D-topia Entertainment (previously known as DTJ or D-Topia Japan) is a Japanese record label produced by Terukado Ōnishi, officially established in public prior to December 14, 2007. The label is dedicated to promoting girls' entertainment, particularly the music of female singers. It was formed as a business partnership between
Avex Group
Avex Inc. ( kabushiki gaisha , commonly known as Avex and stylized as avex) is a Japanese Conglomerate (company), entertainment conglomerate led by founder Max Matsuura and headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Founded in 1988, the company manages J- ...
, its co-area promoter, and
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Entertainment operates the RC ...
, its distributing label.
On September 9, 2010, D-topia announced that they had paired with
Universal Music Japan
, often referred to as just Universal Music Japan or UMJ, is a Japanese subsidiary of the Universal Music Group founded in 1990. It is the largest subsidiary for a foreign company in Japan regarding music distribution. The company is responsible ...
to create a new label, D-Topia Universe, with distribution by Universal Music Japan. The label's first release was
Aira Mitsuki's third full-length album, "
???", released on November 17, 2010.
Musical style
The label's tagline is .
Originally the home of rock-pop idol group
Harenchi Punch, the main focus of D-topia was originally very idol-centric. Towards 2009, the focus of the label gradually shifted to
electronica
Electronica is both a broad group of electronic-based music styles intended for listening rather than strictly for dancing and a music scene that came to prominence in the early 1990s in the United Kingdom. In the United States, the term is mos ...
acts starting with Mega Trance audition winner
Aira Mitsuki.
In 2010, D-topia's musical styles changed again, with the newcomer group KOR=GIRL performing in a sound incorporating alternative rock and electronica. Formerly an Akihabara-style technopop idol, Saori@destiny released the more experimental album "WORLD WILD 2010", which received some attention from critics for its mix of electronic dance music styles such as funk carioca and funkot, many of which had never been attempted in Japan before.
In 2012, the label added the idol group Happy Super Generation to its lineup of artists, who became ICT Lovelies!! in 2013.
In November 2017, the company rebranded as "Star, Inc." after a number of artist in the label filed a lawsuit.
Current acts
* Ready Candy Camp
* Mariane Takanashi
Former acts
* 80_pan (previously Harenchi Punch & 80★PAN!) (now disbanded)
* Saya Ozora (formerly of 80★PAN!) (graduated)
*
Aira Mitsuki (August 2007; March 2008 - Major Debut)
* Kaze (August 2011)
* Minamelo (August 2011)
*
Saori@destiny (December 2007; March 2008 - Major Debut)
* Miyabi Chinatsu (graduated)
* Suzuoto Hikari (graduated)
* The Sakura Telephone (project group)
* Yui
* Sayu
* Rako
* Rikaco
* KOR=GIRL
* Happy Super Generation
* ICT Lovelies!! (formerly Happy Super Generation)
Releases
Albums
The following albums listed below are distributed by
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Entertainment operates the RC ...
.
The following albums are released under D-Topia Universe and is distributed by
Universal Music Japan
, often referred to as just Universal Music Japan or UMJ, is a Japanese subsidiary of the Universal Music Group founded in 1990. It is the largest subsidiary for a foreign company in Japan regarding music distribution. The company is responsible ...
.
References
External links
*
*
* (as ''Star, Inc.'')
Japanese record labels
Avex Group
Universal Music Japan
Victor Entertainment
Labels distributed by Universal Music Group
{{Japan-record-label-stub