Singer, rapper, and dancer SKY-HI, who is also the representative of label BMSG and producer of boy group BE:FIRST, held an online press conference on the 19th, and announced a new large-scale project “D.U.N.K. -DANCE UNIVERSE NEVER KILLED-”. This new music program will be aired on Nippon TV from February 1, and a music festival will be held in March.
The goal of this project is said to be able to showcase multiple dance and vocal artists from Japan to the world. Various artists from Japan and overseas have the same aspiration as SKY-HI and would like to join the show despite coming from different labels and management.
Participating artists include SKY-HI, DREAMS COME TRUE , BALLISTIK BOYZ, BE:FIRST, Aile The Shota, &TEAM, and others. During the press conference, SKI-HI said that the artists announced at this time will be part of the first installment and he is optimistic that the number of participating artists will increase. “Whether you are signed with an agency or not, I would like you to participate by all means. Times are changing, and what you create during these changing times will be very important” he said.
NTV will regularly broadcast “DUNK -DANCE UNIVERSE NEVER KILLED-” from midnight on February 1st. More of SKY-HI’s thoughts on launching the project, talks by participating artists, etc, will also be broadcasted. Furthermore on March 5th, 11th and 12th, a large-scale live event “DUNK Showcase” will be held. List of performers will be announced at a later date.
In addition, extra content such as interviews, behind-the-scenes projects, and collaborative projects between artists will be distributed through YouTube and other platforms. In the sense of crossing over borders through music, SKY-HI explained that content distribution through YouTube was something he really wanted to do because YouTube content can be accessed from anywhere in the world.
It has also been revealed that the theme song “DUNK” will be released on February 3rd.
Read SKY-HI’s full statement from the press conference here:
There is no longer a need for barriers or discrimination in the dance and vocal scene. If something is good, then it is good. Music, especially dance, is the pinnacle of non-verbal communication, and from ancient times it has colored various scenes such as events, prayers, and has been enjoyed regardless of race, nationality, or gender.Now that the Internet is at its peak, things like an African boy watching videos of a Japanese dancer or an American girl going crazy over a Korean idol have become common occurrences. Even with the special skill of singing and dancing, it became a free competition involving people from all over the world after the development of the Internet. In a world where you can instantly check what’s happening anywhere, there are amazingly colorful…and talented dance and vocal acts always within your reach. DUNK is about the unprecedented excitement of dance and vocals, the new possibilities that combine them, and the players who are involved in it. It will be a project that directly appeals to the roots of human desires, such as “I want to see good performances” and “I want to hear deep stories that I have never heard before.” Let’s make this show a turning point in the history of dance and vocals!
