Report on TikTok's "Living room live," a live music project where artists perform from home

On April 26, "Living room live" was held using "TikTok LIVE," a live streaming feature not yet officially released on TikTok. The concert was a live music program planned by TikTok with the hope that people could "relax with music during their holidays spent at home" while stay-at-home requests remain in place due to the impact of the novel coronavirus. A total of eight artists,Rina Katahira, COLOR CREATION, Tatsuya◎ (ACE COLLECTION), Novelbright, Yohei Hashiguchi (wacci), Beverly, marasy, Natsumi Miki(in Japanese alphabetical order), gathered together to connect a relay-style live stream from their official accounts.

Beverly

Appearing in a casual style with a relaxed vibe,Beverlygreeted the audience with a radiant smile, saying, "Hello everyone! I'm Beverly." She immediately showed her outstanding presence by performing "I need your love" as her first song. Next, when she sang "Toutoi," written and composed by Taiiku Okazaki, she infused the passionate lyrics with a jazzy sensuality, demonstrating her talent through the screen. As she sang the ballad "Again," which sings of hope for the future, comments like "Her vocal range is amazing" and "I got goosebumps" poured in. Since "Again," which is currently available in an English version, is the theme song for the first season of the TV anime "Fruits Basket," it might be a good one to check out during your time at home. I was deeply moved time and again by the vocal colors she unleashed, matching her ever-changing expressions. She started "Home" with the intention of "helping everyone enjoy staying home." Then, for her cover of "Despacito" (the official Japanese version), she sang the mysterious sexiness of the song—which means "slowly" in Spanish—perfectly, accompanied by the acoustic guitar characteristic of Latin music that makes you feel the breeze of Central and South America. Just when the tension built up from her sexy gaze directed at the camera through the screen while singing, it was interesting to see the relaxed moments during the MC where she took a break with a glass in hand, unique to a living room live. Finally, she closed her 30-minute mini-live as the first performer with undeniable talent, singing "Be The One," the theme song for Kamen Rider Build, which became a hot topic as a collaboration track with PANDRA, the unit of Tetsuya Komuro and Daisuke Asakura.

Natsumi Miki

Next,Natsumi Miki, who just celebrated her 22nd birthday, took over the live performance while holding an acoustic guitar. She looked adorable in a white blouse and plaid outfit, singing and playing while wearing headphones over her spring-like pink hair. After introducing herself, saying, "I'm Natsumi Miki, a singer-songwriter from Saitama Prefecture," she performed "Boku ni Totte no Hero" with all her heart, saying, "I think there are many people who can't meet the people they want to see. For now, let's hold on tight and look forward to the day we can meet again." I felt her singing voice, which was expansive and sometimes trembling, as if conveying delicate breaths and heartbeats, at close range, and I was drawn deeply into the world of the song. After she finished singing, her adorable "Thank you" and the MC, where she conveyed a sense of nervousness different from the song, made me realize that I had been so absorbed that I almost forgot for a moment that it was a live stream. The next song, "Dear," is a track that is loved on TikTok, used in short movies filmed with boyfriends and family. During the performance, she tried desperately to read the comments like "Moving" and "The best" as they scrolled by, and checked her watch while worrying about the time. "My watch has stopped!" she said, looking at the watch she had prepared, showing a smile while feeling flustered as she continued the live. While talking about "Seishun no Filter," the coupling track of her March release "Kimi ni Dake Barete Hoshii na," she reflected on herself three years after graduation, saying, "There are many things you realize after you graduate," and reminisced, "It was beautiful back then." Then, after finishing "Seishun no Filter," she added a congratulatory comment, "Congratulations to those who graduated this year." The emotions that spread before my eyes, as if I had re-experienced them myself, have a mysterious centripetal force that reaches deep into the listener. Perhaps it is because the clear outline of a story, like that of a novel, jumps out through the song. Finally, she entertained us to the end with a fresh, youthful live performance of "Kimi ni Dake Barete Hoshii na," a song about a cute maiden's heart that was just released. The music video features dancers Ririri, Wata, and Mikonana. It is a song that feels like it will be loved on TikTok for a long time.

marasy

Next to appear was the hugely popular pianistmarasy, whose total views exceed 600 million. The viewer count climbed rapidly, and he was receiving special attention. He even had elaborate playful touches, such as compositing the event's logo onto the keyboard screen for the live stream. He updated his social media at his own pace, saying "(The live) has started," and developed the live performance while responding to requests. His piano skills, as he skillfully demonstrated his technique, were a masterpiece. I couldn't help but realize the greatness of this event, where you can savor a blissful time at home. Marasy shared his thoughts on using "TikTok LIVE," saying, "It's my first time streaming in portrait mode, and it's interesting," and let slip his true feelings, saying, "I wonder if it's okay that I was invited to an event like this before the live feature is officially implemented?" Marasy, who has only been on TikTok for a week, commented, "I don't know my left from my right, so please teach me, everyone." He talked about posting his first movie on TikTok and said, "Since I'm here, let's play the full version," performing "Für Elise," the song that marked his TikTok debut. That song, which he intentionally played strongly, was posted with the comment "A slightly strong Für Elise" and has been causing a stir, but after that, he covered anime songs one after another. It's easy to imagine he likes anime, given the Hatsune Miku plushie placed on the keyboard, and his fans are the same, with the anime song medley causing such excitement that the comments went wild. For "A Cruel Angel's Thesis," comments of joy like "Too cool" and "This is crazy" flowed at a tremendous speed. He further heated up the listeners with "Gurenge," the theme song for the popular TV anime "Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba," which is also a hot topic on TikTok with celebrities posting cosplay videos. It was a live performance that made your heart leap with the lightness of communicating with fans through the melody and bounce of the piano. When he covered Mrs. GREEN APPLE's "Inferno," a sense of unity was born as fans interacted in the comments. Marasy, who was playing on a new Roland piano that day, played songs like "The Disappearance of Hatsune Miku" while enjoying the piano's features. At the end, as is customary for his live streams, he asked, "Is there anyone who had a birthday today?" and while mentioning that his own younger sister had a birthday a few days ago, he performed for the listeners who had birthdays. Finally, prefacing that it is a difficult time, he said, "I'm able to do this (live) stream, so I want to do it once it's implemented" and "I'd be happy if you watched TikTok too," and closed with the Pocari Sweat CM song "Aoku Kakero!," coloring the comment section blue.

COLOR CREATION

The five members ofCOLOR CREATIONdelivered a powerful live performance aimed at the future. Although it was a live performance with social distancing for COVID-19 measures, fans were happy to see the five of them together for the first time in a while. "We want to send one song toward our future," they said as they started "GREEN LIGHT." Watching them sing while swaying to the live-feeling rap and rhythm made my heart dance, even through the screen. And while inserting an a cappella corner covering popular songs, the live performance accelerated. In the a cappella corner, they mentioned their recent situation, saying they have been posting remote a cappella videos because the members haven't been able to get together lately. Even through the screen, the five members' loud shouts and harmonies blended together without fading, and TAKUYA introduced the song "Saturday Night," saying, "Let's enjoy the song we always do at our live shows in a TikTok version this time!" With a cheerful shout of <come on shake your body>, they waved their hands wide from side to side, showing an excitement that made you forget it was a <LIVING ROOM LIVE>. In the following "Crazy Cruising," the five members—RIOSKE, TAKUYA, JUNPEI, KAZ, and YUUTO—captivated the audience with a mic relay that showcased each of their individual personalities. There was a question, "Are you having a fulfilling time at home?" but with such a music program prepared, there's no way it wouldn't be fulfilling. Finally, they even performed their new song "Going On" for the first time. From the fast-paced intro, KAZ cheerfully called out, "Everyone through the screen, please clap!" Because it's a difficult time every day with many twists and turns, many people must have been saved by their positivity as they delivered a live performance full of hope for the future. They left the stage saying, "Since we're staying home, please take care and have a meaningful time at home," but the COLOR CREATION live performance was full of dynamism, making it a special moment that made me want to go to their live show in person as soon as possible.

Rina Katahira

As the live show reached its second half, singer-songwriterRina Katahiraappeared. Wearing a striped shirt and holding a guitar in one hand, the first song she chose to sing and play from her room was "Seiten no Kizashi." It was a selection typical of her, with the hope that just as the cold winter turns to spring, we can have hope, especially during these times. After that, the live performance, which she played warmly and with heart as if to encourage us, moved me to tears many times. "Thank you for letting me participate. It feels strange," she said, a bit bewildered, as she prepared her blues harp. "It spreads for better or worse like the wind, but I felt like singing this song somehow," she said, covering Bob Dylan's "Blowin' in the Wind." In the Japanese version of the song, the lyrics <How many missiles must fly before the war ends? The answer is in the wind, the wind knows> pierced my heart. After that, she continued to perform heart-shaking songs one after another, such as THE BLUE HEARTS' "Yugure," captivating her fans. "Like the bright red sky at dusk, there is even redder, redder blood flowing," she said, and then, "It's a song that makes you want to hold your loved ones tight at dusk," she said, perfectly expressing the gentle yet hidden red of blood in her song at a mid-tempo pace. While wondering where she kept so much energy, she finally showed a different side with the emotional song "Onna no Ko wa Nakanai," which sings of the feelings of a slightly strong-willed girl. In the MC, she reported that although she just started TikTok, something she posted from her account yesterday for an announcement is going viral. "I'm staying home, but (once COVID-19 settles down) I want to sing with all my might, so please take care of yourselves until that day," she said, and closed positively by singing "Orange." There is always a certain strength felt in her clear singing voice. That strength seemed to be connected to the comfortable tension necessary to overcome something.

Tatsuya◎ (ACE COLLECTION)

And fromACE COLLECTION, who usually works as a band,Tatsuya◎appeared solo. It was impressive to see him enjoying communication while being inventive, such as bringing out a notebook with "It's TikTok" written on it. Bewildered and nervous about the distance to the screen, saying, "I'm this close," he first sang and played "Yakusoku no Shiori." While I was captivated by the sad love song with a unique perspective about bookmarking the time two people stopped, Tatsuya◎ was somewhat restless, like a child who couldn't sleep because they were looking forward to a field trip. There was a scene where he restarted, saying, "I'm nervous about my first time singing and playing, so I'll start over from the chorus," but the warm, homey live performance put my heart at ease. The song he played, saying he wrote it on the way to a convenience store at night, was "Lady." When he wove innocent arrangements into the song, which has a slightly languid feel, comments like "Cool" and "I love the arrangement too much" appeared. There were glimpses of him joking around, saying "My hoodie is falling off," making fans laugh, and the closeness of that distance made me smile. Then, saying "I'm going to respond to requests in the comments," he restarted and performed "Haikei, Kimi wa...." The pure love drama overflowing from the song, which makes you visualize the scene, was conveyed straight to me. They have been energetically connecting their real and online activities, such as posting cover videos on YouTube, and they just released their long-awaited major debut mini-album "L.O.V.E.," and this song is also included in this work. This album, packed with love songs full of scenery, is a must-listen. And looking back on his activities on TikTok, he said, "Come to think of it, there was a song that became a hot topic once in the past, and since I'm here, I think I'll sing that song a little," and even performed a song not on the setlist. "I think there are people among those listening to this who have to go out for non-essential and non-urgent reasons, and I think the best thing is for each and every one of you to overcome the present to help your loved ones. I don't know how long this will last, but let's stay healthy together," he said, sending a cheer at the end. And he closed the live performance with "70-oku ni Tada Hitotsu no Kiseki," the theme song for the AbemaTV show "Boku Dake ga 17-sai no Sekai de."

Nobelbright

Next,Nobelbrightalso appeared not as a band, but withYudai Takenaka (Vo)andSojiro Oki (Gt). When they performed their new song "Kimiiro Note" from the start, joyful comments like "I started crying" followed from fans. The way he sang gently, as if wrapping up the piercing hope, was magnificent, and I was overwhelmed by the intensity that made me forget it was a live stream. "Since this isn't an officially released live stream, it's a precious live stream. I want to have a live show together while looking at the screen," he said, and the live performance proceeded while he looked at the comments. They have been holding virtual live tours every three days since the beginning of April, and they said that the number of people who know them has increased thanks to TikTok, and commented, "Please upload today's video." Before their debut, they posted videos of their street live tours on TikTok. That became the trigger, and they accelerated their activities as their popularity skyrocketed, but that was because they had high skills that caught the eye even in street live performances. When Yudai's world-class whistling, which shines especially bright over the relaxed arpeggio guitar, rang out in "Mata Ashita," comments like "The best" and "Too good" erupted from fans. The high level of his whistling skill, which he begged the legendary whistler Hiltl Schattauer to teach him when he was in junior high school, was enough to give me goosebumps. Furthermore, when he sang the cover of "One Last Time" (Ariana Grande), which they often did when they were doing street live performances, with his piercing high-tone voice, the listeners couldn't hide their surprise. It was a live performance full of energy that made me think of their street live performances, as they sang so freely even in a streamed live show. And for the last song, "Walking with you," they sang their straight feelings with all their might.

Yohei Hashiguchi (wacci)

The finale of the event was a solo performance bywacci'sYohei Hashiguchi(Vo), a five-piece pop band. Speaking of wacci, "Betsu no Hito no Kanojo ni Natta yo" has been covered by many people, both professional and amateur, and attention is focused on their high sense of songwriting, making them a hot topic. And as he said himself at this event, "There are songs in wacci's repertoire that I want you to hear precisely because it's this kind of time." The song he sent as a cheer to everyone who is working hard to live while things are difficult due to COVID-19 was "Daijoubu." In this tense situation, the song makes you feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. He sang the song, which honestly accepts frustrating conflicts and allows you to face forward strongly, emotionally. He also touched on the fact that many of their songs have spread from TikTok, and the live performance that day centered on such songs. Hashiguchi, who usually posts videos of himself singing and playing or at karaoke, performed "Sora ni Waraeba" with gratitude for the fact that many people have used his songs after "Kanjou." Hashiguchi's singing voice seems to know a comfortable temperature. And he also performed "Betsu no Hito no Kanojo ni Natta yo," which is covered by many people on the street and on the internet. While they have a reputation for love songs with unique perspectives, they have songs that capture sharp changes in feelings as well as straightforward songs. It was a passionate live performance where you could feel the heartbeat from the guitar and singing voice. Finally, since Mother's Day was near, he ended the live show with "Hanataba ni Shite." I was moved by the straight parent-child bond that sang of gratitude from birth to the present. The song was sung with the feelings of people who "might be spending time without being able to meet," and it might be a good idea to give the best gift on TikTok by using this song.

<Living room live> was held using the live streaming feature "TikTok LIVE" before its official implementation, but many talents will likely continue to convey much emotion through this short-movie platform in the future. It was a very wonderful event that made me feel that way. Also, TikTok often holds many campaigns with unique posting themes, such as hashtag campaigns. Why not try enjoying TikTok posts using the songs of the performers from this day?

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