Imase (stylized in all lowercase; born November 9, 2000) is a Japanese singer-songwriter who debuted in 2021 and found success with the 2022 viral single "Night Dancer". His first EP, Pop Cube, was released in 2022 by Universal Music Japan.
He debuted in 2021 with his single "Have a Nice Day" only a year after learning how to write and compose music, according to his signed label Universal Music Japan. His success with "Night Dancer" only a year later has given him the "monster rookie" nickname.
Junji Ishiwatari, a former member of alternative rock band Supercar, called Imase's sudden rise to stardom "a true event that is stranger than fiction". Five months after his debut, Imase was hired to sing the Pocari Sweat jingle, which is considered an honor, and he had over 1 billion TikTok views.
On August 19, 2022, he wrote his most famous song, called "Night Dancer", the song's name associating with light and darkness. The lyrics evoke a sense of nostalgia and a desire to cherish the present moment, with themes of love and joy. The song went viral and was highly successful, especially in South Korea. It was also the first J-pop song to enter the Top 20 in South Korea. He became a topic of interest on South Korean blogging forums after "Night Dancer" entered the Melon 100 chart, the first ever Japanese song and Japanese singer to achieve this feat.
In 2023, Imase produced the songs "Jewelry" and "Dresscode" for the K-pop group Le Sserafim.
His song "Outline" was selected as the official theme song for the 103rd All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. Imase also performed the song live on the final day of the competition on January 13, 2025.
On August 4, 2025, he announced that he would take a break from his artistic activities because of his deteriorated health conditions after the concert at Nippon Budokan on July 25, 2025, according to his official website. As of March 2026, he was still on hiatus.
Discography
Studio albums Title Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Released: May 15, 2024 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: CD, digital download, streaming 4 JPN: 11,328
Extended plays Title EP details Peak chart positions JPNDig.Pop Cube Released: November 9, 2022 Label: Universal Music Japan Formats: Digital download 18
Singles Title Year Peak chart positions Certifications Album JPNHotBillboard Japan Hot 100 positions: "Night Dancer": "Nagisa": "Melodrama": "Metrocity": KORCircle Digital Chart positions: "Night Dancer": "Night Dancer" (Big Naughty remix): SGPReg.Recording Industry Association Singapore Top Regional Chart positions: "Night Dancer": WWBillboard Global 200 positions: "Night Dancer": "Have a Nice Day" 2021 — — — — RIAJ: Gold Pop Cube "Escape" (逃避行) 2022 — — — — "Pale Rain" — — — — "Demone, Tamaniwa" (でもね、たまには) — — — — Pop Cube "Night Dancer" 38 14 28 112 RIAJ: Platinum "Utau" (うたう) — — — — "Analog Life" (アナログライフ) — — — — Pop Cube "Abekobe" (あべこべ) — — — — "Bokurada" (僕らだ) 2023 — — — — Bonsai "Period" (ピリオド) — — — — "Night Dancer" — — — — "18" — — — — Bonsai "Night Dancer" — 81 — — "Nagisa" 29 — — — RIAJ: Gold Bonsai "Melodrama" (メロドラマ) 2024 98 — — — rowspan="2" "Et cetera" (エトセトラ) — — — — "Metrocity" (メトロシティ) 98 — — —
Tours Imase Online Live "Pop Room" (via "Uliza", a video streaming platform)
Imase 1st Live "Pop Over" +VenueDateLiquid RoomMay 10, 2023 1st Showcase in Korea +VenueDateMusina Garage Music Hall (Hongdae, Seoul)April 13, 2023 "Night-Dance ซิ่ง with imase" +VenueDateGroove Central World, ThailandJune 20, 2023 Imase Tour 2023 "Utopia" +VenueDateBig CatOctober 26, 2023Nagoya Club QuattroOctober 27, 2023Zepp Shinjuku (Tokyo)October 31, 2023
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External links