IKSPIARI Pure White Christmas Lighting Ceremony

On November 12th, 2011, mihimaru GT, Tiara and Yukie Sone joined a Christmas event IKSPIARI Pure White Christmas Lighting Ceremony at IKSPIARI in Urayasu, Chiba.

IKSPIARI is a fantastic, fairy-tale shopping mall much like a theme park. This year, IKSPIARI announced that they would be holding a 45-day event called "IKSPIARI Pure White Christmas" from Friday November 11th to Saturday December 25th. They built two special Christmas trees. The first to be lit was a 10 meter tall "Wishing Tree" with 365 bells, to carry peoples' wishes. Also built at the centre of Celebration Plaza in IKSPIARI was a "Christmas star" as a symbol of the wish. Many people were gathered in the large open space as it grew dark. Soon enough the introduction music began, shortly after which the female host called a special guest, mihimaru GT.

The audience applauded to welcome the unit. hiroko and miyake came to the stage, all smiles. The guide asked them to sit down in the chairs there, and a talk session began. They discussed their happy memories about Christmas, their concert tour and the upcoming song One Time, to be released on December 14th, 2011.

Your next song One Time is a theme song for the film "Quartet." Can you tell about the film, miyake?

miyake: Yes, our new song is the theme song for "Quartet." The story is set here, in Urayasu, in fact. And Urayasu City had its the thirteenth anniversary, so it's a commemorative year. The release of the film has been postponed because of the earthquake, but it was finally confirmed for release. Its theme song is our new song One Time. Please listen to it.

Can you give a message for people who watch the film, hiroko?

hiroko: I watched the film and I felt family love and warm bonds of affection. I hope people go to the theater with their family. If you feel anxious, or are facing difficulties and trying to stand up to them, I really hope you'll watch the film.

This year will be ending soon. Do you have any wish for the new year?

hiroko: We experienced the earthquake this year, and Thailand suffered from floods. I imagine a lot of people have difficulties all over the world. I pray that lights are on in their hearts. I would like to send songs that can make them happy.

miyake: As she said, a lot of countries faced big troubles this year, including economic matters. I think Japan and other countries are working hard to solve those problems. It was tough throughout our concert tour, because some people couldn't come to our show. I hope people will get positive power from this year going into the next.

With that, the talk session was over. The host announced the start of the mihimaru GT show, at which point hiroko and miyake stood up with their microphones. The lights turned off on the stage and colourful lights illuminated them. Then hiroko asked the audience, "Are you ready? I want to begin with this song, Kibun Jōjō ↑↑."

And so began their hit song Kibun Jōjō ↑↑. The whole stage transformed into a dance floor, and the famous party tune excited the audience. After the song finished, hiroko addressed the crowd: "mihimaru GT has a song for the Christmas season every year. I want to send this song from this place this year for the first time. Please listen: So Many Christmas."

mihimaru GT's original Christmas song, So Many Christmas, then began. It was rhythmic and melodic, but still maintained mihimaru GT's standard hip-hop sound. The lights turned to ocean blue, and the singer's voice warmly surrounded the whole area. hiroko then said, "I hope your dreams come true. Merry Christmas."

The audience cheered enthusiastically for hiroko and miyake, at which point the lights turned on. The host expressed that the big Christmas tree would soon light up.

hiroko and miyake then joined hands, asking the audience to do the same. They began a countdown, 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1. When they said the key word "smile," the Christmas tree was illuminated beautifully and brightly. hiroko, miyake and the audience clapped excitedly.

hiroko then said to the crowd, "Thank you. The next song is the last number, but I want to send our new song. We made this song for people who fight alone to reach a dream. Please listen to One Time."

A silent piano and whispering voice started the song. It was a calm, soft sound, and hiroko's peaceful voice filled the venue powerfully.

And so ended the first part of the show. The audience drew out their applause, while hiroko and miyake expressed their gratitude and disappeared from the stage.

The second part of the concert offered another lighting ceremony for a fortune-telling tree called "Wish Your Smile" on Chefs' Row at IKSPIARI, followed by a special showcase of Tiara and Yukie Sone.

Tiara sang a medley of her hit songs Sayonara wo kimi ni ... feat. Spontania (short version) and Mou dare ni mo toraretakunai feat. So'Fly (short version). Her whispered voice and melodious R&B sound entranced all in the crowd.

Next, she covered a famous hit song Genki wo dashite, wirtten and sung originally by female singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi. Some in the audience appeared to be crooning the song in low voices along with her.

Tiara then spoke to the crowd: "My new song will be released on November 23rd as a single. The song title is WINTER GIFT with MIHIRO. The single also has the cover song Genki wo dashite, and a Christmas song too. Let me tell you about the title song WINTER GIFT with MIHIRO. I used to ask various singers to collaborate on my songs. This time, I'm having an R&B soul singer sing a heart-warming ballad. This song's theme is daily happiness about little things, and love. I hope you will learn the song and sing it karaoke style. Please listen to WINTER GIFT with MIHIRO.

The slow winter ballad began then. The audience kept silent, focusing their energy on listening intensely to the beautiful ballad. Tiara then announced that she would appear on some Christmas stages this year, before thanking the audience.

The crowd applauded enthusiastically, and shortly thereafter, singer Yukie Sone appeared. Yukie waved her hands and smiled brighly, then thanked the audience for coming. She started her set with a Christmas song, Manten no hoshi.

This Christmas ballad featured "Jingle Bells" in an introduction part. The minds of the people in the audience were completely absorbed in the world she created. After the song finished, she announced the next song, Kirakira.

With that, the upbeat pop song took off. She asked audience to clap their hands along to the song, and people were happy to take the opportunity to have fun. Everyone present melted into one, unified in their enjoyment of the moment.

Yukie then announced the last song, saying, "I'd like to sing my new song; it was just released on November 9th. The title is Kimi no tonari ni. Its theme is love. If you love a man, you might worry about whether he's really interested in you or not. This song is about a girl who had to worry about love. I heard about this from my friend, who told me she was worried about her boyfriend. I thought there are probably a lot of those girls like my friend, so I wrote this song. I hope you pay attention for the real lyrics too. Today is a commemorative day for this Christmas tree which was lit. I hope you encounter a fantastic romance. Please listen to the song Kimi no tonari ni.

A beautiful piano started to colour her pure voice. Its tempo set a good feeling for the melodious pop ballad. After she finished the song, the audience erupted into warm applause. Yukie thanked the crowd, waving her hands and showing a big smile before disappearing from the stage.

It became quite dark then, and the illuminated Christmas tree remained on the stage alone to celebrate the people who'd come to the event of beautiful lights. Today, three artists ushered in the Christmas season to IKSPIARI with their voices.


Programme and set list:

First part: Opening event

Talk session with mihimaru GT

mihimaru GT Show 1
01: Kibun Jōjō ↑↑
02: So Merry Christmas

10m Christmas tree lighting ceremony

mihimaru GT Show 2
03: One Time

Second part: Presentation of illuminated Christmas tree 'Wish Your Smile'

The third part: Special showcase

Tiara
01: Sayonara wo kimi ni ... feat. Spontania (short version)
Mou dare ni mo torare taku nai feat. So'Fly (short version)
02: Genki wo dashite
03: WINTER GIFT with MIHIRO

Yukie Sone
01: Manten no hoshi
02: Kirakira
03: Kimi no tonari ni