Twin Star Idols

“Good morning everyone! Welcome to another episode of Idol Today. I’m Junpei Ogata, one of your hosts and to my right is my co-host, who I’ll allow to introduce himself now. Please go on.”

“Hi everyone, I’m Saito Ishihara, and I’m happy to be here to chat with everyone today. We’ll be welcoming two very special guests to the show, so please stay tuned until the end, thank you.”

“Thanks Sai. Now, let’s begin with the highlights of idol news for this week. Idol group Dream3 debuted at number one with their new single, ‘Rain on Me Again’, on the Hot 100 weekly chart.”

“Ah yes, they are a promising new group that’s recently come onto the scene, but how long will they enjoy their win? As we all know, there’s two artists that can’t seem to leave the top spot.”

“Oh? Could you be referring to our lovely Twin Star Idols? Do I even need to ask? Of course you are. Those ladies just can’t seem to stay off the charts. I’ll give Dream3 a week at most.”

“Exactly my thoughts Jun. This wouldn’t be the first time either of them were dethroned on the charts, but the only artist that managed to stay at the top for a full week was A-SUN-A. That said even her reign ended after they released their new singles. Then it was like they were playing hot potato for who would stay at number one. If not number one, the other was always number two.”

“Exactly. Actually, let’s talk about that for a minute Sai. Now, I’m sure our viewers are well informed about our Twin Stars, but for the sake of any new friends joining us today, shall we explain? Let’s review who these ladies are and how they got their start. It’s an amazing story.”

“Agreed Jun. We’ve told this story a few times, but it never gets old. Now, let’s start from the top. Five years ago, Indigo Records announced they were debuting two fresh new artists from their label. Up to that point, they’d only managed a few solo talents and one group but didn’t have much success. They were honestly facing closure, but then reportedly they received an anonymous submission of two individual records. Apparently, the moment producer Shun heard the records, he broke down in tears and cheered immediately after. He instructed his agents to search the city for these women, known only as Natsuki and Nozomi according to the records.”

“Right and find them they did. Natsuki was scheduled to have a live performance in a Tokyo club, so she was easy to track down. Nozomi took a bit more effort, but thankfully a young agent familiar with social media came across an indie song artist on WhoTube named No-Zo-Mi and he recognized her voice. After cross-referencing, they were able to confirm she was indeed the Nozomi they were looking for. They made contact with them separately and they both agreed after some negotiations with their agents. The rest was history. They blew up instantly after.”

“What’s most impressive is the fact that they have very different styles, yet they both resonated so well with their respective fans. Or perhaps it’s because they’re so different that they could manage to rise up in popularity without ever stealing each other’s shine? Sai, your thoughts?”

“I definitely think that was a factor Jun. I mean, they cover the two extremes of musical culture. We have Natsuki, our Summer Star, whose sound is modern, yet fits within the realm of classic Pop that illuminates our darkest times. Then we have Nozomi, our Star of Hope, whose sound is rugged and defiant rock, yet can inspire optimism even when our lives seem all but promising.”

“What’s even more interesting, is that their looks and personalities directly contradict their style of music. Nozomi is very cute with her purples and pinks and her bubbly personality. She’s very personable and socializes well with her fans, yet her songs are about defying fate and breaking down the system. Then you have Natsuki, whose entire image gives off a doom and gloom vibe with a sprinkle of light, as depicted in the black and yellow colors of her outfits. She’s rather reserved, while still being polite, with her fans, and she seems uncomfortable in social settings. However, her songs are all cheerful, sweet, and fun, encouraging the embrace of life and love.”

“Indeed. It almost feels like the two should’ve switched places. That way they’d have better fit the cultural norms we typically have when it comes to our idol industry. Typically, those who try to defy the norms get harshly rejected and don’t make it. We’ve seen it many times before. Yet, these two ladies are in the peak of their primes, and I’m not sure when they’re coming down.”

“You would think that this level of success they’re achieving in parallel would cause potential drama between them and make them into bitter rivals. Especially considering their place at the top is always contested by the other. Don’t you think they’d be saying, ‘if only she didn’t exist, I’d be number one all the time’? Wouldn’t they work hard to take the other one down for good?”

“That’s what most would think, and it’s something we’ve certainly seen before with other artists. However, for whatever reason, Natsuki and Nozomi have avoided this kind of rivalry. It’s as though they are just fine sharing the top spot with each other but refuse to let anyone else dull their shine. We’ve only seen either go on the offensive with new releases if some other idol artist or group overtakes them. Yet when they’re both on top it’s as if they choose then to take it easy.”

“Even more peculiar, is the fact they reportedly never follow the same schedule outside of idol award shows or major events. When they go on tour or perform live, the other is always on break from it. According to sources, they’ve never been in the same room before, nor have they met. Isn’t that strange? They have no obvious rivalry, yet they seem to avoid each other constantly?”

“I think I can answer that Jun. Word is, their agents are incredibly strict and value the privacy of their idols at top priority. Both Natsuki’s and Nozomi’s agents have said on numerous occasions that while they have vowed to be loyal to their fans as idols, their personal lives and identities will be respected. They don’t allow any other idols to approach them, not just each other. It’s why they handle all public event planning, sponsorships and label negotiations on their behalf. They have respectively taken on all the responsibilities of their idols, such that all they need to do is get on stage and sing, or record in the studio. Of course they’re present for fan events and meet and greets, but those too are very controlled, and security is always tight at those times.”

“Well, that may be for the best Sai, as it’s not an exaggeration to say that they are Japan’s top idols. Japan’s Twin Star Idols to be exact, shining brightly just for us, with undying loyalty.”

“On that note, I think it’s time to welcome our special guests. Joining us on video, from their individual streams of course, please welcome Natsuki and Nozomi! Our only Twin Star Idols!”

The TV was clicked off just before the reveal, as the holder of the remote lied their head back against the sofa. Her long black hair flowed like tentacles around her, the pink peeking out from her roots. She fiddled with the piercings in her nose and over her right eyebrow with a frown. A body plopped down beside her and forced her blue eyes open. A beer appeared within her vision. “We’ll need to find something else to watch instead Rei, I just couldn’t stand to hear it again.”

“You still hate the sound of your voice, even after all this time, Aki?” Warm mocha eyes teased her. She took a swig of her beer and flicked her nose ring as she lied back too. “Ok, anime it is.”