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!

On June 26, FRUITS ZIPPER held a one-man live performance at the “Sayonara Nakano Sunplaza Music Festival,” marking the culmination of Nakano Sunplaza’s rich history as it undergoes a fresh transformation in honor of its 50th anniversary this year.

With the opening SE playing, laser beams filled the venue, creating an atmosphere brimming with anticipation as the live performance kicked off with “Sekaiwa Kimikara Hajimaru.” Popular upbeat songs like “Kanpeki Shugide☆,” “Cho Medetai Song – Konnani Shiawasede Iinokana?-” and “Fure Furu Summer!” followed, captivating the audience from the beginning and keeping the excitement alive.

During the MC segment, it was announced that their hit song “Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro,” which garnered a staggering 800 million views on TikTok and surpassed 12 million views on the music video since its digital release last year, would be released as the group’s first-ever CD single in this September. The announcement of the release consisting of a first-press limited edition, regular edition, and member edition featuring solo jacket designs for each member, heightened the excitement of the audience even further. With smiles on their faces, the group delivered an outstanding performance of all 14 songs, bringing the live show to a close.

As the encore calls echoed through the venue, a sudden news program-style video began playing on the screen, and the expressions of the members reflected a sense of nervousness. Within the homage-like footage resembling the moment of the Olympic host city announcement, it was revealed that the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium had been chosen as the venue for the grand finale of their nationwide tour in this fall. Suzuka Chinzei expressed, “Having the opportunity to perform in such a large venue in our second year since debut is an amazing challenge, and we were able to make this decision because of all of you being here. We will train together as a group leading up to this day, so please stay excited!” The audience responded with warm applause to her heartfelt words.

During the encore, they unveiled their new song “Pure In the World,” which is sure to become a new staple that energizes their live performances. The song was produced by Tamaya2060% from Wienners. At the finale of the event, which was filled with “super celebratory” announcements for both fans and members, they performed “Cho Medetai Song -Konnani Shiawasede Iinokana-?” once again. The audience joined in with loud handclaps and responded to Luna Nakagawa’s shout of “FRUITS ZIPPER Arena Live Show!” with chants of “Congratulations!” The entire venue came together as one, closing the curtain on a memorable night.

FRUITS ZIPPER will kick off their first nationwide tour in September. The pre-sale of tickets for the tour finale at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium has begun and will run until July 3.

On May 31, the idol group IDOLATER released its 11th single, Aimai Silhouette.

Unlike the group’s more mature love songs released in the past, this new track is packed with cuteness and a fresh sound.

The NFT project City Pop TOKYO is inspired, fittingly, by City Pop, a music genre from Japan that is immensely popular worldwide, particularly among Gen Z. Now, the project is collaborating with the incredibly popular idol group FRUITS ZIPPER!

Starting at the end of April, Legendary NFTs inspired by the members of FRUITS ZIPPER will be released sequentially as part of the City Pop TOKYO NFT collection. These collaborative NFTs feature rare designs that are unique among the other characters in the City Pop TOKYO NFT collection and were drawn by Natsumi Sato, the illustrator who oversaw character design for the collection.

This collaboration will commemorate the release of City Pop TOKYO’s main collection, which will be available starting at the end of April. City Pop TOKYO will allow both NFT holders and non-holders to participate in new character development through a series of Twitter posts after the main NFT collection is sold. Characters will level up by earning training points when they post on Twitter, which will also be reflected in their NFT properties. The final ranking will be based on level, and a subsequent audition will be held, with winners being invited to join ASOBISYSTEM as new talents.

For this collaboration, the wildly popular FRUITS ZIPPER is sure to bring some new excitement to this incredible project.

Idol group FRUITS ZIPPER will embark on its first nationwide tour, FRUITS ZIPPER JAPAN TOUR 2023 -AUTUMN-, this September.

FRUITS ZIPPER has been climbing to the top of the idol scene at a breakneck pace. Their first overseas solo performance in Taiwan was recently a huge success, and tickets for their first anniversary live shows at Toyosu PIT in Tokyo and Namba Hatch in Osaka in May sold out immediately after going on sale.

The tour will begin with a concert in Osaka on September 3, followed by performances in Aichi, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Hokkaido, and Kanagawa. Tickets for the presale lottery are now on sale for members of the KAWAII LAB fan club.

FRUITS ZIPPER’s single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro, released last year, has inspired over 700 million related videos on TikTok, while the music video has been viewed over 10 million times. Keep an eye on their activities in the near future!

Following the success of the idol groups IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, KAWAII LAB., a project created to introduce Japan’s growing idol culture to the world, has revealed the new group CANDY TUNE! Just as candy comes in a variety of flavors and shapes, each member of CANDY TUNE has their own unique personality and passion. Keeping KAWAII LAB’s goal of bringing Harajuku to the world at the forefront of its activities, this idol group is ready to perform its pop tunes for audiences around the globe.

The group’s name was created to convey gentleness, harmony, and sweet melodies, and on March 7, the debut album from these new idols hit all major streaming services. The titular CANDY TUNE is filled with powerful pop tracks already capturing the hearts of listeners around the world.

In CANDY TUNE’s first appearance in the KAWAII LAB. Report series, we interviewed the members about their upcoming debut concert, KAWAII LAB. SESSION ~CANDY TUNE~. Are they ready to take to the stage?

-Your debut concert is coming up soon! How are you feeling? Share a message with the fans!

Bibian Murakawa

“Hi everyone! I’m Bibian Murakawa and my member color in CANDY TUNE is pink. The seven of us have been working together during all kinds of different lessons to become world-class idols. Everyone is so cheerful and each member has her own hobbies and special skills. It’s been a blast spending time with them every day! We want the world to know what we’re like inside and out, and to love us for who we are!”

Twitter: @bibian_ct1203
Instagram: @murakawabibiann
TikTok: @murakawabibiann

Mizuki Kirihara

“After so much training and so many different lessons, I’m happy to finally be able to perform on stage. We’re lucky to have such amazing songs and costumes, and I hope to express myself in authentic CANDY TUNE style. Just spending each day with the members and staff, in general, fills me with so much happiness, and I can’t wait to bring that joy to the fans! I just hope everyone can be happy!☺️”

Twitter: @mizuki_ct0221
Instagram: @kirihara_mizuki
TikTok: @kirihara_mizuki

Rino Fukuyama

“I feel blessed to have had all these months of lessons and prep before our debut, and I’ve really been giving my all! I want this to be the best possible debut concert and I hope we can exceed everyone’s expectations. I know I’ll be nervous before we go on stage, but this is something that will happen only once in my life, so I want to enjoy it as much as I can! I hope you enjoy listening to our music right up until you see the live performance!”

Twitter: @rino_ct1224
Instagram: @rinomaru_
TikTok: @rinomaru_

Nanako Ogawa

“Only a few days are left until our debut. I still can’t believe I’m about to become an idol! (Laugh)

Thankfully, I’ve been able to interact with fans even before our debut. I feel so happy when I see people’s words of support and hear about fans keeping track of new information coming out about CANDY TUNE each day. I hope I can cheer everyone up, even if it’s just a little bit. Through CANDY TUNE, I’ll make many dreams come true and devote myself to becoming someone’s hope in this world!”

Twitter: @nachico_ct1001
Instagram: @__nchisan__
TikTok: @__nachisan__

Natsu Minami

“Not long ago, everything felt so new and I was just trying my hardest to keep up with lessons each day. But as we get closer to our debut, I feel more and more like I’ve really become an idol. I’m both nervous and excited about what I’ll see at our first concert since it will be my first time appearing as a real idol! I’m just so happy to be a member of CANDY TUNE…I’ll keep bettering myself right up until the show on 3/14!”

Twitter: @natsu_ct0317
Instagram: @nattanntan
TikTok: @nattanntan

Shizuka Miyano

“Each member of CANDY TUNE is very unique, and I think that really comes through in our performances. I can’t wait to show you all how much we’ve grown! So many people have supported us since before our debut, and we’ll never stop being grateful for that. Having been able to perform as idols in such a wonderful environment is a blessing. We’ll keep improving ourselves in order to give even better performances in the future, but first, we want to give our all at our debut!”

Twitter: @shizuka_ct0530
Instagram: @myn_szk_ct
TikTok: @miyano_shicha.

Kotomi Tachibana

“I’m thankful to have been given so many opportunities leading up to our debut, like dance and singing lessons, speaking lessons, and so many other things that other idols might have never had a chance to do. I’m working hard every day to put those efforts to good use during our first live show! I have so many feelings about our first concert–I wonder what the view will be like! I want it to be a huge success, and while I’m a little anxious, I’m just looking forward to meeting the fans more than anything! ♡ I hope the concert makes everyone happy!”

Twitter: @kotomi_ct0525
Instagram: @kotomi_5chan
TikTok: @kotomi_5chan

Check out each member’s profile here: https://www.moshimoshi-nippon.jp/ja/676709

The members of CANDY TUNE have been working hard as a team each and every day in preparation for their debut concert, focusing on the feelings they hope to convey to their new fans.

The girls are sure to put on a memorable show, and there’s no doubt that their historical first performance will bring happiness to each and every person in attendance. Be sure to keep an eye on CANDY TUNE going forward!

CANDY TUNE, the newest group from KAWAII LAB, released their first album on March 7. KAWAII LAB is continuing to introduce Japanese idol culture to fans around the world.

The seven-member group is comprised of members Rino Fukuyama, Mizuki Kirihara, Natsu Minami, Nanako Ogawa, Bibian Murakawa, Shizuka Miyano, and Kotomi Tachibana. Just like candy, which comes in tons of different flavors and shapes, the members will bring their own unique personalities and quirks to their pop tunes as they carry on KAWAII LAB’s mission of sharing Harajuku style with the world.

Two songs on the group’s first album CANDY TUNE were produced by Naoki Kubo and Suu, former members of SILENT SIREN–the sweet and playful Kiss Me Patissier and the inspiring song hanamaru. Hirotaka Hayakawa, who has produced hit songs for countless artists, also contributed. Nanairo Prologue tells the story of the seven members moving forward across a rainbow-colored bridge, andMikan na Seishun (Unfinished Youth) has a fast-paced sound sure to be a hit with new fans. The group’s artist photo and the jacket art for the album were provided by Yuko Takayama (yenter).

CANDY TUNE will hold its debut concert titled KAWAII LAB. SESSION ~CANDY TUNE~ on March 14 at Spotify O-EAST. To commemorate the special occasion, IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER will also perform. The three groups will perform the FRUITS ZIPPER hit track Watashi no Ichiban Kawaiitokoro together during the event, and tickets are now on sale.

Additionally, new interviews with the members and behind-the-scenes footage have been uploaded to CANDY TUNE’s official YouTube channel.

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.

A new idol group is coming in March 2023 from KAWAII LAB. , to promote Japan’s growing idol culture to the world.

So far, four members have been announced ahead of the group’s debut concert. The group name and details of their debut concert have just been revealed!

Following IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, the third idol group born from KAWAII LAB. has been announced as CANDY TUNE. The name is meant to evoke the image of both kindhearted girls and catchy melodies and harmonies.KAWAII LAB. will continue to focus on its concept of promoting Harajuku culture to the world.

The four members announced so far are Mizuki Kirihara, Rino Fukuyama, Natsu Minami, and Nanako Ogawa. More members will be announced in the near future.

Clockwise from top: Mizuki Kirihara, Nanako Ogawa, Rino Fukuyama, Natsu Minami

CANDY TUNE’s debut concert titled KAWAII LAB. SESSION ~CANDY TUNE~ will be held on March 14 at Spotify O-EAST! IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, both created by KAWAII LAB., will also perform, with the members of CANDY TUNE performing on the same stage as their seniors for the first time.

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!

The groovy 5-member funk, soul, and disco idol group Philosophy no Dance has been
chosen to perform the opening track for the highly-anticipated Ayakashi Triangle anime
adaptation. The group has been wowing music fans with its philosophical lyrics and comical dance moves. This impressive new track titled Neppu wa Ruten-suru is now available to
stream on all major platforms.

Ayakashi Triangle was created by Kentaro Yabuki, known for his previous work To Love Ru. The series follows Matsuri Kazamaki, an exorcist ninja, as he attempts to defend his
childhood friend from evil spirits.

Composed by SoichiroK/Nozomu.S and with lyrics written by Ameko Kodama, Neppu wa
Ruten-suru is a catchy pop track perfect for capturing the worldview of the series.
Beginning with an incredible guitar riff, the five members’ voices intertwine with one
another in an incredibly unique way.

A non-credit version of the opening theme has also been uploaded to the Aniplex YouTube
channel.

©矢吹健太朗／集英社・あやかしトライアングル製作委員会

In March 2023, a brand-new idol group from KAWAII LAB will be born, furthering the project’s aim to introduce Japanese idol culture to the world. The first two members of the mysterious group were revealed in December 2022 and two more members have just been announced.

Following Rino Fukuyama and Mizuki Kirihara, gravure model Natsu Minami and experienced idol Nanako Ogawa have joined the new group. The number of members has not yet been revealed, but more additions to the group are expected to be announced ahead of the girl’s March 2023 debut.

The group’s name and debut concert details will be announced in the future.

Following the stunning success of both IDOLATER and FRUITS ZIPPER, we’re looking forward to seeing KAWAII LAB’s third group!

<Member Comments>

Natsu Minami

“Nice to meet you! I’m Natsu Minami, but you can call me Nattan.
I’ve worked as a model in the past, including some gravure shoots. From this point on, I’m going to use what I’ve learned to improve my singing and dancing, so look forward to it!

This is my first time taking lessons like this and participating in recording sessions. I’ve worked alone in the past, but the other members have been so supportive and I love them already! I’ll do my best to show you all how much I’ve grown when we debut!”

Birthplace: Tokyo
Height: 156cm
Birthday: March 17, 2001
Talent: Making clothes
Hobbies: Photography, cosplay

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nattanntan
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nattanntan/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nattanntan

Nanako Ogawa

“I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by girls who have experience as idols and who have such amazing potential. I can’t believe I’m here.

Now that I’m spending time with these incredibly strong members each day, I can’t wait until we make our debut!

I’ll do my absolute best to devote myself to this group in my own way, so I hope you’ll support me!”

Birthplace: Hokkaido
Height: 160cm
Birthday: October 1, 1999
Talents: Figure skating, finding ♡ in my everyday life, memorizing choreography quickly
Hobbies: Taking selfies, fortune telling, social media, watching mukbangs

Twitter: https://twitter.com/__nchisan__
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__nchisan__/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@__nachisan__