It`s that time of the year again, when the idol world below the 48`s and H!P come together with over 30 idol units[final lineup should be near 50] for a multi day Idol festival [Wota Heaven] .
The first lineups are out and is tradition the main acts get first billing .
Idoling!!!, Sakura Gakuin, The Possible, SUPER☆GiRLS, Tokyo Joshiryu, Vanilla Beans, Fudanjuku, Passpo☆, and YGA.
This year’s theme is “Eco & Smile” and will be an eco-friendly festival ,while bringing more need to the sufferers of the Tohoku Earthquake.
To live up to this theme power will come from private generators and there will be disaster relief projects that the idols will undertake.
One light hearted moment took place during the press conference when Sakura Gakuin`s Mizuno Yui was asked a difficult question , however the ever smiling idol stepped up to the situation and answered with “I’ll ask my teacher,” and ran over to their manager.
The developing lineup can be found on the home page below .
The festival will kickoff at Shinagawa Yoshimoto Prince Theater on August 24,25,26 and will continue on August 27 and 28
Question-What happens when Tower Records decides to spend a lot of money on something? Answer-A new Idol company is born.
Tower Records held a press conference on June 3 at their Shibuya location to announce their new Idol Company T-Palette Records!
T-Palette Records! Will be a new gateway for underground Idol groups to enter the mainstream. Signing on with this new label,our their debut units, but no strangers to the underground Idol scene Vanilla Beans and Niigata area Idols Negicco.
Label representative Minewaki Ikuo who is a self- professed "wota" announced at the press conference that he selected these units to be the new company's flagship units.
T-Palette Records! will make their recording debut on June 29 when Vanilla Beans will be releasing a new single, titled “Tengoku e no Kaidan” (a cover of the famous 70`s British Rock Band Led Zeppelin song ‘Stairway to Heaven‘).
July 20 the company will present a double release, Vanilla Beans will release an album “Vanilla Beans II“while Negicco will release a mini-album titled “GET IT ON!
Also this new label on July 10 will throw a listening party for Vanilla Beans new album and both units will hold a mini live at Tower Records on July 20.
Of the two units, I am most pleased that Negicco is getting this national release chance after the long hard road they traveled .This is a solid regional idol group that deserves to breakout on the national scene and a group that we briefly covered in the past and had plans to bring forward more on PIH . Vanilla Beans up-till now was on an Indie sub label of a major record company and have a more established brand name on the scene.
So welcome to the Idol wars Mr. Minewaki and T-Palette Records!
Honestly, while we talk about groups that are for the most part handed fame by their agency, Negicco fought very hard along their way to this, so If you are looking for a new group to support, give this group a chance.
