cheerful02_ivy

Growing as an idol.

___Ken Miyake talks about his experiences and struggles over 30 years___

The title of he new album to be released on June 5th is "THE IDOL". What kind of thoughts does Ken Miyake who claims to be a “professional idol”…..🤔

After the shoot, Miyake looked at the monitor and asked, “Do you want this piece for the cover?”while pointing to a temporary photo that the staff had modeled before the actual shoot. He also said Always remember to be playful.

“THE iDOL is also the code I sent to my fans😉”

Surrounded by his favorite pieces of art and furniture, he said he gets excited when thinking about the layout of the room and what to display next.

The first album after joining TOBE is entitled “THE IDOL” which contains the songs “ReadyΤο Dance” provided by SIRUP and “IDOLING” produced by Micro which have been distributed as digital singles, as well as collaborations with up-and-coming artists such as WurtS which were offered by Miyake himself.

“This time, I made an offer to artists from the younger generation in particular, because after 30 years of working as an idol, I wanted to discover a new side of myself by collaborating with people from the new generation.”
“For the main song 「ホーンテッド」, I wanted to betray my image in a good way, so I asked a young artist named WurtS-kun to do it. I chose songs that I liked as references and asked him for help [I want to make a song like this]. Of course he didn't follow the music I suggested, but it was made with what kind of music he wanted to make with me.”
“I tried a genre that I've never tried before, so I think this is a song that people can enjoy and enjoy the unexpectedness of what happens when I perform this genre with my voice. Anyway, this album is like a treasure chest because it contains everything I love, no matter the genre. This might be a bit messy, but I hope you enjoy it. In the beginning, idols are genreless beings. So, I wonder if I can express THE IDOL in that sense as well too”

There was a time when I felt like I was suffering.

If the main theme of “THE IDOL” is to explore new possibilities for himself, Miyake said that there is another main theme within him, which was “What kind of idol is Ken Miyake?”

So you created a piece using yourself as the subject matter?

“For example, among the various types of idols out there.. There`re many who love me because they feel a bit transience, and loneliness in me🤔”

“Until now, I`ve always faced my fans, thought about what I should do to make them happy in every situation, and dedicated my life to to being an idol😊”
“That's what I faced when producing “iDOLING” which was released in January. I`ve experience facing it more deeply than even before, like “What kind of idol is Ken Miyake?” This song is the latest version of the song I wrote with Micro• (Def Tech) in 2010 entitled 「悲しいほどにア・イ・ド・ル〜ガラスの靴~」”Kanashī hodo ni a i do ru 〜 Garasunokutsu”, and This song reflects the feelings I felt while living life as an idol. At that time I was talking with Micro for a long time about the song, and thinking that it had been a year since the last album, suddenly I felt like I was the only one left behind. Even though my surrounding environment has changed drastically, I was still an idol, and of course that was my choice...😀
That`s why, my various experiences and struggles were sublimated into [THE IDOL]”

“By the way, this album is also a code from me to my fans😉 I've been transmitting that code since “Ready To Dance”, and I think those who know it will be able to reveals the entirety of the code I wanted to convey by listening to this album🤭”

Even though times have changed.

Even though the environment surrounding idols has changed in various ways, they`ve continued to be at the forefront of idols for a long time. Miyake is still searching for ways to improve as an idol, so what does he implemented to himself?
Ehh....

What do I implement??

“I dunno...but, I take care of my skin (LOL)😂”

“However, I consciously keep my sensitivity and try not to miss out on new information. Of course, I also watch Japanese dance idol groups and K-Pop.”

“Conducting market research is also necessary to find out your value. Now is the era when countries are competing to produce new idols, and it is very difficult to survive in this era. Everyone has discerning eyes these days, so if they find it boring, they won't look at it anymore. I think we live in very difficult times now, and if we don't continue to provide high-quality entertainment, people will soon turn away from us.”
“Even though the eras have passed from Showa, Heisei, to Reiwa, the existence of idols still exists. After all, I feel like there is potential to become an idol. I thought idols have centripetal power. I think I`ve the power to make things happen, so I want to explore my potential even more. By updating the idol culture consumed in the short term and exploring the potential of idols, I believe that we can prepare a brighter future for the next generation of idols, especially for Japanese idols.”

In March "to HEROes ~TOBE 1st Super Live~" was held at Tokyo Dome, where TOBE artists gathered, they are closer to the hearts of their fans than anyone else. During the MC part, Miyake said “Would you all like to meet me?” “I also want to meet you” and "It's so happy to meet someone we all loves". Not only made the audience present excited but also the fans who watched streaming were also excited by the presence of a veteran idol.

When we asked what his future ambitions were, he answered with a smile, “I want to go horse riding” 😂😂

A feeling that I`ll never forget.

“I think not only my fans, but also fans of other artists spend their days feeling very sad, feeling lost because they might never be able to see each other again. It's the same for us, and I`ll never forget how I felt at that time. It was our first reunion, so I think everyone who came to the Dome and those who watched the streaming were very happy. I just expressed those feelings with words...But again, everyone, apart from my fans without saying anything, they colored their penlights orange, which is my members' color, as if they wanted to show everyone and made a sea of orange🧡”
“It was wonderful, and I was so happy with that feeling🥰 I was happy to see the blue bear penlight, which was a merchandise from my solo concerts in the past, was shining brightly, although I was a little doubtful in some places. And that's a signal that only me and my fans can understand😗😉

“However, because I was slower than my juniors in producing songs, and I had only released two songs, there were four songs that I suddenly performed for the first time at the Dome. Honestly, I regret that I couldn't have gotten excited about this song because even my fans didn't know it (LOL)😅

Before my next concert, I want everyone to listen to this album and have fun together😄

In June, the solo concert will be held at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. This is an attempt by TOBE artists to hold individual performances using the same stage.”

An expression that only I can express~

“I had a strong impression of Dome as a festival where everyone gathered together in the same place at the same time, but this time we will each create our own solo live performance using the same stage and mechanisms. from the opening, it will be completely different, and I think the differences in individuality will stand out and be interesting. I also want to pursue expressions that only I can.”
“In the past few years, I haven't been able to hear fans' cheers because of the corona virus. And I would love to hear the fans cheer in the Dome for the first time in a long time. After all, I think the real joy of a live concert is that you can sing, playful, and for that moment, you can forget about the difficult things that come with everyday life and free your mind🥰 I want them to enjoy this moment to the fullest, and I`ll do my best to enjoy it too😊 I also want to give a performance that will make them feel excited for tomorrow😉”

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PROFILE
Ken Miyake/Born July 2, 1979 in Kanagawa Prefecture.
The official YouTube channel "KEN MIYAKE" is currently broadcasts 「健ちゃんの食卓」"Ken-chan no shokutaku" every Tuesday at 9 pm and 「三宅健のゆるりと生配信」"Miyake Ken no yururi to nama haishin" every Thursday at 9 pm.
Tickets for the Ariake Arena show are on sale at each play guide (will end as soon as the planned number of tickets is reached).

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