WHAT'S "BMSG"

“Live with Music, Live for Music”

BMSG, an acronym for Be MySelf Group. I named it with the belief of creating a space for artists and idols to be who they truly are. It is also an acronym for Brave, Massive, Survive, and Groove.

I have been working as an artist for over 15 years. I am grateful for the fortunate environment where I’ve always had support from both my management agencies and fans.

At the same time, now I can say; I have no doubt it could have gone wrong at any time. Detachment of self-consciousness vs. how others see you, expectations in undesired directions, slander, imposition, and betrayal… There were times, not just once or twice when I almost fell apart. In fact, I know many fellow artists who gave up while they were on their way to seize their dreams.

It is often uncontrollable. Well, the number of people and hours each individual has are limited, thus someone who succeeds in getting mass attention comes after severe survival games and mental suppression. I wouldn’t deny those facts. I believe one’s success in entertainment comes equally from talent and luck, or maybe you need more luck than talent. Well, the word ‘timing’ may replace ‘luck’ in this case.

That said, as a person who has lived and worked in the fields of culture, art, and entertainment, and as a person whose life is committed to these fields, there are two critical issues I cannot let go of:

First, it is often the case that gifted people are consumed in altered ways and therefore, they are left with nothing but misery. Secondly, people who achieved success thanks to their talent may not necessarily be living happy lives.

For example, when the demand shifts towards one’s charm or reaction rather than the quality of entertainment elements like singing or dancing, that demand gets even bigger if he accepts it. After all, people may eventually see entertainment as customer service. I don’t mean to deny it or those who choose that style, nor do I disrespect those who worship those aspects. However, the fact is that people now tend to seek quality music and quality performance in K-pop. Young Japanese talent finds more opportunities in South Korea to be successful. Recently, they even started to show strong messages or attitudes. We cannot disregard this by saying “Well, Japan is Japan, and overseas is overseas.” Please think about it. If we continue as is, what can we expect from J-pop, especially, from dance and vocal groups ten years from now?

I’ll give you another example. In reality, we should treat artists’ talents and personalities separately. However, if something goes wrong, people will thoroughly attack you. We don’t know where the landmines lie. Something so small can easily ruin a career. Anyone who experiences such trauma can no longer trust people around, including one’s own fans. How many great works of art with pure talent and soul have come to no end? How often are artists devoured with gossip not related to the work itself? How many dreams and talented artists out there have been wasted, eliminated, and erased?

It is no longer a time we can control the media. No one will protect you. The trends and SNS transform so rapidly that someone can disappear after instant consumption. But we cannot close our eyes to that reality, either. It is the most critical yet challenging task to provide an environment for artists and idols so they can continuously focus on creating great work; This is a new era.

So I decided to create my own company. That is BMSG, an acronym for Be MySelf Group, meaning exactly how it’s read. It is a management and label company where we provide an environment for artists to be true to themselves and spotlight their talents.

I can see the issues and potential solutions from my experiences in indie to major labels, from underground hip-hop to being at the top of the J-pop industry.

There is no reason for me not to start now.

First, a teen rapper will make his debut in October.* Then, a boy group will debut next year.* (*As of 2020) I am going to create a new structure providing the following:
– artist management
– scenarios before and after debuting
– mental support
– a community where artists can openly share worries and concerns
– fair contracts
– trustable relationship building with fans
Some of these aspects are necessary but haven’t been available in the past. Honestly, I have no idea whether this would work or not, but this approach is inevitable for us.

I wouldn’t deny either the current system or those who prefer it. It is not about all or nothing. But I don’t want to accept a situation that allows artists, creativity, or fans to be altered or be negative among one another. It is better to have more people fulfilled. That is why entertainment exists.

“The most personal is the most creative.” – This is a quote from Martin Scorsese. I believe this applies to music as well. To protect talent is to secure the possibility of the new creation to the world. In other words, “Be myself, for ourselves”. There must be something we can do. Starting here, I am ready to create a new Japanese culture that can compete with the US and K-pop.

September 18, 2020
SKY-HI
BMSG CEO