Round a Ground 2017 in LA Advent Calendar

Today’s song is Mata ne!

It’s the last track of SKY-HI’s first major album, TRICKSTER. The title translates to “see ya,” which is what I’m saying with today’s post!

Thanks for following this countdown! It was fun to plan out the songs and share my SKY-HI knowledge with you. I hope you had a blast at the live - and if you weren’t able to make it, I hope you enjoyed the countdown anyway!

We’ll see each other again at the next SKY-HI world tour!

Today’s song is Ms. Liberty!

Today’s the day!! SKY-HI will perform in LA tonight!

He’s here in America, home of Lady Liberty! What better a way than to celebrate with this song?

This jazzy tune is the main track of SKY-HI’s second album, Catharsis, and is the namesake for his 2016 tour, Searching for Ms. Liberty. The song treats Ms. Liberty as a metaphor for freedom, which SKY-HI incessantly chases in this fun music video.

Today’s song is Adventure!

It’s the last day before SKY-HI kicks off the US leg of his adventure across the world! Can you believe we’re finally almost there??

Some of us are beginning our own adventures to go see him today! Let’s celebrate by listening to this fun tune from SKY-HI’s third album, OLIVE!

Today’s song is Kimi Saki!

It’s a beautiful ballad from SKY-HI’s first album, TRICKSTER!

Leading up to the album’s release, avex released lyric videos for a few tracks, including this one! Check out this calming video that pairs well with SKY-HI’s lovely vocals...

Today’s song is Young, Gifted and Yellow!

In this laid-back tune, SKY-HI writes a letter to a long-gone figure... this song is a continuation of “LUCE.” Do you remember?

SKY-HI wrote this song because he wanted to complete the heavy ideas that came out with “LUCE.” Both tracks were featured on his second album, Catharsis.

Additionally, the title is a reference to Nina Simone’s song, “To be Young, Gifted, and Black.”

Today’s song is Dungeon Survivors!

It’s the b-side to yesterday’s track, Double Down! Following Enter the Dungeon and Welcome to the Dungeon, it’s the third song in SKY-HI’s dungeon series, which makes up the theme songs for the rap competition show, Freestyle Dungeon!

Today’s song is Jack The Ripper!

It’s a song by SONPUB, featuring SKY-HI! It was released a while back - in 2013 - and has been a staple in SKY-HI lives ever since!

The song is pretty fun, given the title, isn’t it…?

Today’s song is Double Down!

It’s National Saxophone Day! The date coincides with the birthday of Adolphe Sax, who invented the saxophone. The woodwind has become a staple in big bands and jazz songs - a genre which has become SKY-HI’s signature style!

What better a way than to celebrate this glorious day with a jazzy tune featuring a tenor sax solo by FIRE HORNS saxophonist, Junjiman! (He doesn’t appear in this video, but it’s him playing on the track!)

Without the saxophone, what might SKY-HI songs sound like...!? Let’s not think about that.

Today’s song is Chronograph!

It’s a beautiful ballad about the flow of time and saying goodbye when it’s time. This song was also featured in a video story with art by Ichigo Tanaka. That’s the mangaka who created Orange, which SKY-HI loves!

Daylight Savings Time ended today! Do you feel discombobulated by the time change?

Today’s song is Reincarnation!

It’s the delightful first track of SKY-HI’s newest album, OLIVE! It kicks off the recurring theme of life at the very beginning of the tracklist.

This tune is about facing the world with SKY-HI right alongside you, and being reborn into a world that we make where we can laugh.

Today’s song is Blanket!

... I planned this song for late in the countdown because I expected it to be getting colder by now, but...! It seems LA is still pretty warm lately! It is colder now than a couple weeks ago, though - remember when it was 100 degrees in October!?

The weather should be pretty nice during the weekend of SKY-HI’s live! And the LA area is a high desert, right? So even if it’s warm during the day, it’ll be pretty chilly at night.

If you’re cold, don’t worry, because SKY-HI will be your blanket ♪

Today’s song is BAD GIRL!!

It’s a song by BRIGHT, featuring SKY-HI! This single was released six years ago today! This was one of SKY-HI’s earlier activities outside of AAA.

The video is way too short for how great of a song this is! You can find the full song and music video here.

Today’s song is CRITICAL POINT!

It’s another blast from the past! This tune is the second volume of SKY-HI’s 2011-2012 project, FLOATIN’ LAB! Each track featured big names in rap. This time, it was KEN THE 390, and TARO SOUL!

Welcome to November! We’ve finally entered the month of the US lives! We’re... over the critical point!

Today’s song is Enter The Dungeon!

Happy Halloween! Let’s celebrate with one of SKY-HI’s darker songs! Enter The Dungeon is the first of the dungeon anthems he has created for the rap show, Freestyle Dungeon.

The music video was filmed at a spooky location to fit the eerie instrumentation.

Today’s song is VERY BERRY!

It’s a FIRE HORNS song featuring SKY-HI!

Did you know FIRE HORNS will start their own tour soon? Yes! They’ll release their third album, CREAM EXPLOSION, on November 1st, and then their tour of the same name will begin on November 11th!

We won’t see FIRE HORNS playing alongside SKY-HI at his US lives, but they’re still worth getting to know! They have a great sound! Check out their website and my guide to learn more about them!

Today’s song is LUCE.

This is a solemn song, in which SKY-HI discusses his feelings toward the suicide of his friend. It first appeared as the b-side to Kamitsure Velvet, contrasting sharply with the lead track’s positive and bright message. It later went on to appear on Catharsis, fitting well with the album’s theme of life and death.

The title means “light” in Italian. SKY-HI has an interest in Italy, calling it one of his “roots.”

You can read an English translation of this song with detailed annotations here!

Today’s song is SUBWAY!

Today is the anniversary of the opening of the New York City subway system! The transit system made its first trip under the city on this day in 1904.

Though the New York subway was not the first of its kind in the world (that title belongs to London) or even in the United States (that, to Boston,) the NYC subway is famous for going on to become nation's largest subway system!

You can learn more about the New York City subway system’s opening here, on History.com!

SKY-HI will be heading to NYC soon!