Empire (Japanese group)

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For the British-German heavy metal band, see Empire (German band).
Empire
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2017–present
LabelsWACK
Avex Trax
Websiteempire-official.com
Members
  • Yu-ki Empire
  • Mayu Empire
  • Midoriko Empire
  • Maho Empire
  • Mikina Empire
  • Now Empire
Past members
  • Yuina Empire
  • Yuka Empire

Empire (エンパイア), stylized as EMPiRE, is a Japanese idol group formed between WACK and Avex Trax in 2017.[1]

History[]

2017–present: Formation and debut as Empire[]

On April 2, 2017, WACK announced a joint project with Avex Entertainment.[2] On August 23, The group name was announced as Empire. By September 28, all members of the group had been revealed. The group's first song "Empire is Coming" was released on October 6, the song was later featured on WACK & Scrambles Works.[3]

Empire's first album, The Empire Strikes Start!!, was released on April 11, 2018.[4] The song "Black to the dreamlight" was featured on Black Clover as an ending theme.[5] The group held their first concert named after their debut album on May 1. That same day the group's first member, Yuina Empire transferred to Bis and new members Maho Empire and Mikina Empire joined the group.[6] The Empire Next Edition Tour was held from July to September of the same year. On September 5, Empire released their first EP, Empire Originals.[7]

On February 27, 2019, Empire's first single, "Pierce", was released.[8] The song "Pierce" was featured on the final season of Fairy Tail as an ending theme.[9] From March 3 to 4 Empire broadcast the 24-hour live event "Empire Presents Twenty Four Hour Party People".[10] After the event, Yuka Empire left Empire to focus on academic work.[11] On March 30, Now Empire was added as the group's new member.[12] Empire embarked on their second concert tour, the New Empire Tour, from April to June. On July 17, Empire's second single, "Success Story", was released.[13] On October 16, Empire's third single, "Right Now", was released.[14] The song "Right Now" became Empire's second song to feature on Black Clover, this time as an opening theme.[15] Empire embarked on their third concert tour, Empire's Great Escape Tour, from November to December. Empire's second album, The Great Journey Album, was released on December 18.[16]

The group was scheduled to hold their Super Feeling Good Tour from May to June 2020, however it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They released their second EP, Super Cool EP, on August 5, 2020.[17] They held the Empire Error Error Error Tour from November to December 2020.

On March 17, 2021, Empire released a special single featuring new versions of "Don't tell me why" and "Tokyo Moonlight".[18] Empire's fourth single, "Hon-no / Iza!!" was released on May 12.[19] The song "Hon-no" was featured on High-Rise Invasion as an opening theme.[20] They held their Empire Ultra Vibes Tour from April to May 2021. Empire's third album, Bright Future, was released on November 10, 2021.[21] They will hold their Empire Dope Magic Tour from April to June 2022.

Members[]

Current[]

  • Yu-ki Empire
  • Mayu Empire
  • Midoriko Empire
  • Maho Empire
  • Mikina Empire
  • Now Empire

Former[]

  • Yuina Empire
  • Yuka Empire

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
Oricon[22] Billboard[23]
The Empire Strikes Start!! 7 4
The Great Journey Album
  • Released: December 18, 2019
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 6 7
Bright Future
  • Released: November 10, 2021
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 6 7

Extended plays[]

Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales
Oricon[22] Billboard[23]
Empire Originals
  • Released: September 5, 2018
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 8 4
Super Cool EP
  • Released: August 5, 2020
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 8 9

Singles[]

As lead artist[]

Title Year Peak
chart
positions 		Sales Album
Oricon[22] Billboard[29]
"Pierce" (ピアス) 2019 5 16 The Great Journey Album
"Success Story" 5 15
"Right Now" 3 24
"Don’t tell me why (now type ver.)" 2021 88 — N/A Non-album singles
"Tokyo Moonlight (now type ver.)" — N/A
"Hon-no" 7 87 Bright Future
"Iza!!" — N/A
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Collaborations[]

Title Year Peak
chart
positions 		Sales Album
Oricon[22]
"Jikan ga Tarinai" (時間が足りない) with Yuki Kashiwagi 2021 14 Non-album single

Filmography[]

DVDs[]

Title Album details Peak chart positions
Oricon[22]
Empire's Great Revenge Live
  • Released: April 8, 2020
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: DVD
 4
Empire Breaks Through the Limit Live
  • Released: April 7, 2021
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: DVD
 5

Blu-rays[]

Title Album details Peak chart positions
Oricon[22]
Empire's Great Revenge Live First Press Limited Edition (Great Edition)
  • Released: April 8, 2020
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: Blu-ray
 10
Empire Breaks Through the Limit Live
  • Released: April 7, 2021
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Formats: Blu-ray
 7

Concerts and tours[]

Tours[]

  • Empire Next Edition Tour (2018)
  • New Empire Tour (2019)
  • Empire's Great Escape Tour (2019)
  • Super Feeling Good Tour (2020; Cancelled)
  • Empire Error Error Error Tour (2020)
  • Empire Ultra Vibes Tour (2021)
  • Empire Dope Magic Tour (2022)

Concerts[]

  • The Empire Strikes Start!! (2018)
  • Empire Presents Twenty Four Hour Party People (2019)
  • New Empire Tour "Evolutions" (2019)
  • The End of Summer at Okinawa with Empire (2019)
  • Empire's Great Party Vol. 0 (2019)
  • Empire's Great Party Vol. 1 (2019)
  • Empire's Great Revenge Live (2020)
  • Empire Breaks Through The Limit Live (2020)
  • Empire's Greatest Party "Eat Sleep Empire Repeat" (2021)
  • Empire's Great Party Caravans (2021)
  • Empire's Super Ultra Spectacular Show (2021)

References[]

  1. ^ "EMPiRE（エンパイア）『THE EMPiRE STRiKES START!!』インタビュー". Billboard Japan. April 11, 2018.
  2. ^ "avex×WACKの新アイドルグループ「Project aW」　募集年齢はやや低め". Cinra.net. April 11, 2017.
  3. ^ "WACK×avexの新グループ・EMPiRE、BiSHアイナ振付による初MV「アカルイミライ」公開". Spice. December 6, 2017.
  4. ^ "EMPiRE、本日4/11リリースの1stフル・アルバム『THE EMPiRE STRiKES START!!』より昨日夜まで撮影を続けた「MAD LOVE」MV公開". Skream!. April 11, 2018.
  5. ^ "WACK×avex新グループ EMPiRE、4/11リリースの1stフル・アルバム・リード曲「Black to the dreamlight」がTVアニメ"ブラッククローバー"EDテーマに決定". Skream!. April 9, 2018.
  6. ^ "EMPiREブリッツ初単独ライブ大成功、新体制で"NEXT EDiTiON"ツアーへ". Natalie. May 1, 2018.
  7. ^ "EMPiREのインタビュー＆動画メッセージ公開。攻撃性や高いエネルギーを凝縮し、短期間で変わりゆく6人の瞬間捉えたミニ・アルバム『EMPiRE originals』を本日9/5リリース". Skream!. September 5, 2018.
  8. ^ "EMPiRE、3/3-4開催の1stシングル『ピアス』発売記念24時間イベントをニコ生にて中継決定". Skream!. March 1, 2019.
  9. ^ "EMPiRE、2/27リリースのニュー・シングル『ピアス』アートワーク＆アー写公開。カップリングはMAYU EMPiRE作詞のダンス・チューン「ERASER HEAD」". Skream!. January 15, 2019.
  10. ^ [hhttps://natalie.mu/music/news/322202 "EMPiRE、24時間イベント「TWENTY FOUR HOUR PARTY PEOPLE」をニコ生中継"]. Natalie. March 1, 2019.
  11. ^ "EMPiRE、YUKA EMPiREの脱退を発表。YUKA最後の作品となる1stシングル表題曲「ピアス」MV公開、3/3-4に24時間リリース記念イベント開催も決定". Skream!. January 29, 2019.
  12. ^ "EMPiRE、ニュー・ヴィジュアル＆新メンバー NOW EMPiRE加入決定からのライヴ映像含むショート・ドキュメント公開". Skream!. April 21, 2019.
  13. ^ "EMPiREのインタビュー＆動画メッセージ公開。彼女たちの止まらない勢いが体現された、NOW EMPiRE加入後初シングル『SUCCESS STORY』を明日7/17リリース". Skream!. July 16, 2019.
  14. ^ "EMPiRE、10/16リリースのニュー・シングル表題曲「RiGHT NOW」ファイヤーダンスを披露するMV公開＆先行配信ス��ート。沖縄ワンマン動画も公開". Skream!. September 15, 2019.
  15. ^ "アニメ『ブラッククローバー』新OPをEMPiRE、EDを安斉かれんが担当". Barks. September 30, 2019.
  16. ^ "EMPiRE、12/18リリースの2ndアルバム『the GREAT JOURNEY ALBUM』収録の新曲7曲のパフォーマンス映像収めた期間限定動画を公開". Skream!. December 12, 2019.
  17. ^ "EMPiRE、7曲入りEP『SUPER COOL EP』8/5リリース決定。アートワーク、新ヴィジュアル、ティーザー映像、収録詳細一挙公開". Skream!. June 24, 2020.
  18. ^ "EMPiRE、デビュー・アルバム収録曲2曲を現メンバー6人で新録した"now type ver."7インチ・レコードでリリース". Skream!. October 9, 2020.
  19. ^ "EMPiRE、5/12に初の両A面シングル『HON-NO / IZA!!』リリース決定". Skream!. March 19, 2021.
  20. ^ "EMPiRE、新曲「HON-NO」がNetflixにて全世界独占配信のアニメ『天空侵犯』OPテーマに決定". Billboard Japan. January 14, 2021.
  21. ^ "EMPiRE、11/10リリースの3rdアルバム『BRiGHT FUTURE』より「Happy with you」MV公開。新ヴィジュアル＆アルバム詳細も発表". Skream!. October 26, 2021.
  22. ^ a b c d e f "Empire | Oricon Style". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved April 2, 2019.
  23. ^ a b "Hot Albums". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved December 18, 2019.
  24. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales 2018/04/23".
  25. ^ Cumulative sales of The Great Journey Album:
  26. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales 2021/11/17".
  27. ^ Cumulative sales of Empire Originals:
  28. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales 2020/08/17".
  29. ^ "Hot 100". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-12-18.
  30. ^ Cumulative sales of "Pierce":
  31. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales 2019/07/29".
  32. ^ Cumulative sales of "Right Now":
  33. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales 2021/05/19".
  34. ^ "Billboard Japan Top Singles Sales 2021/12/08".
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