J-Pop Group BE:FIRST Talk New ‘One Piece’ Song

The seven members of BE:FIRST, ranging in age from 17 to 26, command the stage, having bought out Japan’s famed Tokyo Dome a number of occasions. Off stage, the group, consisting of members Sota, Shunto, Manato, Ryuhei, Junon, Ryoki and Leo, is stuffed with excitable vitality.

Subsequent week, the group’s latest single, “Crusing,” is about to drop. The track, a collaboration with the wildly standard animated collection One Piece, will function the ending theme for a newly edited model of the present’s Fish-Man Island story arc. One Piece Log: Fish-Man Island Saga, an “abridged 21-episode story,” in line with Crunchyroll, was initially set to premiere on Oct. 27 however was pushed to Nov. 3 as a consequence of stay broadcasts of the MLB World Collection.

“We’re large followers of One Piece, and we’re very completely satisfied to have the ability to do the ending theme track as a result of we now have been telling all people that we actually, actually love One Piece,” BE:FIRST’s youngest member Ryuhei tells The Hollywood Reporter. The 17-year-old says that the group tried to not make the track simply One Piece or simply BE:FIRST, however they as a substitute made it a mix of the 2.

“Crusing” is an upbeat track that evokes the sensation of crusing alongside the open sea, completely becoming for the track and present. The lyrics of the track communicate of being a household and pushing by means of powerful occasions collectively, one thing that ties into the present and the group.

“We linked all the pieces to the lyrics itself,” Sota says. The 23-year-old explains that he, Shunto and Ryuhei wrote the track’s lyrics, together with their firm’s CEO and producer, SKY-HI. “The BE:FIRST and One Piece connection may be very deep,” he provides.

For practically all the group, One Piece has been part of their lives since childhood. Manato says he began vocal classes with Okay-pop group TVXQ’s One Piece track, which led him to dream of being a vocalist. “It’s sort of future,” the 23-year-old says.

“We now have been large followers since childhood,” Shunto says. “We actually needed to do this sort of collaboration collectively sooner or later, however we didn’t assume that we may do that so quickly after our debut.”

Earlier this yr, the group carried out for the primary time in entrance of U.S. crowds, opening for Okay-pop boy group ATEEZ at their Los Angeles stadium reveals. The 2 boy teams not too long ago collaborated on two songs collectively. Leo says the spotlight of the U.S. journey was his potential to speak with the native workforce. He jokes that he was in a position to study English slang throughout the journey, placing it into his solo music.

“We made these songs [that they performed in L.A.] not only for a Japanese viewers but additionally worldwide,” Ryoki explains. “That’s why we had confidence sufficient to carry out in L.A.”

The 25-year-old says that the group throughout the L.A. present had good vibes and that it was an ideal efficiency for them, which obtained them considering that they may be capable of carry out their very own present in L.A. or elsewhere within the U.S.

BE:FIRST is gearing up for a giant end to the yr and large begin to the subsequent. The group is planning to embark on a dome tour round Japan. They’re additionally hoping to broaden their touring attain sooner or later. “We actually need to do a stay tour around the globe,” Leo says. “We need to ship our music to all of the followers.”