From the very beginning, it seemed clear to them that they didn’t want people to pigeonhole them into any particular style, and this is a topic they have been working hard on since their inception.
“My Love Song” from King & Prince 1st album as duo (6th album overall): Peace (ピース)
In order to achieve a diverse fan base, one of the main rules to keep in mind is versatility. And that’s something that King & Prince seems to have been clear from the beginning of their career. As we commented in the previous “Weekly Kinpuri“, although Kaito Takahashi and Ren Nagase debuted 7 years ago with their famous debut hit “Cinderella girl” (シンデレラガール), with a style too much framed in the image of the traditional and unattainable idol, they soon ventured to try new musical styles and explore those that have helped them to express what they had inside at each moment of their career, as they proved with their latest album: Re:ERA
That is why King & Prince presents a wide range of music in their discography, which we will delve into a little deeper today. Many people know their debut song, or perhaps other titles more focused on the term known as “kira kira idol” (きらきらイドル); the onomatopoeia “kira kira” means “shining” or “glittering,” and it is used to describe something that shines or has a luminous effect, such as stars, jewellery, or even a person who radiates joy, but In the context of idol songs this term is often used in Japan to recognise a quite specific style of songs, with a lively rhythm and conveying a sense of simplicity with a slightly childish touch. They tend to be songs whose messages are not extremely deep, as they focus more on the enjoyment that the song itself brings, conveying a message of positivity and freshness, which most people are unable to escape.
Do King & Prince sing these kinds of songs? Of course!, there is absolutely nothing that these two guys are not capable of singing (and dancing), so today we will focus on delving into the kind of songs that no matter how bad your day has been, have the ability to lift anyone’s spirits and allow us to dream that tomorrow will be, if not at least a better day, perhaps a little less complicated than today. And for that, I would like to start with a personal recommendation: “僕らのバカンス” (“Bokura no Vacances“) which belongs to his single: MAGIC WORD/Itoshi Ikiru Koto, the 14th single of King & Prince; a song that although it has gone unnoticed because it is not an A side, once you listen to it, it stays in your head paying free rent, perfect to start a new season that is just around the corner! With a catchy rhythm that shines on its own, where they sing to us about a summer love that promises to be indestructible beyond time and makes us daydream on hot days.
More well-known are other songs in this style such as: “Memorial” (2nd single, which was released on 10 October 2018), “Koi Wazurai” (released on 28 August 2019, being their fourth single) or “I Promise” (their sixth single, It was released on December 16, 2020 and sold about 616,145 copies in 2021, placing at number 8 on the Oricon Annual Single Ranking).
promotional poster for “Onzoushi ni Koi wa Muzusugiru“
The latest Kira Kira-style songs the duo has released recently coincide with their last two releases: the A-side of their single “HEART“, which is their 16th single and was released on 12 March 2025 on the occasion of Valentine’s Day!
With the title track being featured as the theme song for the TV drama series “Onzoushi ni Koi wa Muzusugiru” starring Ren Nagase on KTV and Fuji TV, And of course the latest song released on the streaming music platforms “What we got ~Kiseki wa kimi to~“, that has managed to be the pinnacle of King & Prince‘s “kira kira idol” songs as it is a collaboration with Disney, making it an official song of this franchise, which will be released together with their next single on August 6th! You can pre-order it from here!!!
But if we are talking about a definitive list of “kira-kira idol” style songs with a touch of romantic ballads, we must refer to the definitive list created by our beloved duo themselves on spotify: “King & Prince ON AIR Romantic“, which is part of a group of playlists with different topics, each of them made up of several songs carefully chosen so that you can add the perfect soundtrack to each of your special moments and turn them into an irreplaceable memory together with Kaito Takahashi and Ren Nagase.
Now, tell us, what is YOUR best kira-kira idol song by King & Prince?
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