This week’s episode featured Perfume. The group is currently celebrating its 15th anniversary. This episode is a first for SONGS, seeing as how it’s the show’s first live episode. During the episode, Perfume looks back over their career, from debut til now.
Perfume – Linear Motor Girl / Laser Beam / Nananananairo / Polyrhythm
This week’s guests were Jaejoong, Nogizaka46, Daichi Miura, Koda Kumi, and Yoyoka.
Jaejoong – Mirai Yosouzu II
Nogizaka46 – Yoake Made Tsuyogaranakute mo Ii
Daichi Miura – Katasumi
Koda Kumi – GOLDFINGER 2019
Koda Kumi x Daichi Miura x Yoyoka – Nando Demo
At the beginning of September it was revealed that Kanjani8 member Ryo Nishikido would be parting ways with both the group, and Johnny’s. The group is gearing up for their first release as a 5 piece unit.
Their song “Tomoyo” has been selected as the official theme song for the upcoming drama series “Ore no Hanashi wa Nagai“. It will star fellow Johnny’s member Toma Ikuta.
Back in 2018 Keyakizaka46 ace Yurina Hirate starred in her debut feature film “HIBIKI”.
Yurina played the lead role of a sensitive but tough 15-year-old high school student with a knack for writing. One day her novel is submitted for the Rookie of the Year award at a prestigious literature magazine. Unsatisfied with the story, staff members throw the manuscript into the trash where it’s found by an editor (Keiko Kitagawa).
“Kado wo Magaru” served as the theme for the film, and it was unusually left out of Keyakizaka46’s 2019 single “Kuroi Hitsuji”, but signs are pointing that it will finally be included on the groups 2nd single of 2019.
On September 20, Touyama Mirei will release a new digital single, “Take Me Away.” However, this song isn’t for Japan, but for the international market, under her international name MIREI. “Take Me Away” sees her singing in English. This is MIREI’s first release since her 2013 debut, “Tattoo.”
On “Take Me Away”, MIREI “speaks to the sometimes-painful push for authenticity in a deeply conformist culture.” She says, “‘Take Me Away’ is about how hard it is to feel like you belong, especially when you’re dealing with things like anxiety and depression.”
“Take Me Away” precedes the EP of the same name, which will be released next year. In regards to her songwriting, MIREI writes from the standpoint of a young woman in Tokyo. “There’s a light side and a shadow side to Tokyo, and I’ve seen a lot of the shadow,” she says. “I wanted to write songs that let people know about both sides.”
Check out more information on MIREI’s new song below!
The colorfully candid and always audacious Erika Sawajiri, is apparently in talks to play her fellow mesmerizing mogul Ayumi Hamasaki in a biographical drama series!
Back in August a biographical novel about Ayu called “M – subeki hito ga ite (There is A Lovable Person)” was released. One of the big revelations from the book was that at one point she was romantically involved with avex’s head honcho Max Matsuura.
A drama adaptation of the novel will be produced by TV Asahi, and is slated to make it’s debut in April with the Spring drama lineup. Yahoo! Singapore has reported that the top actress in the running to play Ayu is none other than Erika herself!
Actress Suzu Hirose is the star of a brand new CM for the popular mobile phone provider SoftBank. The CM will promote Apple’s latest model in their phone line, the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro.
In the CM Suzu is sleeping in bed when she suddenly wakes up to a ladder in her room. The ladder eventually leads to the moon, where she sits with the cute SoftBank mascot dog Kai. The power of iPhone! Check out the full CM below:
On September 20, JP THE WAVY will release a new digital single, “GOOD PEOPLE GOOD COFFEE.” The song is a collaboration with OZworld a.k.a. R’kuma. It was produced by BeatBoy, who has also produced songs for the likes of E-40, The Game, Nipsey Hussle, Snoop Dogg, and Wiz Khalifa. Check it out below!