The Current State of the International Idol Community

“Alex! Aren’t you currently on hiatus?” Yes, yes. It’s funny how as soon as we take the pressure off ourselves, we suddenly have space to be creative and actually have the motivation to do things, hm? More on that later this year.

I’ve been discussing this topic with other folks in the community lately and I figured it would be nice to write some of my thoughts down and get some of your thoughts as well.

The “International Idol Community”, sometimes called ‘overseas idols’, refers to a niche of independent music performers who are inspired in some capacity by Japanese idol culture. This niche is still so fresh in it’s development (~10 years or so) that we’ve bounced between many different terms for what to call ourselves. Even I made a video a few months ago talking about what Overseas Idols are, and even now it’s out of date! I have found that “International Idols” is what I favor at this point for a multitude of reasons, so it is what I will be using going forward.

The best way I can describe the point we are at right now, is very reminiscent of the way the lolita community was 10 years ago. While the community outside of Japan was starting to form it’s own culture and interest - it was still very heavily dependent on what was happening in the Japanese lolita community. At this point, they’re entirely their own circles. Between independent brands, events devoted entirely to the fashion, and creativity from across the globe, these fashion groups have broken borders, in my opinion. There are subgenres that have been born nearly entirely outside of Japan now, as a result of creativity needing to push for our specific needs as international fans of the fashion. The trends and the ‘standards’ for lolita are no longer exclusively driven by the large brands. It’s owned by the community. That being said, it is obviously still very much held in its’ Japanese roots, but its a very different world now than it used to be.

The idol community is following a similar pattern, it seems.

For a long time, international idols have been unsure what to do other than follow in the footsteps of the Japanese idols we’ve admired for so long. But our circumstances are much different, so it’s nearly impossible to do - as many have tried and sadly fallen out as a result. I’m seeing a shift. The international idol community is starting to form its own culture. Not entirely removed from the Japanese idol culture, but more alongside it. Even the wotagei culture and the types of chants we do have evolved independently, it seems.

We have an opportunity to create and show a new side of independent music and performance, and I don’t want anyone to feel confined by the culture we draw inspiration from. We’re all a bunch of nerds, interpreting things in our own way to express ourselves. You have to know the rules to break them, but also - there are no rules, really. There are so many idols who are breaking the boundries. I am very excited to see how this continues. And even though we are creating our own culture, it doesn’t erase the foundation. We can still call ourselves idols.

At the end of the day an idol, by the standards of the Japanese culture we draw inspiration from, is a performer who rather than with looks or skill alone, inspires their fans to work hard with their stage presence and performance.

Even from my little cave that I’m occasionally popping out of, I’m watching it all and it’s exciting to see.♥ What are your thoughts as you watch this community grow? How do you think things like the pandemic and v-tubers have affected the international community? I’d love to hear your thoughts!