Snow Man debuts at No. 1 as a new artist in the Reiwa era and renews his thoughts by saying, “I will work hard to become an artist that represents Reiwa”[Oricon Reiwa Ranking]| ORICON NEWS

Snow Man has won first place in the “Newcomer Ranking” in the artist sales category of the “Oricon Reiwa Ranking (Reiwa 1-5)” announced today on the 26th. Sales during the period were 46.0 billion yen. Members Ryohei Abe, Shota Watanabe, and Daisuke Sakuma posted comments of gratitude.

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■What remains in the impression is the first dome tour: “It was a really exciting period.”

――You were ranked 1st in the “Oricon Reiwa Rankings (Reiwa 1-5)” in the “New Artist Rankings in the Sales Category.” Please give us your thoughts on receiving the award.

[Ryohei Abe]I am truly honored, thank you! All the awards we’ve received and the “firsts” we’ve achieved are all thanks to everyone who loves and supports Snow Man every day. I cannot express my gratitude enough, and I intend to continue to repay the favor carefully through my future activities. We will continue to work hard to become a representative artist of Reiwa, so please keep an eye on Snow Man!

――All three albums released in the short period of 5 years, from “Snow Mania S1” to “Snow Labo. S2” and “i DO ME” have exceeded cumulative sales of 1 million copies. This is the first time in the Reiwa era that we have achieved “three consecutive cumulative million sales”. He also set a record for the first time in the history of a male artist to have “3 consecutive million sales since his first album”. Please tell us your thoughts and feelings about the album.

[Ryohei Abe]The three works that achieved million sales are filled with the past that we have walked through, the present that is filled with the characteristics of Snow Man, and the future of what kind of group we want to become in the future. In particular, the third album “i DO ME” is an album prepared for the live tour at the dome venue, which each member has a special fondness for. We would be happy if you could also love our history and growth through our songs.

–You’ve been trying out various things in your musical career, but looking back on the five years of Reiwa, please tell us about your most memorable musical career.

[Shota Watanabe]Personally, the most memorable part of my music career was Snow Man’s first dome tour. We made our debut announcement at Tokyo Dome, which was also our goal, so it was a very exciting period for us. It was the most adrenaline feeling I’ve ever had in any performance. It was also a great time as I was able to set a new goal: I want more people to see it, and I want to increase the number of venues.

–I think the appeal is the sharp dance performance, the splendor of the music, the charming personalities of the nine members, and the good teamwork. What do you think is Snow Man’s greatest strength?

[Shota Watanabe]I think our biggest strength is our friendship. I think that’s not just because we’re good friends, but also because we’re able to share our thoughts with each other. I think teamwork is improved by being able to communicate without worrying about what you think is good and what you think is not good.

–Please tell us about your single “KISSIN’ MY LIPS / Stories”, which has sold over 1 million copies. “KISSIN’ MY LIPS” is impressive with its sexy choreography using chairs. Also, “Stories” has a fast-paced melody, and I think it’s a piece that you can enjoy with two different charms. Please tell us about any memorable episodes during production.

[Daisuke Sakuma]First of all, I would like to thank you for receiving such an honorable award. “KISSIN’ MY LIPS” is a song in which Snow Man takes on the challenge of approaching not only Japan but also overseas by writing the lyrics entirely in English. “Stories” is Snow Man’s first anime theme song, so it’s a song that sticks to the world view of the anime while approaching it in Snow Man’s own way. Both are works filled with challenges, and are important songs that are loved by many fans.

–All four video works released during the period, from “Snow Man ASIA TOUR 2D.2D.” to the latest “Snow Man 1st DOME tour 2023 i DO ME”, sold over 500,000 copies and were ranked in the “Oricon Reiwa Ranking.” (Reiwa 1-5)” Ranked in the TOP 10 of “Music DVD/BD Ranking” in sales volume category by work. This is also the first time in Oricon’s history that four consecutive music and video works have sold over 300,000 copies in their first week. Each of these live video works is worth watching, but please tell us about your passion for live performances, your commitment to them, and any anecdotes you may have.

[Daisuke Sakuma]Our favorite job as Snow Man is the live performances we create with our fans. Our commitment to LIVE is to not hold back and to create the best thing we can at the moment. Those who can enter the venue will come to watch this one time as a special event. I want all those fans to enjoy it to the fullest. I always take on challenges with that mindset in mind. So, I’m most happy to be able to turn that passion into a video work and reach more and more people over and over again. If you haven’t seen it yet, or if you’ve already seen it, please enjoy the “best” of Snow Man at the time as many times as you like.

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