Amuse Management member Toshio Miyakoshi Representative Director and President Brussels Co. Ltd. was interviewed on Equity Story Japan to talk about Amuse efforts to be successful. In the 3 volumes interview with Toshio Miyakoshi BABYMETAL is mentioned in a few questions. Read the excerpt below to understand the commercial success of the group.
Amuse Management member talk BABYMETAL's success on Equity Story Japan
Please tell us about the growth strategy, taking into account the changes in the business environment going forward.
Miyakoshi: "In order to continuously grow in the existing domestic market going forward, it is essential to sustainably develop and increase the number of artists as the pillar of profit. For the realization of this goal, we think it is important to further enhance the "infrastructure power" of Amuse."
What specifically is the infrastructure power?
Miyakoshi: "I believe there are two elements. One is the capability to develop artists to achieve commercial success, and to provide the high-quality environment necessary for their growth in a timely manner. Another is thorough communication with artists."
The former element is your unique function as an entertainment production office, right?
Miyakoshi: "Yes. We add value particularly by creating what the artists cannot create on their own. We consider artists the raw material, and develop them while judging not only the currently existing talent, but also their potential position within the industry, where they can shine to the greatest degree when they grow in the future."
-In recent years, the activities of artists have diversified across genres and platforms, so should it be difficult to discover the law of commercial success?
Miyakoshi: "That's why it can be one of our strengths. In our production office, there are artists specialized in music such as the Southern All Stars and Perfume. Like Masaharu Fukuyama, some artists do both music and acting. Each actor has a completely different character. By utilizing the various practices, know-how, and personal connections we have accumulated in the music and acting industries, we are confident that we can develop the artist with the certainty of success.
BABYMETAL is one of the recent development and success examples. In Japan, they just held a solo live show at Budokan in March 2014, and they are becoming popular in Europe and the US via YouTube. They performed on the main stage at the Metal Rock Festival in the UK and Canada, and they also received an offer and performed as the support act of Lady Gaga in the US in July. In the US, they have been ranked 1st on the iTunes overseas album chart."
-What is the development concept of BABYMETAL?
Miyakoshi: "It is a fusion of idol and metal rock. They were originally an idol group of our “Kids Business Office” in Amuse. We thought it might be interesting to combine their charm as an idol and heavy metal, and formed BABYMETAL.
I have watched their YouTube official channel. BABYMETAL is totally different from the traditional heavy metal with a masculine and strong image."
In addition to the cuteness of their performance, the three members have specialized in vocal and dance only, and they never compose or play the music. In the world of heavy metal, which places importance on tradition and the views of "stylized beauty,” BABYMETAL is full of the unusual in its presence. Therefore, there was initially a significant controversy over whether they should be accepted as a metal group. The controversy extended not only to the YouTube comments, but also to a prominent heavy metal and rock magazine abroad, which featured them and covered the controversy."
-How was the controversy abroad settled?
Miyakoshi: "While the controversy still continues, there are quite favorable reviews, such as: "BABYMETAL is one form of entertainment brought by a Japanese production office that completely integrates disparate elements (the most conservative heavy metal and idol) together without compromise.”
As this comment indicates, we believe the high quality of our entertainment has paved the way for acceptance abroad. Music played by elite professionals, the intensively polished dance of members directed by the choreographer for Perfume: these are the elements that only Amuse could have prepared. In addition to the planning, we have prepared the best environment that suits the plan, and have thoroughly implemented it. Consequently, BABYMETAL is completely established as entertainment. That's why they are favorably reviewed and accepted as part of the new form of metal, I believe."
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