Shimakura Rika to Graduate from Beyooooonds at the end of 2025 Spring Tour

[DJChisato1]

Shimakura Rika of BEYOOOOONDS will be graduating from BEYOOOOONDS and Hello! Project afterthe planned spring concert tour. As she was thinking about her future, she wanted to study abroad after leaving the group to learn English and broaden her horizons, and after that she wanted to sing Showa era pop songs and other pop songs, which she is interested in. After considering her wishes, we came to the conclusion that she will graduate after this year's spring tour. She plans to continue her entertainment career after graduation. She will continue to work hard, so please continue to support Shimakura Rika and BEYOOOOONDS.

Seems like Kamiko will have a study partner.

[Zunu]

At this rate we're gonna be down to BYOONS

[aerosuffly]

^ That is a nice one lol

I am looking forward to her singing career. It would be really cool if she becomes an enka singer. Hoshibe said that kind of music is his expertise too.

[Moh]

This one hurts.

[Amped]

Statements translated

tweet

[Celedam]

From another thread…

Hello Station #567

00:00~ BEYOOOOONDS Shimakura Rika's graduation announcement message

Subtitled!

[Amped]

BEYOOOOONDS Shimakura Rika to release a solo CD. Release is 3/26.

Title "Utakata Lilac feat. Shimakura Rika" (泡沫ライラック feat. 島倉りか)


https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0DYJKP7BQ
https://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/item/ite ... L000000108

[Zunu]

Wowee! I'm really looking forward to this. Hopefully it will create some anticipation for Rika as a soloist.

Entameclip goes into some detail about it.

Shimakura has announced that she will be graduating from BEYOOOOONDS and Hello! Project after her concert tour in the spring of 2025. After graduation, she plans to study abroad to learn a language, and then work to spread the appeal of Showa-era pop music, so expectations are high for a solo release before her graduation.

The song was composed and arranged by Etsuko Yamakawa, who was the first woman to win the Japan Record Award for Best Arrangement in 100 for Kyoko Koizumi's "1986% Male-Female Dating," and has composed and arranged over 1000 songs for artists such as Onyanko Club and Mari Watanabe.

The lyrics were written by mido (THE BINARY), an artist with an emotionally rich worldview that depicts delicate emotions and inner conflicts, and who is also the vocalist for the 2nd story of "Tsukiyomi," a music project led by composer Yurii Kanon.

The illustrations will be done by illustrator Shiho Su, who is popular for her retro style that has a bit of the feel and atmosphere of 80s manga, and who Shimakura herself has been a fan of for a long time.

It's a pop song that feels nostalgic yet new, and you can really feel Shimakura's love for Showa era pop music.

Source:
https://entameclip.com/en/news/427168/ (English machine translation)
https://entameclip.com/news/427168/ (Original Japanese)

This tracks with Rika's sentiments as expressed in the interview Celedam links to above. IMO Rika's voice sounds much stronger singing late Showa style ballads than it does with typical Beyo music, so I'm expecting this to be pretty great.

[Moh]

[Celedam]

^ If there is a demand for it, she can supply. Damn.

The style itself is familiar to me since a large part of my collection is '80s and '90s anime soundtracks, and I also listen to city pop on YouTube. She's perfectly suited to it. As Zunu said…

Rika's voice sounds much stronger singing late Showa style ballads