LEO

## Kamimura Leo  上(かみ)村(むら)礼(れ)王(お)

LEO promoting Mainstream

**LEO** (レオ), birth name **Kamimura Reo** (上村礼王), is a Japanese singer and dancer under Japanese management company BMSG as a member of BE:FIRST, a boy group selected by SKY-HI at the end of the audition show THE FIRST. He made his debut with the group in November 2021.

Before joining BMSG, Leo trained at Avex Artist Academy Tokyo and as an Avex Entertainment trainee he was a member of units **Change**, **dino** and **BXB**.

### Early Life

Leo attended singing and dancing lessons at the Avex Artist Academy in Tokyo since 2014.

### 2016-2020

In 2017, Leo signed a Trainee contract with Avex Management. He was a member of three different units: starting in 2016, Change  and dino , and starting in 2017, BXB .

Between September 2019 and March 2020, Leo trained in South Korea. He was set to debut in a group, but it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In March 2020, Leo decided not to renew his contract with Avex. The same month, he appeared as a backdancer in SKY-HI's Don't Worry Baby Be Happy feat. STAMP Music Video.

### 2021

In 2021, Leo auditioned for SKY-HI's THE FIRST and passed the 2nd / Quality screening round in Tokyo (conducted in-person) with "Mo-Eh-Wa" by Fujii Kaze (vocal performance) and "Let It Be" feat. Kid Fresino by Daichi Yamamoto (dance performance). He was ranked 5th after this round.

In THE FIRST Artisism screening, Leo sang "GIRL FRIEND" by Hirai Dai. He was placed in Team F (with Kanshuji Tamotsu, Ikegame Junon, Nakagami Asahi, and Kinoshita Hiromu) to perform "Beautiful Now" by w-inds. Leo ranked 6th after this round, and successfully continued on to THE FIRST training camp.

In THE FIRST training camp Creativity screening, Leo was placed in Team A with NAOKI, SOTA, MANATO and TEN. The song they created in this round is titled "'A' Life". Leo ranked 3rd after this round.

In THE FIRST training camp Mock Professional Screening, Leo was placed in Team "Be Free" with Junon, Sota, Manato, Reiko, and Rui. They performed Be Free, and Leo ranked 4th after this round.

In THE FIRST training camp VS. Pro Artist screening, Leo performed To The First together with the remaining 10 THE FIRST Members. He ranked 7th after this round and was confirmed as one of the 10 finalists.

After a one month break from THE FIRST training camp, Leo and the other finalists returned to the same location to prepare for the final round. Leo was placed in Team One, and performed Shining One with Ryoki, Shunto, Ran, and Reiko.

In THE FIRST Creative NEO screening, he teamed up with Junon and Ryoki to form "Club JRL". The song they created for this round is "Lonely Night", with "Stray Cat" by SKY-HI working as the instrumentals.

On August 13, Leo was chosen to be the seventh and final member of BE:FIRST.
On August 16, BE:FIRST released its pre-debut single, Shining One.
On November 3, BE:FIRST released its debut single, Gifted.

### 2022-2023

On September 18, 2022 he released New Chapter as a part of BMSG ALLSTARS.

On January 23, 2023 he was appointed ambassador of the "Avatar: The Way of Water" student campaign

On September 18, he released The Sun from the EAST as part of BMSG EAST.

## Personal Life

* Family
* Education
* Friendships
* Nicknames
* Name Meaning

He has an older brother, Shota, older by two years, who is a hip-hop dancer and part of the group MAVERICK

In March 2017, Leo graduated from high school.

He did not pursue higher education and instead worked part-time to support his activities as an artist.

LEO is close with many of the members in BE:FIRST and THE FIRST and was a big brother figure that looked out for everybody during the audition, but he has some close friendships:

* **Aile The Shota**: he got close to SHOTA during the third round of THE FIRST and living in the same dorm room during THE FIRST Training Camp.
* **NAOKI**: he got close to NAOKI during the training camp of THE FIRST because they were in the same dorm room and in Team A.
* **TEN**: he has known TEN for a long time, ever since Ten joined Avex in middle school.
* **SOTA**: he got close to SOTA from LINE and messaging each other often when BE:FIRST has off days.
* **Novel Core**: he often asks fellow BMSG artist Novel Core for advice

- **Leo-kun** (レオくん): most common nickname used for Leo

- **Leonidas** (レオニダス): used by MANATO as joke. Later becoming an actual segment on J-WAVE SPARK MONDAY called, "レオニダス語りだす" (Leonidas Kataridasu / Leonidas speaks) starting August 1, 2022 whenever it is LEO's turn to host the program with another BE:FIRST member.

Leo's given name, "礼王", means "salute, bow" (礼) and "king" (王). His parents chose these two particular kanji in the hopes that even if he is in the position of a king (王) he doesn't forget his manners (礼儀).

## Profile

* Information
* Q&A

* **Birth Name**: Kamimura Reo (上村礼王)
* **Stage Name**: LEO (レオ)
* **Nicknames**: Leo-kun (レオくん), Leonidas (レオニダス)
* **Birth Date**: September 8, 1998 (1998-09-08) (age 25)
* **Birth Place**: Tokyo, Japan
* **Blood Type**: O
* **Height**: 179 cm (5 ft 10.4 in)?
* **Western Zodiac**:  Virgo
* **Eastern Zodiac**:  Tiger
* **Emoji**: 🦁
* **BMSG Status**:
	+ 2021-08-13: Joined
	+ 2021-08-13: BE:FIRST member
* **BMSG Groups**:
	+ BE:FIRST (2021-present)
* **BMSG Units**:
	+ BMSG ALLSTARS (2022)
	+ BMSG EAST (2023)

- **Special Skills**: always cheerful and energetic

- **Hobbies**: sports, going shopping, watching movies, collecting Marvel goods

- **Motto**: Regret doing things rather than regretting not doing them

- **Favorite Artists**: Eminem, Bruno Mars, TAKE 6, Kendrick Lamar, The Weekend, The Chainsmokers, Justin Bieber

- **Favorite Movies**: Old Man and the Gun, 8 Mile, 21 Bridges, Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood, Blinded by the Light, Free Guy, Yesterday, Mr. Nobody, Titanic, The Notebook, Weathering with You (天気の子), 5 Centimeters per Second (秒速5センチメートル), Kingsman series, Marvel series, Star Wars series, Harry Potter series, Men in Black series, Bad Boys series, John Wick series, Violet Evergarden series.

- **Favorite Food**: Sweet potato, especially purple sweet potato latte; natto

- **Disliked Food**: nothing

- **Favorite Drink**: Coffee

- **Favorite Jewelry**: jewelry he bought for important milestones/anniversaries

- **His "song of destiny"**: "Lose Yourself" by Eminem.

- **Healing Moment**: when he's with BE:FIRST members

- **Subject he was good at in school**: The sciences

- **Subject he liked in school**: Japanese history and P.E.

- **First live concert**: Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS' BLUE IMPACT tour

- **First thing he does in the morning**: A shower

- **Mountain or Sea**: He recommends a limestone cave (mountains) since he's been to one

- **A country he wants to go to right now**: All the places outside Japan, see all the places and meet all the people, do all the things

- **Something he would do 800 times**: watching movies at the cinema, because he likes the atmosphere

- **Something he doesn't want to do, even if he's asked 800 times**: horror stuff (movies, haunted houses...)

- **Something he would buy if he had 800 yen**: mini seiro (buckwheat noodle with grated yam)

- **Role of Jewelry**: it reminds him of important milestones

- **Memorable Christmas Memory**: getting a toy he didn't want because he didn't want to tell his parents what he asked Santa for

- **If he could spend Christmas with BE:FIRST**: go to a theme park

- **2022 was**: a year where he fulfilled his musical dreams

## Discography

*Main article: LEO/Discography*
* BE:FIRST
* Collaborations
* THE FIRST

* **Digital**
	+ [2021.08.16] Shining One
	+ [2022.07.13] Don't Wake Me Up
	+ [2023.02.13] Boom Boom Back
* **CD**
	+ [2021.11.03] Gifted.
	+ [2022.05.18] Bye-Good-Bye
	+ [2022.08.31] BE:1
	+ [2023.04.26] Smile Again
	+ [2023.08.30] Sarracenia / Salvia
	+ [2023.09.13] Mainstream

* [2022.09.18] BMSG ALLSTARS - New Chapter
* [2023.09.18] BMSG EAST - The Sun from the EAST

During the audition LEO participated in each of below performance screenings:

* **Creativity**
	+ Team A
	+ Song: "A" Life

* **Professional Trial Stage - Be Free vs Move On**
	+ Team Be Free

* **Vs Professional Artist**
	+ Performance of To The First featuring all Top 11 finalists

* **Creativity NEO**
	+ Group name: Club JRL (JUNON, RYOKI, LEO)
	+ Song: Lonely Night

* **Final Screening - Team Shining vs Team One**
	+ Team One

## Live Events

*Main article: LEO/Live Events*
* One Man Lives
* Featured Lives
* Tours

* [2022.12.12] Round A Ground Special 2022 (guest)

## Other Works

* Starring TV Programs
* TV Appearances
* Music Videos
* Endorsements

* [2021] THE FIRST
* [2021] Ano Hi no THE FIRST
* [2021] THE FIRST MOMENT
* [2021-2022] Gifted Days
* [2022] BE:FIRST Road to VIVA LA ROCK 2022
* [2022] ALL ABOUT BMSG
* [2022] BE:FIRST TV

* [2022.12.22] Sukkiri / NTV
* [2023.04.26] Hiru Nan Desu! / NTV
* [2023.06.06] EXITV / Fuji TV
* [2023.09.07] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2023.09.14] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2023.10.09] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2023.11.09] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2023.11.25] Kotoba ni Dekinai, Sonna Yoru / NHK
* [2023.11.29] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2023.12.07] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2023.12.26] Golden LOVE it! / TBS
* [2024.01.04] LOVE it! / TBS
* [2024.01.18] LOVE it! / TBS

*Main article: LEO/Music Videos*

**Featured**

* [2020] SKY-HI -  Don't Worry Baby Be Happy  feat. STAMP  (backdancer)
* [2021] SKY-HI -  ONE MORE DAY feat. REIKO  (cameo)

Collaborations
* [2022] BMSG ALLSTARS - New Chapter
* [2023] BMSG EAST - The Sun from the EAST

* [2023] Avatar: The Way of Water

## Publications

*Main article: LEO/Publications*
*See also: BE:FIRST/Publications*
* [2023.03.30] ROCKIN'ON JAPAN - May 2023 issue
* [2023.06.06] Da Vinci - July 2023 issue
* [2023.06.28] FraU - August 2023 issue
* [2023.09.21] Bunshun Woman - Vol.19

## Trivia

* Leo trained in Korea for 6 months
* Leo thinks BE:FIRST's strength lies in their multifaceted and genre-less aspect of musical expression.
* He played baseball in elementary and middle school for 9 years, his position was first baseman (1B)  and the fifth batter .
* Up until he finished middle school, his dream was to be a professional baseball player. When he realized he wouldn't make it as a pro and had to decide what to do with his life, he turned to music.
* He joined the band club when he was in high school
* He learned karate in middle school.
* Leo has a slight lisp that comes out when he talks and when he gets excited.
* During THE FIRST, Leo mentioned his grandfather supported him the most in his hopes to be in the entertainment industry, but passed away before ever seeing Leo's debut.
* In an interview after BE:FIRST's debut, when asked about a place he wanted to visit the most, Leo said he wanted to visit his grandfather's grave.
* Leo has received a hug from SKY-HI. He confided in SKY-HI about his struggles with his vocal techniques during THE FIRST training camp and asked him if he could get a hug.
* Among the BE:FIRST members, he says he has the worst luck in rock-paper-scissors.
* His alarm on his phone for 10 a.m. was "Be Free" for a period of time.
* Leo really enjoyed making "'A' Life" with Team A from THE FIRST. NAOKI couldn't make it for THE FIRST FINAL, so LEO sang "'A' Life" wishing he was there.  LEO hopes Team A can collaborate and make a song again together some day.
* When he feels down, he sometimes talks to someone, but he mostly talks to himself and reflects on what happened.
* Leo's in-ear monitors are a crystal mirror color with BE:FIRST's logo in the back. He wanted something that wasn't subtle.
* Since debuting, Leo has started paying more attention to his body and what he eats.  He also has a newfound sense of responsibility, since he feels he is carrying the company and its name on his shoulders.
* Something that changed since he debuted is that he gets to meet famous people.
* The hardest part of THE FIRST for him was saying goodbye to eliminated members.
* It takes LEO more time to memorize choreography
* LEO is reading the news (Japan and world) more often to know what's going on with the world, know the right words to say, and as a sense of responsibility as a public figure
* He took part in many auditions and actually almost debuted many times before THE FIRST

## References

1. ↑ Change performance
2. ↑ dino member trailer
3. ↑ BXB line-up reveal
4. ↑ THE FIRST Audition website
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 My First Avatar campaign announcement
6. ↑ Shota's Twitter
7. ↑ Shota's Twitter
8. ↑ Novel Core Interview 新作『No Pressure』で開いた新境地――Z世代の代弁者が見つめる今
9. ↑  https://www.bandwagon.asia/articles/be-first-sota-shunto-manato-ryuhei-junon-ryoki-leo-interview-may-2022
10. ↑ 【#VMAJ2022】BE:FIRSTから受賞コメントが到着！SHUNTOが告白する「今までで一番やらかしたこと」とは？！| #TruthorDare
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 *Harper's Bazaar - BE:FIRST、スワロフスキーのきらめきとともに 2022/11/18*
12. ↑ *The Television - BE:FIRSTのチームワークの秘訣は？「年齢を感じさせないグループ」＜インタビュー＞ 2021/10/07*
13. ↑ Yahoo! Japan *初来日のIVEが「会いたかったです！」BE:FIRST、CRAVITYとそれぞれの色見せた「ネクステ」 2022/08/09*
14. ↑ 2022.08.09 LEO Q&A BMSG [BESTY] FC app
15. ↑ 2022.08.09 LEO Q&A BMSG [BESTY] FC app
16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 *J-WAVE - BE:FIRSTのLEO＆SOTA、オーディションを経て価値観はどう変化？ 三代目JSB・今市隆二が聞く*
17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2  Yomiuri - 海外に僕らの音楽を　ありがとう言い続けたい…ＢＥ：ＦＩＲＳＴ　視線は世界へ（後編）
18. ↑ *MOVIE WALKER PRESS - BE:FIRSTのLEOが「ブラックパンサー」への音楽愛を熱弁！「僕の人生に寄り添う曲」*
19. ↑  Yomiuri -新曲「Ｂｙｅ―Ｇｏｏｄ―Ｂｙｅ」の振り付け練習はみんなで話し合って…ＢＥ：ＦＩＲＳＴ　視線は世界へ（前編)
20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Classy
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 bay fm - it! 2022.05.16 LEO & RYUHEI guest episode.
22. ↑ BE:FIRST TV, Episode 5
23. ↑ D.U.N.K. Youtube #2
24. ↑ THE FIRST #16
25. ↑ https://youtu.be/qQBEZWjs2OA
26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wo1LFjpquVU
27. ↑ BE:FIRST SPARK 02.07.2022
28. ↑ Ano Hi no THE FIRST Ep. 11
29. ↑  https://wotopi.jp/archives/128072
30. ↑ ELLE Japan
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 Glitter
32. ↑ *Dwango - BE:FIRST、“頂点”を叶えるべく集まった7人「自分たちがカルチャーを作る 2021/10*
33. ↑ BE:FIRST SPARK MONDAY 08.08.2022
34. ↑ LEO's MBS Radio - Matsu Ai no Suko~shi Ai shite - Pre-Debut 1st Anniversary Appearance 16/08/2022