J-pop fans were treated to a hauntingly majestic night as idol group Phantom Siita lit up the stage during their Manila concert at the Samsung Hall of SM Aura Premier on 18 January.
The five-piece idol group, produced by Japanese singer-songwriter Ado charmed their fans through their dynamic performances as a group, with a unique blend of contemporary J-pop music and traditional Japanese cultural influences.
Members of the “retro horror” themed idol group Mona, Miu, Rinka, Hisui, and Moka expressed their excitement in performing outside of Japan for the first time just a year after their debut in 2024.
“It makes me really happy to see so many people in Manila came to watch us tonight,” said Mona in Japanese, the youngest member and leader of the group. “We’ve been looking forward to this world tour so let’s have fun!”
The up-and-coming J-pop sensations entered the stage wearing their iconic black and red schoolgirl outfits from their music videos, kicking off the night with a performance of their most streamed Spotify song “Just Wanna xxxx With You.” Their opening set also included “Devilish Girl,” “Hanabami,” and “Conflicting,” showcasing the horror concept through their animated facial expressions and theatrical choreographies.
Each member also had their own time to shine through solo performances of popular J-pop songs chosen by the girls themselves. Mona displayed her vocal talent and cute charm with a cover of Seiko Matsuda’s “Aoi Sangoshou,” followed by Rinka’s disco performance of “FANTASY” by Meiko Nakahara.
Miu gave anime fans a familiar tune to rock out to with her energetic cover of Kenshi Yonezu’s “KICK BACK” from the show Chainsaw Man, while Hisui took a softer turn with a pop ballad performance of “One Last Kiss” by Hikaru Utada. Capping off the solo section was Moka’s funky and groovy act of Yasuha’s “Flyday Chinatown.”
But there weren’t just solo covers, but group performances of classic J-pop tracks as well, including a cover of “Suki Suki Daisuki” by Jun Togawa, known online for its eerie nature yet upbeat tune fit for Phantom Siita’s retro horror theme, “4:00 AM” by Taeko Onuki, a more elegant and smooth performance from the girls, and “Stay With Me” by Miki Matsubara, a catchy city pop romance track that had the crowd singing along.
The group ended their set with their debut single “Otomodachi” but were met with a roaring crowd chanting for an “Ankoru!” prompting them to perform three more songs: A cover of “Tot Musica” by Ado, which was the song the members performed when they auditioned for the group, “Moonlight Densetsu” by Dali, the opening theme of the anime series “Sailor Moon,” and their latest single “Zoku Zoku.”
Phantom Siita made sure to thank their Filipino fans for supporting them and were grateful for the audience that loudly cheered them on all throughout the night.
“[A] different country, different language, different people and different lifestyles. We are all different and yet we all came together here to enjoy the music, and I find it really amazing [that] music brings us all together,” Miu said in Japanese.
“I really had fun meeting everyone here in Manila and to do a live [concert] here. Seeing every single one of your faces, it fills me with so much joy,” Hisui, the oldest member added.