On June 29, SESSIONS COLLECTION VOL. 1 was released. This is the first digital compilation inspired Tokyo Community Radio’s recent training program “sessions.” DJ and Beatmaker Licaxxx runs the online radio platform, and the training sessions have seen incredible success, inspiring new musicians to grow and improve.

“sessions” is a training program focused exclusively on dance music. Participants work closely with DJs and other active music creators to hone their skills and share unique experiences. The main goal of the program is to teach more about current technology and to share real-world examples that can help participants thrive. Sharing actual problems that current artists are facing and how to overcome them is also a popular part of the program.

Club (RDC) and Red Bull, inviting guests to embark on a 3-day/2-night training camp in Izu to hone their DJ and dance music skills. Artists from all over Japan were selected from an open call and gathered to create new works individually or in groups after listening to advice and having discussions with track makers active in several different genres.

A ton of music produced during the “sessions” program is included on TCR’s first 18-track digital compilation album. In addition to the 14 artists that participated, Stones Taro, Carpainter, Pharakami Sanders, and Licaxxx worked with FELINE to create a track as well. This genre-crossing compilation album by the next generation of Japan-based artists is a must-hear for active DJs, and a behind-the-scenes look at the training camp is available on TCR’s official YouTube channel.

TCR will also be hosting events in Tokyo and Osaka this weekend with re:lax, a unit comprised of DJ/producers re:ni and Laksa from the UK. Keep an eye out for more details!

Kroi is a five-member band blending a wide mix of musical styles, from R&B and funk to soul, rock, and hip-hop. The group has just released their new digital single Fuurai on all major streaming services.

The song will also be included in Kroi’s second major EP MAGNET scheduled to be released on March 29, 2023.

The song is vastly different than Hard Pool released last month, featuring a relaxing melody and vocals and lyrics by Uchida. Fuurai shows off the true range of Kroi’s music.

Fuurai also features performances by members of Zainichi Funk, a band that participated in Kroi’s Live Tour 2021-2022 “Dig the Deep.” Motoi Murakami (Trumpet), Gentle Kubota (Trombone), and Takehide Hashimoto (Sax) appear on the track.

Fuurai (Music Video)

The music video for Fuurai has also been released.

Takuto Shimpo, who has directed many of Kroi’s past music videos and stage productions, returned for Fuurai.

The many locations seen in the video match the music perfectly, and fans will want to head to YouTube right away.

Kroi will release its second major EP MAGNET on March 29, 2023.

The popular female rock band BAND-MAID will perform for the first time at KNOTFEST JAPAN 2023, scheduled for April 1 and April 2 at Makuhari Messe in Chiba.

KNOTFEST was begun by the American heavy metal band Slipknot, and the festival has been held yearly since 2012. BAND-MAID will perform on Day 1 along with headliners Slipknot, Trivium, and MAN WITH A MISSION.

Tickets for the May shows to be held in the United States as part of the BAND-MAID 10TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR are none on sale. The group managed to bring in over 20,000 fans during their solo U.S. tour in 2022. In addition to performing at Pointfest 2023, Welcome to Rockville 2023, and the Sonic Temple Art & Music Festival, BAND-MAID will also perform six solo shows. With some venues selling out instantly last year, you’ll want to snag tickets while you can!

In 2013, Shinichi Ishizuka’s BLUE GIANT manga series hit the scene. Serialized in Big Comic, the series has sold over 9 million copies to date. Readers have fallen in love with the author’s depiction of emotion and Ishizuka has even influenced the real-world jazz scene with his creation. BLUE GIANT will be adapted into an anime film coming to theaters on February 17, and the staff’s dream of bringing real jazz at max volume to the masses will finally come true.

The world-renowned pianist Hiromi Uehara oversaw the film’s music. The authentic jazz heard in the film’s trailer has already become a hot topic, and the original soundtrack will be released on February 17, the same day as the film’s release.

Hiromi Uehara has been a close friend of Shinichi Ishizuka for years, and even before the film adaptation was announced, she had privately composed an original song for JASS, the trio formed by the main character Dai Miyamoto. Uehara wrote, performed, and produced the entire soundtrack including the songs FIRST NOTE, N.E.W., and WE WILL.

Saxophonist Tomoaki Baba will play the saxophone for the character Dai, who aspires to be the best sax player on Earth. Auditions were held in cooperation with Universal Music, featuring leading players from Japan and abroad. Baba was an easy choice, wowing judges with his large sax and powerful performance. Shun Ishiwaka, the drummer of the band Millennium Parade, will play the drums for Dai’s classmate Shunji Tamada.

More than 30 top-class classical and jazz musicians participated in the soundtrack’s production, including a string section conducted by Miho Hazama and led by members of Hiromi Uehara’s Piano Quintet.

Hiromi Uehara also wrote the original track BLUE GIANT, used as the film’s end-roll song. “When I was doing the recording for this film, this melody suddenly popped into my head. I became obsessed and immediately wrote it down,” Uehara said. “I was so inspired by the BLUE GIANT film that I created this song that same day. Of course, I had to title it the same thing!”

The soundtrack contains 29 songs and is perfect for listening to while you enjoy a quiet winter night at home. Don’t miss it!

Singer Vickeblanka has released a live performance video of Black Catcher, the opening theme song for the anime series Black Clover. On January 25, 2023, the singer will release Vickeblanka presents RAINBOW ROAD -Ki- on Blu-ray and DVD.

Black Catcher – Vickeblanka (from「RAINBOW ROAD -Ki-」LIVE DVD＆Blu-ray on sale January 25, 2023)

Black Catcher serves as the 10th opening theme for Black Clover. The song has been ranked in Spotify’s Top 10 Most Played Japanese Songs Overseas for three consecutive years and has been streamed over 160 million times. The accompanying music video has been viewed over 50 million times.

Vickeblanka appeared in the recent Shochiku Tokyu New Year’s drama series Kaden Samurai Special Stop! Chuushingura. At the start of the series, the main character Shijuro Kanenashi plays a yakuza in prison after being falsely accused of a crime. The series co-stars Kenichi Takito who was surprised by Vicke’s powerful performance.

Treasure, the theme song for the regular drama series, is also being used as the theme of this special.

Vickeblanka presents RAINBOW ROAD -Ki- will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on January 25, 2023. This was the singer’s first arena concert, featuring a rare 19-track setlist including encores.

The live show includes signature tracks like Masshiro, Ca Va?, and ULALA, as well as an encore performance of the song Changes. The concert release also includes a 2-CD set of live recordings from the performance. The asymmetrical stage featured a unique acoustic setup that is fully captured in this incredible set.

In addition to the standard edition, a Limited First Edition will include a 52-page photobook with rare images from the rehearsal.

Those who preorder through the French Link fan club will receive a special rubber band, and an A3-size calendar poster on a first-come, first-served basis. 55 people who preorder by midnight on January 6 will win an A3-size calendar poster autographed by Vickeblanka himself.

LE SSERAFIM, a girl group produced by BTS’s label HYBE, released FEARLESS -Japanese version- on download and streaming sites on December 15. The full single will be released on January 25, 2023.

LE SSERAFILM is a five-member girl group consisting of Kim Chaewon, Sakura, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha, and Hong Eunchae. This is the first girl group produced by HYBE and SOURCE MUSIC, who have both worked with a number of global artists.

The original Korean track FEARLESS spent 19 consecutive weeks on the U.S. Billboard charts, setting a record for K-pop idols. The music video received over 100 million views within its first 100 days of release.

Numerous Campaigns Underway Now

In conjunction with the advance release of the Japanese version of FEARLESS, a playback campaign was launched on Rakuten Music starting December 15. Those playing the song can receive an original postcard. A social media sharing campaign is also underway–those sharing the song from select music streaming services on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #FEARLESS will be entered to win an original sticker.

A LINE MUSIC playback campaign will also begin on December 21. Participants will be selected by lottery to take place in an online event with random members of LE SSERAFIM. All participants will also receive an original LINE Talk background image, so be sure to take part! More details will be released soon, so keep an eye out.

Sizuk, a music project started by composer Shunryu, has officially launched! The composer is known for his contributions to anime and idol music, and in this new project, Shunryu will collaborate with illustrators, lyricists, singers, and other talents to produce original content.

For the project’s debut single, Dystopia will serve as the opening theme for the anime series The Iceblade Sorcerer Shall Rule the World, scheduled to premiere in January 2023. The lyrics were written by Shoko Fujibayashi and arranged by John Kanda (PENGUIN RESEARCH), with a jacket illustration by SOLANI. It was sung by AYAME, the vocalist of the rock band AliA.

The song will be released as a digital single on January 6, 2023. Be sure not to miss the anime series either!

©御子柴奈々・講談社／「冰剣の魔術師が世界を統べる」 製作委員会

On October 29, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu took part in Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival in Oakland, California. The following day, the popular singer also appeared at Porter Robinson + Friends, an afterparty event held in San Francisco. American fans are finding their excitement at a fever pitch as the Harajuku-based artist continues to perform abroad!

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu recently made headlines when she performed an unprecedented 62 songs at Nippon Budokan on October 19 during the final stop on her 10th-anniversary tour. Following this impressive feat, Kyary performed at yet another festival in Japan before hastily returning to the United States following her show-stopping performance at Coachella half a year ago.

Porter Robinson’s Second Sky Music Festival was hosted by and featured performances by internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Porter Robinson. Other important figures in the dance music scene also appeared including SKRILLEX and RL GRIME.

The event took place in a large parking lot adjacent to the Oakland Coliseum, home of the Oakland Athletics MLB team. Since the show took place close to Halloween, plenty of decorations could be found, and fans lined up from the early morning to get inside.

Although Kyary’s performance was scheduled for quite early in the day, the audience sprawled out as far as the eye could see. As DE.BA.YA.SHI. 2021 began to play, fans began to excitedly call out Kyary’s name. In Japan, regulations are in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus, meaning that audience members are forbidden to yell during concerts–but no such precaution exists in the U.S. It was clear that Kyary was beyond excited to hear the audience’s enthusiasm, and as the show began, the artist called out “Second Sky,” to which the fans responded with excited cries. 

The audience danced wildly to Candy Racer and Dodonpa, two of Kyary’s most peppy tracks, which played in succession. The singer did her best to speak English. “Hello! I’m Kyary Pamyu Pamyu from Japan,” she began. She then complimented a fan in full Kyary cosplay. “Wow! Nice costume! PONPONPON costume, so nice,” she said.

During CANDY CANDY -Remix-, the audience raised their hands high in the air as they followed Kyary’s instructions to jump, swaying from left to right. As the audience moved in sync, a number of hit tracks began to play, including Harajuku Iyahoi and Tsukematsukeru. However, nothing could match the excitement of the moment that the intro to PONPONPON began to play. Porter Robinson, who was watching the live performance from the side of the stage, was moved to tears, and everyone could feel how big Kyary’s presence was for local fans.

Kyary’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April of this year became a hot topic, showing that Kyary is still incredibly popular in the U.S. ten years after her major debut.

In addition to her largest national tour to date, Kyary has made numerous appearances at music festivals in Japan and abroad in 2022. The artist’s first overseas performance during her 11th year as a performer was an incredible success and bodes well for Kyary’s future.

＜Setlist＞
2022.10.29 “Second Sky Music Festival”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Dodonpa
3.Invader Invader
4. CANDY CANDY –Remix-
5. Ninja Re Bang Bang –Steve Aoki Remix-
6. Harajuku Iyahoi
7. Tsukematsukeru
8. PONPONPON –Extended Mix-
9. Fashion Monster

2022.10.30 “Porter Robinson + Friends”
OP. DE.BA.YA.SHI.2021
1. Candy Racer
2. Ninja Re Bang Bang
3. CANDY CANDY
4.Crazy Party Night-Pumpkins Strike Back-
5. Kira Kira Killer
6. Isshin Doutai
7. Harajuku Iyahoi
8. Fashion Monster
9. PONPONPON

The Nippon Foundation has been supporting people with disabilities in Japan and abroad for over fifty years. To mark this incredible milestone, True Colors Festival THE CONCERT 2022 will be held on November 19 and 20 at Tokyo Garden Theater. The performance aims to inspire fans to express their uniqueness. 

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu will perform as a guest performer on both days of the concert, which stands to be one of the largest live events in the world put on by artists with disabilities.

Kyary became a smash hit with audiences worldwide after Katy Perry praised her PONPONPON music video on Twitter, and the two are said to be fans of one another. This will be the first time that the two pop icons will perform on stage together. 

“I’m looking forward to performing with so many unique artists from around the world,” Kyary said in a statement. “I’m so happy that I’m going to live my dream of performing with Katy!” 

From November 11, 2022 until August 2023, Izu Granpal Park in Shizuoka Prefecture will host the 8th Izu Kogen Grand Illumination event!

The Izu Kogen Grand Illumination was ranked #1 in the Walker+National Illumination Ranking for six consecutive years and is beloved by visitors of all ages. This isn’t just a collection of pretty lights–the Grand Illumination also includes a number of hands-on experiences for everyone to enjoy.

In 2021, the event won first place in the Ninth Illumination Awards for the second year in a row. Known as Japan’s first ‘hands-on illumination experience,’ the park has continued to evolve year after year, adding more attractions and finding its unique style. These attractions include a zip line through the lights, Dinosaur Go-Karts, and more.

This year, the Flower Lantern Area and Sweets Lantern Area have been completely redesigned and upgraded to be even more three-dimensional and colorful. Come enjoy this incredible world of lights and have some fun with the whole family!

Japan’s largest sake event, TOKYO SAKE FESTIVAL 2022, will run from October 4 until October 6 at the Shinjuku Sumitomo Building’s Triangle Square.

The event’s aim is to make sake more mainstream around the world, with the first festival taking place in 2020. Tokyo Sake Festival blends sake with entertainment, showing off the very best of Japanese culture to those who may be new to craft sake. For the third year, former NMB48 member Yui Takano will serve as ambassador. Takano is known for leaving her idol career to manage the sake specialty store Yui Sake Shop. 

Tokyo Sake Festival 2022 is bringing together forty carefully selected sake breweries from around Japan, including Inoue Seikichi, winner of the Champion Sake award at IWC 2022. Tonoike Sake Brewery, winner of Kura Master 2022’s President’s Award, will also be in attendance. The full lineup can be found on the official website.

Popular influencers and artists from Raphael to BOYS AND MEN and Ukon Takafuji will take the stage during the event, so be sure to swing by if you’re a fan of Japanese spirits!

Amazon Music Live: DEAD POP FESTiVAL 2022 was originally held on June 25 and 26, 2022. Those who missed out on SiM’s outdoor festival will be able to watch it on the Amazon Music Japan channel on Twitch on August 16 at 20:00 along with exclusive commentary from the members. In addition, Shuhei Igari (HEY-SMITH), GEN (04 Limited Sazabys), and Takuya Yamanaka (THE ORAL CIGARETTES) will appear. 20 artists who participated in the festival will give their personal thoughts on the June event including behind-the-scenes stories.

Fans of Attack on Titan won’t want to miss the first live performance of SiM’s track The Rumbling, used as the opening theme for The Final Season Part 2.

Prior to the event on the Amazon Music Japan channel, a playlist consisting of songs performed at DEADPOP FESTiVAL 2022 is available on Amazon Music Unlimited. Be sure to check it out!