After releasing the new MANINGEN EP on August 16, the members of ATARASHII GAKKO! announced that they would embark on their first overseas tour, ATARASHII GAKKO! The SEISHUN Tour, this November.

The group’s song OTONABLUE has reached an astounding 3.1 billion views on TikTok, winning the TikTok Trending Award for the first half of 2023 with over 14 million followers on the social media site. ATARASHII GAKKO! performed in New York in May and at the Head in the Clouds festival in Los Angeles in July, continuing to make headlines. Their tour will kick off at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles and continue for 10 shows across North America, Hong Kong, and Bangkok.

Before embarking on their global tour, the group will perform a solo show at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on October 29. Tickets sold out quickly, and the group’s more dedicated fans can’t wait for the rare opportunity to see ATARASHII GAKKO! perform solo in Japan.

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!

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.

The popular girl group SCANDAL will release a live performance video of the song Prism, which was performed during the World Tour last year. The group will also release MIRROR, a documentary, on Blu-ray and DVD on February 22, 2023.

SCANDAL embarked on the WORLD TOUR MIRROR 2022 from March to September 2022, performing in Japan, North America, and Europe. While the girls faced difficulties performing in the U.S. due to the pandemic, they have continued to tour Japan and abroad, celebrating 15 years of musical activities. The new live video was produced using select scenes from each show on the world tour. Prism shows off the individuality of the four members, filled with confidence and a trailblazing spirit.

Starting April 7, the SCANDAL TOUR 2023 unlimited UTOPIA will begin, visiting seven cities across Japan: Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka, and Fukuoka. The group’s new song Line of sight is currently being used as the theme song for the arcade card game Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base LINXTAGE.

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.

FRUITS ZIPPER held the final performance of FRUITS ZIPPER 1st LIVE TOUR 2023 -WINTER- ♡BE AT THE HEART♡ on February 12, 2023 at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA.

FRUITS ZIPPER debuted on April 24, 2022. The group’s song Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro skyrocketed in popularity after its release on April 29 of last year, becoming a huge hit on TikTok and one of the most popular tracks in the idol world.

Much like the numerous festivals FRUITS ZIPPER appeared in during the summer of 2022, as soon as the concert ended, the idol fans packed into the venue quickly dispersed as if a storm had come through.

The group’s first tour was announced in October 2022. The announcement that there would be a male-only show and a female-only show was a surprise to many female fans, and two weeks later it was announced that the Osaka venue would be changed to Namba Hatch due to huge ticket sales. Soon after, it was announced that the tour finale would be held at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA.

The difficulty of organizing a tour for a new idol group and attracting fans seemed clear, but the shows at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA and Namba Hatch managed to sell out well before the tour began, creating a ton of buzz in the idol world.

LINE CUBE SHIBUYA was close to overflowing, and the live soundtrack was created by trackmaker YUC’e for this tour. As the live title ♡BE AT THE HEART♡ suggests, the emotion and excitement in the venue continued to grow with every heartbeat.

Following the opening track, FRUITS ZIPPER appeared on stage to perform the song RADIO GALAXY, also by YUC’e. The tour finale opened with this beloved track that perfectly expresses the group’s NEW KAWAII concept.

Following this, the group performed the new song Welcome to the ♡ Furuppa!, a track that introduces each member. Performed for the first time on this tour, it’s a great way to open a concert and get the audience hyped and up to speed.

The members introduced themselves during the MC, expressing their thoughts about the concert and sharing their gratitude to the packed house. While the members were nervous, Karen Matsumoto was smiling as usual. “I’ll do my best,” she said with a smile.

Following the MC, the group continued with well-known tracks like Kimi no Akarui Mirai wo Oikakete, skyfeelan, Re→TRY & FLY, and We are Frontier.

After a video was played, Yui Sakurai’s solo part in the song Sekai wa Kimi kara Hajimaru drew the audience’s attention to the stage. Performed during this tour, the song Zutto, Zutto, Zutto shared FRUITS ZIPPER’s kawaii vibe.

During the next MC statement, FRUITS ZIPPER began a special corner seen on Atsumare☆Furuppa!, a stream available once a month on OPENREC.tv to subscribers only. Titled ‘The Valentine’s Day Heart-Pounding Phrase Contest,’ the members shared their most romantic and heartwarming lines with the audience. For those who were unable to attend the show, be sure to tune into Atsumare☆Furuppa!

As the concert continued, the audience waved their towels in the air along with Furefure Summer! and Kanpeki shugi de☆, both staples at FRUITS ZIPPER live shows. The group’s anthem Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro began to play, summoning heart-shaped messages to fall from the ceiling and rain down on fans.

The final song performed was Happy Chocolate, which was just released on February 1. The song was created to become a standard Valentine’s Day track for Gen Z and has already become a smash hit on TikTok.

FRUITS ZIPPER appeared on stage for an encore following seemingly endless clapping. The members took turns chatting about anything on their minds, with many of the girls shedding some well-earned tears. “From Harajuku to the world! Please continue to follow us,” Luna Nakagawa cried out to the crowd.

For the encore, the group performed the never-before-heard song Cho Medetai Song ~Konna ni Shiawase de Iinokana?~ (The Super Joyful Song ~Is It Okay to Be This Happy?~), created by Yamamoto Sho and Gento Miyano.

The tour’s finale concluded with a second performance of Happy Chocolate.

During the last MC, the members announced that they would be holding a solo concert in Taiwan. An official fan club for KAWAII LAB. was also announced, along with a FRUITS ZIPPER first anniversary concert to be held on May 4 at Toyosu PIT and on May 26 at Namba Hatch.

After this tour finale at LINE CLUB SHIBUYA and the group’s first-anniversary concert announcements, I could only think one thing–” It’s only been a year?!”

It’s clear that FRUITS ZIPPER is only getting started. Be sure to follow them as they continue to take the idol world by storm in 2023.

Text: Mizuki Hasegawa

Photo: Yuuna Yoshimori

FRUITS ZIPPER 1st Anniversary Photo Book

Tokyo News, the publisher of B.L.T and other popular TV magazines, will release a photobook celebrating the first anniversary of FRUITS ZIPPER on April 24, 2023!

FRUITS ZIPPER is a 7-member idol group that debuted in April 2022 under the concept “from Harajuku to the World.” The group’s second single Watashino Ichiban Kawaiitokoro became a massive hit on TikTok, pulling in over 600 million views. Having become incredibly popular, the group’s first solo tour in Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka in February sold out at all venues, including LINE CUBE SHIBUYA and Namba Hatch. A photobook commemorating the first year of FRUITS ZIPPER will be on sale in April.

FRUITS ZIPPER Live in Taiwan 2023

On February 22, the popular rock band SCANDAL will release the documentary MIRROR on Blu-ray and DVD. In April, the artists will embark on the SCANDAL TOUR 2023 – Unlimited UTOPIA, performing in seven cities across Japan.

The new song Line of Sight was written by the band to serve as the theme song for the arcade card game Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base LINXTAGE, scheduled to release in late February. Read SCANDAL’s comment below!

Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base LINXTAGE〈LINXTAGE SEASON:01〉PV

—
“We’re pleased to announce that we’ve been put in charge of the theme song for Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base LINXTAGE.
This summer, SCANDAL will celebrate our 17th anniversary. What a great time to get this incredible offer!
We met with the team behind Arsenal Base and shared our thoughts and feelings before starting production on the song.
In the game, music is played during battle scenes, where players’ emotions are heightened. Considering that, we wrote a fast-paced, danceable track.
In the end, we combined our own thoughts and feelings with the world of Gundam. Be sure to listen to the lyrics closely!
Please enjoy our music as you play Arsenal Base!
—

Mobile Suit Gundam Arsenal Base is a real-time strategy arcade card game in which players take on the role of a commander in control of five mobile suits and five pilots fighting to destroy a collection of enemy battleships. Found in many arcades across Japan, players place pilot cards on the terminal in dedicated boxes. The terminal then reads a QR code on each card. The series will soon introduce tons of new content including the LINXTAGE BATTLE system, in which two players can enter battle at the same time. Be sure to listen to a snippet of Line of Sight in the new PV!

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.

Atarashii Gakko! will hold solo concerts at Zepp venues in Tokyo and Osaka in April and May of 2023.

These performances will be held almost a year after the girls held their solo concert at Zepp DiverCity in Tokyo last May. This year’s events will be held at Zepp Osaka Bayside on April 30 and Zepp Shinjuku in Tokyo on May 2.

ATARASHII GAKKO! – HANAKO (Official Music Video)

ATARASHII GAKKO! – Pineapple Kryptonite (Official Music Video)

ONE OK ROCK has become an incredible success with audiences around the world. The Japanese rock band will join Muse’s North American tour starting in February 2023 as special guests along with Evanescence, and the three musical acts will tour arenas in the US and Canada for around a month.

The band released their album Luxury Disease in September. Immediately following this, ONE OK ROCK headlined a 23-city North American tour, selling out a number of shows.

Be sure to follow ONE OK ROCK as they continue their upward climb to become international superstars!

WILL OF THE PEOPLE WORLD TOUR 2023

02/25/2023 Chicago, IL – United Center

02/26/2023 Minneapolis, MN – Target Center

02/28/2023 Austin, TX – Moody Center

03/02/2023 Houston, TX – Toyota Center

03/03/2023 Ft. Worth, TX – Dickies Arena

03/05/2023 St. Louis, MO – Chaifetz Arena

03/07/2023 Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena

03/09/2023 Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena

03/11/2023 Quebec City, QC – Videotron Centre

03/12/2023 Quebec City, QC – Videotron Centre

03/14/2023 Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

03/15/2023 Montreal, QC – Bell Centre

03/17/2023 New York, NY – Madison Square Garden

03/19/2023 Philadelphia, PA – Wells Fargo Center

*ONE OK ROCK will perform from February 25 until March 19.

Globally popular girl band BAND-MAID has successfully concluded their first solo tour in the U.S. in about three years. Immediately after returning to Japan, the group was met with a sold out crowd when they performed as the supporting act for the Guns N’ Roses JAPAN TOUR held at Saitama Super Arena on November 6, 2022. Following the event, BAND-MAID even became a trending topic on Twitter!

BAND-MAID made a splash during their U.S. tour, playing a total of 13 packed shows and getting plenty of media coverage. Given that the Guns N’ Roses JAPAN TOUR was the group’s first performance after returning home to Japan, it received massive attention from fans both locally and abroad.

Miku Kobato (Gt. & Vo.), KANAMI (Gt.), MISA (Ba.), and AKANE (Dr.) strolled onto the stage and performed the instrumental track from now on. The audience was shocked watching these petit girls in maid outfits perform such heavy rock! SAIKI (Vo.) appeared as the following song, DICE, began to play, with her powerful voice tearing through the intense ensemble. BAND-MAID’s goal of world domination certainly came through in their performance–of course, the song DOMINATION began to huge fanfare, with the girls being shown on the big screen next to the stage. It was clear that each of them was enjoying the performance to the fullest. During Manners, MISA’s incredible bass took the spotlight, with the sound of shredding guitar punctuating the powerful track. Miku Kobato’s strong chorus was also a fan favorite, and as the song Daydreaming began, SAIKI’s voice captivated the audience. BAND-MAID left the stage amidst a sea of applause after performing a total of seven songs ranging from quiet instruments to rock ballads.

In addition to their appearance at MERRY ROCK PARADE 2022 on December 18 in Japan, the band will also perform solo at Tokyo Garden Theater on January 9, 2023. This will be the largest solo performance in the band’s history, so fans won’t want to miss it!