The idol group ≒ JOY (Nearly Equal Joy), produced by Rino Sashihara, is unstoppable. Their first single “Gyakuten Disco”, released on Wednesday, June 12th, sold over 100,000 copies in its first week, debuting at number one on both the Oricon weekly single rankings and the Billboard JAPAN Top Singles Sales. This is the first time in about two and a half years that a female artist has had both their first album and first single debut at number one on the Oricon charts.
While the buzz is still going strong after the music video for their new song “Taiikukan Disco” has been viewed over 2.05 million times, a special live concert was held at the Denki Building Mirai Hall in Fukuoka on Saturday, August 17th to celebrate the release of their first single “Taiikukan Disco”. This event was open to those who purchased the first single “Taiikukan Disco”, and only lucky users who were selected by lottery could participate. It was a very premium event where you could experience ≒JOY’s performance up close, and a total of six concerts were held at three venues, including the Tokyo concert held at Theater H on Saturday, July 6th, and the Osaka concert held at Panasonic IMP Hall on Saturday, August 31st.
The performance at Denki Building Mirai Hall was ≒JOY’s first special live in Fukuoka, and was divided into two parts (Part 1 from 14:30 / Part 2 from 17:30), and was held for lucky fans who won tickets. They performed a total of 10 songs, including the three latest songs from their first single, “Taiikukan Disco,” “Yume Miru♡Idol,” and “Nevagiba! Ikiro.”
During the MC talk, they talked about the secrets behind the new songs on their first single, the highlights of the music video, places they want to go in the summer, and other topics that only a special live show could have, and the venue was filled with excitement. Why not apply for the next special live show?
≒JOY is scheduled to release their second single on Wednesday, October 16th, and will be holding the ≒JOY Hall Tour 2024, which will visit four cities from October. They will also be appearing at large festivals, including the “Inazuma Rock Festival 2024” (appearing at the Fuujin Stage at Karasuma Peninsula Grass Square in Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture) on Sunday, September 21st, and the joint concert “Ikonoi Joy 2024” by =LOVE, ≠ME, and ≒JOY on Saturday, September 28th. Please check out the information on various events for their second single along with this update. ≒JOY is a hot topic in all areas, so keep an eye on them in the future.
■8/17 (Sat) 1st single “Gym Disco” release commemorative special live @Fukuoka Denki Building Mirai Hall
＜SETLIST＞
1. Gymnasium Disco
2. Dreaming♡Idol
3. The sky, whizzing by
MC
4. Beyond that is Exalt
5. Reckless
6. The Lonely Lion
MC
7. I had a dream about you again today
8. Smile Fragile
9. Never give up! Live
10. ≒JOY
★”Gym Disco” Music Video
“Gymnasium Disco”
Lyricist: Rino Sashihara
Composer/Arrangement: Koji Goto (ck510)
Sound Director: Takayuki Yayama (Sony Music)
Recorded by Sony Music Studios Tokyo
(MUSIC VIDEO)
Director: YOUYOU
Choreography: Maika Takeda
★”Dreaming♡Idol” Music Video
“Dreaming♡Idol”
Lyricist: Rino Sashihara
Composition and Arrangement: Kohei Tsukada
Sound Director: Takayuki Yayama (Sony Music)
Recorded by Sony Music Studios Tokyo
(MUSIC VIDEO)
Director: Toshitsugu Ohno
Choreography: CRE8BOY
★”Never Give Up! Live” Music Video
“Never give up! Live!”
Lyricist: Rino Sashihara
Composer: Hideshi Kanayama
Arrangement: Menma
Sound Director: Takayuki Yayama (Sony Music)
Recorded by Sony Music Studios Tokyo
(MUSIC VIDEO)
Director: Toshitsugu Ohno
Choreography: Hiromi Mitsui
★1st single “Gym Disco” now available!
https://nearly-equal-joy.lnk.to/TaiikukanDisco
★2nd single released on Wednesday, October 16th!
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/news/detail/1711
*Online individual autograph session
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/news/detail/1747
*Online individual talk session
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/news/detail/1748
※Two-shot photo session
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/news/detail/1771
*Individual talk session
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/news/detail/1770
★≒JOY will be appearing on the Fuujin Stage at “Inazuma Rock Festival 2024”!
[Performance name]Inazuma Rock Festival 2024
[Dates]Saturday, September 21st and Sunday, September 22nd
[Venue]Karasuma Peninsula Grass Square, Kusatsu City, Shiga Prefecture (multipurpose square next to Lake Biwa Museum, Shiga Prefecture)
LIVE AREA: Doors open/Show starts/Ends 10:30/12:00/19:00 (tentative for each day)
FREE AREA: Doors open: 9:30
*The event will be held rain or shine (cancelled in case of severe weather).
[Cast]≒ JOY
≒JOY will be performing on the Fujin Stage on Sunday, September 22nd.
*The Fujin Stage is open to the public for free.
★Saturday, September 28, 2024 ICONOIJOY 2024
[Date]Saturday, September 28, 2024
[Venue]Fuji-Q Highland Conifer Forest
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/feature/specialsite_ikonoijoy2024
★≒JOY Hall Tour 2024
【schedule】
Monday, October 14, 2024 (National Holiday) Fukuoka City Hall, Fukuoka Prefecture
Sunday, October 27, 2024 Kobe International Hall, Hyogo Prefecture
Saturday, November 2, 2024 Orix Theater, Osaka Prefecture
Sunday, November 24, 2024 Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall, Chiba Prefecture
https://nearly-equal-joy.jp/news/detail/1614
★Profile
This is the third group formed by Rino Sashihara to produce her ideal idol, following =LOVE and ≠ME. The final audition was held on January 30, 2022, and on March 29, 2022, the members were unveiled and producer Rino Sashihara herself announced that the group would be named “≒JOY”. On September 3 last year, the ≒JOY 1st concert “Nice to meet you, we are ≒JOY” was held at the National Hall of Pacifico Yokohama, and from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, the first tour ≒JOY 1st Tour “Absolute” was held and was a great success. The debut mini album “Kitto, Zettai, Zettai” was released on Wednesday, January 17th. (They debuted at number one on both the Oricon Weekly Album Ranking and Billboard JAPAN Top Albums Sales. They shipped over 100,000 copies on the first day of release.) On February 23rd of this year, they held the ≒JOY 2nd ANNIVERSARY PREMIUM CONCERT, which attracted an audience of about 8,000 people at Tokyo International Forum Hall A to celebrate their second anniversary. On June 12th (Wednesday), they released their long-awaited first single, “Taiikukan Disco.” (They debuted at number one on both the Oricon Weekly Single Ranking and Billboard JAPAN Top Singles Sales. It was the first time in about two and a half years for a female artist to debut at number one on the Oricon charts for both their first album and first single.) On October 16th (Wednesday), they are scheduled to release their second single. The name ≒JOY is filled with Rino Sashihara’s wish that “the members and the fans who support them will feel joy and happiness when they meet.”
Official websitehttps://nearly-equal-joy.jp/
Official Xhttps://twitter.com/Nearlyequal_joy
Official YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_qmQbqvW6UES3NT780l2Pg
