YRD Leo, an artist who has gained strong support, especially among Gen Z, with the total number of streaming views exceeding 150 million, held a solo live performance at UMEDA CLUB QUATTRO. This live performance, which is his biggest capacity in his hometown of Osaka, was played in two parts: a band and a DJ set.
The first part will be played with a DJ set where YRD Leo sings by himself. Following the opening footage of the original animation with a white butterfly motif, the first song she sang was “Model,” which could be considered her starting point. He gently asks, “Can I come to Osaka?” “Everyone is more nervous than me,” and “I want to make this time together with everyone,” and closes the gap. As the song progressed, the audience’s hands rose one after another, and the excitement rose as if to respond to the stage.
The “letter” written to a friend, “One of my few friends are here today,” gave a warm atmosphere and applause. The following two songs, “Angel” and “Over,” depict the sad love-parting breakup between men and women, and sings emotionally.
Also, during the MC on the day, there were occasions where he frankly said, “I was thinking about what it should be like as YRD Leo, but I couldn’t understand who I really am.” After last year’s live show, I had time to talk to the fans, and said, “He gave me such a warm voice. I realized (I realized) that I don’t have to dress myself up.” He expressed his gratitude to me, saying, “Everyone saved me,” and sang “Two,” which gave me a supportive support.
In terms of production, the bright lights are kept low, and images are projected on the stage back to match the image of the song, allowing you to immerse yourself in a space filled with shadows. In particular, in “Remember.”, the image of petals floating in the pink lights was a perfect match for the lyrical song.
The song he sang at the end of the first part was his latest single “Prologue” which was released on April 2nd. He reveals that he has not only enjoyed himself over the past five years, but also lost some things to lose, and once again expresses his gratitude, saying, “Everyone saved me” for listening to his song. He also sincerely conveyed the song, which was filled with new resolve, saying, “I wanted to help people learn more about myself, so I made it my first time making a song about myself. Will everyone continue to follow me in the future?”
During the change, rehearsal scenes with the band were shown, and the second part appeared with a three-piece band (guitar/bass/drums).
“Tokyo” resonates with a powerful singing voice that doesn’t undermine the sound pressure of the band throughout the venue. “My Way,” embodying the feeling of “I’m just me, don’t worry about anything around me,” draws the audience in with vocals that are driven by powerful drums. It’s understandable that the MC along the way revealed, “I wanted to be a band member. My dream has come true!” Cheers were pounding from the floor as well.
At the end of the show, before singing “Lily,” dedicated to his late friend, he asked, “Can I illuminate it with my cell phone light?” and everyone all held up their smartphones and shed light on YRD Leo. Wave-like images projected on the stage back create an immersive sight… Later, he declared that “Young Rich Drama,” which comes from his own name, was “a song that will continue to represent me in my life.” The band’s sound was loaded with lyrical piano phrases, and the melodic flow was reverberated with a loud bold resonance.
He then asked, “I haven’t prepared an encore. It’s over here, but for me, I think it’s the beginning. Can you sing along with me?” At the end he sang “Bye,” one of his signature songs. The various farewells that everyone experiences as they live. Their willingness to sublimate the pain and pain and move forward was conveyed, and a huge applause was erupting from the floor.
As the title states, “Prologue = Prologue,” this night marks a new beginning in its sixth year of activity. It was a stage where he showed an ambitious performance and made him feel like he’d make an even more leap forward.
Text by Amy Nonaka
Photo by yoshiki murata
[Release Information]
YRD Leo “Prologue”
Release Date: 2025.04.02 (Wed.)
Label: WARNER MUSIC JAPAN
Tracklist:
1. Prologue
[Event Information]
“YRD Leo ONEMAN LIVE “Prologue” with BAND & DJ SET”
Date and Time: Sunday, April 6th, 2025, OPEN 16:30 / START 17:30
Venue: Osaka UMEDA CLUB QUATTRO
Cast:
YRD Leo
Opening Act: Hayato Yoshida
