BE:FIRST has one message for the world: ‘WATCH ME’

Formed in 2021 through Japanese producer and rapper SKY-HI’s audition show THE FIRST, BE:FIRST—made up of members Sota, Shunto, Manato, Ryuhei, Junon and Leo—has established themselves as one of Japan’s major music acts, blending dance, pop, hip-hop and R&B into a sound that is distinctly their own.

“WATCH ME” is more than a title

For Junon, the EP’s title is deliberately straightforward. “Yes, it has the literal meaning of ‘watch me,’” he says.

But there’s more behind the phrase. WATCH ME reflects the group’s desire to introduce themselves to listeners beyond Japan and have the world pay attention to what they’re creating. “The song itself also represents our strong determination to set our goals and actually make them happen—not just talk about them, but prove ourselves through our actions,” Junon explains.

That philosophy extends to the song’s choreography, created by Sota, who has won four World Hip Hop Dance Champion titles with the Japanese dance crew KANA-BOON! in 2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019. “I think ‘WATCH ME’ is a track that really represents who BE:FIRST is right now and captures the overall spirit of this EP,” Junon says.

That spirit is particularly fitting for a group entering a new international chapter. Rather than presenting themselves as a Japanese act attempting to fit into the global pop landscape, BE:FIRST seems more interested in showing audiences exactly who they already are. And that includes the details.

Finding their voice in a global market

Creating music for an international audience did require the group to approach certain parts of the process differently, with one of the biggest changes occurring during recording.

Because the group is reaching a broader audience with the new EP, they paid especially close attention to their English pronunciation. That meant spending additional time in the studio working with people who could guide them through pronunciation and making adjustments along the way. “We really took our time to make sure every detail sounded right,” Junon shares.

It’s a small but significant example of how BE:FIRST is approaching its global ambitions: not by changing its identity, but by making sure its music can travel as far as possible. That idea of remaining grounded while expanding internationally also appears in “BRUCE WAYNE,” the EP’s pre-release single featuring U.S. artists Flo Milli and ATL Jacob.

For Manato, the choice of Bruce Wayne, the billionaire who moonlights as Batman, as the song’s central metaphor comes down to one particular quality: duality. “There’s this glamorous side of him, but at the same time, he never forgets where he came from,” he says. He sees a similar quality in BE:FIRST, noting, “No matter how far we go or how much our environment changes, we always want to stay true to ourselves and remember where we came from.”

Bringing Japanese music and language to the world

Japanese food and anime have long been global cultural exports. BE:FIRST hopes music can be another gateway into the country’s culture, but Shunto wants international listeners to notice something more fundamental: the Japanese language itself. “As Japanese artists, of course we want people to discover more Japanese music,” he says. “But beyond that, I’d love for people to experience the subtlety and beauty of the Japanese language itself.”

Even when listeners don’t understand every lyric, Shunto believes there is something meaningful in experiencing the sound and pronunciation of Japanese through music. Their goal isn’t necessarily to strip away what makes their music Japanese in order to reach international audiences. Instead, they’re inviting listeners to discover those qualities for themselves.

And they’re already seeing signs that people are listening. Ryuhei recalls seeing BE:FIRST CDs on shelves in stores overseas and arriving in other countries to find crowds of people waiting to support them. “Sometimes it honestly doesn’t even feel real,” he says.

Those moments are particularly meaningful because they give the group tangible proof that their music is traveling beyond Japan. “They really motivate us and are probably one of the few times when we can truly feel that our music is reaching people around the world,” Ryuhei says.

From Head in the Clouds, to Coachella, and the Super Bowl?

One of the international milestones that came for the group this year was Head in the Clouds, 88rising’s annual music festival celebrating Asian and Asian American artists and culture.

For Sota, performing at the festival offered a different experience from what BE:FIRST has become accustomed to in Japan. “The audience and the artists we shared the stage with were very different from what we’re used to in Japan, so it felt really fresh and exciting for us. I genuinely had such a great time,” he says.

But BE:FIRST isn’t treating Head in the Clouds as a finish line. If anything, it’s proof of concept. The group says it would love to return to the festival on an even bigger scale while continuing to perform at festivals around the world. “Performing at the Super Bowl and Coachella has always been a goal for us as a group,” Sota shares.

Just watch them 

As BE:FIRST enters this next chapter, however, the group remains conscious of the people who helped them get here.

Since THE FIRST, their relationship with their fans—known as BESTY—has been central to their growth. Now, as new international listeners discover their music, Leo says the group sees no distinction between longtime supporters and newcomers. “To everyone who has supported us for a long time, we’re incredibly grateful,” he says.

Leo points out that BE:FIRST did not come from a huge company in Japan. Instead, the members have focused on making the music they genuinely love, and the continued support they’ve received has allowed them to keep doing exactly that. “Whether you’ve been with us for years or you’ve only just discovered BE:FIRST, it honestly doesn’t matter to us,” he says. “We’re simply grateful to every single person who supports us.”

That gratitude sits at the heart of WATCH ME. For all the group’s talk of global stages, international festivals and ambitious goals, their message ultimately comes back to the music. They want to make work they can be proud of, wherever that music takes them. Now that WATCH ME is officially out, BE:FIRST is inviting the world to do exactly what its title asks: Watch them. And if their ambitions are any indication, there’s plenty more worth watching for. “I hope you’ll continue to look forward to seeing BE:FIRST grow while always pursuing the best music we can make,” Leo says.