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.

Sheena Ringo’s song Missing was written by the legendary singer for Ado to perform. The track has been chosen as the theme song for the upcoming film Karada Sagashi, which will be released in theaters on October 14, 2022.   The producers of the film chose Ado to perform the song, which is no surprise–the artist became an instant sensation following the release of her song Usseewa in 2020. Ado then asked Sheena Ringo, one of her biggest influences, to write a song for the project.    Karada Sagashi Trailer

 

Comment from Ado

“It’s a dream come true for me to perform a song written by Ringo Sheena. I’m so happy. This song is filled with her charm. To me, she’s a true star–I admire her. She’s a massive influence on the way I sing, and I have so much respect for her. I have to wonder–is this experience even real? Is this a mirage or a joke? I’m honored to perform this song, and also honored to be performing the theme song for Karada Sagashi. I feel like my luck must eventually run out given all of these incredible opportunities.   The recording itself was directed by Sheena. I was worried about whether I’d be able to respond to her instructions properly, but she gave me a lot of advice and I learned a lot. It was a valuable experience for me to discover how to sing in an entirely new way, and the song turned out so well. I can’t wait for everyone to hear it!”  

Comment from Sheena Ringo

“The first time I heard Ado sing, I couldn’t help but feel like she had the ideal voice. If she had been around 25 years ago, I would have chosen her to perform my debut album Muzai Moratorium. All these years I’ve continued as a creator, I feel like things would have turned out even better if I had been able to do that. Ado is incredibly skilled with her wild cries, but she is wise enough to know how to control her voice. I love that about her. She feels as though she’s lucky that I wrote this song for her, but I’m the lucky one. I'm excited to announce the song Missing, something I wrote with no holds barred. It’s something Ado sings without holding back as well, so I hope you listen to it and enjoy.”   The trailer for the film, released on August 18, includes snippets of the song. A collaboration visual drawn by ORIHARA, Ado’s image director, has also been revealed!

Japanese music streaming site RecoChoku has announced the top song and album rankings for January 2022!   In the Single Ranking category, Aimer’s Zankyosanka was ranked #1 for the second consecutive month. The song is the opening for the newest Demon Slayer anime arc which began airing on December 5, 2021.   The ending theme for Demon Slayer, Asa ga Kuru, was released on January 10, and quickly climbed the ranks. Aimer is currently celebrating the 10th anniversary of her debut, and this is a powerful start to the year for this talented singer.   As for the Album Ranking, the top spot was clear for January. Ado’s 14-song debut album ‘Kyogen’ sits in the top spot, and includes many of her smash hits. From Usseewa to Aitakute, the album also contains seven new songs which are steadily gaining popularity. Six days after the album’s release, it was ranked #1 for the month of January.   Ado’s 8th single ‘Kokoro to Iu Nano Fukakai’ also ranked 5th on the Single Ranking. Written and arranged by Mafumafu, the song is the theme for the drama series Doctor White starring Minami Hamabe. Ado will also be holding her first solo concert at Zepp DiverCity on April 4, 2022!

Japanese cosmetic company Shiseido, sold in 88 countries around the world, has released a new conceptual video for its global “POWER IS YOU” campaign.   The short video features a star-studded cast of ambassadors from a variety of fields, including Megan Rapinoe, co-captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team, known for her advocacy and creative style that defies stereotypes. The athlete has commented on her inclusion in the “POWER IS YOU” campaign, proud to show her authentic self and inspire others to live their truth.  

Comment from Megan Rapinoe

“Shiseido makes so many of the products I use in my daily life, so when I was invited to collaborate on this new campaign, I didn’t even have to think about it. Partnering with such a great company means a lot to me. I deeply believe in the individual power of every human being, and I think that anyone has the power to change the world. “POWER IS YOU” represents the power each of us has to alter the world for the better, which is something that resonates with me personally. I want young people especially to know that it is possible to change things. I hope they do, and I hope that this campaign helps to inspire more people to feel the same.”      Conceptual Videeo

  The song used for the campaign is Utada Hikaru’s Find Love. The singer also appears in the video as an ambassador.   

Comment from Utada Hikaru

“The source of all power is believing in yourself.It takes courage to know yourself, but being honest with yourself is the key to finding that inner beauty. Courage is beautiful.”    Finally, Ursula Corbero, who gained international fame for her role in the Netflix series Paper House, appears as the final ambassador. The actress is an avid philanthropist and has long supported a number of causes including breast cancer awareness, childhood cancer awareness, and climate change awareness. She is also the founder of Ymas, a company of artists allowing people to attend movie premieres and special behind-the-scenes events.   

Comment from Ursula Corbero

“Inner beauty comes from positivity. Tap into your individual energy, and if there’s something you want to do, do it! It’s okay to make mistakes. Life is not perfect, and those imperfections make it beautiful.” 

Tokyo Jihen released their new album Ongaku ("Music") on June 9, which is now featured on Spotify Japan's playlist series Liner Voice+ where bands read the liner notes of their record and talk about it. In Tokyo Jihen's episode for Ongaku, Ringo Sheena, the frontwoman of the rock band, discusses the 13 songs on the record. She is interviewed by Masaki Uchida who has the singer dive deep into the recording of the album and other insights that you won't hear anywhere else. Liner Voice+ is an opportunity for artists and fans to connect with one another and support each other on a deeper level. Spotify isn't just a place for streaming your favourite songs or having the service personalise your listening. It's also a chance to hear from the artists themselves with such projects as this, learn about concerts in your area, and offers other useful tools for music lovers too.   Have you heard Tokyo Jihen's Ongaku yet?

Japanese rock band Tokyo Jihen reunited in January this year after 8 years with the release of their new EP News. Today, a curated selection of 23 live performances from across all of their live DVD and Blu-ray releases was posted on the official Tokyo Jihen and EMI Records YouTube channels.   Tokyo Jihen Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqoUKpMpv8hz64ckrRWBbUw   EMI Records Official YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcuijrCs22iiS27d4avHR6A?view_as=subscriber   Live Video Clip Line-Up "Marunouchi Sadistic" from Chin Play Kou Play "Ikiru" from Bon Voyage "Oishii Kisetsu" from Bon Voyage "Gunjō Hiyori" from Bon Voyage "Seishun no Matataki" from Bon Voyage "Himitsu" from Discovery "Onna no Ko wa Dare Demo" from Discovery "Zettaichi Tai Sōtaichi" from Discovery "Atarashii Bunmei Kaika" from Discovery "Dempa Tsūshin" from Ultra C "Zettai Zetsumei" from Ultra C "Nōdōteki Sanpunkan" from Ultra C "Superstar" from Ultra C "Sweet Spot" from Ultra C "Senkō Shōjo" Ultra C "Fukushū" from Spa & Treatment "Kabuki~OSCA" from Spa & Treatment "Kingyo no Hako" from Spa & Treatment "Shōjo Robot" from Just Can't Help It. "Mirror Ball" from Just Can't Help It. "Blackout" from Just Can't Help It. "Dynamite" from Just Can't Help It. "Koi no Urikomi" from Dynamite out