Japan Times Interviews The Singer Behind Build’s Opening Beverly

Beverly Caimen, the singer behind Kamen Rider Build’s opening “Be The One,” spoke to the Japan Times about her career thus far.

In 2016, soon after Beverly Caimen moved from the Philippines to Japan, she was discovered by Shun Oguri (Gintama) who introduced her to the producer of Crisis: Special Security Squad. Beverly performed two songs for the show, including its opening titled “I Need Your Love.”

Beverly became better known internationally after having the chance to open for Ariana Granda, perform for President Donald Trump and other world leaders, and provide the opening for Kamen Rider Build, “Be The One.” Recently, Beverly sat down with the Japan Times to discuss how she started singing and how her career has progressed so far.

As a young girl, Beverly would pretend to sing to an audience in front of her TV. This apparent interest in performing sent her mother a clear message as she discussed:

“I was very shy in my younger days. At the same time, I always had this desire to perform before an audience. I only did it when I thought nobody was around, but my mom heard me and thought I should enter singing contests.”

Beverly’s first singing competition ended in a loss when she was 14.

“I knew I was capable of performing well, but couldn’t overcome my stage fright. My mom suggested going for vocal lessons and that made a big difference. Aside from learning valuable techniques, it helped build my confidence.”

Soon, Beverly had the chance to perform in the 2013 World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles, California.

“There were competitors from over 50 countries and many from the Philippines, including 4th Impact (who finished fifth in the 12th series of the U.K.’s ‘X Factor’), so I didn’t think I had a chance. I gave it my all, belting out Whitney Houston’s ‘One Moment in Time,’ which has always been a special song for me.”

She recalled returning to the Philippines after winning in the senior vocalist category.

“There were lots of media at the airport but all I was interested in was seeing my mom. She ran over to me with tears in her eyes and gave me a big hug. It was probably the best moment of my life.”

As a result of the competition, Beverly began receiving more offers to perform, including one offer from Avex Inc., an agency located in Japan.

“The three cities I’d always dreamed of working in were Rome, New York and Tokyo, so this was an offer I couldn’t refuse. My interest in Japan began as a kid due to anime shows like Flame of Recca, Slam Dunk and Dragon Ball, and I was also excited about seeing the Hachiko statue. My only major concern was the language barrier.”

Beverly released her debut album, “Awesome,” in January 2017. She spent time performing in shows, and this led to her to meet Oguri as she describes:

“He was in the audience at one of my shows. We had a chance to speak briefly afterward. My Japanese wasn’t fluent, so I couldn’t understand everything, but I know he suggested I sing the theme song for his drama. That was really when things started to happen for me here.”

Beverly was already a fan of Oguri’s due to her interest in the TV drama, Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) which saw Oguri playing the role of Rui Hanazawa. “I Need Your Love” soon became a number one download among various platforms, and the associated music video garnered more than six million views on YouTube. Beverly’s success allowed her the chance to open for Ariana Grande at Makuhari Messe during the “Dangerous Woman” tour.

“My manager got me tickets to see her when she played in Japan and I was hoping he would be able to arrange for it to happen again, but instead he gave me news that was much better. I couldn’t believe I would be supporting one of my idols. Before the show, Ariana came to my changing room. I was overcome with emotion and immediately started crying. She hugged me and told me I was ‘going to kill it.’ To hear those words meant so much. I sang five original tracks and the fans were great. Some are still supporting me now. It was a huge moment in my career.”

The following Fall season, Beverly was offered a chance to perform at a banquet for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, his wife and the Philippines President, Rodrigo Duterte. Her performance led Duterte to invite Beverly to perform at an ASEAN gala dinner in front of powerful world leaders like President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Now, Beverly is still on the rise, having recently released her second album. She is also on her third tour around Japan, expanding her reach. Beverly hopes to reach even further as she describes here:

“I don’t want to limit myself to one place. I want to play all over Japan, then the Philippines and after that maybe America and Europe. Everywhere. Music is a universal thing that goes beyond languages. It allows us to dream big and that’s why I love it so much.”

Source: The Japan Times