New Girls' Idol Festival "GIFT" to Feature 20 Groups
Listen to the story
TV Asahi has announced a new music event called "GIFT". It will be a large idol festival for girl groups.
According to the broadcaster, GIFT will be one of the biggest new idol festivals in Japan. A total of 20 groups will take part in the event.
Several well-known groups have been confirmed as performers. These include Nogizaka46, AKB48, and Morning Musume, three of Japan's most popular idol groups.
Other groups joining the lineup include FRUITS ZIPPER and =LOVE, which have both become very popular in recent years.
Additional acts mentioned for the event include J=J, Ebichu, Kyurushite, Choto Kisen and iLiFE!, showing the wide range of groups that will appear.
The festival aims to bring together fans of different idol groups for a single big event. This kind of collaboration is unusual, since many idol groups usually perform separately.
By combining so many acts, GIFT hopes to attract fans from across the idol music scene. It will give supporters the chance to see many favorite groups in one place.
TV Asahi has not given further details about the date or venue of the event yet. However, the full list of performers has already been shared publicly.
The announcement has created excitement among idol fans, who are looking forward to more information about the new festival.
Vocabulary10 words
- idol
- a young performer with many fans
- festival
- a big event with many performances
- performer
- someone who sings or dances on stage
- lineup
- the list of people who will perform
- collaboration
- when different groups work together
- supporter
- a person who likes and follows a group
- venue
- the place where an event happens
- broadcaster
- a company that makes TV shows
- announce
- to share new information publicly
- confirmed
- officially decided and made known
Quiz
Answer key
1. A large idol music festival 2. TV Asahi 3. 20
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
TV Asahi has announced a new music event called "_____".
According to the broadcaster, GIFT will be one of the biggest new idol _____ in Japan.
A total of _____ groups will take part in the event.
These include Nogizaka46, AKB48, and Morning Musume, three of Japan's most popular idol _____.
Other groups joining the _____ include FRUITS ZIPPER and =LOVE.
The festival aims to bring together fans of different idol groups for a single big _____.
This kind of _____ is unusual, since many idol groups usually perform separately.
TV Asahi has not given further details about the date or _____ of the event yet.
The full list of _____ has already been shared publicly.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think TV Asahi decided to combine so many idol groups into one festival?
- Have you ever attended or watched an idol or music festival? What was it like?
- Do you think collaborations between different fan groups can create new interest in music?
- What do you think makes idol groups like AKB48 or Nogizaka46 so popular in Japan?