Hello! Project‘s annual summer concert series tour has officially kicked off!
This year it starts with ‘Hello! Project 2014 SUMMER ~KOREZO!~‘ and began at the Fukuoka Sun Palace Hotel & Hall. This concert features all 33 Hello! Project members, a variable amount of Kenshuusei members, 19 performances, 12 days, 7 venues, and plans to see a total of 43,000 fans throughout its duration.
After performing ‘LOVE MACHINE‘, everyone came out and celebrated Morning Musume. ’14 leader Sayumi Michishige’s birthday with a huge cake for her 25h birthday!
On July 16, SMAP will be releasing a new double A-side single titled Top of the World/ Amazing Discovery.
Amazing Discovery is used as the first theme song for Universal Studios Japan. A commercial featuring the track has started airing last June 16. Yasutaka Nakata has provided the composition, lyrics and arrangement of the song. On the other hand, Top Of The World will be featured as the theme song for the group’s SMAP x SMAP variety show. The track is written by Ishiwatari Junji and composed my MIYAVI.
Check out the song, PV previews and tracklist below.
A video clip for new APOGEE song ‘Twilight Arrow‘ has been uploaded to the band’s official YouTube page.
Filmmaker Fuyu Arai served as director and has previously worked on commercials for LOWRYS FARM, Sagawa Express, and Napier. The experimental visual artist uses effects like projection to evoke the universal theme of interpersonal relationships.
Italian luxury fashion house Moschino will open its first independent store for LOVE MOSCHINO in Japan. Dedicated spaces for for the house have been operated within prestigious department stores like Isetan, Takashimaya and Daimaru but the particular brand has prove to be especially popular.
Kyary Pamyu Pamyu – Kira Kira Killer
A.B.C-Z – Legend Story
Sonar Pocket – Saishuu Densha ～missing you～
Yesterday at the live event ‘Early Summer in AKASAKA 2014’, girl band Akai Ko-en revealed their 2nd album ‘Mouretsu Ritomikku‘ (Ferocious Eurhythmics) will be released September 24th. Their music is a blend of shoegaze and melodic pop with a touch of ferocious hardcore and noise, so this title is definitely fitting for them.
On their official YouTube channel, the group also uploaded a teaser for the lead track ‘Cider‘ due for digital release July 30th.
THE MUSIC DAY Ongaku no Chikara, NTV’s music special, aired today in Japan. Ok, this show is massively long. It’s about 11 hours long in total but there’s a variety of acts to be seen here. These acts include AKB48, aiko, Arashi, E-girls, Ikimonogakari, HKT48, SKE48, NMB48, EXILE TRIBE, KAT-TUN, Kanjani8, Kaela Kimura, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, Coldplay, Sandaime J Soul Brothers, GENERATIONS, SEKAI NO OWARI, Nishino Kana, Perfume, and more. Check out the show after the jump!
The female idol market has BOOMED in the past couple of years, catapulting hundreds and hundreds of young girls into the spotlight.
Exciting MAX! magazine has recently published a ranking in their August 2014 issue about the (alleged) yearly earnings of female idols. These numbers consider their tenture within their company and also includes their outside activities like magazines, media appearances, acting, etc. It’s important to note that there are additional various expenses that aren’t revealed to the public like housing and transportation supplied by their companies so those are not accounted for in these numbers. Take everything you read here with a grain of salt.
