If you’ve been feeling down, the right song can lift your mood right back up, and we have quite the treat for you in that department today with BE:FIRST’s “Smile Again!” Full of beautiful vocals, creative raps, and sleek production that’s ready for your summer playlist, “Smile Again” sees the group stepping into new territory with their first-ever love song, encouraging a saddened lover to let joy into their life. Ultimately, “the clouds give way and the sun dances in,” and even though it’s in a new subject area, SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, RYOKI, and LEO are truly at their best with this release.
“‘Smile Again’ brings a pleasant melody yet a hint of sadness or fragility in the track,” MANATO tells TREMG. “We are constantly challenging ourselves to work on new music and genres and having the opportunity to work with new people on each song. We had an all-star team on board producing this and we were so excited about it. We are happy to be able to share another aspect of BE:FIRST in this single.”
SHUNTO explains, “‘Smile Again’ has widened our musical range. I think each song is persuasive in its own way. I want many people to listen to our songs, and I hope ‘Smile Again’ opens the door for someone to get to know us and be interested in our music.”
To properly appreciate how far BE:FIRST has come, you need to take a look back at both their beginning and the accomplishments they’ve already achieved so far. The group formed through the audition program THE FIRST in 2021, which allowed young talents the chance to work with iconic Japanese artist SKY-HI and earn their place in the final lineup of the group that ultimately became BE:FIRST, under SKY-HI’s own BMSG company. The show put a great emphasis on creativity and individuality, which let the members develop their musical, production, and performance skills both on their own and in group settings.
“One of the things I learned from SKY-HI during the audition is to respect others, and I always keep that in mind,” RYUHEI explains. “I now enjoy creating new melodies during production while having respect for others in mind. Thanks to showing respect to people, I’ve been much happier.”
JUNON adds, “[I learned to] never judge things by what I can do or what I cannot. It doesn’t matter if I cannot do it now. Instead, I have the mindset of, ‘Let’s try it anyway, and I may be able to do it.’”
Three days after it was announced that SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, RYOKI, and LEO had made the lineup, they released their first pre-debut song together, “Shining One.”
Since their debut, BE:FIRST’s determination has allowed them to try out all sorts of musical styles and aesthetic themes, proving their versatility and dedication to delivering the best work possible for their adoring fans. One standout example is the energetic “Boom Boom Back,” which channels 90s hip-hop and offers a refreshing message about how the group are devoted to making their dreams come true, no matter what it takes. The lyrics clearly resonated with listeners worldwide, since “Boom Boom Back” has become one of their most popular songs on streaming and achieved viral success on TikTok.
For a viral moment to turn into more long-term attention for an artist, a song should go above and beyond what you’d typically expect and offer not only a look at who the artist is, but who they can become. That’s exactly what “Boom Boom Back” delivers – it shows you BE:FIRST’s unique take on sounds we all love, introduces you to their outlook on their future with lyrics like “aim only for the top,” and makes you root for the group to reach their goals with the global attention they deserve.
“It has been amazing to see the song go viral on TikTok, especially among young people,” SOTA shares. “Not many people in Japan are familiar with the 90s hip-hop sound. I feel ‘Boom Boom Back’ gave us a glimpse of possibilities for the future. I am super happy with people’s reactions to our song.”
Between the success of “Boom Boom Back” and preparations for “Smile Again,” 2023 has already been a busy year for BE:FIRST, but they consistently give their all for their fans, nicknamed BESTY. They’ve been touring Japan and putting on amazing shows this year, highlighting their dedication to their craft and to their global audience. It makes us even more excited for what’s to come, because they have a glimmering future ahead of them!
“For our concerts, we try to be in our best physical & emotional condition by working hard until the last minute, considering the setlist and stage production along with the stage production team,” RYOKI details. “We are creatively involved by presenting ideas for our recent concerts. We communicate with our fans through our music and performances on stage. Also, live shows are when we can reach people’s hearts. Those few hours are special moments only we and the audience can share, so we value every live show and put our best into our performances and on-stage banter.”
“We have a clear vision of what kind of music we want to create and are eager to be involved in its production,” LEO says. “So I want our fans to look forward to what’s coming next from BE:FIRST. Please witness our next steps as we seek worldwide recognition and become the artists we want to be. We won’t disappoint you! We hope to become a group loved by people, and we return the love.”
You can find “Smile Again” on your favorite streaming services now, and get to know BE:FIRST on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, their official and global Twitter pages, and their website! Keep reading for more from our Q&A with this impressive group of global superstars.
Hi BE:FIRST, congrats on your latest single, “Smile Again!” What has it been like for you to share the song with the world and see what your fans (BESTY) think?
SHUNTO: Thank you. “Smile Again” has widened our musical range. I think each song is persuasive in its own way. I want many people to listen to our songs, and I hope “Smile Again” opens the door for someone to get to know us and be interested in our music.
What does the song “Smile Again” mean to you?
LEO: ‘Smile Again’ is a song that conveys fragility and sadness, yet it also expresses positivity. The lyrics are as if reading an essay that reminds you of a place and time in your life, which evokes past emotions. We hope people enjoy listening to this song.
“Smile Again” is the first love song you’ve released as a group – what was it like to get to show a new side of BE:FIRST with this song?
MANATO: “Smile Again” brings a pleasant melody yet a hint of sadness or fragility in the track. We are constantly challenging ourselves to work on new music and genres and having the opportunity to work with new people on each song. We had an all-star team on board producing this and we were so excited about it. We are happy to be able to share another aspect of BE:FIRST in this single.
When you’re feeling down, what’s something that always makes you smile again?
SOTA: The ocean
SHUNTO: Food
MANATO: Matcha (powdered green tea)
RYUHEI: Games
JUNON: Smiling people
RYOKI: Traveling
LEO: The sun
Your “Smile Again” single includes two more songs, with the first one being “Boom Boom Back” That song went viral on TikTok and topped several Japanese music charts – how did it feel to see how much fans loved it?
SOTA: It has been amazing to see the song go viral on TikTok, especially among young people. Not many people in Japan are familiar with the 90s hip-hop sound. I feel “Boom Boom Back” gave us a glimpse of possibilities for the future. I am super happy with people’s reactions to our song.
One of the things that stood out to us about your “Smile Again” single is how beautiful your voices sounded on all three tracks! How do you feel you’ve grown as musicians since releasing BE:1, your first full album, last year?
MANATO: I think “Smile Again” is easy for anyone who listens or sings to envision certain scenarios. I was able to sing with some images in mind while recording. Up till now, we had fewer opportunities to receive directions in person during recording. This time, we had Keita Tachibana (w-inds.) sit with us, and we received specific directions on singing. He sang to highlight examples, so we could hear and immediately put what we’d learned into practice. I think we all learned a lot about singing techniques from this recording experience. Also, when performing on stage, we can now convey our emotions and imagination clearly to the audience.
You debuted through the audition program THE FIRST, which must have been such a cool experience! Is there anything you learned during your time on the show that you’ve carried with you?
RYUHEI: One of the things I learned from SKY-HI during the audition is to respect others, and I always keep that in mind. I now enjoy creating new melodies during production while having respect for others in mind. Thanks to showing respect to people, I’ve been much happier.
JUNON: Never judge things by what I can do or what I cannot. It doesn’t matter if I cannot do it now. Instead, I have the mindset of, “Let’s try it anyway, and I may be able to do it.” That is what I’ve learned from THE FIRST.
You’ve put on some amazing concerts this year for BESTY around the world! How do you prepare for a show, and how does it feel to be on stage in front of so many fans?
RYOKI: For our concerts, we try to be in our best physical & emotional condition by working hard until the last minute, considering the setlist and stage production along with the stage production team. We are creatively involved by presenting ideas for our recent concerts. We communicate with our fans through our music and performances on stage. Also, live shows are when we can reach people’s hearts. Those few hours are special moments only we and the audience can share, so we value every live show and put our best into our performances and on-stage banter.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with your music already, which of your songs would you recommend to them to get a feel for who you are as an artist?
MANATO: Here are three songs I picked that show our distinctive yet different voices:
- “Milli-Billi”: Please listen to this song as all of us sing and rap by mic-relaying.
- “BF is…”: This song is kind of a self-introduction to BE:FIRST. I like this song because it is well-packed with our diverse singing qualities and energy.
- “Boom Boom Back”: This is a hip-hop song, and each lyrical part has each member’s message or illustrates some background of ourselves.
I recommend these three as each character stands out. I hope people enjoy listening to them!
LEO: My choice would be “Boom Boom Back.” It is a type of song that we’ve wanted to create as it has the 90s hip-hop flavor, which many of us grew up listening to. I hope people can hear our musical roots in the song. Also, when you listen to other BE:FIRST songs, you will find a wide range within our music. We often say “genres-less music,” and I hope people can see what we mean by that when they listen to our
songs.
What can your fans look forward to in the rest of 2023?
LEO: We have a clear vision of what kind of music we want to create and are eager to be involved in its production. So I want our fans to look forward to what’s coming next from BE:FIRST. Please witness our next steps as we seek worldwide recognition and become the artists we want to be. We won’t disappoint you! We hope to become a group loved by people, and we return the love.
Is there anything else you’d like to mention or say to your fans that the questions didn’t touch on?
RYUHEI: Thank you for your support. We will continue to work hard and improve our dancing and singing skills. So when we are able to perform in front of you one day, we will deliver an amazing show!
By Madison Murray
Featured Image: BMSG Inc.
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