Rapper and producer SKY-HI, along with BE:FIRST members SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON and LEO, have been selected as new 2026 members of the Recording Academy, the organization behind the Grammy Awards, it was announced on July 16.
The Recording Academy determines new members through a strict review process conducted by active music professionals. SKY-HI and BE:FIRST were recognized for their production work, achievements as artists, and musicality. As new members, they have gained the right to vote and attend the 69th Annual Grammy Awards, scheduled for February 7, 2027, and will now take part in the Academy’s award selection process going forward.
The announcement comes shortly after BMSG, the entertainment company SKY-HI founded and serves as CEO of, declared a shift into what it called its “second founding era” at its business conference “Greeting & Gathering ’26” on June 29. At the event, BMSG outlined plans to invest in globally competitive creative work and expand overseas, including a goal of holding its “BMSG FES” event outside Japan for the first time by 2030.
In a statement, SKY-HI said he has long worked toward a future in which Japanese music succeeds globally through his production and creative projects, and called his selection for Recording Academy membership a great honor. He added that the challenge is still only halfway complete, and that he intends to keep contributing to the growth of Japan’s music scene as part of the global music community.
Who is SKY-HI?
SKY-HI (real name Koki Hihara) is a rapper, track maker and producer who debuted in 2005 as a member of the group AAA while also beginning solo activity as SKY-HI in Tokyo clubs. He launched the collaborative rap project “FLOATIN LAB” in 2011, followed by a compilation album under the same name in 2012. He released his debut solo album “TRICKSTER” in March 2014, a collaborative album with fellow rapper SALU titled “Say Hello to My Minions 2” in September 2019, and his first best-of album, “SKY-HI’s THE BEST,” in September 2020. Later that month, he founded his own company, BMSG, under the slogan “To not kill talent,” and co-launched the music label B-ME with avex. In 2021, he personally funded and held the boy group audition program “THE FIRST” with an investment of over 100 million yen. BMSG has since produced acts including BE:FIRST, Novel Core, Aile The Shota and edhiii boi.
Who is BE:FIRST?
BE:FIRST is a dance and vocal group under BMSG, led by SKY-HI. Members are known for high-level singing, dancing and rapping skills, and are also involved in songwriting, composition and choreography. The group was formed in August 2021 with seven members: SOTA, SHUNTO, MANATO, RYUHEI, JUNON, RYOKI and LEO. Their pre-debut track “Shining One” topped multiple Japanese charts, and they officially debuted on November 3, 2021, with the single “Gifted.” The group has since released music steadily and performed at major festivals, holding its first dome tour across four cities and nine shows from December 2024 (“BE:FIRST DOME TOUR 2024-2025 ‘2:BE'”) and its first world tour across 12 cities in the U.S., Asia and Europe starting in April 2025 (“BE:FIRST World Tour 2025 -Who is BE:FIRST?-“). Member RYOKI left the group in November 2025, and BE:FIRST has continued as a six-member group since.
