NEWS
Aimer
Courtesy of Billboard JapanThe long-awaited new season of the mega-hit anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba was announced a few days ago, along with the performer of the opening and ending themes of the story arc depicting Tanjiro’s mission to destroy the Upper-Rank demons preying on an entertainment district.
Both themes will be sung by J-pop singer Aimer. The opener is a fast-paced number entitled “Zankyosanka,” and the ending theme is a song written and produced by the prolific songwriter Yuki Kajiura called “Asa ga kuru.”
The popular anime has launched a number of recent long-running J-pop hits, including LiSA’s “Homura” (co-written by Kajiura and LiSA) and “Gurenge,” and Aimer’s new numbers are expected to follow suit.
Aimer commented that she’s “really happy and honored” to sing both tracks, and that she’s looking forward to “adding a bit of flair to their story every week, as the excitement builds against the backdrop of the nightlife in the entertainment district.”
“Zankyosanka” and “Asa ga kuru” will be released on Jan. 12, 2022. The entertainment district arc of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba will begin airing in Japan on Dec. 5.
KATSEYE have officially begun a fresh chapter with the announcement of their forthcoming single, Pinky Up.
The K-pop girl group sparked curiosity online after sharing a string of mysterious posts that quickly had fans trying to piece together the clues.
The first teaser, posted on March 30, featured the Mona Lisa gently raising a hot cup of tea with her pinky finger lifted. The next video, uploaded the next day, showed an arcade claw machine labeled with the group’s name pulling a sword from a mix of sparkling plush toys and a single teacup. Making things even more intriguing, the caption stated: “We’re screaming from cloud nine!!”
Their third update finally revealed the song title along with its cover art. The image showed a figure kneeling on a rug next to a teacup and a toy cat, while the title appeared in bright hot pink text across the visual. The group also confirmed the release date as April 9.
Pinky Up will arrive just one day before KATSEYE appear at Coachella on April 10, which will mark their first time performing at the famous festival.
The single also marks their first comeback since HYBE and Geffen confirmed that member Manon Bannerman would be stepping away for a period of time to prioritize her “health and well being.”
In a message posted on Weverse, they shared: "Hello. After open and thoughtful conversations together, we are sharing that Manon will be taking a temporary hiatus from group activities to focus on her health and wellbeing."
The group expressed that they “fully support this decision,” and added: “KATSEYE remains committed to showing up for one another and for the fans who mean everything to us. We look forward to being together again when the time is right.”
While she is away, the group will continue promotions with Daniela Avanzini, Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel, Sophia Laforteza and Yoonchae Jeung.
They closed their message by saying: “Thank you to our EYEKONS for your continued love, patience, and understanding.”
