What You Need to Know:
- Artists Mekakushe and Yuka Nagase will hold a collaboration concert on February 7, 2025, at SHIBUYA PLEASURE PLEASURE!
- Additionally, on November 27, the song “Katsute, Chikyuu wa Shirokatta” (The Earth Was Once White)—the culmination of their collaborative project “Sekai ga Utsukushii Kara Dayo” (Because the World is Beautiful), an original three-part story told through music—was released for streaming. A delicate yet powerful Heisei-era-inspired pop song, it conveys a heartfelt wish to cherish the memory of a lost loved one.
- The music video and cover art accompanying the release were created in collaboration with illustrator Anbiyori, whose nostalgic style beautifully captures the essence of the Heisei era. Together, they deliver an immersive and intricately crafted experience. The song’s arrangement was performed by Kosuke Hayashi, frontman of the band Scenarioart, bringing yet another layer of artistry to this collaboration between rising talents.
- The Mekakushe × Yuka Nagase Collaboration Live “Sekai ga Utsukushii Kara Dayo” will bring the story’s themes of the world’s end and imaginary friends to life through a full-band performance. Don’t miss this unforgettable event!
Product Information
Digital Single
Mekakushe × Yuka Nagase “Katsute, Chikyuu wa Shirokatta”
Lyrics/Composition: Mekakushe / Arrangement: Kousuke Hayashi (Scenarioart)
On music streaming sites: https://linkco.re/5z7ya5dt
Music video: https://youtu.be/K3V9xP9LxhA
Mekakushe × Yuka Nagase Collaboration Live “Sekai ga Utsukushii Kara Dayo”
Date: February 7, 2025
Doors open: 18:00 / Show starts: 19:00
Venue: SHIBUYA PLEASURE PLEASURE (Tokyo)
Official Pre-sale: 00:00 on November 27, 2024 to 23:59 on December 15, 2024
Ticket sales URL: eplus.jp/mekakushexyuka-nagase-official
Performers: Mekakushe, Yuka Nagase
Ticket Prices:
1F Premium Ticket: ¥16,500 (tax incl.)
Premium tickets include seating in the front area and a canvas artwork of “Samishii Wakusei” (Lonely Planet) signed by Mekakushe and Yuka Nagase.
1F/2F Reserved Seating: ¥7,700 (tax incl.)
Mekakushe’s Comment
The Mekakushe × Yuka Nagase Collaboration Live is actually happening! I couldn’t be happier!
Since SHIBUYA PLEASURE PLEASURE is a seated venue, I hope to create a live performance with Yuka Nagase that will let you fully immerse yourself in the story of “Sekai ga Utsukushii Kara Dayo.”
Step beyond the music and come experience it live with us!
About the song “Katsute, Chikyuu wa Shirokatta”
The astronaut Gagarin once said, “The Earth is blue.”
The blue of the Earth is the blue of the sea, reflecting only the blue light of the sun. Within that light lies the meteor shower of human tears, a blue of loneliness.
On the day the world ends, as we are flung into the vastness of space, what color will the Earth appear to be?
I want to sing while I can still remember. On this Earth, I want to keep singing together with Yuka-chan.
Mekakushe Profile
Handling lyrics, composition, vocals, and piano performance by herself, the next-generation singer-songwriter Mekakushe enjoys immense popularity among artists and creators. Starting classical piano at the age of three, she gradually gravitated towards pop music. Her independently produced songs were featured in a Kao Laurier commercial, and she was one of the top artists on the Spotify official playlist “Kirakira Pop Japan” with a total of 3 million plays. She is a promising emerging artist with anticipated future success. With electronica as the foundation in her recordings, her musical style continues to expand, featuring classical solos and band sets in live performances.
YouTube channel: youtube.com/@_mekakushe_
X: x.com/_mekakushe_
Instagram: instagram.com/_mekakushe_
TikTok: tiktok.com/@_mekakushe_
Homepage: mekakushe.com
Yuka Nagase’s Comment
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be performing in a two-artist concert with Mekakushe! This setup is a first for both of us, and I have a feeling it’s going to be something truly special. We’ll be delivering a world that only the two of us can create, so please come and experience it with us!
About the song “Katsute, Chikyuu wa Shirokatta”
This track serves as the perfect conclusion to the “Sekai ga Utsukushii Kara Dayo” trilogy. Like the night sky, it reveals new landscapes with every listen.
When I first received the demo, I was struck by how much fresher and purer it sounded than I had imagined. Perhaps the end of the world really is like this.
I sang as though I were witnessing the end of the world from afar. Hidden within the song are countless delicate expressions and subtle breaths. Be sure to listen while gazing at the blue sky.
“Sekai ga Utsukushii Kara Dayo” Synopsis
I wanted you to tell me why I sing, why I’m drawn to loneliness.
Good morning, humanity.
On an ordinary morning, one thing was different:
the news of the world’s end burned itself into my sleepy eyes.
That night, I had the strangest experience.
In a dream, I met my imaginary friend.
As I wrote about the bizarre events in my dream diary,
I began to wonder who you were.
I no longer understood who I was.
I started to think about why I was alive.
I wanted to meet you.
Hey, if the world were to end in a week, what would you do?
Yuka Nagase Profile
A datsuryoku-kei artist who works across 2D (Digital) and 3D (Physical) platforms.
She has a presence as both a virtual artist, using 3D CGI and illustrations, as well as a real-life artist, adapting her form of expression and performance depending on the medium.
In August 2023, she held her first solo live performance, “Eureka,” at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM. The tickets sold out in advance, and the live performance, which incorporated her 3D appearance, became a hot topic in the industry.
In September 2023, she released her first tie-up song, “Mujakina Kimochi.” The song was a special collaboration to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Tirol Choco’s popular “Kinako Mochi” product, and it gained over a million plays on TikTok. Also in September 2023, she released a mini album titled Launchvox. The album features contributions from emerging artists such as Pasocom Music Club, Mekakushe, Mao Sasagawa, Iyowa, and Amane Uyama and has earned recognition beyond the virtual artist scene.
X: x.com/yuka_n_RIOT
YouTube: hyoutube.com/@yukanagase
Kosuke Hayashi's Comment
I imagined this song as having such a grand scale that the two of them, cast into the atmosphere, could dye the Earth itself blue with their feelings. At the same time, I worked to craft a sound that stays close to the warmth of everyday life that’s always within reach.
For the chorus accompaniment, I combined the electric piano Wurlitzer with jazz piano, creating a sound that feels as if the two of them are playing back-to-back.
As I arranged the piece, I envisioned a beautiful, heartwarming end-of-the-world scene where they sing together with gentle smiles.
Kosuke Hayashi'sProfile
While serving as the guitarist and vocalist for the twin-vocal band Scenarioart, he also engages in music production, arrangement, and artist producing. Notable works include projects with Sachiko Aoyama, formerly of Negoto, among others.
Anbiyori’s Comment
I had the honor of working on the music video and cover illustration for this song. In preparing for this, I reread a dream diary I wrote several years ago, but most of the events seemed like a story written by someone else, as I had no memory of them.
Dreams feel as real as reality, and even when strange things happen, you accept them as part of that world, without a sense of discomfort. Yet, the moment you wake up, the details blur, and you realize it was all just a dream.
For this project, I created an illustration with the theme of a special place for just the two of them, where reality and dream memories blend together, much like when writing a dream diary. I hope you enjoy the beautiful song, which is gentle like a lullaby and embraces loneliness, along with the protagonist’s dream diary.
Source: Official Press Release