For twelve years, Tomohiro Kamiyama has been one of WEST.’s most quietly remarkable artists.
He has always been difficult to define by a single role. Fans know him as a vocalist with remarkable control, a dancer whose precision has become one of the group’s signatures, a songwriter, a multi-instrumentalist, and a performer equally at home on concert stages, theater productions, and television sets. Yet despite wearing so many creative hats, Tomohiro has never seemed interested in standing apart from the group.
On July 1—his 33rd birthday—Tomohiro will officially launch his first solo project under the name Tomohiro Kamiyama, becoming the first member of WEST. to embark on an official solo music project since the group’s debut. His debut digital single, “G.O.D.“, arrives not as a declaration of independence, but as an extension of everything he has quietly been building throughout his career.
The project bears his creative signature at every level. He himself wrote the lyrics, composed the music, and co-created the choreography alongside acclaimed dancer Kaita (RHT.), bringing together the three disciplines that have long defined his artistry: songwriting, rap, and dance.
If the announcement introduced fans to the project, however, HIGHLIGHT* offered something even more revealing.
Ahead of the song’s official release, Tomohiro chose to unveil “G.O.D.” not through a traditional music video teaser, but through movement.
As the latest artist featured on HIGHLIGHT—the performance series born from THE FIRST TAKE that spotlights an individual artist’s unique strengths—Tomohiro became the first artist from STARTO ENTERTAINMENT to appear on the platform. Rather than revealing the entire song, he introduced audiences to its emotional language through dance first, presenting a specially remixed arrangement created exclusively for the performance.
Instead of allowing listeners to meet “G.O.D.” through its lyrics, he invited them into its atmosphere through rhythm, texture, and physical expression.
Dressed in a striking red tracksuit, Tomohiro enters quietly, greeting the cameras with humility before placing his hands together in gratitude. Then, unexpectedly, he kneels once more, as if centering himself before the music begins. The moment feels less like a performer preparing for a showcase than an artist stepping into a deeply personal space.
He also revealed why this song became the natural choice to introduce his solo career.
With his solo project beginning on July 1, Tomohiro felt that the first song released under his own name was the only fitting selection for HIGHLIGHT. To suit the performance, he remixed the instrumental specifically for the session, offering viewers an entirely new way to experience the track before its official release.
The decision reflects the kind of creator he has quietly become.
He isn’t simply performing songs.
He is building worlds.
That philosophy is echoed in the statement accompanying the announcement of his solo debut. Tomohiro shared that creating, producing, and presenting his own work gives him the opportunity to grow as an artist while giving something back to the fans who have supported him throughout the years. Music, he says, remains the place where he can express himself most honestly, and he hopes to continue challenging himself for as long as he can.
Yet perhaps the most touching part of his message has little to do with standing alone.
He hopes this solo project becomes a doorway for people who have never encountered WEST.’s music before. More importantly, he promises that everything he learns through this experience will eventually return to the group he lovingly calls his “mother ship” and his “home.”
In an industry where solo activities can sometimes be interpreted as a step away from a group, he instead frames this new chapter as an investment in WEST.’s future. His journey outward is, in many ways, a promise to come back stronger.
“G.O.D.” already feels like the culmination of years spent watching Tomohiro quietly sharpen every aspect of his craft. From composing music and choreographing performances to becoming one of STARTO’s most respected dancers, the pieces have been falling into place long before this announcement.
Now, for the first time, they carry his name alone.
And yet, in true Tomohiro Kamiyama fashion, even his boldest step forward never loses sight of the place he calls home.
https://tomohirokamiyama.lnk.to/G.O.D.