Lady Gaga Opens "MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN" With a Message for Japan to Overcome Adversity

TOKYO, June 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN brought music, fans and philanthropy together in an energetic, colourful and upbeat live two-hour music television event to benefit the Japanese Red Cross tonight.  Hosted by AKB48 and featuring live performances from Lady Gaga, Tokio Hotel, Girls' Generation, Monkey Majik, Kana Nishino, SHINee, One Night Only, Namie Amuro, Anna Tsuchiya, AI and Exile.

MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN was broadcast live from Makuhari Messe in Chiba Prefecture to more than 30 million households on MTV Japan, MTV Korea, MTV SEA and MTV China.   A special one-hour version of MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN will air on MTV channels worldwide to over a half-billion homes on July 29 as special instalment of MTV's weekly global live music series, MTV WORLD STAGE.

MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN opened with Lady Gaga trapped in a giant spiderweb for her performance of "The Edge of Glory," the latest single from her history-making album, Born This Way.  As the multi-platinum artist freed herself from the web – a metaphor for adversity -- Lady Gaga climbed to the top of the stage to a custom-made spider-shaped piano inspired by Maman, the ten metre Louise Bourgeois sculpture located in Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, and performed her smash hit, "Born This Way."

MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN hosts and Japan's number one artists AKB48 took the stage next, with 16 members of the pop music phenomenon keeping the event upbeat with special medley of three of their biggest hits. The Red Cross ambassadors reminded the audience that MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN was about hope and inspiration, and encouraged viewers and the live audience in attendance to support the Japanese Red Cross in its rebuilding efforts.

Korean supergroup Girls' Generation showed why they are one of Asia's most popular groups with energetic dance-filled performances of "The Great Escape" and "Mr. Taxi". The K-pop continued with SHINee, who recently performed live at MTV Japan's Music of Hope concerts in Osaka and Fukuoka, SHINee showed why they're becoming gaining such a large fan base across all of Asia with rousing renditions of "Replay" and "You Are My Everything."

Sendai-based Monkey Majik delivered one of the most emotional moments of the night with the first live performance of "Maho No Kotoba (The Magic Word)," the single they dedicated to Sendai. The Canadians who call Sendai home reminded attendees and the television audience how people can make a difference in the recovery and rebuild efforts being orchestrated across the Northeast coast of Japan.

UK indie band One Night Only brought the energy level right back up with "Can You Feel It," and then girl-power took over the stage again as the Japanese audience was thrilled by a live performance of "Wonder Woman" by diva Namie Amuro featuring AI and Anna Tsuchiya.  

MTV Japan favourites and multiple VMAJ winners Exile closed the show with "Victory" and "I Wish For You," a profound and apt way to culminate MTV Japan's MUSIC OF HOPE campaign, the channel's three month multiplatform response to the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.  

Designed to inspire and rally young people to contribute time or funds to recovery and rebuilding efforts, MUSIC OF HOPE features inspirational music videos, live performances, artist interviews, exclusive news and stories about artists and young people who have been impacted by the disaster.

Guest celebrities attending MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN include (in alphabetical order) AI, AK-69, Thelma Aoyama, Beni, MiChi, Naoto Inti Raymi, Yuya Matsushita, w-inds. and Marie, Shion, Sun Wei and Kozue from "Shibuhara Girls", MTV's hit Japanese reality drama.  

For more information, please visit http://www.mtvjapan.com/vmaj/en/

Official partners of MTV VIDEO MUSIC AID JAPAN are Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications Japan, Inc., DAIICHIKOSHO CO., LTD., Coca-Cola, GyaO Corporation, MORINAGA MILK INDUSTRY CO., LTD., MICARD Co. LTD and GROUPON Japan Inc.

About Viacom International Media Networks

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN), a unit of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is comprised of many of the worlds' most popular multimedia entertainment brands including MTV, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, BET, non-premium Paramount branded channels, VH1, VIVA, MTVNHD, Tr3s: MTV, Musica y Mas, TMF (The Music Factory), COLORS and Game One.

SOURCE Viacom International Media Networks