Rock group BAND-MAID has been chosen as the opening act for THE LAST ROCKSTARS’ first live concert in the U.S., THE LAST ROCKSTARS Live Debut 2023 Tokyo – New York – Los Angeles, starting February 3, 2023.

THE LAST ROCKSTARS’ U.S. shows in New York on February 4 and Los Angeles on February 10 are sold out. Reaction to the group has been incredible, leading to an additional New York show on February 3. To make things even more exciting, BAND-MAID will perform at all three U.S. shows.

THE LAST ROCKSTARS (Paris Mix) Music Video

BAND-MAID has become overwhelmingly popular around the world. In the United States, the band recently performed at AFTERSHOCK FESTIVAL 2022, one of the largest music festivals in the country. They also served as a supporting act for GUNS N’ ROSES during the legendary band’s Japan tour in November. This year, the group will once again perform at a selection of music festivals in the states, including Sonic Temple 2023 in Ohio and Welcome to Rockville 2023 in Florida.

This time around, BAND-MAID will perform as the opening act for one of the most impressive rock bands in recent memory. THE LAST ROCKSTARS is composed of YOSHIKI, HYDE, SUGIZO, and MIYAVI, making it a superband like no other. This will be the first time the newly-formed group will perform in the U.S.

The Ariake Arena concert on January 27 was broadcast live on WOWOW and was also streamed in movie theaters throughout Japan. The February 10 show in Los Angeles will also be streamed, so be sure to tune in!

ACCAMER released the song Nomic on streaming services on October 7. The track serves as the ending theme for the anime series I’m the Villainess, So I’m Taming the Final Boss, and on October 15, the music video was revealed!

The new music video was produced by the song’s writer Sheeno Mirin, and is a unique creation perfectly suited for the track. In the past, ACCAMER has worked with eminent video creators on her music videos, including sakiyama, Ryuuseee, and Yuma Saito. 

The music video was illustrated by up-and-coming artist Meri, who also created the cover art for Nomic. The video was edited by video director bondbond, and fans will also want to keep an eye out for ZAZA’s avant-garde CG work. The lyrics, which scroll vertically, are somewhat hypnotic, and this is certain to be one video you won’t forget!

Popular boys group BE:FIRST has released the music video for Message. The track was featured on the group’s chart-topping first album BE:1 released on August 31.

Message is BE:FIRST’s first love song, featuring a soundscape punctuated by sweet guitar riffs. The mid-tempo ballad is a collaboration between singer-songwriter eill, whose songs reflect elements of soul and R&B and whose silky, soulful voice is incredibly addicting; Matt Cab, whose musical sense and unique sound is perfect for a wide range of genres; and MATZ and SKY-HI, who have attracted attention as next-generation artists who lead the Japanese dance music scene.

The music video shows seven people in love and was filmed like a drama series. The seven performers portray their daily lives as they fall in love, struggle with love, and learn to move forward. The powerful dance is also a highlight. Check out the dramatic performances of the seven members in this elaborate setting.

BE:FIRST is currently on its first nationwide tour, titled BE:FIRST 1st One Man Tour “BE:1” 2022-2023. The tour will take the members to 17 cities nationwide for a total of 29 shows.

Be sure to watch this dance-filled music video, offering a glimpse at a new side of BE:FIRST.

Rock band BUMP OF CHICKEN has released the music video for the song SOUVENIR, the second opening theme for the popular anime series Spy x Family. The second cour of the series began airing on October 1.

SOUVENIR is the band’s first new song in about six months and was added to streaming services on September 29. Unsurprisingly, the track has been a hit, performing well on the charts.

The music video was directed by Spikey John, who is working with BUMP OF CHICKEN for the first time. 

Prior to the music video’s release, a fast-paced teaser video shot on a highway was released, and many fans have been anxious to see what the full-length video would look like.

Are you watching Spy x Family? How do you feel about the new opening song and animation? 

©遠藤達哉/集英社・SPY×FAMILY製作委員会

Born in Niigata and living in London, international singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama released her second album Hold The Girl on September 16. The album has already received rave reviews from media outlets worldwide, with NME calling it “the best British pop album of the year.” 

Sawayama has now released the music video for her single Hurricanes, which can also be found on her newest album. The impressive video features an incredibly powerful performance with the band in the middle of a violent storm. Be sure to check it out below!

Hurricanes – Rina Sawayama (Official Music Video)

https://youtu.be/LbB1Qtq3FHY　

A studio performance version of the song This Hell, the first single from the album and a fan favorite, has also been released. The video features incredible dancers and a live band.

This Hell (Live) – Rina Sawayama | Vevo Studio Performance

https://youtu.be/7cilizyYBdQ　

Sawayama has also announced that she will hold her first solo Japan tour in January 2023, which will stop in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. 

On August 31, 2022, the voice actor, hero, and music project PRELUDERS released the album By Your Side. Now, the music video for the song Horizon Climber by High Five has been released, and it’s absolutely gorgeous!

High Five is a group led by Asuka Morito (Junya Enoki), and Horizon Climber is a song filled with hope. Young people are encouraged to listen to imagine the kind of hero they’d like to become!

Horizon Climber Music Video

The music video for Horizon Climber depicts the fifth and final chapter of the voice drama Koubou (Beam of Light), in which the members of High Five and S-quad finally confront the two members of Vice Versa, voiced by Atsushi Tamaru and Shintaro Asanuma. The battle is ready to start, with Asuka (Junya Enoki) and Ko Kujikami (Yuma Uchida) taking on those who would threaten their friends. Be sure to keep an eye out for more from this exciting project!

Be sure to give this gorgeous video a watch!

（C)PRELUDERS

KANGDANIEL is a member of the Korean idol group Wanna One. The artist has won a number of awards since making his solo debut in South Korea in 2019, also starring in the Disney+ drama Rookie Cops. KANGDANIEL will digitally release the song TPIR (feat. Miyavi) from his long-awaited debut EP Joy Ride in Japan on August 17, and a lyric video has already been released.

TPIR stands for ‘The Pain Isn’t Real,’ and the digital single proudly features samurai guitarist Miyavi. The track reminds listeners that no matter how painful things may be, it’s not the end. Miyavi’s guitar sounds incredibly emotional, and fans will be able to see a side of KANGDANIEL they haven’t seen before. 

To celebrate this distribution, LINE MUSIC has started a playback campaign! Those listening to TPIR over 1,210 times by December 10 (KANGDANIEL’s birthday) just need to post a screenshot on Twitter, with 10 winners being selected by lottery to win an autographed photo signed by the artist himself. For more information, see KANGDANIEL’s official site.

The lyric video for the song was shot during a visit to Japan while the artist was snapping artwork for his debut EP Joy Ride in the suburbs of Tokyo. The video was shot with a smartphone in a vlog style.

KANGDANIEL will hold his first Japan tour, ‘KANGDANIEL: 1st EP Release Tour: JOY RIDE THROUGH JAPAN,’ on October 15 and 16. Fan club tickets for the shows at Zepp Namba (Osaka) on the 15th and KT Zepp Yokohama on the 16th will go on sale on August 20 at 10:00.

The fan club is also offering a special prize for those who purchase the EP Joy Ride. Those selected will win a Meet & Greet with the artist to be held during the Japan tour. By pre-ordering the EP at select stores, fans can also grab some special bonuses! These will be announced at a later date, so keep an eye out for more info.

WOWOW will be broadcasting an incredible amount of European soccer matches during the 2022-23 season, including the Spanish LaLiga starting August 13. The UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League competitions will decide who is the best on the continent, and many are ready to tune in. 

The WOWOW European Soccer Theme Song for this season will be Fearless by the globally popular performer Miyavi, known to many as the samurai guitarist.

Fearless was written by Miyavi himself. The artist formerly played soccer for Cerezo Osaka and channeled his memories of the competition and supporters into his music and lyrics. The song will begin airing during matches starting with the UEFA Super Cup 2022: Real Madrid vs. Frankfurt match on August 11. This season will be even more exciting than usual, with the World Cup scheduled to take place this November and December in Qatar.

Comment from Miyavi

“As a child, I wanted to become a professional soccer player and I practiced kicking a ball around every day. As a soccer fan, I imagined a song that would be played in a stadium and that everyone in the audience could sing along with.

I created the music and melody to inspire listeners to feel a sense of unity and to soothe the soul.

When I’m about to perform live or participate in a photo shoot, I always feel that sense of nervousness before a fight–that fear of failure before a challenge. I think that’s something everyone has felt at some point. All we need to do is put in the energy and work to overcome it. I hope you’ll sing along with the song, even at home in front of your TV.”

The mannequin rap duo FEMM has just returned from an expansive European tour through England, Germany, and France.

The main track from their latest album Tokyo Ex Machina, We Got Each Other, managed to chart for 12 consecutive weeks on the major U.S. radio chart MEDIABASE/Activator Chart, and in September, the two will return to Europe to perform in Spain.

The music video for their song Crawl Away, from their upcoming mini-album THE SIX, has been unveiled. The album will be released on August 17, 202.

Crawl Away (Music Video):

https://youtu.be/4-OuL_OKho0

FEMM has always had cyberpunk as a theme for its visuals, and this time, the duo decided to collaborate with UK-based concept artist Max Prentis to kick up the retro-futuristic feel. The video is both set in a faraway time and nostalgic, bringing together 80s melodies and flashy visuals of a distant Tokyo.

As the duo continues their activities in Europe and the United States, their new song THE SIX is being used as the opening song for the MBS/TBS drama Ikinokotta 6-nin ni Yoru to, which has just begun airing.

GARNiDELiA has chosen REBECCA’s legendary track Friends as the ninth song in their ongoing cover series, also releasing a music video.

GARNiDELiA is composed of Maria, the lead vocalist, and toku, the group’s composer. The duo’s J-pop cover song project was started after the pandemic under the title ‘GARNiDELiA Cover Collection,’ and many popular songs have been featured so far, including Gurenge by LiSA, Hakujitsu by King Gnu, Pretender by Official Hige Dandism, Haru Yo Koi by Yumi Matsutoya, and Kaikai Kitan by Eve. Unsurprisingly, the project has pulled in over 5 million views.

Friends – REBECCA (Covered by GARNiDELiA)

MARiA does the styling for her musical activities and serves as a producer. For Friends, the artist focused on highlighting the feel of the 80s, the era when the track was initially released.

Check out the GARNiDELiA Cover Collection for some new and classic titles covered by this talented duo!

On August 6, BiSH, known as a ‘punk rock band without instruments,’ released the music video for their song Sayonara Saraba! The 8th single released across 12 consecutive months will drop on August 31. 

Sayonara Saraba – BiSH (Official Music Video)

Sayonara Saraba was created in collaboration with Taka from ONE OK ROCK and MEG from MEGMETAL and features lyrics written by KENTA from WANIMA. This is the first time BiSH has collaborated with an outside producer for a series of releases, and this electrifying rock number shows a different side of the group. 

The coupling song, A long way to go, was composed by Taka and MEG from MEGMETAL and written by JxSxK. 

The music video was directed by Kento Yamada, who has produced a number of other videos for the group.

The teaser trailer, released previously, shows a stylish video with an eye-catching red and black color scheme.

Sayonara Saraba – BiSH (Teaser)

More information regarding the 9th and 10th consecutive single has been released! The 9th song will be released on September 21, while the 10th will be released on October 26. Be sure to give them both a listen!

FRUITS ZIPPER, a new idol group from ASOBISYSTEM, has a simple concept: “From Harajuku to the World.” Ready to transmit what they call ‘NEW KAWAII’ from Harajuku, an area known for fashion and individuality, to their soon-to-be global fanbase, the group consists of seven members: Amane Tsukiashi, Suzuka Chinzei, Yui Sakurai, Luna Nakagawa, Mana Manaka, Karen Matsumoto, and Noel Hayase.

This spring, the group released the song Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, which exploded in popularity on TikTok racking up over 200 million plays. The song also ranked on the TikTok HOT SONGS list and ranked at #1 on Spotify’s viral chart. Fans requested a music video, and after its release, it pulled in over 1.1 million views in one month.

The group’s long-awaited new single RADIO GALAXY was released on July 29, 2022.

This is FRUITS ZIPPER’s 4th single, created in collaboration with trackmaker, singer, and producer YUC’e, who has provided songs for numerous artists and idols in the past.

YUC’e is known for her dance music inlaid with ‘KAWAII’ elements, and the artist has become incredibly popular both in Japan and abroad. It’s no surprise that she chose to work with the adorable members of FRUITS ZIPPER, who are aiming to bring Harajuku culture to fans around the world.

A music video for RADIO GALAXY was posted to YouTube ahead of the song’s streaming release.

FRUITS ZIPPER’s artist photos were created by YUKARI, a video director, art director, and 3DCG artist from the digital creative company OFBYFOR TOKYO.

RADIO GALAXY – FRUITS ZIPPER (Music Video)

A special campaign to celebrate the release of the new song is ongoing on a number of music streaming sites. In addition, FRUITS ZIPPER will hold their first solo concert at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM on September 12.

For a long time, RADIO GALAXY was only known to fans in the in-crowd who saw it performed at FRUITS ZIPPER live shows. Now, everyone can dance along!