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.

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.

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.

Emotions, one of the most iconic songs by MAN WITH A MISSION, recently appeared in a special promotional video for JBC 2022, known as the festival of dirt horse racing.

The video, produced by the National Association of Racing, has been posted on the NAR official YouTube channel and is being broadcast at horse racing facilities nationwide. It has also been shown on television.

JBC 2022 Special Promotional Video (60-second ver.): https://youtu.be/WSmgBrB-sdM

Emotions, the second single from MAN WITH A MISSION, was released in 2013 and became an instant hit, often played during concerts. At the time of its release, it was featured on Music Station and was used as the theme song for the film HK: Forbidden Super Hero.

Be sure to check out the video above and get ready for some serious horse racing!

Rock band MAN WITH A MISSION is getting ready to release a new album, Break and Cross the Walls II, on May 25. Ahead of this exciting date, the group has revealed the music video for Blaze on YouTube!

Blaze has been featured as the opening theme for Mobile Suit GUNDAM Iron Blooded Orphans Special Edition, the nine-episode digest edition of the 2015-2017 anime series, since April. The clip is packed with the anime’s memorable scenes, so be sure to check it out! 

The theme song is also available on all popular music streaming sites.

Blaze – MAN WITH A MISSION (GUNDAM Iron Blooded Orphans Special Edition Anime Music Video)
https://youtu.be/rTamYmhLOaw

MAN WITH A MISSION will start a nationwide tour, MAN WITH A MISSION Presents Break and Cross the Walls Tour 2022, on June 16.

Following her storming sets at this year’s Coachella Festival and the 10^th anniversary of her debut album, globally celebrated Japanese Pop Icon Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will return to the UK for the first time in four years to perform at London EarTH Concert Hall on Friday 25^th November. Tickets go on sale Friday 29^th April at 10am via www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk. Full European tour dates here.

The new UK show not only in celebration of the 10th anniversary of her debut album but will also see her perform tracks off her fifth album Candy Racer. The show also succeeds a major Japanese tour and dates across Europe.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu began her career working as a model for a number of Harajuku-based magazines. Appearing on countless covers, her outspoken style and unique worldview have attracted global attention, with her captivating doll-like appearance inspiring many to learn more about Tokyo street fashion. Kyary made her music debut in 2011 with the mini-album Moshi Moshi Harajuku produced by Yasutaka Nakata of CAPSULE fame.

The music video for PONPONPON has been viewed over 180 million times. Her hit song Ninja Re Bang Bang was remixed by globally-renowned DJ Steve Aoki for the Nintendo Switch title Ninjala. In addition to her numerous performances around Japan, Kyary has also embarked on four successful world tours. In 2021, the artist’s 10th debut anniversary, Kyary launched the new KRK LAB label.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu continues to fascinate her fans with her free-spirit and original expressions that one would never imagine from her cute appearance. Her presence as an icon of “HARAJUKU,” a combination of artist and fashion activities, has attracted attention from all over the world.

Japanese rock band MAN WITH A MISSION will release their new original album Break and Cross the Walls I on November 24, 2021. The group’s first new album in three and a half years, the tracklist and artwork have just been revealed to the delight of anxious fans. 

Break and Cross the Walls I Limited Edition

Break and Cross the Walls I Regular Edition

The album will be the band’s sixth original album. Originally conceived as a two-disc set, MAN WITH A MISSION decided to instead release two consecutive albums to give fans new music as soon as possible. With so much delayed or canceled due to the pandemic, it was the group’s way of giving back to those who have supported them through the continuing crisis. The sequel,  Break and Cross the Walls II, is scheduled to be released in spring 2022. 

Break and Cross the Walls I will include seven previously released tracks, including Merry-Go-Round, the opening theme song for the popular anime series My Hero Academia and INTO THE DEEP, the theme for the Japanese release of the film Godzilla vs.Kong. The newly-released jacket art shows five wolves standing symbolically atop a chessboard. The December 2021 issue of ROCKIN’ON JAPAN magazine will feature these five animals on the front cover, along with an exclusive interview with the band. 

MAN WITH A MISSION Presents Merry-Go-Round Tour 2021, the band’s first arena tour in two years, will start on November 30 at Yokohama Arena. The first day of the two-day event is titled ‘Day 1: Songs of Innocence,’ and will feature songs released between 2010 and 2013. The second day, ‘Day 2: Songs of Experience,’ will cover songs post-2013. 

After three and half years, rock band MAN WITH A MISSION is back! The group’s new album, Break and Cross the Walls I, is set to release on November 24, 2021. 

This will be the band’s sixth original album and is the first album since Chasing the Horizon was released on June 6, 2018. Fans have been anticipating a new drop from the group, and this ambitious work, conceived originally as a two-disc set, won’t disappoint. Instead of waiting until all tracks were complete, MAN WITH A MISSION has decided to release two consecutive albums instead. In an interview, the band stated that with people still suffering the effects of the pandemic, it was vital to provide fans with new music to raise their spirits as soon as possible. The second album, Break and Cross the Walls II, is scheduled to release next spring. 

Break and Cross the Walls I will include 14 songs, including the popular track Merry-Go-Round which serves as the theme song for the anime series My Hero Academia. Fans will also recognize INTO THE DEEP, the theme for the Japanese release of the film Godzilla vs.Kong. Those buying the new album at specific stores will receive special bonus goods while supplies last.  

MAN WITH A MISSION Presents Merry-Go-Round Tour 2021, the band’s first arena tour in two years, will start on November 30. The first day of the two-day event is titled ‘Day 1: Songs of Innocence,’ and will feature songs released between 2010 and 2013. The second day, ‘Day 2: Songs of Experience,’ will cover songs post-2013. A guest artist will also be performing an opening act, so be sure to stay up-to-date with more tour news to come!