MANITO
SHIN MEDIA ENTERTAINMENT duo MANITO (마니또) debuts at a showcase in Seoul.
Composed of members ANNIE and ARI, both former members of YELLOW BEE, MANITO is a duo debuting on September 17th with the title “Toritoridotori”.
The two young women begin this showcase with a photo shoot, after briefly introducing themselves after the broadcast of a video teaser. The two singers seem very cheerful to be on stage, and begin by explaining the meaning of their group name, MANITO, which means “Many to you”. They consider themselves a bit like the secret friends of their fans, cute like their title song “Toritoridotori”.
The lyrics of this first title are intended to be simple and playful so that the people who will listen to it can sing it easily with them. The two women thank above all their agency which allowed them to make their debut, as well as their fans who bring them a lot of strength and courage for these. Thus, they have worked very hard to make us proud of them.
ANNIE and ARI seem to be the most complicit on stage, laughing and joking together. They each confide an anecdote about the other, ARI starting by revealing that ANNIE is a fan of the drama “Penthouse” which has just finished its broadcast. ANNIE then imitates one of the actresses of this drama. The latter then reveals that ARI is hypermobile in her fingers, and that she can tuck her ears into her ear canals. They are thus proud to have “unpublished” talents. Afterwards, they select the group OH MY GIRL as a model, for their energy and their joie de vivre, choosing Arin and Binnie as their favorite members.
“The first time I listened to the song, I didn’t like it. But while filming the clip, and preparing for performances, I learned to love it” – ANNIE
The two young women then set up to present for the first time the performance of their title song “Toritoridotori”, then the clip is broadcast. The song seems to be an excuse for the two singers to show how cute they can be, dancing like rabbits and cats, and jumping all over the stage.
They are both a little embarrassed by admitting that they did not appreciate this title when they first heard it, but that over time, they ended up being happy to start with it. They then teach the MC a few key steps of the choreography, where they imitate a cat. The artists’ high-pitched vocals lend themselves well to the song’s tangy style, as do their bubbly personalities.
They then return to their former group, YELLOW BEE, and the difference they feel now that they are only two. They confide that it took time to get closer to all the members, and that they are more comfortable now that they are only two.
Regarding the title of the song, they add that a book on animals was recently released, the perfect timing according to them, because they want to challenge their fans, the book can bring them popularity at the same time. Without wasting any more time, MANITO once again performed their title track, this time wearing animal hats.
They come back to discuss one last time to discuss with the MC, on the origin of their name. ANNIE reveals that she chose her name in relation to Canada, and ARI to be able to adopt the same sounds as ANNIE, that it be cute, and in two syllables too.
Once the health crisis subsides, they hope to be able to meet their fans in person, and travel abroad. During their activities in their previous group, they had the opportunity to go to Japan, but wish to discover other countries. They thus conclude the showcase by asking to support them in their beginnings, further highlighting their hard work to get here. The duo thank the journalists, as well as their fans, and leave the stage for good.
The words of our reporter: “The sparkling energy of the members is a pleasure to see, as well as their complicity which shines through on stage”.
Journalist: Pillet Anaïs
Translator: Shawn
Photos: Pillet Anaïs
Sources: KSTATION TV
