Planned and directed by Keisuke Shimizu, Art Director at TBWA\HAKUHODO, the YouTube music channel THE FIRST TAKE (run by THE FIRST TAKE Project), has surpassed 100 million views in just five months after its launch, quickly taking over as a new way to enjoy music in Japan and abroad.

THE FIRST TAKE is a collaborative project with popular music artists that began in November 2019 centered around an official Youtube channel. The featured artist performs a song in front of a microphone inside a white studio, all filmed in one single take. The channel is gaining popularity from around the world as a new type of music entertainment that allows viewers to be front and center, witnessing the spontaneous and raw emotion of artists as they pour their all into one song.

“In an age where people are overwhelmed with the sheer amount of video content available online, I believe now more than ever, people are hungry for content that is more ‘primitive’. Something that is both authentic and believable. The advantage of allowing only one-shot, is the ability to faithfully convey to the audience what’s happening onset, bringing out the true essence of each artist. In this way, the viewer themselves are drawn into a more intimate experience, allowing them to interpret the work more personally – from the passion that exudes from the singer’s face, to the expressiveness found in minute details of the breathing, and the unique charm of their individual quirks,” said Shimizu.

Shimizu leads advertising and branding for global clients, with work that has won international awards, including Gold Cannes Lions, ADC Grand Prix, and Clio Awards Grand Prix. He has also been awarded personally as JAAA Creator of the Year 2018 and Campaign Asia Creative Person of the Year in 2019.

Shimizu concluded, “Most importantly, the love received from artists and users of THE FIRST TAKE is the true brand value of the channel. We hope that we can live up to the increasing love and help this music concept become part of popular culture.”

THE FIRST TAKE：YouTube / Instagram / Twitter