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.

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. Incredibly, the album debuted at #3 on the UK Albums Chart, marking a record achievement for the artist. 

This is the first time in history that a Japanese artist has reached #3 on the UK Album Chart. Sawayama expressed her joy on social media, thanking anyone who bought or streamed her music in the past. 

Hold The Girl also hit #1 in weekly analog record sales in the UK, and reached #1 in the alternative genre on both iTunes and Apple Music in Japan. 

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

Born in Niigata and living in London, international singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama released her second album Hold The Girl on September 16. The album is Sawayama’s first in two and a half years and was written and recorded over the past year and a half. With an overarching pop sound, the album blends other genres expertly, from country, electro, and R&B to folk, metal, and rock. Hold The Girl manages to track Sawayama’s personal growth, sharing her goals for the future while fully accepting her past. The album has already received rave reviews from media outlets worldwide, including Rolling Stone, The Times, DIY, The Mail on Sunday, and more. “Among contemporary pop stars, Rina Sawayama certainly stands out,” The Times reads.

Sawayama has also announced that she will hold her first solo Japan tour in January 2023, stopping in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. Her performance at Summer Sonic 2022 was a smash hit, so don’t miss your chance to see her live if you couldn’t make it!

Born in Niigata and living in London, international singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama has released the single Hurricanes! The track will be included on the singer’s second album, Hold the Girl, to be released on September 16, 2022. In addition, a live performance video showing Sawayama in the studio has also been released.

The latest single, Hurricanes, is a fun pop-rock song about overcoming life’s hardships and just having fun. It’s uplifting and perfect for boosting your mood!

The release of the new album Hold the Girl will be followed by the Hold the Girl Tour which will take the singer to stages around the world. During her performance at SUMMER SONIC 2022, Sawayama announced that she would be returning to Japan on tour in 2023!

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

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!

Rina Sawayama is a Japanese singer/songwriter born in Niigata Prefecture. Now based in London and active internationally, the artist has just released the title song from her upcoming album Hold the Girl, which will hit shelves on September 16, 2022. An audio video was also released. 

Hold the Girl – Rina Sawayama (Official Audio)

Sawayama gave a comment about the new track.

“Hold The Girl was the first song I wrote for the album at the end of 2020. I went to therapy and had this revelation that inspired me to write it…that was how it came to be. I was crying before I went into the studio.” 

Originally scheduled to release on September 2, Sawayama’s second album Hold The Girl will now hit shelves on September 16. In addition to 13 songs including the previously released tracks This Hell and Hold The Girl, the Japanese version of the album will include the previously unreleased Flavor of the Month (Demo) as a bonus track. Special bonuses will be given to those buying the album at particular stores as a gift from the artist to her fans. These will be available while supplies last, and more information can be found on Rina Sawayama’s page on the Universal Music Japan website.

Sawayama will visit Japan to perform at SUMMER SONIC 2022 in August.