็ใใพใใฏใใใพใใฆใ ใใฉใใใฃใใฏใขใผใใฃในใใฎ Dan Mitchel ใงใใ ๆจๅนดใ็งใๅ็ฃ็ฃใไธปๆผใ่ๆฌใไธป้กๆญใใใญใใฅใผในใๆ ๅฝใใ ็ญ็ทจๆ ็ปใA Love Story in The Summerใใ ใใชใฆใใๆ ็ป็ฅญใซใฆๅ ฅ้ธใใคใฟใชใขใฎๆ ็ป็ฅญใซใฆBEST ASIAN FILMใๅ่ณใใพใใใ
To everyone who joined usโour members, staff, and our loving, deeply perceptive audienceโthank you so much.
This time, we centered the event on the idea of pursuing โserious play.โ
For me, thatโs one answer to the question of how human beings can keep living in a truly human way from here on out. Total rationalism and efficiency-first thinkingโthings like time efficiency and cost efficiencyโmatter, of course. Iโm sure everyone has their own priorities, too.
But when that becomes everything, people start living like machines. And once humans live like machines, thereโs nothing we can beat AI atโand we end up losing the very meaning of being human.
In that sense, right nowโwith the snap general election following the dissolution of Japanโs House of Representatives, and all the โright vs. leftโ rhetoricโdivisions are everywhere. And even when we donโt realize it, itโs a story that spreads into the everyday lives of each of us.
In my own head, I always have two versions of myself: a hardcore realist and a hardcore idealist. But it canโt be that only one of them is โright.โ So Iโve been wondering whether thereโs a way to integrate them better.
By embracing โserious playโโby allowing some breadthโI want to keep moving forward with activities that donโt put โrightnessโ at the center, but instead place โbeautyโ as a major guiding axis.
On January 22, Iโm launching and carrying out a project that Iโm staking my life on. Itโs an event, a documentary film production, and also a club activity. The theme is โpursuing play with absolute seriousness.โ
There are still many parts I wonโt know until I actually do it, so I canโt explain it in a perfectly clear, straightforward way. In other words, by intentionally not deciding everything in advance, I want everyone to enjoy the โplayโ that emerges from that opennessโtogether.
I believe this is what โideal freedom,โ grounded in the belief in peopleโs inherent goodness, is meant to look like. Iโm really looking forward to the voluntary participation of all you wonderful people, and Iโm excited to share the experience with you. Letโs entrust the outcome to the universe, at least once.
ๅฎๅ็ใ่ตทๆฅญใใใ๏ผในใฟใผใใขใใM&AใจIPO็ฉ่ชใPresented by (ๆ ช)ใใกใคใใณในใปใใญใใฅใผในๆง
Dandy Asobi Club Band
“Free” Official Image Video
CM”Dandy Asobi Club”
The Special Interview for Dandy Asobi Club
2025 is coming to an end today. What kind of year was it for you?
For me, the past three years have been years of constant trial and error. Every year, through meeting all kinds of people, Iโve been transforming not just my activities, but the way I live itself. And this year, right from the very beginning, I had an encounter that was incredibly important to meโone that finally made it clear what I truly want to cherish. Of course, as you can probably tell from my work, what I want to do hasnโt changed. But what used to feel like I was doing things without fully understanding why has become much more defined and clarified. And because of that, in the second half of this year I was able to create songs that Iโm genuinely confident inโand I donโt think that was a coincidence.
Iโve also realized again that I really do love beauty. And I donโt mean that in a superficial sense. In modern physics, matter is understood as a form of energyโan aggregation of energy. So the question becomes: how do we generate beautiful energy? For human beings, itโs about how we use our bodies to create beautiful energy in the world. Thatโs what I want to focus on.
This year I posted a lot of complicated, nitpicky thoughts on my blog and social mediaโbut fundamentally, I believe words are imperfect. Of course, if someone can express beauty through words, thatโs wonderful. But I donโt think I have that level of skill. I do try my best to write, but for me, that process is largely about sharpening my own senses. Ultimately, I want to be able to expressโor embodyโthat beautiful energy itself, in whatever form it takes.
Maybe it was because I encountered somethingโsomeoneโbeautiful, and was jolted awake by it. In a way, I may have regained something I was close to losing on a conscious level. I think I managed to live through this year powered by that energy.
So in 2026, my focus will be how to embody that kind of beautiful energy. Right at the start of the year, Iโm hosting my event โDandy Asobi Club,โ and Iโd truly love for you to come hang out. Beyond that, Iโll be working on my first album, a nationwide tour, and I already have a story in my headโplot and allโthat I want to shoot as a short film.
And yesโon a softer note, I hope I can make some new friends, too. Even better if we can create something together. In that sense, Iโd love to challenge myself with things that feel completely new as well.
To be honest, I donโt really know what people think of me when Iโm not right in front of them. But despite how serious I may sound sometimes, Iโll still casually do street performances in a Santa outfit, no problem. I donโt think Iโm particularly prideful. And even if itโs not a โcool guyโ roleโif itโs a weird or eccentric roleโif the script and direction are good, Iโd happily do it. My boundaries might be a little different from what people expect, so Iโd be really happy if you feel free to reach out casually.
Iโm pretty clear about what I can do and what I canโt, so I hope youโll enjoy that for what it is. And Iโd love it if, through all of this, a circle of positive resonance keeps expanding.
With that saidโthank you so much for everything this year. From the very beginning, I received tremendous support for going to Hollywood. After that, I hosted events, and for the first time I received an offer to shoot a clientโs music video. And then there was my performance at a museum. I received the thrilling (and nerve-racking) request to sing a song a cappellaโand I was deeply encouraged to feel that people trusted my singing ability.
I sincerely hope for your continued support next year as well. This year Iโm in a period of mourning, so I havenโt decided yet how Iโll greet the New Yearโbut please, have a wonderful year ahead.
Dan Mitchelใโๆ็โใใใผใใซใใใฏใชในใในใใใขใซใใ ใใชใชใผในใๆฐไฝMVใไธปๅฌใคใใณใๆ ๅ ฑใ๏ผ
ใFreeใใMy Heart Is Still On HerใใWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasใโโ2025ๅนดใซ็ใพใใโๆ็ไธ้จไฝโใๆ ธใซใ้ๅปไฝ2ๆฒใ็ทจใฟ็ดใใ5ๆฒใฎ็ฉ่ช
ๅฏไธ็กไบใฎใใฉใใใฃใใฏใขใผใใฃในใใฎDan Mitchel ใ12ๆ23ๆฅใโๆ็โใใใผใใซใใEP ใWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasใ ใใชใชใผในใใใ ๆฌไฝใฏใHIP LAND MUSICใซใใใใธใฟใซใใฃในใใชใใฅใผใทใงใณ&ใใญใขใผใทใงใณใตใผใในใFRIENDSHIP.ใใใใธใฟใซใชใชใผในใใตใใผใใใฆใใใ
Dan Mitchelใซใจใฃใฆ2025ๅนดใฏใใๆ็ใใจใใ่จ่ใจๅใๅใใใใๅพใชใใชใฃใไธๅนดใ ใฃใใใใใพใงๆ่ญใใฆใใชใใฃใๆฆๅฟตใๅญฆใณ็ดใใใกใซใใใใๆๆใ ใใงใชใใ่ฆชๅญ้ขไฟใๅไบบ้ขไฟใ่ทๅ ดใฎไธไธ้ขไฟใใฒใใฆใฏ็คพไผๅ้กใฎๅคใใฎๆ นใซใใคใชใใ้ๅคงใชใใผใใงใใใใจใๅฎๆใใใจใใใ
ๆฌไฝใซใฏใ2025ๅนดๅคไปฅ้ใซ็ซใฆ็ถใใซๅถไฝใใใ ใFreeใใMy Heart Is Still On HerใใWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasใ ใโๆ็ไธ้จไฝโใจใใฆไธญๅฟใซๆฎใใใใใซใๆ็ใๆ่ญใใฆใใชใใฃใ้ ใใซๆธใใใชใใใไปๆฏใ่ฟใใจๅใใใผใใๆญใฃใฆใใใจๆใใ ใWhen I Think Of YouโฆใใI swearโฆใ ใฎ2ๆฒใๅ้ฒใ็ตๆใจใใฆใEPใฎๆฒ้ ใฏไธๆ่ญฐใชใปใฉ ใชใชใผใน้ ๏ผๅถไฝ้ ใซๅๆใใใๅถ็ถใใๅฟ ็ถใโโใใฎไธฆใณ่ชไฝใใโๆๆ ใฎๆ็ณปๅโใซใชใฃใฆใใใ
ๆฐๆฒ๏ผใWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasใ
ใWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasใใฏใฏใชในใในใฝใณใฐใงใใใชใใใใใใใโๆญฃ็ตฑๆดพโใฎใใใจใฏ็ฐใชใใDan Mitchel่ช่บซใฏใฏใชในใใฃใณใงใฏใชใใ่ฏใใๆชใใ็ฐๆๅใๅใ่พผใฟใ็ฌ่ชใฎ้ขจ็ฟใธใจๅคๆใใฆใใพใ โๆฅๆฌใฎใฏใชในใในโ ใฎๆ่ฆใ้ณๆฅฝใซ่ฝใจใ่พผใใ ใจใใใใญใผใฏใผใใฏ ๅคๆงๆง๏ผ่ช็ฑ๏ผ็ตฑๅใ
ๅ้ฒๆฒ ใMy Heart Is Still On Herใ ใฎMusic Videoใๅถไฝใ ็ฃ็ฃใปไธปๆผ๏ผDan Mitchel๏ผDancer๏ผJasmine Mazlika๏ผใใญใคใณ๏ผไบ่กฃๅญ MVใชใณใฏ๏ผhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cldvXclPQIw
Dan Mitchel Releases a Christmas EP Themed Around โAttachmentโ โ Plus a New MV and Details on His Self-Produced Event!
โFree,โ โMy Heart Is Still On Her,โ โWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasโ โ a five-song story built around 2025โs โAttachment Trilogy,โ with two earlier tracks re-woven into the narrative.
On December 23, dramatic artist Dan Mitchel released his new EP Welcome Home at Sweet Christmas, centered on the theme of โattachment.โ The digital release is supported by FRIENDSHIP., HIP LAND MUSICโs digital distribution and promotion service.
For Dan Mitchel, 2025 was a year in which he was forced to confront the concept of โattachment.โ As he revisited and re-learned an idea he had never consciously focused on before, he came to realize that attachment is not only about romantic relationships, but also a profound theme connected to parent-child relationships, friendships, workplace hierarchies, and even the roots of many social issues.
This EP places three songs created in rapid succession from summer 2025 onward โ โFree,โ โMy Heart Is Still On Her,โ and โWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasโ โ at its core as an โAttachment Trilogy.โ It also includes two tracks โ โWhen I Think Of Youโฆโ and โI swearโฆโ โ which were written โbefore he was aware of attachment,โ yet now, looking back, feel as if they were singing about the same theme all along. As a result, the EPโs track order mysteriously converged into the same sequence as the release order โ which also mirrors the creation order. Coincidence or inevitability? The lineup itself becomes a โchronology of emotion.โ
New Song: โWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasโ
While โWelcome Home at Sweet Christmasโ is a Christmas song, it differs from what one might call an โorthodoxโ or โtraditionalโ Christmas song. Dan Mitchel is not a Christian, and he says he translated into music the sense of โJapanese Christmasโ โ which, for better or worse, absorbs foreign cultures and transforms them into uniquely local customs. The keywords are: diversity / freedom / integration.
On the sound side, the song centers on a โholyโ surge of emotion with the chorus set in Aโญ major, while the intro opens the celebration with salsa percussion. Then, in the bridge, the song shifts as if youโve wandered into another dimension. Though it boldly leaps through multiple modulations and a daring structure, it ultimately returns to the tonic for a triumphant resolution. Though it is a Christmas song, for Japanese listeners it may resonate more with the feeling of year-end closure โ the sense of gathering up a scattered year and integrating it into one whole.
The production began with the chorus melody and key phrases coming first, but the process was difficult midway through. Then one day, in a half-dreaming state, Dan felt a sudden conviction: โI think Iโll be able to write the lyrics tomorrow morning.โ In one burst, the song came together. Because of its complex structure, the arrangement took time โ but after the piece had been given enough โtime to be listened to / time to be lived with,โ once production resumed, the final form was completed in just one day.
โMy Heart Is Still On Herโ Music Video Now Available
A music video has been produced for the included track โMy Heart Is Still On Her,โ and it is now available on YouTube. Directed by and starring Dan Mitchel, this marks his first MV since the short film that was selected for a Hollywood film festival. In this work, the lyrical world โ spoken only abstractly in the song โ is made decadently visible through drama and dance. Please check it out as well.
Live Info: โDandy Asobi Clubโ at Shibuya 7th Floor (Thu, Jan 22, 2026)
On Thursday, January 22, 2026, Dan will self-produce โDandy Asobi Club,โ a multidisciplinary arts event dedicated to pursuing โplaying in earnest,โ at Shibuya 7th Floor. This installment will be held as a pilot edition, but with the aim of becoming a regular series. By linking it with a nationwide โFreeโ Tour, the project seeks to expand the circle of โserious playโ across Japan โ and eventually to export it globally as an art program.
Musically, Dan plans a stage that updates the โexquisite balanceโ between carefully designed dramatic direction and improvisation, bringing in a DJ alongside his usual support members. The event also plans a project in which music is improvised live to accompany theatre scenes, as well as a collaboration with world-class pantomime artist Kyoichi Kita. Performers and proposal submissions are currently being accepted via the dedicated LINE Open Chat.
Artist Comment
Thank you for your hard work this past year. Iโm grateful that every single year brings fresh experiences and realizations โ itโs truly the joy of being an artist.
Next year surely wonโt be simple either, but with the same unwavering โpurity of action,โ I want to keep pursuing the most beautiful human endeavor in this world โ in other words, โplaying in earnest.โ Please look forward to it.
“Expected Time Table” 18:30~19:00 DJรBAND SESSION 19:00~19:30 Dan Mitchel Band Set 1st Stage 19:30~19:45 Opening Talk 19:45~20:25 ActingรBand(Love Story with Romantic Band Music ) 20:25~20:45 PantomimeรBand 20:45~21:00 Break Time 21:00~21:05 Ukulele Live 21:05~21:20 Improvised New SongรPantomimeรDance 21:20~21:40 InteviewรBandรActing(Voice of the youth) 21:40~21:45 Ending Talk 21:45~22:15 Dan Mitchel Band Set 2nd Stage 22:15~22:45 Ending DJ
The lineup will continue to be updated as new performers are confirmed. If you believe in your talent and would like to appear in the program, please feel free to send your materials via DM or email at any time. I may not be able to reply to everyone, but I will review every submission.
A genre-crossing art event held 29 times in 2023 in collaboration with FRIENDSHIP. โ โFreestyle Session Party (FSP)โ โ is being refined and rebooted, relaunching as an event, program, and community under the name โDandy Asobi Club (DAC)โ!!
We will hold the pilot edition on Thursday, January 22, at Shibuya 7th Floor.
Theme
โMaster Serious Play!โ
โBefore you know it, it becomes a social phenomenon!โ
โBring Japanโs unique spirit of play to the world!โ
Turning serious play beyond genres and generations into a โclub activityโ
Across music, film/video, dance, theater, philosophy, and moreโbeyond genre and generationโwe aim to pursue โserious playโ as a club-like activity, developing it into a 12-episode series.
Building on popular FSP projects such as:
Adding live improvised accompaniment to theater performances
Sessions between DJs and live instrumentalists
Collaborations between reading theater and dancers / pantomime performers
โฆwe also plan to create highly original new formats, including:
A project where I draw out the thoughts of young people, and actors perform them as monologues
A project where we compose a song on the spot with participants present
We aim to deliver an array of creativity-rich projects that are rarely seen elsewhere.
Re-edit the event into a program and share it globally
This time, while keeping it a participatory event with an audience (as before), we want to leverage my track recordโincluding selection at a Hollywood film festival and an award at an Italian film festivalโto record, edit, and distribute it as a single program.
YouTube would be an option, but we also plan to explore whether distribution might be possible via Prime Video, Netflix, AbemaTV, and other platforms.
We also aim to add English subtitles throughout the entire program and export it overseas. I believe we must bring the talents hidden in Japan to the world. If we only consider the market within Japanโor only inbound touristsโthe long-term potential seems limited, especially when we have the internet.
For the video production team, I hope to collaborate again with the people who supported me during my previous film production. I intend to take responsibility and lead the team, and I believe my countless past failures will support me this time.
Encouraging proactive independence while maintaining authority
Although this is a participatory event, I will carefully review portfolios and submitted materials in advance and give the go-ahead based on the best match for each project.
Therefore, the overall stage quality will not drop due to casual amateur participation. That said, I donโt want anyone to feel intimidatedโrather, I want people with fewer achievements to actively challenge themselves. For the sake of discovering bold new concepts, I plan to review everything that is submitted, and within that, I want to design projects where many people can participate in the right roles at the right time.
Any club member can bring in a project idea
Under the banner โPerestroika = Democratization,โ we will establish a committee via a LINE Open Chat and invite committee members to propose new projects.
A project will be implemented with the approval of โat least five committee members + me.โ Those who vote in favor will also be expected to take responsibility and help operate the project.
LINE Open Chat: โDandy Asobi Club Planning Committeeโ is here! (You can join anonymously without adding anyone as a LINE friend.)
Expanding serious play across Japan and aiming for global reach
By linking with the nationwide tour โFreeโ that I announced previously, we can invite new talents I meet across Japan to performโenergizing both the event and the programโwhile also making it a place where people from many industries can gather.
Ultimatelyโโbirds of a feather flock togetherโโI hope to create a club-like space where, across all of Japan, diverse people beyond generations and genres who share my core philosophy can connect, thrive, and prosper.
You can also learn more about my guiding philosophy via my blog and the videos linked at the end.
Serious play can heal division in society
To resolve the countless binaries and divisions in society, I arrivedโjust yesterday (the memorable date of December 5, 2025) after years of thought experimentsโat the conclusion that we need a strong leader with aesthetics and an essential spirit of playfulness.
More details will be shared here. (I will add additional notes later.)
Crowdfunding to raise production costs!!
For the production budget of this project, I would like to raise 1,000,000 yen through crowdfunding!
Primarily, we would be truly happy if you purchase advance tickets, and as an added bonus, youโll also be able to try our existing servicesโor, if the project becomes a program, we may run commercial spots as well. (Of course, for corporate supporters, payment by invoice is also possible.)
Last time, we received support from 27 people and raised 1,280,000 yen.
Budget breakdown
Venue: ยฅ150,000
Performers: ยฅ150,000
Video: ยฅ200,000
Sound: ยฅ100,000
Rehearsals: ยฅ70,000
Editing: ยฅ150,000
Operations: ยฅ30,000
Advertising: ยฅ150,000
Please click the button below to visit the crowdfunding page, and check the support menus and return rewards there.
Pilot Edition โDandy Asobi Clubโ Production Support Fund
Dan Mitchelใ็งใซๅฏใๆทปใๅคฑๆไธ้จไฝ โMy Heart Is Still On Herโ ใใชใชใผในใ 47้ฝ้ๅบ็1ไธๅใใขใผ๏ผๆฐใคใใณใ็ช็ตๅงๅใซๅใใฆใฎใฏใฉใใกใณใงๅ ฑ้ณดใใไปฒ้ใ่ฆใคใๅบใๆ ่ทฏใธใ
ใใฉใใใฃใใฏใขใผใใฃในใใฎDan Mitchel ใใ18th Single โMy Heart Is Still On Herโใ11ๆ12ๆฅใซFRIENDSHIP.ใฎใตใใผใใๅใใฆใชใชใผในใใใ
ๅ็ๅๆฐ๏ผไธๅ่ถ ใ่จ้ฒใใๅไฝโFreeโใไปไธใใ1้ฑ้ๅพใ็ช็ถใMy Heart Is Still On Herใใจใใใใฌใผใบใๆตฎใใณใ24ๆ้ใ็ตใใใซในใใผใชใผใจใขใฌใณใธใพใงไธๆฐใซไฝใไธใใๆฒใ3ไบบใฎ็ปๅ ดไบบ็ฉใงๆงๆใใใChillใช้ฐๅฒๆฐใฎไธญใซใใตใใฎใทใฃใใใซใชใบใ ใๆดใใใจใฌใญใฎใฟใผใใใใฆใใใใๆขใใฆ่ฃๆญฃใใชใ่ช็ถใชใพใพใฎVocalใๆททๅจใใใ ๆญ่ฉใฎๅ ๅฎนใฏ่ฑ่ชใงใใใชใใใใฉใใๆญๅๆญ่ฌกใฎใใใช้ขจๆ ใๆใใๅคฑๆใฝใณใฐใ ใใๆฒใป่ฉใปใขใฌใณใธใในใฆใงใๅใชใโๆช็ทดโใซ็ใพใใใไธปไบบๅ ฌใฎๅๅผทใๆณใใจๆฑบๆใๅปใพใใฆใใใ
้ซๆ กๆไปฃใซๅถไฝใใใๆฅฝๆฒใใฏใฉในใกใคใใฎใ้ใใใจ่จใใใฆๅฅใใใจใใฝใผใใใขใใผใใซใใๆฒใงใใใชใใใDanใๅคฑๆใใใใณใซๅฟใฎๆฏใใจใชใฃใฆใใใๅฝผใซใจใฃใฆใๆใๅบๆทฑใๆฅฝๆฒใงใใใ็พๅจๅฟๅใงๅฎๆฝใใฆใใใๆฅฝๅจใๅผพใใชใใทใณใฌใผใฝใณใฐใฉใคใฟใผใใๆฏๆฅๅผพใ่ชใใใใInstagramไผ็ปใ365 Days of Struggling to play what I can’t playใใฎไธ็ฐใจใใฆใใฏใชใใฏ็กใใฎๅผพใ่ชใ๏ผใใใไฟฎๆญฃ็กใใงๅ้ฒใใใ
Dan Mitchel releases his autumn-themed heartbreak trilogy โMy Heart Is Still On Her.โ A journey to find resonating supporters through a nationwide 10,000-yen live tour and the launch of a new event-program project via crowdfunding.
Dramatic Artist Dan Mitchel will release his 18th single โMy Heart Is Still On Herโ on November 12 with support from FRIENDSHIP. As the season shifts into autumn and the afterglow deepens, this single brings together three heartbreak songs with a vivid emotional presence.
โMy Heart Is Still On Herโ Just a week after finishing his previous single โFree,โ which surpassed 40,000 plays, the phrase โMy Heart Is Still On Herโ suddenly appeared in his mind. Within 24 hours, he completed the story, arrangement, and track. The song features three characters and blends a chill atmosphere with shuffle rhythms in the chorus, energetic electric guitars, and intentionally uncorrected natural vocals. Though the lyrics are in English, the emotional nuance carries a sense of Showa-era Japanese ballads. The music, lyrics, and arrangement express not only lingering feelings but also the protagonistโs strength and determination.
โArroganceโ A jazz-leaning ballad recorded at the March 2025 event โIs Tonight Just a Rehearsal?โ. It captures the same groove that once made passersby dance on the streets of Hollywood. Piano: Hinata Ishii Bass: Hodaka Kageta Electric Guitar: GODO Terasawa Percussion: Gai Seki The interlude features a bass solo, and the outro shifts to a piano solo. In the video version, internationally active dancer Jasmin Mazlika adds a graceful performance.
โA Broken Manโs LOVE SONGโ Originally composed in high school, inspired by a breakup story where a classmate told Dan he was โtoo heavy.โ The song has been a source of emotional support for him through later heartbreaks. It was recorded as part of his anonymous Instagram series โ365 Days of Struggling to Play What I Canโt Play,โ using only live piano and vocals, with no click track and no tuning correction.
A=432Hz Production While his previous release was produced entirely in A=444Hz, this new single uses A=432Hz throughout, creating a calmer and more soothing atmosphere that fits the theme of heartbreak.
47-Prefecture โ10,000-yen Traveling Live & Documentaryโ Project
Following the strong reception of โFree,โ Dan launched a nationwide project offering one performance per prefecture for a fee of 10,000 yen plus travel expenses. The live shows can be held anywhere: private homes, inns, shops, commercial spaces, or outdoors, and can be performed even for an audience of one. In addition to original songs, he performs a wide range of covers showcasing his four-octave vocal range trained in Los Angeles. All performances will be filmed and compiled into a documentary capturing his journey across Japan. As an award-winning filmmaker at international festivals, Dan aims not only to deliver live music but to turn the entire process and the human encounters within it into art. Details: https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000000005.000158119.html
Freestyle Session Club (FSC) Launch
Dan is reviving his cross-genre Shibuya event โFreestyle Session Party,โ which he previously held 29 times, as a redesigned event-program called Freestyle Session Club (FSC), returning after two years. The project aims for a 12-episode series featuring cross-disciplinary sessions integrating music, film, dance, theater, and dialogue. Popular projects from the previous series return, including live improvised film-score accompaniment for stage plays, DJ and live-instrument collaborations, and readerโs theater combined with pantomime. New projects include sessions where Dan listens to young peopleโs stories and actors perform them as monologues, as well as spontaneous collaborative songwriting with audience members. A pilot version will be produced first, leading to full program development, recurring events, and a participatory community. Talented individuals discovered during the nationwide tour will also be involved, allowing both projects to function as dual pillars of Danโs creative work. A crowdfunding campaign to raise 1,000,000 yen for the pilot production has begun. Details: https://yep-net.com/2025/11/11/freestyle-session-club/
Artist Comment
โAutumn has arrived, and the air has become quite cold. This time, I gathered three heartbreak songs that feel simple yet painfully real.
The first track is a love song with three characters, something I rarely write. I hope listeners can relate from various perspectives.
I actually produced the track inside Jonathanโs, wearing headphones and shaking along with my small AKAI keyboard. Please donโt imagine that while listening.
The decision to leave the vocals un-tuned came from a conversation with a friend over drinks. Once I realized how delicate that decision was, I trembled a little.
The second song was written shortly before my track โAngel Heart.โ I truly like this piece and want to make a proper studio version, but the production budget has not come together yet, so it remains a live recording for now. Fortunately, the live take is already close to complete, so I think it works fine.
Musically, the song modulates frequently in small steps. Even Iโm not sure what key signature should go on the sheet music. Lyrically, it is the most hopeless song of the three. As a background story: right after shooting a short film, while I was driving, the actress and makeup artist in the back seat were talking about how โheartbreak songs tend to sell.โ I thought, โFine, then Iโll write the most hopeless one possible.โ Please forget that.
The third track, A Broken Manโs LOVE SONG, was written in high school, back when I had never dated anyone. It amazes me that I was able to write something like this from imagination alone. I was obsessed with complicated chords at the time, so the song is extremely difficult to play. There is no click track and no pitch correction. My piano playing is honestly poor, but thatโs the concept this time.
This song was also rehearsed in the event โIs Tonight Just a Rehearsal?โ, so please check out the video as well.โ
Release Information Dan Mitchel โMy Heart Is Still On Herโ Digital Release: November 12, 2025
Tracklist
My Heart Is Still On Her
Arrogance (Live from โIs Tonight Just a Rehearsal?โ)
A Broken Manโs LOVE SONG (365 Days of Struggling to Play)
่กใใฎๅๅท้ง ใงๅณ่็ใซ่ฒทใฃใไธ่ผชใฎใใฉใใ ใใฏใใโAlways, with a roseโใจใใใใจใงใ ไธปๅฌ่ ใฎ้คจ้ทใใใใ่ฟๅนด็จใซ่ฆใใญใถ็ทใใจใ ๅฅฝ่ฉใใใใ ใใพใใ็ฌ
Thanks to all of you, my latest release โFREEโhas been receiving an incredible response.
APPLE MUSIC: 24,000 streams YOUTUBE: 10,000 views and counting
To express my gratitudeโthough only three months remain in 2025โ Iโd like to announce a special Thank-You Campaign: a Nationwide Tour!
My company, Dramatic Frontier Co., Ltd., normally offers a custom โYour Only Live Showโ on-site performance service. The standard rate is ยฅ30,000 per solo performance + travel expenses, but for this campaign, Iโm opening one slot per prefecture in Japan at:
ยฅ10,000 + travel expenses
(first come, first served)
You can host the show anywhere. Iโll bring my amp and travel to any locationโ your home, outdoors, a small gathering, a large venueโno problem at all. Of course, if the space has a stage or proper sound equipment, I can perform at my full potential.
Requests for the setlist are welcome!
The only conditions are:
โ I perform one songโโFreeโโduring the show. โก You allow me to film (as much as possible) for the nationwide tour documentary.
For those who donโt know: Iโm not only a singer-songwriter but also a film director, and my short film has won awards at international film festivals. This project will have a Lo-Fi aesthetic by designโbut I hope youโll still look forward to it.
This is a type of challenge Iโve never taken on before, but if we can all enjoy it togetherโand if it leads to new and wonderful encountersโ that would make me truly happy.
My 17th Single โFreeโ is out on 3rd September, 2025. Curated by FRIENDSHIP. @friends_hipland (HIP LAND MUSIC’s) You can listen to these songs on any platforms of music subscription services freely
After turning thirty, I find myself reflecting on so many things. Almost as a survival strategy, Iโve grown cautious, afraid of getting hurt. As my senses grow numb, I begin to lose sight of how Iโm binding myself in place. Though I once longed for freedom above all else, I end up choosing restriction on my own. Perhaps it really does take someoneโs great love to be freed from such oppression. I feel as though Iโve only recently begun to realize that. My โstory of self-transformationโ has only just begun. I am in no position to speak as if I have it all figured out. But if you could keep this song close to your life, I would be truly glad. For both the human spirit and works of art such as music hold infinite possibilities beyond the reality of society. If my work can serve even a little in that direction, it would bring me great happiness.
I had my portrait painted! Yesterday I finally got the original. Thereโs a certain power in the actual piece that just canโt be felt through photos. Thank you so much for this wonderful work!!
Maybe I’d been approaching love based on whether it would be useful to me. Of course, it’s true that wasn’t everything, but that means I was seeking something in return.
I’m sure it’s not such an unusual storyโ it’s like that question: “What are your criteria for a partner?”In the sense of forming a community to survive, it’s very strategic, and I think that’s how humans have lived. You can’t say love won’t grow from that, and I have no intention of denying it. Some would say that’s what makes us human.The harsher life and society become, the more we can’t help but lean toward realism.
But setting that aside, could this be described as the most fantastical form of rebellionโ born from glimpsing a sparkle that transcends the debate of useful or useless?
It’s something you can’t put into words, or rather, something that would break if you tried to express it. It’s about the most beautiful energy in the world.
It even feels like my very thinking has changed.It’s simply about letting go of all dependencies and being honest with yourself. Whether self-preservation can be achieved on top of thatโ you won’t know unless you try.
It’s worth trying. Live optimistically. And that is the great power that only true beauty possesses.
Maybe there are two versions of me coexisting inside: one who wants to live quietly with family by a deserted lakeside, and another who feels compelled to lead the charge and leave something behind, to contribute to the world.
I wish I could balance both, but I’m too conspicuous to stay behind the scenes, yet too reserved to be an attention seeker. Right now, I’m stuck somewhere in between.
Call it narcissism if you want, but if I were a producer or director and had to choose who I’d cast first, well, there’s nobody but myself.
Conversely, I honestly can’t understand why others wouldn’t use meโ aside from reasons related to numbers or metrics.
It’s not arrogance, I’m just that infatuated with myself. Can’t help it.
Sometimes I want to surrender myself as a player, saying “go ahead, try to make the most of me.” You’d see a different side of me than when I’m juggling both roles, just like when I stood on stage before.
Anyway, in this overly noisy city, I’m trying to figure out how to adapt without dumbing down or numbing my mind. There are plenty of wonderful things here, but it’s all a bit too stimulating for me. I’m searching for that delicate balance, the right way to exist.
After singing so much about forgiveness in Free, perhaps the one person I was least able to forgive was myself.
I have been living with an overwhelming sense of guilt. That much, at least, I have been able to recognize. But recognition does not necessarily mean that forgiveness follows.
Emotionally, I feel guilt. Yet because my mind remains calm, I cannot compromise my own life. As a result, I end up betraying the expectations of those around me. I feel guiltyโ and yet, because my mind is clear, I still cannot compromise.
That is why I do not place much importance on giving others reassurance, nor do I seek to be worried about.
Mutual understanding and cooperation from a broad, overarching perspectiveโ this is the core. And in that sense, I am clearly different from most people. Something socially incompatible is born from that.
And unfortunately, I am not a psychopath. I feel pain more deeply than most. And perhaps that pain is now beginning to overflow beyond what I can control.
Nothing has changed since my teenage years. Since high school, I havenโt changed at all.
I found out about Kabukicho Street Live, an officially approved street-live event by Kabukicho Tower, so I decided to jump in while promoting a new song. The weather wasnโt great, which was a bit of a shame, but some people stopped and really listened, and that honestly made me very happy.
This song is probably the best-selling song in Japanโone that will never be surpassedโ so Iโve been singing it on many occasions for years. Because it has such a wide vocal range from low to high, Iโve always struggled with finding the right key. On top of that, Iโm in the middle of making major changes to my singing style, so itโs been even trickier. Compared to the original key of G major: โ up to 2021, I sang it in Dโญ major โ from 2021 to 2022, in D major โ from 2022 to 2025, in B major Iโd lowered it quite a bit, but when it came to live performances, I kept running out of breath in the opening. Recently, I happened to try it in Eโญ major on my acoustic performance account, and it suddenly felt right. So the audio youโre hearing is actually from a live performance at Luxury Hayama, originally done in B major, but I force-transposed it up by +4. It ended up with a nice sense of modulation, so I figured, well, this works too (laugh). Ideally, though, I think the chorus would feel more bittersweet if I sang it with a husky, half-falsetto tone. When itโs live, I still get anxious and end up pushing my voice. Those unnecessary thoughts really get in the way.
Leaving aside, for the moment, the question of whether the significance of communication lies in โthe exchange of emotionsโ or not, in any case, when we receive any kind of information, the most efficient thing to do is to reach into the databank in our own heads, pull out something similar, and slap a label on itโ โThis is it.โ
For example, when you look at miso soup and understand that it is miso soup, thatโs only because you already know what miso soup is. For someone overseas who doesnโt know miso soup, the situation is completely different.
Likewise, when we receive some information, we probably pull out something similar and apply it. After that, it becomes a matter of filling in the subtle discrepanciesโ like realizing the miso is actually red miso, or that the stock is anchovy-based rather than kombu.
In most cases, this works without any problems. Thatโs simply because we were born and raised with similar sensibilities, and share similar cultures and values.
But what about different cultures? Could you explain natto to a Martian visiting Japan for the first time?
โItโs a type of bean called a soybean, and you ferment itโฆโ
If the Martian doesnโt know what fermentation is, then youโd have to explain fermentation as well. A Jupiterian might not even know what beans are. And in the end, following the idea that โseeing is believing,โ youโd probably force them to eat it. And then the interplanetary war would begin.
Thatโs because, for them, natto is completely new information. Saying things like, โWell, natto is natto, right?โ or โHow can you not know this?โ is obviously pointless.
The same applies to information we call โ0โ1.โ It too is entirely new, because it is something that does not yet exist and is being created for the first time.
Even if you try to put a label on it, there is no label that could possibly exist. So if you want to understand it, you have to listen to explanations as if you were that alien who doesnโt know natto, and then assemble and imagine those explanations in your own mind.
This is an extremely taxing process. Quite simply, your brain gets tired. Thatโs why people say, โGive me references.โ Even though youโre explaining something that doesnโt yet exist, theyโre asking you to explain it using existing things.
Thatโs understandable. Because in most cases, people donโt have the motivation to go that far just to understand somethingโ unless itโs their job. If youโre reading this right now, you might be a particularly curious person.
This is the difficulty of sharing โ0โ1.โ And in most cases, people arenโt even aware that theyโre labeling information and receiving it as an approximation. Because this kind of process is so ordinary, so embedded in everyday life, that no one even thinks to examine it.
And yet, very few people can explain what is โordinary.โ Because it isnโt actually ordinary at all.
Worse still, the farther apart cultures and values are, the more cruel the mistakes caused by labeling become.
These days, among foreigners who love Japan, you rarely hear miso soup described as โrotten soup.โ But if someone who knows nothing is suddenly presented with miso, no one is going to have a pleasant experience.
And yet, in a 0โ1 context, casually labeling miso as โshitโ can easily happen. No one can really be blamed for that. All you can do is regret your own inability to explain it properly.
And people wonโt go so far as to invest that much effort just to try to understand you. You end up feeling sad about your lack of influence, and sometimes the thought even crosses your mind that maybe you have to stake your life on it. Have I really been repeating this for over thirty years?
I wish Iโd been born a little smarter. Iโve been told over and over since childhood that I โlack expressive ability.โ As a result, even if Iโm insulted, I still wish that the information I put out would be received accurately. But being punched because someone mistook โmisoโ for โshitโ is just not fair.
That said, if a truly multicultural society were to be realized, these kinds of misunderstandings would become everyday occurrences. (Realistically, I donโt think the level individuals should aim for and the level a nation should aim for can ever fully alignโฆ) Still, when encountering all kinds of new information, I sincerely hope people wonโt kill it with their own sense of โnormal,โ but instead connect it to the โexpansion of the self.โ
Alan Watts once wrote something along these lines. And he, notably, was a hedonist.
โThe Hidden Cost of Intelligenceโ
Have you ever noticed that the smarter you become, the lonelier you feel? Itโs a strange thing. You would think that intelligence helps you connect with peopleโthat by seeing more and understanding more, youโd be able to draw closer to others. But thatโs not what happens. If anything, it pulls you further away.
You walk into a room and everyone is laughing. But you donโt find it funny. Theyโre talking about trivial thingsโsafe, superficial topics. You smile, you nod, you play along. But inside, youโre somewhere else entirely. Youโre thinking about the conversation beneath the conversation. The patterns no one mentions. The questions no one asks. And suddenly, you realize that youโre aloneโnot physically, but in every way that matters.
This is the hidden cost of intelligence. The price no one tells you about. An isolation that doesnโt come from being different, but from seeing differently.
Let me try to explain what you may be sensing about intelligent people. Intelligence isnโt just about knowing more. Itโs about perceiving more. Itโs about connecting dots others donโt see. Following thoughts all the way to their logical conclusionsโeven when those conclusions are uncomfortable.
And hereโs the problem: most people donโt want to go that far. They donโt want to question the gameโthe unspoken rules and structures of society. They just want to play it. They donโt want to examine the masks. They just want to wear them. They donโt want to ask whether the emperor has any clothes. They just want to compliment the fabric.
But you canโt help yourself. You see the loose threads. You notice the contradictions. You notice the inconsistencies. You notice the silent agreements everyone treats as absolute truth. And when you point them outโeven gently, even jokinglyโpeople become uncomfortable. Not because youโre wrong, but because youโre right. And being right about things people donโt want to examine makes you dangerous.
So they distance themselves. Not necessarily consciously. Not necessarily maliciously. But they do. They stop inviting you. They keep conversations shallow around you. They call you โtoo serious,โ or โoverthinking,โ or โtoo intense.โ And you learn to keep your thoughts to yourself. You learn to tone it down. You learn to speak in half-truths. You learn to laugh at jokes that arenโt funny. You learn to nod at opinions you donโt share. You learn to hide.
Because complete honesty, as youโve discovered, is social suicide. Authentic self-expression is loneliness in motion. To be truly yourself is to be alone.
โธป
My Response to This Text
I find that I simply cannot accept this conclusion. I suspect that even beyond complete honesty, there is a branching pointโone where some people are loved, and others are not. That is the journey Iโm searching for. It is harmony. It is resonance. It is serious play. And it is not compromise. I donโt want to give up.
There is certainly truth in the claim that intelligence breeds loneliness. But I donโt want my thinking to stop there. If absolute honesty leads only to loneliness, then perhaps the way honesty is being used is still immature.
What I am searching for is not a compromise that dulls the truth. It is a way to sublimate truth into a form that can reach others. That is harmony. That is resonance. That is play that only exists because it is serious.
I want to believe that there is a path where those who have seen can still be loved. I refuse to give up on finding it.
And we must never forget the knowledge of our own ignorance. The moment one speaks as if one has โalready known,โ using the past perfect as though understanding were complete, one is effectively confessing oneโs own foolishness.
Letting go is not abandonment; it is entrusting. To play in earnestโthis is art itself. Moving toward a concept called a grand perspective. How noble, how profoundly grateful this is. The wonder of beauty itself.
A radiance of life that AI can never truly imitate. The purity of action. The struggle against the instinct for mere survival. Though the body perishes, the soul does not.
I repeat this desperately to myself. Even so, being able to fully translate it into action is still far away. Instead of entrusting, I expectโand then give up. Itโs because of fear. Iโm afraid of being hurt, so I fall back on self-defense. Even knowing all this, truly letting go still lies one step further ahead.