Da-iCE's new "Kirin Lemon" campaign song "Imitation" released! Collaboration MV

■ “I put my feelings of wanting to stay fresh without using my generation as an excuse” (Da-iCE Kudo Taiki)

Da-iCE has written a new campaign song for the carbonated drink “Kirin Lemon” (Kirin Beverage), called “Imitation,” and the collaboration music video with Kirin Lemon was released on July 8th.

The commercial is based on the theme of Kirin Lemon’s “carbonation” and “popping,” and is set in a yellow and white world. Da-iCE’s refreshing, clear and expansive singing voice, speedy and sharp dance scenes, and pop animation that matches the choreography create a fashionable video that expresses the worldview of the song. Da-iCE’s serious expressions and sparkling smiles are also worth watching.

The campaign song “Imitation” was written specifically for this campaign. Taiki Kudo, who wrote the lyrics and composed the music, said that he had a hard time writing the song in a way that rhymed closely with “Kirin Lemon” while still staying consistent with the message he wanted to convey.

In an interview after the shoot, when asked how she felt when she received the offer, she said, “I was honored, but also felt pressured. I thought about what kind of song I should aim to create that would be fun as a dancer and vocalist, and I also felt that I wanted to create it in a genre that was, in a good way, different from the image of the phrases.” She commented on the feelings she put into the song, saying, “The general theme is that as we grow up and learn and become concerned about various things, we don’t want to forget the pure feelings we had back then, and I put my feeling of wanting to stay fresh without using my generation as an excuse.”

■ Interview with Daiki Kudo
Q. How did you feel when you received the offer?
Kudo: It was an honor, but there was also pressure. In the midst of that, I was thinking about what kind of song I should aim for as a dance and vocal collaboration with Kirin Lemon, and I also wanted to create a song in a genre that was different from the phrase image in a good way.
Q. I heard that you wrote the lyrics and composed the music this time. Please tell us what you put into it.
Kudo: As we grow up and learn and become more aware of various things, we want to remember the pure feelings we had in the past, and we want to stay fresh without making excuses about our generation. The song genre is a mix of 2step, which was popular in the 2000s, dubstep, which was popular 10 years ago, and recent Jersey club beats, and we’ve put together an approach that mixes the feel of the era.
Q. How did you feel after the shoot was over? Please tell us any stories from the shoot.
Kudo: It was a simple shoot, but I enjoyed it. I think it’s a refreshing video that still has our own style. I hope you enjoy it as if it were a commercial. The director called a masseuse during the shoot, and I had a good reaction to the massage the next day after having her massage me in between takes. Thank you very much.