J-pop boy band THE SUPER FRUIT livestreamed a showcase studio set on Oct. 7 as the featured act of the month on Next Fire, the hybrid program produced by Billboard Japan and TikTok.
Next Fire is a show on TikTok Live that highlights the hottest J-pop artists of the moment, based on Billboard Japan’s TikTok Weekly Top 20 chart. The collaborative project streams live performances and pre-recorded interviews by the featured act of the month to give fans an in-depth look at their artistry.
The seven members appeared in the studio with the opening music in the background, cheerfully greeting viewers, “Good evening! We are THE SUPER FRUIT!” The group immediately kicked off the set with “Seven Fruits” from the mini album THE SUPER FRUIT, released as a limited edition before the band’s debut. The bouncy, airy rhythm filled the studio with a cheerful atmosphere from the start, and the falsetto vocals in the chorus served as a catchy accent that left a lingering impression. From there, the group followed up with a cover of the pioneering ‘70s Japanese idol group Finger 5’s “Gakuen Tengoku” (School Heaven). The beaming members urged fans watching the show to clap and sing along to the classic number, and the sharpness of their dance during the interlude also caught the eye.
After each member introduced himself, THE SUPER FRUIT went on to perform “Kimi wa Riako Seizouki.” The song features adorable lyrics and melody, with a dance during the chorus that people would want to imitate. The excitement in the comment section steadily increased, filling up with messages calling them “Cute!” and cheering them on. The following number, “Bokura no Yoake” (Our Dawn), was performed as a piano-based ballad, with fans commenting that they were touched by the youthful and emotional vocals.
The members then went on to address viewers with some humble words expressing their current position as rookie group: “Today was the first time we got to perform five songs on a live program,” noted one member, while another shared, “We usually perform three songs at release events, so this has been a wonderful experience.” The group then wrapped up its showcase performance with “Chiguhagu,” the title song of their debut single that stayed at No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s TikTok Weekly Top 20 tally for six consecutive weeks. It’s no surprise the tune has a high affinity with the short video-sharing platform, as the positive lyrics celebrating diversity perfectly matches the cute, fun choreography.
When the song ended, the lights faded out as the boys held their final poses and THE SUPER FRUIT’s show came to an end, leaving a lingering impression. The showcase set displayed the freshness and momentum of a group that got started only a year ago. A pre-recorded interview by the members of THE SUPER FRUIT will stream on Billboard Japan’s TikTok channel starting Oct. 14, and excerpts from the livestream will be available on the boy band’s TikTok account.
