4-sibling singing group visits Saipan

They started as Taekwondo enthusiasts, then became dance aficionados, and later formed their own singing group.

Called Bless 4, the group consists of four Kawamitsu siblings—two brothers and two sisters—from Japan.

They include 23-year-old Akashi, 21-year-old Kanasha, 15-year-old Akino, and 14-year-old Aiki.

The siblings, accompanied by their production managers, arrived on Saipan yesterday to participate in the CNMI’s annual Christmas in the Marianas event, which kicks off later today at Chamolinian Village in Garapan.

The amiable and lively quartet said they are very excited to come to Saipan, as it would be their first time to set foot again on U.S. soil after about eight years.

The Kawamitsus are originally from Okinawa, Japan.

They moved to the U.S.—Utah and Arizona—when eldest Akashi was only a year old.

All three younger siblings were born in the U.S.

It was in the U.S. that they learned Taekwondo and dancing skills.

In 1997, they want back to Japan, continuing their passion for performing arts.

They currently live in Tokyo with their parents, who they say are giving their all-out support for their budding career.

The group has been quite busy since forming Bless 4.

“We do a lot of live shows, mostly street live shows,” he said.

Last year alone, they performed in 305 shows all over Tokyo and elsewhere in Japan.

Most performances lasted for 30 minutes.

Their trip to Saipan is actually their first exposure as a group outside Japan.

The four siblings will be on Saipan for three weeks, appearing in some shows during the period.

Jun Kitaoka, vice president of Phase One tour agency, said he invited the group after watching their DVDs and listening to their CDs.

The group likes R&B, hip-hop and all kinds of beats as a base to feature their chorus work and make a popish sound.

They have produced five singles in both Japanese and English, which are contained in their album ALL FOR ONE released by BMG House in February this year.

Their debut single, “Good Morning Sunshine” was used as Fuji TV’s Major League Baseball’s theme song for 2003, while their Okinawan pre-release single “Gajumaru no Shita de” was the theme song for NHK’s “minna no uta” (Don’t Look Back).

It’s also the theme song for Sato Medicine’s “Sutunarini-S” for 2005.

Also part of their album are a-capella cover songs such as Stevie Wonder’s “I Just Called to Say I love You” and Tevin Campbell’s “Tomorrow.”

Their album “is jampacked with power, soul, and happiness,” said their manager.

Haruki Akiyama, the group’s manager and president of production outfit, Wish Entertainment, said what makes the four unique is their admirable bond, which is characterized by their love and support for one another.

Akashi said they named their group Bless 4 “because we want to bless others through our music.”