Announcement:

Tokyo, Japan January 11, 2023 – Brave group, and its subsidiary MateReal who together manage the Virtual Idol Group Palette Project, are pleased to report that the year end Palette Project “Crossing for the Rainbow!” Concert  successfully concluded, delighting a large online turn-out and a lively in-person audience!

• Concert Report

Plenty of surprises unfurled for audience members who attended “Crossing for the Rainbow,” the year end concert held by the Virtual Idol Group on Friday December 30 2022, culminating the year for the fans and idols alike! Units shuffled around, new songs debuted, the audiences cheered along the entire time!

An upbeat sound filled the air just as soon as the concert started, all eight members of Palette Project parading around the stage as they performed “Colorful☆Punch Line” for the first time ever. Slow and steady, the rhythm of the song intermingled with the colorful onscreen projections as each member of the team strived their hardest to shine the brightest! A whopping eight members and yet the coordination in their performance remained stellar throughout.

The visuals and choreography shocked onlookers to be sure, but equally seeing the audience so quickly mesmerized by Palette Project from the beginning amplified the sensation. Despite it being the first time they performed the aforementioned song, the difficult passages were delivered with finesse and the lifeful movements, complete with expressive facial expressions accentuated the idol-atmosphere of the first song.

Despite being written at a time where audiences couldn’t sing along, now the audiences cheered along as if they always had been! 

The summer single “Natsuyuki Tokimeki High Tension!” proceeded a self-introduction, instantly whipping the audience out of the winter and into summer’s blue skies as blue lasers coated the venue. Comparatively more and more upbeat than the last song, even the parts in between the melodic segments brought pleasure to the ears.

This song made for the perfect demonstration for Palette Project’s singing prowess, the gang chorus juicing up the song’s inherent catchiness. Despite the entire team consisting of strong and competitive personalities, no one person felt isolated from the group; Palette Project struck the right balance between each idol showcasing their individual while maintaining the collective of the group!

They all gave their 100%!

Following the explosive opening, each sub-group had their time to shine, starting with the most royal of idols “Altimate!!” composed of Rona Nanami, Kotoha Fujimiya, and  Kohane Kamina. Their first song, “Wish Star” featured a charming and infectious tune as shooting stars crossed through the screen. “Re:Myself,” Altimate!!’s first original tune, would follow it up. 

Known for their diversity in sounds, audiences marveled at how Altimate!! could switch up from traditional idol-pop to more dance oriented tunes, and finally “Dramatic Parade,” a delicate and dainty number set to wild choreography that stunned the crowd as much as it energized them.

Their heads constantly bobbed, as the cries of support filled the venue.

A stark contrast the rest of the concert thus far, the hardcore metal duo REGALILIA took over the stage, waves of intensity washing over the audience as they opened with “Demon Drivers.” Beyond the genre of the song itself, the girls’ performance even rang true to their cool, metal inspirations. Despite the fact REGALILIA was decidedly different from the rest of the line up, they provided plenty of color to the experience

Kyouka Eba and Ayumu Kitami’s distinctly different voices added a whole new dimension to the performance, the next song “Close to You” taking full advantage of the dichotomy in their unison. Clearly the audience resonated strongly with the track, its pop angle easy to groove to and the sub-group’s cool, elegant choreography easy on the eyes.

REGALILIA closed out with “Enri no Hana,” a song that required extra strength and finesse, of which the girls were able to supply with style

Audiences naturally expected Sputrip to take the stage, but Palette Project shook things up with a series of shuffle-unit performances, featuring all sorts of new idol configurations starting with Kotoha Fujimiya, Kohane Kamina, and Kyouka Eba laying down a stripped-down rendition of Sputrip’s own “Citylight Fantasy.” Rona Nanami and Hanon Kanaru followed up with a unique live version of REGALILIA’s “Creation” before Ayumu Kitami, Clara Akatsuki, and Kaname Tokiwa put their own spin on Altimate!!’s “Strobe Flower.”

Shuffle-units, atypical combinations of different, are a known commodity at idol concerts but they remain a rarity at virtual live performances. Each new permutation of Palette Project filled the air with excitement, the fans clearly enjoying the interplay between members who don’t always work together and the unique variations on their favorite songs. Seeing idols step outside of their regular comfort zones to perform new songs in a variety of genres made “Crossing for the Rainbow” not only a fun show but one that gave fans and idols both new memories to cherish.

At last Sputrip, the City Pop twinged final sub-group consisting of Kaname Tokiwa, Clara Akatasuki, and Hanon Kanaru bringing back 80s vocal stylings and the choreography to match. That lovely choreography, and some equally lovely piano, made their first song “Starry☆Melody” a shining sensation! Tokiwa’s crystalline voice then led the audience into the next track, “with your JOURNEY”, a rhythmically addictive number that emphasized how the trio’s striking voices and refined performance could build a tangible atmosphere in a crowded room.

Simply being “City Pop” wasn’t enough, Sputrip figured out how to meld that 80s energy into a modern day idol performance where they themselves were having a bigger blast than the audience! That culminated in their final tune “Planet of Light,” whose distinctive choreography titillated the audience as the soaring melody of the chorus rose in tandem with the audience’s pure elation.

From here the show began to ramp towards its conclusion, all eight members of Palette Project reforming back into a whole to perform two final ragers, “Analog Heart” and “Kimi to Utaitai Uta Ga Aru.” The former, a true anthem in the virtual scene, captivated all who were in the room. “Kimi to Utaitai Uta Ga Aru” garnered a similar response, the message of the song mirroring the core motivation of Palette Project to begin with! Of course the audience uniformly shouted along with every word, finally able to once again feel that sense of unity live shows exist to impart.

The show had continued on for quite some time by the curtains closed, but that same audience still hungry, clamored for an authentic “encore!” as their cries reverberated throughout the venue. All eight Palette Project idols reclaimed the stage for a performance of “Kimi ga Iru Kara,” the group’s first ever original song. A soft melody with laidback tempo, their precise vocal delivery and sharp choreography made for a striking contrast!

The MC began their final remarks, noting so many Palette Project songs center around the word “You.” The group’s Clara Akatsuki left a mark on the audience’s hearts when she proclaimed “it’s because we have always and will always be with you.” They rang especially true as the situation in recent years unfortunately led to a decline in live concerts, and once again getting to rejoice in the comradery and relationship between performers and their fans.

To Palette Project, getting to perform once again despite all the obstacles was a clear moment of salvation, as healing for them as it was the fans both sides getting to express what’s laid dormant in their hearts all this time. Their finale, “Dream in Bloom!” unfurled to an audience comprehending everything that encompasses the Palette Project. Despite performing more songs than ever before, the performances never wavered in quality, each song won fans over again and again, ensuring nobody left the venue with any regrets.

The eight concluded “Dream in Bloom!” full of energy, ready for the year ahead.

Archive Stream Tickets: 

https://palette-project.zaiko.io/item/352476

Event Website: 

https://crossingfortherainbow.matereal.jp/

Crossing for the Rainbow Setlist:
1.Colorful ☆Punchline
2.Natsuyuki Tokimeki High Tension!
3.Negai Boshi
4.Re:Myself
5.Dramatic Parade
6.Demon Drivers
7.Close to You
8.Enri no Hana
9.Citylight Fantasy
10.Souzou
11.Strobe Flower
12.Starry☆Melody
13.with your JOURNEY
14.Hikari no Wakusei
15.Analog Heart
16.Kimi To Utaitai Uta Ga Aru
17.Kimi ga Iru Kara
18.Dream in Bloom!

About Palette Project:
Palette Project is a 8 person virtual idol group guided by the idea of “Coloring the virtual to give it more life!“ established in 2018. The group’s sub-units include the classically-idol “Altimate!!,” the heavy metal incarnates at “REGALILIA,” and the city pop flavored “Sputrip.” They perform as a group and as individual units. 

〈Links〉
Official Site：https://matereal.jp/
Twitter：https://twitter.com/PaletteProject_
Youtube：https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_cCW1xmXwRFp1tX-RD2X1Q