imase (Japanese: イマセ, born November 9, 2000)[1] is a Japanese singer-songwriter who debuted in 2021 and found success with the 2022 viral single "Night Dancer".[2] His first EP, Pop Cube, was released in 2022 by Universal Music Japan.[3]
Imase | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | November 9, 2000 |
| Origin | Gifu Prefecture, Japan[1] |
| Genres | J-pop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 2021–present |
| Labels | Universal Music Japan |
| Website | universal-music |
He debuted in 2021 with his single "have a nice day" only a year after learning how to write and compose music, according to his signed label Universal Music Japan. His success with "Night Dancer" only a year later has given him the "monster rookie" nickname.[2]
Junji Ishiwatari, a former member of alternative rock band Supercar called Imase's sudden rise to stardom "a true event that is stranger than fiction". Five months after his debut, Imase was hired to sing the Pocari Sweat jingle, which is considered an honor, and he had over 1 billion TikTok views.[4]
He became a topic of interest on South Korean blogging forums after his song "Night Dancer" entered the Melon 100 chart, the first ever Japanese song and Japanese singer to achieve this feat.[5]
In 2023, Imase produced the songs "Jewelry" and "Dresscode" for the K-pop group Le Sserafim.[6][7]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN [8] | |||
| Bonsai (凡才) |
| 4 |
|
Extended plays
| Title | EP details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| JPN Dig. [10] | ||
| Pop Cube |
| 18 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Hot [11] | KOR [12] | SGP Reg. [13] | WW [14] | ||||
| "Have a nice day"[15] | 2021 | —[a] | — | — | — | Pop Cube | |
| "Escape" (逃避行)[18] | 2022 | —[b] | — | — | — | ||
| "Pale Rain" (with Punpee and Toby Fox)[18] | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Demone, Tamaniwa" (でもね、たまには)[18] | — | — | — | — | Pop Cube | ||
| "Night Dancer"[2] | 38 | 14 | 28 | 112 |
| ||
| "Utau" (うたう)[18] | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Analog Life" (アナログライフ)[18] | — | — | — | — | Pop Cube | ||
| "Abekobe" (あべこべ)[3] | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Bokurada" (僕らだ)[21] | 2023 | — | — | — | — | Bonsai | |
| "Period" (ピリオド)[22] | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Night Dancer" (TeddyLoid remix)[15] | — | — | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "18"[23] | — | — | — | — | Bonsai | ||
| "Night Dancer" (Big Naughty remix)[15] | — | 81 | — | — | Non-album single | ||
| "Nagisa"[15] | 29 | — | — | — | Bonsai | ||
Tours
Imase Online Live "Pop Room"[24] (via "Uliza", a video streaming platform.)
Imase 1st Live "Pop Over"
| Venue | Date | Ref(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquid Room | May 10, 2023 | [25] | |
1st Showcase in Korea[26]
| Venue | Date | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Musina Garage Music Hall (Hongdae, Seoul) | April 13, 2023 | [27] |
"Night-Dance ซิ่ง with imase"
| Venue | Date | Ref(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groove Cental World, Thailand | June 20, 2023 | [28] | |
Imase Tour 2023 "Utopia"[29]
| Venue | Date | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Big Cat | October 26, 2023 | [30] |
| Nagoya Club Quattro | October 27, 2023 | |
| Zepp Shinjuku (Tokyo) | October 31, 2023 |