior to the show’s 6:30 start time.

But there were no complaints to be heard–instead, there was immense gratitude towards Kyary, her management company, and Anime Central for bringing the singer to Chicago.

Considering Kyary’s upward trajectory to date, it’s impossible to imagine a future in which the singer doesn’t continue catapulting towards the zenith of bubble pop legends in a global sense. The singer will now travel to Europe for the remainder of her world tour, and reports from there are sure to reflect the same general sentiment. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu is here to stay, and kawaii culture is sure to continue its spread.

Written by Carley Garcia

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will embark on her world tour POPPP in May, performing in seven cities around the world. Trackmaker and DJ Moe Shop, a leader in the world of Future Funk, will appear as the opening act for three U.S. tour dates.

Moe Shop’s unique fusion of French house music and Japanese pop and club tunes has earned the artist over 26 million views per year on YouTube and over 31 million views per year on Spotify, making them one of the most popular electronic music artists around the globe. The artist has gone on record to say that they have been largely influenced by Yasutaka Nakata, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s producer, and their addictive sound is making waves in both Japan and abroad.

To celebrate this incredible collaboration, a playlist of songs selected by Moe Shop is now available on Spotify. Be sure to give it a listen!

【Spotify】Kyary Pamyu Pamyu meets Moe Shop

The Kyary Pamyu Pamyu World Tour 2023, titled POPPP, will begin this May!

This will be the singer’s first world tour in five years, as last year’s planned international tour was canceled. Kyary will perform in six cities–New York, Los Angeles, Madrid, Barcelona, Paris, and London. The Spain shows will take place during the massive Primavera Sound music festival.

In 2022, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu performed as the final act on the Gobi Stage at Coachella, the world’s largest music festival held in Indio, California. The artist received accolades from both the American audience and viewers from around the world. This year, Kyary is continuing to attract attention as the first Japanese solo artist to be featured in Global Spin, an original showcase of artists from around the world made by the Recording Academy in the U.S., the organizer of the Grammy Awards.

Ahead of the global release of the band’s concept album THE OTHER ONE on March 24, 2023, BABYMETAL has released the songLight and Darkness. This is the fourth track released since October 2023, and the music video has also been uploaded to the official Youtube channel.

Light and Darkness – BABYMETAL

The music video contains footage from the BABYMETAL RETURNS -THE OTHER ONE- live performances held at Makuhari Messe in Chiba on January 28 and 29. This marked the return of the group after a hiatus almost lasting two years.

To coincide with BABYMETAL’s 10th anniversary last year, the group announced that it would “seal” itself off from the world until further notice. In April 2022, THE OTHER ONE was announced to relaunch the group in the METALVERSE, a piece of the virtual metaverse. The upcoming concept album will be inspired by the idea of a BABYMETAL that fans don’t know, and a total of 10 songs have been discovered within THE OTHER ONE restoration project, with each song representing a specific theme based on 10 separate parallel worlds that the members have discovered. This new song is based on the theme of the restored parallel world of Light and Darkness.

Because there is light, there is darkness, and because there is darkness, there is a world that can shine. In the night when light and darkness intersect, what we seek after being poisoned and falling into the depths is a world filled with powerful love. Is it hope or despair that awaits beyond the door?

BABYMETAL’s next concert, BABYMETAL BEGINS – THE OTHER ONE, will be held at Pia Arena MM on April 1 (BLACK NIGHT) and April 2 (CLEAR NIGHT). Check out the latest music video and keep an eye on BABYMETAL as they start anew!

Born in Niigata and living in London, international singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama released her second album Hold The Girl on September 16, 2022. Her Japan-based Hold The Girl Tour saw successful shows in Nagoya, Osaka, and Tokyo, with Sawayama generating plenty of buzz. During the final show on the tour, the singer surprised the audience with a cover of Hikaru Utada’s hit songFirst Love. The video of this incredible performance is now available to watch on YouTube!

First Love – Rina Sawayama (Hikaru Utada Cover, Tokyo Garden Theatre)

Prior to the Tokyo show, Sawayama took to Instagram, posting a comment for fans. “Since this is the biggest show I’ve ever done, I think I should cover a special Japanese track to commemorate the event,” she said. The singer had previously asked fans to share the songs they’d most like to see performed.

“Without this artist and without this song, I probably wouldn’t have become a musician or an artist. I heard this track when I was around six years old, and I remember dancing for my parents who were sitting on the sofa. This artist also celebrated her 40th birthday yesterday. This is my first cover, but I think it’s the perfect way to commemorate this special event. Please enjoy,” Sawayama concluded.

The audience responded to this surprise with a chorus of excitement, and this was surely an unforgettable night for many fans.

Rina is currently on the Hold The Girl Tour in Europe. At the end of March, she will make her Hollywood debut in the fourth John Wickmovie.

To coincide with BABYMETAL’s 10th anniversary last year, the group announced that it would “seal” itself off from the world until further notice in October 2021. On January 28 and 29, 2023, the band held BABYMETAL RETURNS -THE OTHER ONE-, a two-day performance at Makuhari Messe. After a year of silence, the girls are finally back ahead of the simultaneous worldwide release of their concept album THE OTHER ONE on March 24, 2023. The two successful shows welcomed fans into the new world of BABYMETAL, attracting over 30,000 people.

On January 27, the Japanese government revised the country’s guidelines for dealing with COVID-19, abolishing the restrictions on maximum attendees allowed in concert halls. The first performance on January 28 felt even more celebratory as a result, with masked fans able to participate as if they had returned to a time before the Coronavirus. The audience cheered and the girls performed their hearts out, reviving BABYMETAL in a whole new way. BABYMETAL held the ‘LEGEND – METAL GALAXY’ concert at Makuhari Messe in January 2020–the last show prior to the world-changing pandemic.

BABYMETAL performed a total of 13 songs on January 28 and January 29, including five new songs from the upcoming concept albumTHE OTHER ONE. As the audience watched on, the venue was filled with quiet tension as the band returned to the stage for the first time in a year and a half. Fans were given Savior Masks to wear–the dress code for the BABYMETAL unsealing ceremony. At the start of the show, a story video began playing to announce the ten parallel worlds that are represented in the upcoming concept album. Ten apostles appeared on the runway stage, walking from one side to the other in veils and holding wands. A massive stone fox gate appeared, where the members of BABYMETAL were said to be frozen in eternal sleep. Arriving at the gate, the apostles raised their wands and the gate opened in a flash of light and smoke, revealing SU-METAL and MOAMETAL. The two took to the throne and the ceremony began!

The audience’s excitement rose to a fever pitch as SU-METAL rose from the throne to perform METAL KINGDOM. The audience began to get even more excited by the dynamic dancing and powerful singing of the Avengers, who joined in on the next song Divine Attack. Following, BABYMETAL’s more popular tracks began playing in rapid succession including Distortion (feat. Alissa White-Gluz), PA PA YA!! (feat. F.HERO), Gimme Chocolate!!, and Megitsune.

In the video shown before the song Doki Doki Morning, it was announced that the door to the new world, the METALVERSE, was ready to open, revealing new lifeforms and plenty of new experiences. While the first half of the song was the same as always, the second half featured a new arrangement. Suddenly, a mysterious trio appeared on another stage. It was as if a parallel world was appearing before the audience’s eyes, with both groups dancing and singing in unison.

The second half of the live performance featured the new song Light and Darkness, telling the story of a world where light and darkness intersect. The group also performed Monochrome, with the audience’s smartphones beautifully illuminating the venue and adding color to the monochrome world.

As the concert began to come to a close, the audience responded by dancing along to an intense performance of Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! The girls also performed their signature track Ijime, Dame, Zettai and Road of Resistance. BABYMETAL screamed “We are BABYMETAL,” causing the audience to respond in kind.

For the finale of BABYMETAL’s revival, the group performed the new song THE LEGEND.  SU-METAL and MOAMETAL stood on two moving stages each representing the symbol of THE OTHER ONE (∞), soon starting to float in the air, moving slowly from the two ends of the stage to the center of the venue as if the two circles overlapped. The audience was soothed by SU-METAL’s singing voice, which gently enveloped the venue, and MOAMETAL and her choir in white.

As the ending movie played, it was announced another seal would soon be opened, and that BABYMETAL would soon be standing on a new stage. SU-METAL and MOAMETAL appeared on stage again and began to climb the steps of an aerial staircase, reminiscent of the stairs to the living legend that appeared in the infinite universe. Two crystal coffins appeared and the girls got in, prepared to be sucked into the gate to the multiverse. Suddenly, an arrow of light was shot between the two coffins, and another crystal coffin appeared, with someone new appearing in front of the third coffin. As the three coffins came together and the gate to the new universe pulsed bright red, the performance came to an end with a flash of intense light.

BABYMETAL was successfully resurrected, sharing their determination to start anew with the audience. The BABYMETAL RETURNS – THE OTHER ONE – performance opened a gate to unknown worlds filled with mysteries far beyond our imagination. What was the third coffin? What three lifeforms appeared on the opposite stage? During the ending movie, fans were excited to see that BABYMETAL BEGINS -THE OTHER ONE- would be held at Pia Arena MM on April 1 and April 2, 2023. A new METAL will be born on Fox Day on April 1, the same day that BABYMETAL will begin the journey to a new world.

The quickest way to preorder tickets for BABYMETAL BEGINS – THE OTHER ONE – is to register for THE ONE 2023. Preorders will start on January 30 at 18:00. See the special website for more details!

BABYMETAL BEGINS – THE OTHER ONE –  will also be broadcast exclusively on WOWOW on March 25, 2023.

Ahead of the release of the band’s concept album THE OTHER ONE on March 24, 2023, BABYMETAL has released a few tracks to get audiences even more pumped after a year of silence. In October 2022, the group released Divine Attack, followed by Monochrome in November.

On January 20, BABYMETAL released the song METAL KINGDOM on all major music download and streaming services worldwide.

To coincide with BABYMETAL’s 10th anniversary last year, the group announced that it would “seal” itself off from the world until further notice. In April 2022, THE OTHER ONE was announced to relaunch the group in the METALVERSE, a piece of the virtual metaverse. The upcoming concept album will be inspired by the idea of a BABYMETAL that fans don’t know, and a total of 10 songs have been discovered within THE OTHER ONE restoration project, with each song representing a specific theme based on 10 separate parallel worlds that the members have discovered. METAL KINGDOM is inspired by the parallel world ‘THRONE.’

Written as an anthem to usher in a new era, the song aims to remind people that they have the strength to inspire themselves and the ability to start down a new path. The track rises powerfully from BABYMETAL’s throne of silence heralding the beginning of a new start for the group.

BABYMETAL has finally broken the seal, and on January 28 and 29, 2023, the duo will hold the BABYMETAL RETURNS -THE OTHER ONE 2-day concert at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. More information will be announced soon, so keep an eye on social media and BABYMETAL’s official website!

In October 2021, BABYMETAL announced that it would “seal” itself off from the world until
further notice. On January 28 and 29, 2023, BABYMETAL will hold the ‘BABYMETAL
RETURNS -THE OTHER ONE’ 2-day concert at Makuhari Messe in Chiba. It has been
announced that the long-awaited performance will be streamed in movie theaters the
following month, on February 23.

In the group’s first real-world performance since its rebirth, BABYMETAL will remind
audiences of how powerful they have been over the past decade. Returning through the
virtual METALVERSE to perform in another world audiences never knew existed, THE
OTHER ONE is a plan to restore BABYMETAL to its former glory while also treating fans to
an entirely different side of the band.

On March 24, BABYMETAL will release the concept album THE OTHER ONE worldwide.

After more than a year of silence, BABYMETAL is finally moving forward. Be sure to head to your local theater on February 23 to see the band in action once again!

Having amassed a global audience, BAND-MAID is starting off 2023 in the best possible way. The group performed their largest-ever concert, BAND-MAID TOKYO GARDEN THEATER OKYUJI, on January 9. Soon after, they announced a domestic and overseas tour set to begin in March 2023.

BAND-MAID’s 10th-anniversary tour will commence with a show in Kumamoto on March 23 and will then travel to 20 cities around Japan for a total of 23 performances. The legendary finale will take place at Yokohama Arena on November 26, marking the largest-ever solo performance for the band. In May and August, the girls will tour the U.S. and appear at a number of major festivals. More details will be announced soon.

The sold-out TOKYO GARDEN THEATER performance is also available to stream. Tickets are now available through February 8 and fans around the world are welcome to enjoy this
incredible show from the comfort of their own home!

To commemorate BAND-MAID’s 10th anniversary, a high-resolution stream of all works
after the group’s transfer to Pony Canyon will be available on streaming sites starting January 10.

In October 2021, BABYMETAL announced that it would “seal” itself off from the world until further notice. On January 28 and 29, 2023, BABYMETAL will hold the ‘BABYMETAL RETURNS -THE OTHER ONE’ 2-day concert at Makuhari Messe in Chiba and pre-sale tickets are now available for purchase! These won’t last, so grab yours while you can.

BABYMETAL released the first of five monthly consecutive singles, Divine Attack -Shingeki-, in October, with Monochrome following in November. New songs are on the way in January, February, and March, so look forward to plenty of new content!