While negative reactions to the new music of “Number_i” are constant… “New fans are increasing” special circumstances

Yuta Kishi’s singing talent is being criticized as wasted by fans.

In the August 20 article from the news site “Smart FLASH,” titled “‘Was this written by a middle schooler?’ ‘I’m crying because it’s worse than Comdot’ – Complex Fan Reactions to Number_i’s New Song ‘INZM’… What Is Yuta Jinguji’s ‘Betrayal and Transformation’?” (as per the original text), harsh opinions from the internet were introduced.

Additionally, another article published on the same day pointed out, “It’s truly sad that we can’t hear his singing voice” – criticizing that Yuta Kishi, known for his sweet and gentle singing voice, is being “wasted” in Number_i’s latest hip-hop-oriented song.

“In the case of Number_i, the catchy hip-hop style, like in ‘GOAT’ or the music video released in May for ‘BON,’ and now ‘INZM,’ tends to stand out. This is likely why many are surprised by the gap compared to the debut song of King & Prince, ‘Cinderella Girl’ (released in May 2018), which has an entirely different worldview.

However, their second digital single ‘Blow Your Cover’ is an R&B-style ballad, and the music video released in April showcases their mature charm. Even their mini-album ‘No.O -ring-‘ (released in May) includes heartfelt ballads, and there are songs where the appeal of their vocals truly shines through,” the writer added.

Number_i performed on stage at the music festival “SUMMER SONIC 2024,” held at the Tokyo venue (Chiba: ZOZO Marine Stadium) on August 17 and at the Osaka venue (Osaka: Expo Memorial Park) on the 18th. Since the performance on the 17th was exclusively live-streamed by WOWOW On Demand, audiences beyond those present at the venue could witness the trio’s performance.

“Especially the ‘chill’ melody of ‘Banana (Take It Lazy)’ resonated with Kishi’s soaring voice. There were multiple posts on social media praising his singing voice from music lovers who are not Number_i fans,” the writer noted.

Regarding “INZM,” there are not only negative reactions but also many voices of praise. Looking at the comments section of the music video, we can see:

“I saw it being joked about on X and decided to play the music video, but it’s actually a pretty cool song! I’m glad I checked with my own eyes and ears.”
“They performed at Summer Sonic, and I couldn’t get ‘Zuma Zuma’ out of my head, so I came to watch the music video. It’s seriously cool.”
“I’m from the generation that was into ’90s mixture rock. I can’t believe they can do something like this; all three of them are so talented. The shock is incredible.”

It is being evaluated that “it resonates with those it needs to resonate with.”

On one hand, there are people who have become unable to keep up with the current style, while on the other hand, those who showed no interest during the traditional idol era are now expressing expectations for Number_i. In order to avoid being overshadowed in the competitive world of boy groups, they should continue to uphold their unique identity without conforming to societal expectations.

 

 

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