News release
Adam Nagai, a 19-year-old student at California Institute of the Arts, has secured a spot in the finals of the international J-pop audition program “Produce 101 Japan Shinsekai.”
Voting is open globally ahead of Friday’s finale, according to a news release issued on behalf of Nagai’s Facebook fan page.
“Produce 101 Japan Shinsekai” is a reality television competition series that follows 101 contestants as they undergo K-pop-style vocal and dance training and compete to be in a 12-member boy group. Contestants who receive the most votes will debut in the group.
Coaches include Kevin Woo, the singing voice of Mystery Saja from “K-pop Demon Hunters.”
Nagai, a former “America’s Got Talent” contestant from Honolulu, went to high school in Texas before pursuing his bachelor of fine arts degree in voice arts from the Valencia-based CalArts. He competed on “America’s Got Talent” in the teen a cappella group “Acapop!” in 2022, reaching the semifinals, the release said.
Nagai went viral in Japan for his vocals, amassing 747,000 views for his audition video on YouTube. He received an evaluation of A class, the highest class, from the judges, the release said.
“It’s incredible,” Nagai said in the release. “My heart was racing so fast, and my vision was blurred for some reason, and so all I kind of heard was, ‘Adam, A.’”
Nagai’s childhood friend and CalArts roommate Nicholas Diaconu said Nagai practiced nonstop for the auditions everywhere on campus, from the practice rooms to the dorms.
“He was stressing about it big time, but he channeled that into the work and kept grinding at it incessantly,” Diaconu said in the release. “His voice is beautiful in person, and despite hearing the same songs over and over, I never got tired of it.”
Fans can vote for Nagai on the Mnet Plus app once per day until voting closes June 5 at 3 p.m. The live finale airs on Friday at 8:30 p.m. on Mnet Plus. The finale will have live voting.
