SHINJIRO Opens Up About His Coming Out and New Single “Into the Light”
In a theater filled with over 2,000 fans in Tokyo, Japanese singer-songwriter SHINJIRO stood on stage and made a life-changing declaration: “I am a gay man.”
The 34-year-old artist, who debuted in the co-ed group AAA when he was 14, held the free fanmeet on July 26 to recite a pre-written letter to fans. He hoped talking about himself and his experience would increase understanding of the LGBTQ+ community and help change the world, even by a little bit.
“I know I could have made this statement through the press or social media, but I wanted to prioritize talking directly to my fans,” the J-pop idol expressed to fans in attendance. “I respect you and believe you deserve to hear this directly from me.”
In a conversation over email, SHINJIRO spoke with EnVi about his coming out, the importance of mental health awareness, and his latest single “Into the Light.”
“I am a gay man.”
SHINJIRO started his speech with a request to his fans, “I want you guys to keep one thing in mind until the very end of my message. That is, that I love you deeply, from the bottom of my heart.” Fans remained respectfully quiet throughout most of his speech, taking in everything the singer chose to express.
The Kyoto-born singer shed tears during his emotional speech while speaking about his lack of knowledge about the LGBTQ+ community and suppressing his feelings when he was younger. Bursts of cheers and applause by the audience filled the venue in support of the artist, while some attendees also yelled words of encouragement – “You can do it!” – to the singer.
“I was completely speechless from that experience,” SHINJIRO shared with EnVi. “I really didn’t expect anything like that from the audience. I really care about my fans and their well being so hearing their applause made me very happy. Seriously, my fans are the best!”
The reassurance motivated SHINJIRO to continue and complete his 22-minute speech. He voiced that although he does not know what his life will be like after his announcement, he doesn’t want to regret his “one-time life” and hopes “the world will become a brighter and easier place to live.”
At the end of his speech, the theater was flooded with applause from fans, giving SHINJIRO just a taste of the worldwide support he was about to receive.
“I still can’t believe what’s happening right now. I get so many comments and DMs from all over the world saying that they support me and they love me,” SHINJIRO told EnVi. “People have also been saying that I’m brave for what I did, but I wouldn’t have been able to do this without my fans and support system. I’m very grateful for everyone’s support.”
Two days after the fanmeet, SHINJIRO’s speech was uploaded on his official YouTube channel with Japanese and English subtitles. The video currently has over 60,000 views and 4,000 likes.
Coming “Into the Light”
Following his speech, SHINJIRO released his latest single “Into the Light” on July 28. The all-English synth-pop ballad narrates SHINJIRO’s life-long journey to self-acceptance. With a bass and percussion-driven tune accompanied by the lyrics, “Since I was younger never felt like I belong / The voice inside my head telling me I was wrong / Now, I feel like who I’ve always been for the first time,” listeners can feel the raw emotion and intensity expressed by SHINJIRO.
“When people listen to my single, I want to let them know that you are not alone in your struggle. People all around us have dark moments in their life. I want people to continue to have hope and always remember that there is light on the other end.”
The Los Angeles-based singer said he recorded “Into the Light” in English because he wanted the message to be understood internationally. He added, “I was hoping that the song would resonate with people and remind them that they are not alone in their struggles.”
The single comes after SHINJIRO’s two-year hiatus from music. He shared that while he always had the desire to work on his solo career after AAA’s hiatus in 2020, he didn’t know what songs and lyrics he should sing in his own work.
“During that time of hiatus, I took some time to self reflect and figure out what I wanted for myself in the future,” SHINJIRO revealed. “To be honest, I was kind of scared of going on hiatus but it ended up being a great opportunity for me to grow as a human and it helped me figure out what I want now.”
It wasn’t until he was on a flight home to LA from Japan, prior to his speech, that SHINJIRO got the idea to release a song to accompany his announcement. “When I was flying back, I had a realization to myself. ‘Oh, next time I’m on this plane again, I’ll be flying to Japan for my coming out event.’ This thought made me very emotional. But letting myself feel those emotions helped me with my creative process and I found myself getting in the flow,” SHINJIRO noted.
Once in LA, he shared his outline with singer-songwriter Wrabel, who helped weave the lyrics into the song. SHINJIRO added, “He did it so beautifully! I’m hoping we can work on more music together in the future.”
The lyrics of “Into the Light” were also personified through the song’s music video. The video follows SHINJIRO and a young boy, who both appear desolate and lonely. The two have separate scenes until they meet and hold hands halfway through the song. Switching from the melancholy mood, the music video transcends into a beaming and joyous visual. Although the boy doesn’t make another appearance, SHINJIRO seems more hopeful and free as he belts the lyrics, “There’s a part of me / I never knew the world would see / I’m coming into the light / From out of the dark.” SHINJIRO showcases the relief he now has after achieving self-acceptance.
“The little boy represents my past self. When I was younger, I felt that I was alone in my feelings. I felt like no one could understand what I was feeling,” SHINJIRO expressed. “I wanted to depict this in the video to remind people that one day you’ll be able to understand yourself better. My current self holding hands with my past self is conveying the message that ‘you’re gonna be okay, you’re not alone.’”
SHINJIRO further revealed: “I also included captions in Japanese so my fans could understand and know this was for them as well.”
Shining a Light
At the fanmeet, SHINJIRO announced that a portion of the proceeds raised from the release of “Into the Light ” would be donated to two LGBTQ+ organizations in Japan: Pride House Tokyo and ReBit.
“What inspired me to donate to Pride House Tokyo was because they are Japan’s first permanent LGBTQ+ center. They’ve been providing the local community with important resources and I appreciate all of the work they’ve done for the community,” SHINJIRO told EnVi. “As for ReBit, an organization providing resources and support for LGBTQ+ youth, I think it’s important for all children to be able to have an open conversation about LGBTQ+ issues. I also felt a personal connection with this organization because I would have loved to have a resource like this when I was younger. I feel that it could have really helped me out.”
SHINJIRO included information about issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community and links to resources on his website, including topics such as mental health. However, this is not the first time SHINJIRO has shined light on the importance of mental health. In 2022, he published his best-selling Japanese book EVERY LIFE IS CORRECT, BUT INCORRECT promoting positive mental health, stemming from his own personal hardships.
“Before I moved to LA in 2016, I didn’t even understand the concept of mental health. It was something that isn’t openly talked about in Japan,” SHINJIRO noted. “Learning about my own mental health has been a very important part of my personal journey. It’s something that I’ve had to learn about over time. By being open minded, I really feel that my world has expanded. My personal journey with my mental health was something that really enriched my own life.”
SHINJIRO also took the time to address mental health awareness in the LGBTQ+ community during his speech in Tokyo. He shared with EnVi, “By including those statistics in my announcement, I hope that it’ll shed light on the reality of how many people struggle. I wanted to let people know that they’re not alone in their feelings and there are resources out there to help you through tough times.”
SHINJIRO’s Support System
While SHINJIRO is now giving words of encouragement to those that may be struggling, he’s been receiving them from those closest to him.
“My support system has been such an important part of my journey. My friends are the first people who I came out to. Overtime, they helped me build my confidence and helped me accept myself for who I am. When I decided to come out to my family, it was a very difficult moment for me. However, my friends were by my side during the process. Over time, I came out to more of my friends and staff members. They all showed me nothing but love and support,” SHINJIRO observed. “This support system I developed helped me through tough times. Without their support I don’t think I would have been able to come out publicly.”
He continued with uplifting words for anyone that may be in need of their own support system: “As for readers, I think the first important step to take when building your support system is finding people you can really trust. People that you can be 100% yourself around. People who love you for who you are. I know it’s not an easy process, but I’m sure that there are people out there who love you no matter what. It’s just up to you to take that step and create those connections.”
Although the singer has been sharing advice and aiding others who are part of the LBGTQ+ community or questioning their sexuality, SHINJIRO told EnVi, “I didn’t expect to become a role model to so many people.” He added, “I just wanted to help create an environment where people don’t struggle in the way I did. I hope that my message can remind people that you are not alone. There isn’t just one way to live life, please live your life at your own pace.”
What’s Next for SHINJIRO?
SHINJIRO will be releasing a documentary produced in Hollywood by Academy-award winners Peter Farrelly and Fisher Stevens, who are known from Green Book (2018) and The Cove (2009), respectively. While not much information has been revealed about the film, SHINJIRO explained to EnVi, “I’m hoping that the documentary can be something where people can feel hopeful about their lives. I think fans can also expect to learn more about my background from the documentary.”
During his speech at the fanmeet, SHINJIRO said that prior to coming out he felt he only had two choices: continue working in the entertainment industry and deny who he truly is or leave the industry and live a life hidden from everyone. However, he added that he was hopeful fans would allow him a third option where he could be authentically himself and continue his career. He revealed, “I do not want to give up the career I love to be who I truly am.”
Now, three weeks since his coming out, SHINJIRO is still receiving comments and DMs of support. The singer’s third option is coming to life.
With the successful release of “Into the Light” and the news of his upcoming documentary, SHINJIRO’s career continues to prosper as he enters his 20th year in the industry.
In a closing message to his fans, SHINJIRO shared, “I want to let my fans know that I really appreciate their love and support. I wouldn’t have been able to be who I am today without them. I’m really looking forward to seeing all of them in person again soon!”
Want to read more in-depth artist interviews? Check out our exclusive interview with K-pop group PIXY here!
