100 Performers with Disabilities Shine at TCF THE CONCERT 2022 with Ms. Katy Perry
The Nippon Foundation proudly presented “True Colors Festival (TCF) THE CONCERT 2022,” in Tokyo on November 19-20, inviting global pop star Ms. Katy Perry as its special guest.
On the first night, I went to Tokyo Garden Theater to see Ms. Perry perform alongside a line-up of about 100 internationally acclaimed singers, dancers and musicians with disabilities from 12 countries.
Delivering over 2.5 hours of high-energy entertainment and emotion on two consecutive nights, the concert was also livestreamed for free, allowing audiences to join from across the world.
THE CONCERT 2022 is the culminating event of TCF, the festival series that the foundation has put on throughout Asia, including Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Singapore, since 2006 in celebration of diversity and inclusion under the banner “One World One Family.”
Said Ms. Katy Perry: “I’m so proud to be here, to play at True Colors Festival, a celebration of inclusion and artists, first and foremost, and to watch human beings defy the odds and be their best selves. Being able to participate in something so positive and uplifting and for a really good cause, I’m so proud to be on stage with you!”
True to its commitment to be inclusive, this was the most accessible concert ever staged by TCF, with a suite of accessibility features including Japanese Sign Language (JSL), International Sign (IS), real-time subtitles, audio description and personnel on standby at the venue for all guests in need of assistance. The JSL and IS signers often stole the show with their high-energy and emotive signing of not just words, but also dance and instrumentals.
The live crowd went wild when another guest performer Ms. Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, a Japanese talent, singer, and model, took to the stage in an explosion of pink with her message of We are One. But it was the finale that drew the loudest applause, when the entire ensemble joined the stage with Ms. Katy Perry to perform a high-energy version of Firework.
Mr. Ichiro Kabasawa, executive director of The Nippon Foundation and senior executive producer of the concert, said: “Everyone in the audience could see these performers were chosen for their talent first and foremost, and I hope we were all inspired to overcome our own challenges and achieve our dreams as they have.”
Creative and music director Dr. Sydney Tan said: “I wanted this concert to open minds and hearts, so it was not just about showcasing the enormous musical talents of the performers, but sharing their unique stories.”
The Nippon Foundation has long supported the rights of people with disabilities by working to create an inclusive society that empowers people of all abilities to live their lives with dignity and to pursue their dreams.
I believe the concert achieved its objective of helping create a world where real inclusion means people with disabilities are recognized, respected and celebrated for their unique abilities and talents in a way that made it possible for so many people in Japan and around the world to experience and be touched by.