Japanese FM radio station J-WAVE (81.3 FM) has announced its fifth live event coming to Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo. The station’s popular late-night program SPARK takes place from Monday to Thursday at 24:00-25:00 each week and is the inspiration for these incredible performances. This time, Sayaka Yamamoto and SHE’S will both be taking the stage on December 9, 2021. 

Sayaka Yamamoto serves as SPARK’s MC each Monday. Piano-rock band SHE’S collaborated with the singer on her song oasis released in February, with vocalist and keyboard player Ryouma Inoue producing the track and SHE’S arranging and performing the music. 

Performer Comments

Sayaka Yamamoto

I’ve worked with SHE’S musically in the past, and I’m so excited to work with them again like this. It will also be the first time for me to perform against an entire band alone, so I’m also super nervous. I’ll do my best to put on a great show!

SHE’S
After arranging and producing the song oasis for Yamamoto, she invited us to see her solo concert. I remember getting goosebumps because she had evolved so much, and she was so incredibly cool. I can’t wait to see what kind of live show this will turn out to be, and I hope we can sing something together!

SHE’S Vocalist Ryouma Inoue

Sayumi Watabe (BEASTARS, Fruits Basket) has been added as a new cast member for season two of the ongoing TV anime series Major 2nd.

Watabe will play the role of Chisato Fuji’s older sister, Chiyo, who will appear from Episode 19 which begins on September 26. Check the voice actress’s comment below.

Sayumi Watabe (Chiyo Fuji) | Comment

“I’m super happy to be involved in the series! Chiyo is a pretty busy person. She’s the big sister of Chisato, she has baseball, she’s in loved. I hope I can make her a character that adds colour to the show.”

©Takuya Mitsuda・Shogakukan / NHK・NEP・ShoPro

It has been announced that Ame no Parade’s new song IDENTITY will be used as the new ending theme for season two of the ongoing TV anime series Major 2nd which began airing in April this year.

Ame no Parade is a three-member rock band hailing from Kagoshima, Japan, who are known for their musicianship which transcends genres. IDENTITY will begin being used in Major 2nd season two starting on August 22. The song was written and composed by band vocalist Kohei Fukunaga, and pays tribute to the beloved series.

IDENTITY will be released on CD in Japan on August 25. Special copies of the CDs will include pre-sales to VIP tickets for the band’s upcoming live stream concert ame_no_parade DIGITAL LIVE 2020 “BORDERLESS ver.2.0”.

You can hear IDENTITY when it hits season two of Major 2nd on August 22 for Episode 14.

Kohei Fukunaga (Vocalist, Ame no Parade) | Comment

“I’ve adored the ‘Major’ series ever since begin a kid, so the fact that I get to perform the ending theme for it fills me with joy. It’s a love letter from me to the series, so I hope you enjoy listening to it along with season two.”

©Takuya Mitsuda・Shogakukan / NHK・NEP・ShoPro

Japanese singer-songwriter Leo Ieiri is set to release her first EP Answer on May 13, 2020. The record will feature 5 tracks: the title track which is the opening theme for season two of the ongoing anime series Major 2nd as well as four cover tracks which were chosen by fans in a cover requests project held on her website. The tracks include Akizakura by Momoe Yamaguchi, Swallowtail Butterfly ~Ai no Uta~ by YEN TOWN BAND, Kanashimi no Hate by Elephant Kashimashi, POP STAR by Ken Hirai, and Naku Kamoshirenai by Itsuro Shimoda.

The title track Answer will be released digitally tomorrow on April 22, and today the music video will premiere on YouTube at midnight (JST).

The music video is directed by Hiroshi Usui who also directed Leo Ieiri’s music video for Mikansei. We see Ieiri singing while donning a pure white one piece below a bright blue sky with no cloud in sight, creating a sense of space. We also get to see her smiling in her natural state plenty throughout the video, something which has not been featured in her music videos up to now.

The music video will premiere today at midnight (JST). Ieiri is scheduled to type in the chat box when the video premieres, so watch it in real time below.

Leo Ieiri – “Answer” Music Video (Premiering April 22, 2020 at 12:00 A.M. (JST))

Leo Ieiri recently posted six full music videos which were produced after the release of her single Zutto, Futari de on April 16, 2020. Check out the video for Mikansei below.

Leo Ieiri – “Mikansei” Music Video

The title track from Ieiri’s upcoming EP Answer will be released on all major music download and streaming services from April 22, 2020.

Despite only having just released her single Mikansei on January 29, 2020, which was used as the main theme for the Fuji TV drama series Zettai Reido, Japanese singer-songwriter Leo Ieiri has announced her next release.

Her newest song Answer recently started being used as the second opening theme to the ongoing anime series Major 2nd, which premiered on NHK Educational TV. The song will feature as the title track to the singer’s first-ever EP Answer, which will drop on April 22, 2020.

The lyrics for the title track Answer were co-written by Leo and Kanata Okajima, while the song was co-composed by Leo and Shingo Kubota (Jazzin’ Park). The upbeat song aims to inspire those who hear it, delivered to listeners by a Leo who turned 25-years-old in December. Speaking about the song, Leo said: “The song talks about everyone’s problems, including my own. But it’s about wanting to eliminate that action of grinding to a halt when there are no more answers. When you realise that the fact of there being no answer is in itself an answer, you can march forward. I want to keep saying this is the end while giving myself as many chances as I need.”

The EP also features five cover tracks by Leo which she chose from a selection requested to her by fans on December 13 last year to celebrate the singer’s birthday. She asked fans to submit ideas for songs they want Leo to sing. The cover songs chosen have yet to be announced.

Three of Leo’s releases were also dropped on music streaming platforms today: Kono Sekai de (originally released January 2019) which was the opening theme for the anime film Code Geass: Lelouch of the Re;surrection, Leo’s 15th single, and was previously unreleased digitally; her 6th album DUO (originally released April 2019) which includes Prime Numbers, the main theme for the Japanese TV drama series Emergency Interrogation Room; and her 16th single Mikansei. This brings the total number of Leo Ieiri’s tracks available on streaming services up to 103.

The Answer EP will be released with First Press Limited Edition and Regular Edition copies. The First Press Limited Edition comes with a special 32-page booklet and a DVD featuring the Answer music video and making-of. The booklet includes around 70 photo taken by Leo’s friends and staff during her daily life. It also includes poems written by Leo.

Select stores will also have pre-order bonuses for the EP which couples it with an A4-size Answer folder. The pre-order window for this bonus begin today and end on March 18, 2020 at 19:00 (JST).