AAA's Shinjiro Atae drops "Say My Name", his last single before he peaces out

AAA group member Shinjiro Atae is releasing a new song "Say My Name" - which isn't a cover of the Destiny's Child classic. But funnily enough, now that I think of it, its video reminds me a little of it.

A little.

Shinjiro Atae, who already had an establish solo career, announced that he would be putting his music career on hold. Having released 3 singles in 2019, Shinjiro will release an album in August of this year. The release of "Say My Name" was actually brought forward, so homeboy already has the bag packed and the taxi door open.

But prior to this, AAA had announced in January of 2020 that the group would be going on hiatus. The reason they gave was the usual 'Live life, find passions outside of music, individual projects' shit. But more than likely the hiatus is a result of AAA's former leader Naoya Urata (who Ayu fans will know from the string of collaborations she did with him from 2010 - 2014) being charged in April 2019 with the assault a woman. So of course Avex said 'Pull the plug'.

AAA's hiatus will absolutely turn into a disbandment, and I'm sure Shinjiro won't be the only one to jump ship before that announcement comes.

ℹ️ I'm embedding the music video in this post, but I'm sure Avex will block it. So if the video doesn't show for you, watch it on YouTube here.

I like this song. But I would have liked it more if it had gone to somebody who had a better voice, and either gave me everything, or gave me that good nothing that Namie Amuro used to give. Daichi Miura could have done with this song. His material has been really lacklustre and depressing as of late. He needs a fun 'n' cute song like this, with a music video which isn't just him in some raggedy warehouse dancing. I'm tired.

It was nice to see a Black guy in a J-Pop music video; something I've not seen since Namie Amuro's "Naked" way back in 2011. But Japanese dude with the long braids? No. And why put some white woman in the music video and not a Japanese woman? Or if we're really try'na be progressive, put a Black woman in the damn thing. Japan and its obsession with white women is wild. It takes my mind to the sex issues of Anan magazine, where every single time, male Japanese celebs are put in sexy shoots with a white woman. A whole magazine that's supposed to be targeted at Japanese women.

HENNYWAY.

Shinjiro Atae's second studio album This Is Where We Promise, releasing on August 11th, will be the last AAA related release until further notice.