【予選グループB】XrossAngels Award 2022 - talent duel

I am happy that Mudia exists and that it supports various artists and organises events like the XrossAngels 2022 Award.

This is the first time I am participating in such an event and I am very excited to see how the qualifying group B will turn out, in which we have a five extraordinary performers with different skills, different talents and different life stories. I will give a brief overview of them below.

1. あいみん

あいみん is a young performer born in Yamaguchi Prefecture. She has a wide range of activities as she is a singer, voice actress (narrator), songwriter, composer, and dancer. He is a member of XrossAngels. Her unique specialities include providing choreography, music editing or video editing. She contributes to, among others:

* television - Eizo TV Asahi, Maid Detective Sun TV, Gintamao, Odekake Minami no Teio, etc. 

* MC - Exciting Dance Mania, etc. 

* FM Radio Atami Yugawara, Tokyo Anime Radio Personality etc. 

* as voice actor (narrator) - Rasuraji Shitamachi Detective Bureau Zettai Evolution Girl etc. 

* in community games, corporate narrations conducting various types of speeches, etc. 

* 100 Days of Setsuna theme song film Romance Road ED song.

Owned by 2bear which is an association of singers and songwriters, owned by XrossAngels since 2021. She systematically distributes own music and talks on the live distribution app BIGOLIBE.

2. 酒井麻衣子.

酒井麻衣子 is the youngest senior singer among the participants of the two qualifying groups taking part in the event. She was born in Yamanashi Prefecture. She has been a member of Xross Angels since 2020. Since 2014, she has worked as a freelance secretary for a full six years and during this period has provided management support to small and medium-sized enterprises, support to departments without human resources (accounting, human resources, sales, etc.) and management support. In September 2020, she founded Super Secretary Co., Ltd. , which specialises in grant operations, customer follow-up and UP sales, and supports a wide range of businesses, from IT companies to restaurants. She has been a member of Xross Angels since 2020. She has participated in live events organised by Xross Angels and made her debut as a singer. From 2021, she started to systematically host discussions and sing on the live distribution app BIGOLIVE.

3.おみゆか

おみゆか is a singer and songwriter hailing from Toyama Prefecture. She has been a member of XrossAngels since April 2020. She has been working closely with XrossAngels since October 2020. XrossAngels executive producer MAKOTO777 changed the artist's name to "Omiyuka" due to full-scale production use. Since then, she has focused on singing in combination with simultaneous ukulele playing and sends created masterpieces to the world with her innovative 'Ukulele' x 'Kimono' style via the Bigo Live distribution app. She was active in the production of original songs from 2015 February 2017. She participated in the creation of songs like: the Ipponmatsu Shipping theme song for the Osaka Dotonbori cruise "Tombori Lovesody (Words and composition: Mai Kenna / Arrangement: Chiho Miyajima & Toshihiro Koga)". She then created her own original song 'Shiawase no Kakera' in 2018, which was used as the theme song for her own film 'Daijinamono'. In October 2021, her original mini-album 'Tanpopo' was released by XrossAngels Records .

4.東里香・演歌歌手

Rika Azuma is a very versatile performer with a number of achievements to her credit. She was born in Itabashi, Tokyo and grew up in Koga, Ibaraki and now lives in Oyama City, Tochigi Prefecture. She introduces herself as cosplay Venus Azuma Rika from the world of enka. Originally hailing from classical music, not just enka, she cosplayed and sang songs from anime, and was a singing sister in kindergarten. She is also active abroad in many genres of music, such as singing jazz and rock with live band performances. Rika-san's honesty and awareness of her 'shortcomings' is noteworthy. She openly admits that she is not good at the old-fashioned constitution that is unique to enka, so she wants to do something that no one else has done, doing things such as urban regeneration, public relations for her hometown and Tochigi prefecture, support the reconstruction of crisis areas and overseas relief efforts. Her ultimate goal is world peace through music. She has performed as a host for national and international events and as a guest vocalist. She is the Public Relations Ambassador for Oyama City in Tochigi Prefecture.

Among her major milestones, she released original songs (enka/popular songs) nationwide as an exclusive vocalist for Pine Star Entertainment on 14 April 2005.  Then, after working as a reporter for a local station for about 2 years, she regularly appeared as an MC on "Rika Azuma Thank You" on CRT Tochigi Broadcast every Saturday from 12:30 to 12:45 p.m. Then, on 22 February 2012, she released a new song, "Fist of Father/Futarido", which was released by a major label, Nippon Crown. It also became a hot topic as a song that makes you cry.

On 12-25 March 2012, it had its first appearance in the Kakaku.com Enka/Kayokyoku Weekly Popularity Ranking and ranked first.

On 24 April 2012, she distributes DAM's 'Fist of the Father' karaoke together with Osamu Yasumoto. In 2018, she actively participated in the popular TV show 'All Star Kohaku Uta Gassen'. In 2019, she had a [Kongo Mountain / Love again] karaoke delivery by UGA / JOYSOUND. In December 2019, she received the global social award sponsored by the Korea Jiji Union newspaper in the category of 'Social Contribution Award'. She is certified as a music therapist, which she has acquired. She was ranked third in the world at the WorldStage international auditions. She actively conducts large-scale Harajuku commercial broadcasts.

5. 碧*

碧* is a versatile performer born on 23 December in Yamanashi Prefecture. Most noteworthy is that she is a singer with both ears hearing loss! She is a member of XrossAngels.  碧* using her unique voice, she sings a wide range of rock, pop and radio waves, from clear songs to hot songs. 碧* started out in 2011. After working in a band, she started her solo career by self-producing original songs. Since 2016, she has been responsible for the vocals in the band "Kyushoku Toban" combining food and music with composer Kazuhiko Sawaguchi. She is credited with singing the opening theme "GauGauGauko" of the Netflix original animation "Dinosaur Girl Gauko" from February 2020. She has been involved in singing other game songs and event songs. She has released a number of CDs. From April 2020, she started distributing live music on the BIGO LIVE distribution app. She appeared at the 2021 BIGO AWARD JAPAN ceremony. She placed 2nd in the final of the Global Got Talent Show. In March 2022, she took 1st place in the Japan Live House tournament. Participated in various music events and official events in other distribution applications. She has performed in free live performances and live house performances in Sapporo and Taiwan, mainly in the Kanto region. In addition, he actively participates in concerts at kindergartens, children's centres and hospitals.

Among this diverse fivesome, it is hard to choose a favourite, as each represents a different kind of music and skills. Personally, I was most impressed by the Rika Azuma and the 碧*  but I am very curious to see how all five will fare in this qualification group for the XrossAngels 2022 Award.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everyone. I ask everyone to give it their all.