Kimi wa Honeydew
| "Kimi wa Honeydew" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Regular edition | ||||
| Single by Hinatazaka46 | ||||
| English title | "You Are Honeydew" | |||
| B-side | "Sabi Tsukanai Ken wo Mote!" | |||
| Released | May 11, 2024 | |||
| Genre | J-pop | |||
| Label | Sony Music Entertainment Japan | |||
| Lyricist(s) | Yasushi Akimoto | |||
| Producer(s) | Yasushi Akimoto | |||
| Hinatazaka46 singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Am I Ready?" on YouTube | ||||
| "Mita koto Nai Mamono" on YouTube | ||||
| "Glass Mado ga Yogoreteru" on YouTube | ||||
"Kimi wa Honeydew" (Japanese: 君はハニーデュー, Hepburn: Kimi wa Hanīdyū, lit. 'You Are Honeydew') is the eleventh single by Japanese girl group Hinatazaka46, released on May 8, 2024, by Sony Music Entertainment Japan. It features the first appearance of Yōko Shōgenji as the lead performer of a title song. The title song is the first by the group to utilize a senbatsu (選抜, lit. 'selection') system for its lineup and to feature selected fourth generation members of the group. The single debuted atop the weekly Oricon Singles Chart with over 448,000 sales.
Production and release[edit]
On February 23, 2024, Hinatazaka46 announced that it would release its eleventh single on April 10.[1] The title song formation was announced on the February 26 broadcast of the group's variety show, Hinatazaka de Aimashō, with fourth generation member Yōko Shōgenji appointed center (lead performer) for the first time.[2] The title, "Kimi wa Honeydew", was announced on March 20.[3]
"Kimi wa Honeydew" is the first Hinatazaka46 single to implement a senbatsu (選抜, lit. 'selection') system, where only selected members from the group's four generations perform the title song. This is in contrast to the group's previous singles (first to tenth), where all active first to third-generation members participated in the title songs, while fourth-generation members, who joined in the eighth single, only performed their generation's B-sides. With this new system, Yōko Shōgenji became the first title song center from her generation. Apart from Shōgenji, all members on the front row of the song's choreography (Mirei Sasaki, Nao Kosaka, Miku Kanemura, and Shiho Katō) had also been centers for previous title songs. Members who were not selected are referred to as "Unders" and would perform their own B-side song.[4][5]
The single is the first to be released after the departures of Sarina Ushio and Honoka Kishi in December 2023. Kyōko Saitō also did not participate, as she was scheduled to leave the group before its release.
The release date of "Kimi wa Honeydew" was postponed to May 8, 2024,[a] due to unspecified production issues. The title song was released on streaming services on March 22 (Japan time).[1]
Track listing[edit]
- "Kimi wa Honeydew"
- "Sabi Tsukanai Ken wo Mote!"[b]
- Different tracks on each edition:
- "Kimi wa Honeydew" (off vocal ver.)
- Off-vocal versions of track 3
Charts[edit]
| Chart (2024) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Japan (Japan Hot 100)[7] | 3 |
| Japan (Oricon)[8] | 1 |
| Japanese Digital Albums (Oricon)[9] | 3 |
Notes[edit]
- ^ Coinciding with the eighth anniversary of Hiragana Keyakizaka46, the predecessor group to Hinatazaka46[6]
- ^ 錆つかない剣を持て!, lit. 'Have a Sword That Won't Rust!'
- ^ どこまでが道なんだ?, lit. 'How Far Is the Road?'
- ^ 恋とあんバター, lit. 'Love and Butter'
- ^ 夜明けのスピード, lit. 'Dawn Speed'
- ^ 雨が降ったって, lit. 'It's Raining'
- ^ 僕に続け, lit. 'Follow Me'
References[edit]
- ^ a b 日向坂46ニューシングルは「君はハニーデュー」、ジャケット撮影はゆかりの地で（写真6枚）. 音楽ナタリー (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "日向坂46、11thシングル表題曲のセンターは四期生・正源司陽子 | Daily News". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "日向坂46、11thシングルのタイトルが「君はハニーデュー」に決定＆ジャケ写公開 | Daily News". Billboard JAPAN (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ 日向坂46、11thシングルで初の選抜制を導入 センターは四期生・正源司陽子「やれることは全力で精一杯尽くす」【フォーメーション一覧】. ORICON NEWS (in Japanese). 2024-02-26. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ 日向坂46、正源司陽子のセンター抜擢・選抜制導入の11thシングルがもたらす変化と成長に期待. E-TALENTBANK co.,ltd. (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ 日向坂46とは？ [What is Hinatazaka46?]. 日向坂46公式サイト (in Japanese). Retrieved 2024-03-22.
- ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100 – Week of May 15, 2024". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ Oricon Weekly Single Ranking – 2024-05-20 Oricon News. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- ^ "Oricon Top 50 Digital Albums: 2024-05-20" (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on May 15, 2024. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
External links[edit]
- Official website (in Japanese)