NEW PEOPLE WELCOMES ZANEEDS AND DANCEROID AS GUESTS OF HONOR TO SHOWCASE VOCALOID MUSIC PHENOMENON AT J-POP SUMMIT
August 8, 2011 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
New Musical Genre Inspired By Japanese Pop Culture To Be The Focus Of J-Pop Summit VOCALOID Music Conference And Features ZANEEDS, DANCEROID Dancers, And DJ Amaya At Annual Bay Area 2-Day Event
San Francisco, CA, August 8, 2011 – NEW PEOPLE, San Francisco’s dynamic entertainment destination showcasing the latest examples of Japanese popular culture, taps the latest dazzling musical trend from Japan – vocaloid music – a new genre of electronic arts and music that originated from Japanese pop culture. The style notably blends catchy pop melodies and technology-inspired vocals with captivating anime-influenced imagery and will be a major centerpiece of the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival and its theme of “Fashion, Music & Technology.”
The 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday, August 27th- 28th across the city’s Japantown and will host the VOCALOID Music Conference, highlighted by a variety of free interactive activities, panel discussions, DJ dance parties, and live performances from several notable Guest of Honor artists. A dedicated web site is now available at J-pop.com and features regular updates.
Hosted by Brian Zesk, the founder of S.F. Music Summit that takes place in September in Japantown, the J-Pop Summit x SF Music Tech present the VOCALOID Conference: The Voice of Future Music at 2:00pm, Sunday, August 28th. Tickets and more info on the conference are available here.
The conference will feature ZANEEDS, the vocaloid creative team that produces the work of several virtual pop idols such as Hatsune Miku, Kagamine Rin and Megurine Luka. The team will explore the evolution of this phenomenon and screen several music videos and discuss work they have done with many Miku-inspired creators and animators.
The main panel topic will be, “The creative explosion caused by internet platforms and vocaloid Hatsune Miku, and how it’s affecting the future of music.” Furthermore, ZANEEDS and Danceroid will share latest videos and reveal behind the scene stories from the production process!
The conference also features Ikura and Kozue from Danceroid, a vocaloid dance unit that has become an international musical dance sensation with their performances choreographed to popular Vocaloid songs. The group’s videos have been played more than 100 million times online.
Danceroid also takes over Japantown’s Peace Plaza to perform on Saturday, August 27th. The spunky pair of dancers also joins the Vocaloid Dance Workshop, also set for Sunday, August 28th and will serve as judges at the Vocaloid Dance Contest the same day.
DJ Amaya returns to the J-Pop Summit Festival and will again turn Peace Plaza into a massive dancehall as he did in 2010. This year, he will feature mixes of top vocaloid artists and challenges at ZANEEDS at MIKU MIX DJ BATTLE on Saturday, August 27th!
Last year, NEW PEOPLE became the first outlet in North America to present the vocaloid phenomenon when it premiered a live concert film for virtual pop idol Hatsune Miku at the 2010 J-Pop Summit Festival. Miku has since become one of the most visible and popular vocaloid performers. A fun new hybrid of the pop star and Sanrio’s Hello Kitty – MIKU KITTY – will be a prominent character mascot at the 2011 J-Pop Summit Festival.
Other Vocaloid-Inspired Interactive Activities:
Saturday August 27th
Vex Mode
DJ and musical artist Vex Mode started producing video game music in 2005 under the name David Nereus. Vex Mode will joins the 2011 J-Pop Summit with his pulsating Japanese Rave music (J-CORE) remixes that will kick off this year’s festival!
Miku Mix DJ Battle
L.A. meets Tokyo in San Francisco! DJ Amaya and ZANEEDS rocked thousands of fans at the Nokia Theater during this year’s Anime Expo and come together again on the J-Pop Summit’s Main Stage in Peace Plaza to take turns mixing up some mean Miku remixes!
Sunday August 28th
Vocaloid Dance Contest
Vocaloid fans hit the stage to dance and lip-sync in front of a huge audience! Bay Area anime organization Animation on Display is the host and guest performers Danceroid will judge the performances. Winners will be awarded DVDs of Danceroid and a variety of Hatusne Miku prizes!
Saturday August 27th & Sunday August 28th
Featured Performers:
ZANEEDS
The composers of this year’s J-Pop Summit Festival theme song, “Tokyo Beat.” ZANEEDS works as five “crews” that include: Music by ZANIO, Illustration by CHAN*CO, Design by PPRP, Movies by Ippai Attenya and Direction by Torinos. The group brings a Japanese aesthetic and the sense of beauty into their music which is inspired by Acid Jazz, Deep House and Electronica. More info at: http://zaneeds.com/
Danceroid
Danceroid is a group of four girls that have become an international musical dance sensation with their performances choreographed to popular Vocaloid songs. The group’s videos have been played more than 100 million times online on Nico Nico. More info at: www.danceroid.jp
DJ Amaya
DJ Amaya has been performing and producing his own original tracks and remixes since 2002. He is best known for his underground remixes of the Japanese Superstar Ayumi Hamasaki, and his podcast “Hitsuzen Radio” that features the best in Japanese remixes, and dance music from around the world. His latest CD, “Angel at Dawn,” is available now. More info at: www.djamaya.com
NEW PEOPLE opened in 2009 and has become a unique must-see attraction of San Francisco’s cultural landscape. The 20,000 square foot contemporary venue features the latest examples Japanese popular culture expressed though film, art, fashion, and a variety of specialty boutiques and ongoing monthly events. NEW PEOPLE is located at 1746 Post Street in the city’s Japantown.
About NEW PEOPLE, Inc.
Based in San Francisco, California, NEW PEOPLE, Inc. (www.newpeopleworld.com) offers the latest films, art, fashion and retail brands from Japan through its unique entertainment destination as well as through licensing and distribution of selective Japanese films. NEW PEOPLE Entertainment (www.newpeopleent.com), a film division of NEW PEOPLE, Inc. strives to offer the most entertaining motion pictures straight from the “Kingdom of Pop” for audiences of all ages, especially the manga and anime generation, in North America. Some titles include DEATH NOTE, GANTZ, KAMIKAZE GIRLS, and THE TASTE OF TEA.
Anime Expo 2011 Announces Vocaloid Songwriter Onyx Kobayashi, ASCII Media Works Editor Toshihiro Fukuoka and DANCEROID as Guests
June 6, 2011 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
LOS ANGELES (June 6, 2011) — Anime Expo, North America’s largest anime and manga celebration, has announced Vocaloid songwriter Onyx Kobayashi as its latest Guest of Honor, when it returns to the LA Convention Center from July 1 – 4, 2011. In addition, Anime Expo has added Toshihiro Fukuoka, the editor of two popular Japanese anime publications, and J-Pop dance group DANCEROID as Industry Guests.
A multifaceted artist, Onyx Kobayashi is responsible for the lyrics, music, illustrations and video for the Vocaloid songs including his hit “Saihate,” which has been played more than 2 million times online. He will participate in a meet-and-greet, autograph session and a focus panel where he will discuss his work as a composer, designer and writer.
Toshihiro Fukuoka is the Chief Executive Editor of “ASCII Weekly Magazine” and an Editor at “Tokyo Kawaii Magazine,” both from the ASCII Media Works publishing company. Mr. Fukuoka has played an active role in introducing Japanese anime and pop trends in these magazines including publishing a major feature on Hatsune Miku in “Tokyo Kawaii Magazine.” In addition, he is now writing “”World Otaku Report” with Danny Choo. Mr. Fukuoka will moderate all the Vocaloid-related events during Anime Expo.
DANCEROID is a 5-girl dance group consisting of members I-Ku-Ra, Kozue Aikawa, Maam, COCO and Yuzuki. The group’s videos have been played a combined total of more than 50 million times online. They are most famous for “Odottemita” (I danced). DANCEROID members I-Ku-Ra and Kozue will dance at Anime Expo as a part of one of the Vocaloid panels.
In addition to these new guests, the roster of Anime Expo 2011 Guests of Honor includes Japanese pop trio Kalafina, singing sensation Maon Kurosaki, Japanese TV Host and blogger Danny Choo, voice actress and singer Miyuki Sawashiro, voice actor Vic Mignogna, video game developer Sohei Niikawa and Crypton Future Media CEO Hiroyuki Itoh and Producer Wataru Sasaki. Hatsune Miku will also be at Anime Expo, as the convention’s first ever Virtual Guest of Honor. Themed the “Year of the Fan,” Anime Expo 2011 will fully immerse guests into the world of Japanese animation, manga (comic books), music and fashion. Anime Expo is a non-stop marathon of Japanese pop culture that’s been likened to Halloween in July.
To stay updated on all of the latest Anime Expo 2011 news, follow us on Twitter, become a fan on Facebook and check us out on YouTube.
About Anime Expo
Held annually in Los Angeles, Anime Expo is North America’s largest anime and manga celebration. Anime Expo gives fans the rare opportunity to meet and hear from some of the most famous anime, manga and musical artists from Japan and get into the action through everything from costume play, karaoke and video competitions to exclusive screenings, non-stop video gaming competitions and the wildly popular Masquerade, in which fans transform themselves into their favorite characters through creative costuming, accessories and make-up and put on their own show before an audience of thousands. AX 2011 will be held July 1 – July 4, 2011 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. To register or for more information, please visit www.anime-expo.org.
About the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation
The Society for the Promotion of Japanese Animation (SPJA) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to popularize and educate the American public about anime and manga, as well as provide a forum to facilitate communication between professionals and fans. This organization is more popularly known by its entertainment property, Anime Expo®. For more information, please visit www.spja.org.
A Shower of New Vocaloid Releases from HearJapan
June 12, 2010 by J!-ENT · Leave a Comment
Yokohama, Japan – June 8th, 2010 – As June brings rain to Japan, HearJapan brings rain-themed Vocaloid tracks to your ears!
The rainy season in Japan (known as “tsuyu” or “plum rain”) begins roughly around June and runs through July. It is a time when things slow down and some people might spend a little more time inside with someone special.
HearJapan is enjoying this time with a shower of new Vocaloid material. 12 new releases have just landed from a wide range of artists working in many different genres. For instance, there’s the traditional sounding folk of “Saka no Machi to Ame” by InashikiJoshu that features a duet with Hatsune Miku and MEIKO on vocals. Buriru’s “Amedoki Lover” celebrates having to be stuck inside together with a jazzy number. If it’s a dance party you’re looking for, the cue up the euro-trance track “Ameoto Kishikan” by X-Plorex. Or if it’s something more literal your want, then the gently shimmering “Broken Rain” by Shinjou-P is sure to evoke pleasant visions of the gently falling rain.
So take a moment to admire the rain, or simply enjoy the comforts inside, with your favorite Vocaloid tunes from HearJapan as the soundtrack.
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Links:
Buriru – Amedoki Lover
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Amedoki_Lover
wato – Ame, Irodoreba
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Ame_Irodoreba
ShinjouP – Broken rain
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Broken_rain
BIRUGE – skip;drop
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/skipdrop
X-Plorez – Ameoto Kishikan
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Ameoto_Kishikan
Inashiki Joshu – Saka no Machi to Ame
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Saka_no_Machi_to_Ame
TeraKomuroP – in the rain
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/in_the_rain
KID P – Ameoto to Itsuwari no Waltz
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Ameoto_to_Itsuwari_no_Waltz
valP – Rainy Day
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Rainy_Day
TawashiP – Hecto-Pastel
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/HectoPastel
Wonderful opportunity! – my rain
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/my_rain
AVTechNO! – Six Under UG
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/album_info/Six_Under_UG
All Vocaloid Releases
http://www.hearjapan.com/store/genre/1/74/Vocaloid
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HearJapan is the largest and fastest-growing place on the web to purchase Japanese music of all genres. Featuring over 2000 artist profiles in English with 40-second samples of all songs. Over 100 releases are added every week to the currently-available 20,000+ songs in the 100% DRM free catalog. HearJapan is a great place to find the hard to find and to explore the unexplored in the world of Japanese music.
