BE: FIRST amps up global push with new single and SB19 collaboration

April 16 ------ Five years since its debut, Japanese boy group BE:FIRST is leaning more firmly into its identity with the release of its latest single, “BE: FIRST ALL DAY,” a track the group says reflects its growth while signaling a bigger push onto the global stage, including its first visit to the Philippines.

Formed in 2021 through the reality competition show “The First,” BE:FIRST has steadily built a following beyond Japan as part of a new wave of J-pop acts reaching international audiences. Marking its fifth anniversary, the group described their new single as a defining statement of who they are now and where they are headed, capturing both continuity and momentum in their music and identity.

“This song represents our determination to continue being BE:FIRST even beyond our fifth anniversary — it’s a statement of who we are moving forward. Rather than just reflecting on the past, this song is a statement to the future: that we are still here, we aren’t changing our core, and we are only going to accelerate,” the group said in an email interview with The Manila Times. “It captures the composure and confidence we’ve gained over these five years, and above all, the absolute certainty that the six of us are moving forward together. For us, this isn’t just a new song; it’s our new calling card,” they continued.

Beyond serving as an anniversary release, the group said the track also carries a message meant to reassure fans even as its sound continues to evolve. “Five years have passed since our debut, and in that time, our musical expressions have constantly evolved. As we move forward and continue to take on new challenges, our style may shift and take on new forms. But what we want to convey most is our strong will — that no matter how much the situation changes, ‘we are still here,’” they said. “We hope that everyone who supports us can feel that BE:FIRST will continue to exist, no matter what form that may take. When you listen to this track, I hope you feel a sense of security knowing we are always by your side, mixed with excitement for the future ahead. We will always be a part of your daily lives,” they added.

Looking back, the group pointed to key creative milestones that helped define its sound, particularly when members became more involved in the music-making process. “I feel like our fourth single, ‘Mainstream,’ was a turning point where we really defined what BE:FIRST’s music is. It was a song that came from the members initiating conversations and working closely with our CEO and produ­cers, so it holds a very special place for us. We spent nights talking it through as a group,” they said.

They said that deeper involvement in shaping their music also strengthened their artistic identity. “By being involved from the very roots of the creative process, our sense of responsibility and pride in our music became much firmer. That process helped us become more confident in expressing our identity beyond Japan.” “Seeing that song hit No. 1 and receiving reactions from fans all over the world gave us the conviction that the style we believe in is the right path. That confidence is exactly what fuels our ambition to take on the world today,” they added.

That ambition now extends across borders, most recently through a collaboration with Filipino group SB19 on the track “Toyfriend,” which has already posted strong chart results in Japan, reaching No. 1 on the mora Singles Chart (a Japanese digital music download ranking), No. 6 on the Billboard Japan Top Download Songs chart and No. 4 on the Genius Japan Weekly Top 10.

Source: manilatimes.net