Babymetal
| Babymetal | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
| Genres | Kawaii metal, J-pop, idol music, heavy metal,[1] death metal[2][3] |
| Years active | 2010–present |
| Labels |
Jūonbu Records (2011–2013) BMD Fox Records (2013–) (both are subsidiaries of Toy's Factory) |
| Associated acts | Sakura Gakuin<br/ >Karen Girl's |
| Website | www.babymetal.jp |
| Members |
Su-metal Moametal Yuimetal |
Babymetal (stylized BABYMETAL) is a Japanese metal vocal and dance group, consisting of 3 girls. The group is managed by the Amuse talent agency.
History
The group was initially formed as a subunit of the female idol group Sakura Gakuin under the concept of a "fusion of metal and idol [music]".[4][5][6] None of the three members knew what metal music was before the inception of the band.[7]
Babymetal's first indie CD single, titled "BabyMetal × Kiba of Akiba", ranked 3rd in the Oricon weekly indie chart and number one in the Tower Records Shibuya weekly indie ranking.[8] The band's major debut single "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" sold 19,000 copies in its first week and debuted at number 6 in the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.[4]
In the spring of 2013, Suzuka Nakamoto graduated from junior high school and therefore had to "graduate" from the group Sakura Gakuin (that consists of girls of up to junior high). However, it was decided by the management that Babymetal would not dissolve and would continue their activities as a band.[5] The group released its next single, titled "Megitsune" on Wednesday, June 19.[9] On November 20, 2013 Babymetal released their first live DVD/Blu-ray. The Blu-ray version debuted at seventh place in the weekly Oricon Blu-ray charts (and at the second place among music Blu-rays).[10] The disc contained three different concerts.[11]
Babymetal attended the "Summer Sonic 2013" rock festival which was held in Tokyo and Osaka on August 10 and 11, 2013.[12] It was their second time performing at the festival; in 2012, they became the youngest artists ever (with the average age of 12) to perform there. Later, in October 2013, Babymetal became also the youngest artists ever to perform at the Heavy Metal Music Festival, Loud Park.[13] In November 2013, Babymetal released a promo video for the Japanese premiere of Metallica's movie Through the Never.[3]
The group announced a two-day live concert at Budokan, scheduled for March 1 and 2, 2014, and a first album, which is to be released on February 26, 2014.[14][15] The album will contain 13 tracks and will be also available in a limited edition that includes a DVD with music videos and footage of live performances.[15]
Musical style
Their record label defines the band's style as "kawaii metal" and clarifies that it means "a mix of J-pop idol [music] and heavy metal".[1][16]
Patrick St. Michel from MTV 81 praises the "pure, headbang-inducing energy" of the group's live performances and describes their style like this:
The teenage trio merge the seemingly disparate sounds of heavy metal and idol pop, creating music anchored both by throat-mauling screeches and cuddly choruses.—Headbanging with BABYMETAL at Rock In Japan 2013[17]
Enrico Ahlig from the German magazine Metal Hammer wrote:
Their recipe for success: short skirts, schoolgirl charm, and high-pitched peepy voices — just like in the manga comics.
But they mix it all with metal. Slams, breaks, and solos are fiercely thrown into a pot of squeaky techno tunes. It sounds weird, but it is so.—Babymetal: Crazy metal trend from Japan[18]
Origin of the band name
According to Kobametal (the band's producer), Babymetal's name came to him by revelation (as a "divine message"). It is a play on the words "heavy metal". "Baby" may indicate cuteness, "metal" — intensity. Also, he has come to like interpreting it as "newborn metal".[19] In an interview for Razor TV while in Singapore in late 2013, the band members also used the latter interpretation. They stated their brand of metal was a newborn genre, and that was what "baby" in "Babymetal" stood for.[7]
Members
| Name | Instruments | Real name | Date of birth | Prefecture of origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Su-metal (SU-METAL) | vocals, dance | Suzuka Nakamoto (中元 すず香) | December 20, 1997 | Hiroshima |
| Moametal (MOAMETAL) | screams, dance | Moa Kikuchi (菊地 最愛) | July 4, 1999 | Aichi |
| Yuimetal (YUIMETAL) | screams, dance | Yui Mizuno (水野 由結) | June 20, 1999 | Kanagawa |
Discography
Singles
| No. | Title | Release date | Oricon Weekly Single Chart [20] |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indie singles | |||
| — | "BabyMetal × Kiba of Akiba" (BABYMETAL×キバオブアキバ)[21]
|
March 7, 2012 | 46 |
| 1 | "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!" (ヘドバンギャー!!) |
4 July 2012 | 20 |
| Major singles | |||
| 1 | "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" (イジメ、ダメ、ゼッタイ, "No, More, Bullying!") |
January 9, 2013 | 6 |
| 2 | "Megitsune" (メギツネ, "Vixen" [Female Fox]) |
June 19, 2013 | 7 |
Albums
| No. | Title | Release date | Oricon Weekly Album Chart [22] |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Babymetal (BABYMETAL) | February 26, 2014 |
DVD singles
- "Doki Doki Morning" (ド・キ・ド・キ☆モーニング) (October 22, 2011, Jūonbu Records, a sublabel of Toy's Factory)
DVDs / Blu-ray discs
| No. | Title | Release date | Oricon Weekly DVD Chart |
Oricon Weekly Blu-ray Chart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Live: Legend I, D, Z Apocalypse (LIVE ～LEGEND I、D、Z APOCALYPSE～) |
October 19, 2013 (DVD) November 20, 2013 (Blu-ray) |
7[23] |
Music videos
| Single no. | Title |
|---|---|
| 1st DVD single |
"Doki Doki Morning" |
| 1 | "Ii ne!" |
| "Ii ne!" (Live in Tokyo 2012) | |
| 2 | [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GErGfHjHQ0 "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!"] |
| 3 | "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" |
| 4 | "Megitsune" |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "BABYMETAL - Biography - Artist". Barks. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ "BABYMETAL「SUMMER CAMP 2013」に爆音生バンドを従え登場" [BABYMETAL "Summer Camp 2013" appearance followed by a roaring live band] (in Japanese). Musicman-NET. 2013-07-17. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Metal-Wahnsinn in Japan Babymetal werben für Metallica" [Metal Madness in Japan: Babymetal advertises Metallica]. Metal Hammer (in German). 2013-11-20. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "TOP10入りデビューするライブ重視の個性派アイドル～Cheeky Parade、BABYMETAL". ORICON BiZ online (in Japanese) (Oricon). 2013-01-21. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 " [BABYMETAL] The end was the beginning of the new story of BABYMETAL. It has begun at that night. Here is the report from the night at Zepp Tokyo!". Kawaii Girl Japan. 2013-02-14. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ↑ "12～13歳女の子の「ヘビメタアイドル」 「さくら学院 BABYMETAL」に世界が大注目" [12 to 13 Year Old Girls World's Hottest "Heavy Metal Idols"—Sakura Gakuin's BABYMETAL] (in Japanese). J-CAST. 2011-12-16. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "BABYMETAL: 'Cutest Headbangers On The Planet'". Razor TV (in Japanese, with subtitles in English). Singapore. December 2013. Retrieved 2014-01-18.
- ↑ "女の子3人組のメタルダンスユニット"BABYMETAL"、初の単独シングル発売決定" [Three-girl metal dance unit "BABYMETAL" releases first indie single]. De View (in Japanese) (Oricon). 2012-04-27. Retrieved 2013-04-18.
- ↑ "BABYMETAL To Release "Megitsune" On June 19th". Japanverse. 2013-04-16.
- ↑ "【オリコン】BABYMETAL、初ライブBDがTOP10入り" [[Oricon] BABYMETAL's first live blu-ray enters top 10]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ "Japan-Metaller Babymetal Live-Aufnahme von ‘Catch Me If You Can’ - METAL HAMMER". Metal Hammer. 2013-11-29. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ "BABYMETAL ： 2度目のサマソニ参戦が決定 今年は大阪にも降臨！" [BABYMETAL announces they will attend Summer Sonic in Osaka for a second time this year] (in Japanese). Mantan-Web. 2013-05-18.
- ↑ "BABYMETAL Live in Singapore 2013". Retrieved 2013-12-07.
- ↑ "日本武道館2DAYS決定！！オフィシャルHP先行がスタートDEATH！！12月24日（火）23時59分まで！！". BABYMETAL.jp (in Japanese). BABYMETAL. 2013-12-21. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 "1st Album「BABYMETAL」発売決定DEATH！！" [1st Album "BABYMETAL" set for release]. BABYMETAL.jp (in Japanese). BABYMETAL. 2014-01-24. Retrieved 2014-01-31.
- ↑ "BABYMETAL - ヘドバンギャー！！- Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! (Full ver.) - YouTube". Toy's Factory. 2012-11-08. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
- ↑ "Headbanging with BABYMETAL at Rock In Japan 2013". MTV 81. 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2013-11-15.
- ↑ "Babymetal: Verrückter Metal-Trend aus Japan" [Babymetal: Crazy metal trend from Japan]. Metal Hammer (in German). 2012-06-13. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
- ↑ "異色メタルアイドル「ベビーメタル」はなぜ人気？ “仕掛け人”を直撃！" [Why is the unique metal idol group Babymetal so popular? Their gimmick is a hit!]. Nikkei Trendy Net (in Japanese). 2013-10-31. p. 2. Retrieved 2014-01-20.
- ↑ "ＢＡＢＹＭＥＴＡＬのCDシングルランキング、ＢＡＢＹＭＥＴＡＬのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典" [BABYMETAL CD Single Rankings, Profile]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- ↑ "ＢＡＢＹＭＥＴＡＬ×キバオブアキバ ＢＡＢＹＭＥＴＡＬ×キバオブアキバのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典" [BabyMetal × Kiba of Akiba Profile]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2013-06-11.
- ↑ "ＢＡＢＹＭＥＴＡＬのCDアルバムランキング │オリコン芸能人事典" [BABYMETAL Album Rankings]. Oricon Style (in Japanese). Oricon.
- ↑ "2013年11月18日〜2013年11月24日のBlu-ray総合週間ランキング（2013年12月02日付）" [Blu-ray Weekly Ranking 2013/11/18-2013/11/24] (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2013-12-07.
External links
- Official website (Japanese)
- Babymetal's channel on YouTube (Japanese) (English)
- Babymetal on Facebook
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