Japan’s new female idol group “Virtual Currency Girls” performed their first live concert on Friday in Tokyo. Their songs incorporate reminders, advice, and warnings related to cryptocurrency trading. The girls receive their salaries in bitcoin and the show’s tickets and merchandise are also sold for the cryptocurrency.
Virtual Currency Girls’ First Concert
Japanese 8-member idol group Virtual Currency Girls performed their first concert in Tokyo on Friday. The group was formed last week, as news.Bitcoin.com previouslyreported.
The show, which lasted about half an hour, began with each member briefly introducing themselves as a cryptocurrency. They are bitcoin cash (BCH), bitcoin (BTC), ether (ETH), monacoin (MONA), neo (NEO), nem (XEM), cardano (ADA), and ripple (XRP). The group’s leader is reportedly Naruse Rara who represents bitcoin cash.
After a round of introductions, the group launched into their opening song called “The Moon, Cryptocurrencies and Me”. It incorporates warning messages of the risks of cryptocurrency trading as well as other basic security reminders such as “Be careful about your password! Don’t use the same one!,” Reuters described. Another line says “It’s hell if you buy at a high price!” and “Don’t underestimate the market,” according to the Financial Times.
The girls wear maid costumes which “aim to raise the group’s popularity with the use of a globally recognizable ‘uniform’,” Naruse explained.
Spreading Crypto Knowledge
The group explained that they are not about promoting investments, but rather to educate people about cryptocurrencies in an entertaining way. “We want to promote the idea through entertainment that virtual currencies are not just a tool for speculation but are a wonderful technology that will shape the future,” the Mirror quoted the girls.
Referring to cryptocurrencies, Naruse said at the concert, “Our brains are fried as we are studying every day,” Arab News reported and quoted her saying:
They’re so convenient you kind of have to wonder why we didn’t have them [cryptocurrencies] before…We want everyone to learn more about them.
Getting Fans into Crypto
“All merchandise sold at the venue is paid for in bitcoin, as are concert tickets and the members’ salaries,” Reuters noted.
The group also held a “meet-and-greet” event, which is common for idol groups. “Fans could take a picture, shake hands and even chat with one of the performers for 0.001 bitcoin (about $15),” according to Sputnik. After the show, “several fans admitted that they [the group] had given them ‘a good introduction’ to the world of cryptocurrencies,” the news outlet added. In addition, Reuters quoted Kensaku Nagao, a 46-year-old fan of the group, saying:
I know absolutely nothing about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, but I want to make sure I have some on hand for further concerts and to buy merchandise.
Another fan, 43-year-old Hiroshi Kasahara, who runs an ad agency, said: “I have been trading stocks and forex but not bitcoin or other virtual currencies as I was a bit scared of them…But [now] I feel like opening an account” if the group accepts payment only in bitcoin, he was quoted by Arab News.
“I may well give it a try as it can be a catalyst to make life more convenient and fun,” said Makoto Sato, a 42-year-old office worker who said the idol group had given him “a good introduction” to the world of cryptocurrencies.
