Luna's Ongaku Go For April 2021!

Picking up after Ken with another month down from 2021, we at OTY would like our readers to know what was filling our ears for the past month. Each track is available across all digital music streaming platforms, with Apple Music featured on this site.


chanmina bijin.jpg

“Bijin” by CHANMINA

With the release of CHANMINA’s latest single, “Bijin”, I fell in love with this track as soon as the music video was released. Not only is “Bijin” a catchy track as far as composition goes, but the lyrics are what pulled me in as it talks about the meaning of beauty. This song really hit home for me with it’s subject matter as it deals with many struggles that women go through. CHANMINA did a fantastic job putting the lyrics in “Bijin” and making it an upbeat track that also hits home and is easily relatable too.

Check out “Bijin” here and the music video below.


eill koko de iki wo shite.jpg

“Koko de Iki wo Shite” by eill

This is eill’s latest digital single and it is also being used as the ending theme song for the anime Tokyo Revengers. I was so hyped for “Koko de Iki wo Shite” and it did not let me down. This track encompasses the perfect flavor of jazz, rock, and pop all in one. The opening immediately grabs you with its jazzy feel and eill’s vocals fall right into it before the saxophone picks right up. “Koko de Iki wo Shite” flows so perfectly together in its composition between jazz and rock and eill’s vocal range shows.

Check out “Koko de Iki wo Shite” here and the music video below!


Koda Kumi Dance in the Rain.jpg

“Dance In The Rain” by Koda Kumi

With Koda Kumi’s release of MY NAME IS….20th Anniversary tour, I went back to her discography after watching her latest tour. “Dance In The Rain” became a top runner on my playlist as it is an absolutely gorgeous track. The opening with the piano is marvelous, the composition starts out slower and when it gets to the actual chorus, it picks up. I love how Koda Kumi’s deep vocals fit perfectly with the composition from deep and quiet then explodes in the chorus. “Dance In The Rain” is the perfect mid-tempo ballad.

Check out “Dance In The Rain” here and the music video below!


Aimer Torches.jpg

“Torches” by Aimer

With the release of Aimer’s album Walpurgis, I was brought back to her track “Torches”. I remember when this single was originally released in 2019 and I fell in love with it. Going back and re-listening to it on Walpurgis made me fall in love with it all over again. The composition is beautiful and Aimer’s soft yet powerful voice resonates with you along with the lyrics in “Torches” itself. The mixture of Japanese and English lyrics is incorporated so flawlessly as well. “Torches” has a relaxing and summer night feeling to it that it just can’t help but pull you in.

Check out “Torches” here and the music video below!


Ayu Ballads 2.jpg

“Together When…” by Ayumi Hamasaki

As A BALLADS 2 just released this month, it has been a treat to go back and listen to Ayu’s ballads. “Together When…” is still one of the ballads that has me in tears and pulls at my heart strings each time. I love how it starts out slow, then in the chorus when Ayu starts singing “Aishiteru to”, the composition picks up along with her vocals. You can hear all the power and emotion put into this song and it gets to you. The music break in the middle has that orchestra feel that makes it feel like this song is coming to its climax and it does. You can feel every bit of emotion Ayu is portraying and it sticks with you.

Check out “Together When…” here and the music video below!

Ayumi Hamasaki Releases the Monster With Latest Single!

“23rd Monster” Jacket Cover

“23rd Monster” Jacket Cover

To honor her 23rd anniversary in the Japanese music industry, mega star Ayumi Hamasaki dropped a brand new single, “23rd Monster”, across all digital music streaming platforms. This is the latest release by Hamasaki since her best-of album A BALLADS 2 back in March and is her first single release of 2021. ”23rd Monster" is a rock number composed by Kazuhiro Hara that entices listeners with impressive, powerful lyrics with the message "You decide your own way". At the same time as the streaming release, the teaser of the track’s music video was released on Hamasaki’s YouTube channel. In the video, a dancer is seen moving aggressively around a monitor with a mysterious countdown and a large egg.

Be sure to check out “23rd Monster” on all digital streaming platforms here, along with the teaser for the music video below!

Ayumi Hamasaki To Release Second Ballad Best Album!

Super star Ayumi Hamasaki will be releasing her first ballad greatest hits album in over 18 years, titled A BALLADS 2, on April 8! Ayumi has released many best-of albums over the years; this will be the seventh overall, and her second ballad best-of, the first of which, A BALLADS was released back on March 12, 2003, A BALLADS 2 was supposed to release on March 12, 2021 however was pushed back to April 8. A BALLADS 2 follows up the release of Ayumi’s latest tour, ayumi hamasaki TROUBLE 2020 A -Saigo no Trouble- FINAL, that released on January 27! A BALLADS 2 will span two discs with an estimated 30 songs in total, all remastered from their originals. As the date draws closer, more details on what A BALLADS 2 will contain will be released!

A BALLADS 2 will be released in five editions: a 2CD plus Blu-ray, a 2CD plus DVD, a 2CD-only standard edition, a 2CD plus 2Blu-ray Limited editions (mu-mo exclusive), and a 2CD plus 2DVD Limited edition (mu-mo exclusive). The details on each edition have yet to be announced, however, the first press edition for each comes with a sleeve packaging. Check out the pre-order links below and Ayumi’s latest digest video from her TROUBLE Tour Blu-ray below!

2CD plus Blu-ray

2CD plus DVD

2CD standard edition

2CD plus 2Blu-ray Limited edition (mu-mo exclusive)

2CD plus 2DVD Limited edition (mu-mo exclusive)

"a-nation" – Japan's Largest Summer Music Festival Announces Five Stages to Stream Worldwide August 29. Star-Studded 2020 Lineup Includes ayumi hamasaki, Daichi Miura, KODA KUMI, And Many More!

a-nation online 2020” will celebrate its 19th year by broadcasting worldwide on August 29, featuring over 50 Japanese and international artists including ayumi hamasaki, Daichi Miura, KODA KUMI, SUPER JUNIOR, BACK-ON, SuperM, The World Standard (Wasuta), FAKY, and more.

a-nation is the largest summer music festival in Japan and has amassed over 6.1 million festival-goers since beginning in 2002. This year's festival due to the ongoing crisis will shift online, featuring five stages from all over Asia. Performances from the "Blue Stage", "Green Stage", and "Yellow Stage" will be available to digital ticket holders, as well as free broadcasts from the "Purple Stage" and "White Stage" on Avex’s YouTube channel and LINE respectively.

a-nation 2020 full lineup: https://a-nation.net/ Comprising a star-studded lineup for each of the stages, audiences can tune into the spectacular one-day-only event to enjoy an experience that is uniquely and truly "a-nation". Tickets are now on sale.

a-nation "Purple Stage" teaser video

ARTIST LINEUP (in alphabetical order)

Blue Stage (Ticketed)

Amuyi (呂薔) / ayumi hamasaki / EMPiRE / FAKY / Fei (王霏霏) / Gemma (吳映潔) / GENIC / Kalen Anzai / KODA KUMI / Kohmi Hirose / MAMESHiBA NO TAiGUN / Naomi (王菊) / Novelbright / SuperM / Sae Otsuka / VOGUE

Green Stage (Ticketed)

BACK-ON / BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE / BuZZ / Da-iCE / DA PUMP / HAO (石承鎬) / I Don't Like Mondays. / JADE / Julius (刘维) / lol /Daichi Miura / SKY-HI / STAMP / SUPER JUNIOR / Wayne Huang (黃偉晉)

Yellow Stage (Ticketed)

Beverly / Chou Tokimeki♡Sendenbu / EXO-SC / GENIN WA JIBUN NI ARU / HARAMIchan / James Lu (盧子 杰) / M!LK / Peter Fish / PIKOTARO / Red Velvet / SEAMO / Timo Feng (冯提莫) / TRF / Yoanna (孫尤 安)

Purple Stage (Free) @ avex YouTube Channel

Aina The End / GOLDEN BOMBER / HAN-KUN from SHONAN NO KAZE / macaroniempitsu / Mosawo / riria / Taisei Miyakawa

White Stage (Free) @ avex LINE Channel

AATA / Baby Kiy / EMIKO SUZUKI / Hiro Ishibashi (MC) / IKINIGE / kolme / Leola / MaRuRi to Ryuga / Project 88 / Rei©hi / RUN Girls, Run! / Sakuramen / The World Standard (Wasuta) / THREE1989 / Tomoko Matsumoto (dj mapi) / Yu. (張瑀)

a-nation online 2020 - August 29, 2020

• Streaming Doors Open 14:00 (JST)

• Streaming Start 16:00 (JST)

Performance Stages

• Blue Stage (Ticketed)

• Green Stage (Ticketed)

• Yellow Stage (Ticketed)

• Purple Stage (Free) *YouTube

• White Stage (Free) *LINE

-- Timetables will be released at a later date.

Each ticket is valid to stream all 3 ticketed stages (Blue, Green, and Yellow)

* On-demand / delayed viewing is not available.

Ticket Agent: Beyond LIVE (details in English)

-- Information also available in Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, Indonesian, and Spanish)

https://www.vlive.tv/product/ds00u00u00000236?lang=en

Ticket inquiries: event@user-support.jp

Ayumi Hamasaki Brings First Song of 2020!

Japanese pop icon and industry veteran Ayumi Hamasaki brought us her first song of 2020! The new track “Ohia no Ki” debuted during the dorama “M Aisubeki Hito ga Ite” on July 4th. This is the first Japanese titled track since Ayu-pan’s debut in 1999 and the first release since her mini album TROUBLE in 2018. “Ohia no Ki” is a ballad number composed by Kazuhito Kikuchi, who also worked on several of Ayu-pan’s famous tracks “Who….” and “HEAVEN”. On her official twitter and instagram accounts on July 4th, Ayu-pan also posted her impressions of the dorama “M Aisubeki HIto ga Ite”, which came to an end with its final episode. This coinsided with the release of her CM for “Ohia no Ki” during the final episode. Ayu-pan and avex trax, took to YouTube and released the official full length audio track and the CM. Check them out below!