BabyMetal Singer's Concert Absence Ignites Concern

May 10, 2018 | by James Greene, Jr.

When BabyMetal unveiled the video for their latest single "Distortion" earlier this week, fans probably noticed that the group's highly recognizable three young singers — Su-metal, Moametal, and Yuimetal — make no appearance in the clip. "['Distortion'] marks the important beginning of a new legend," BabyMetal offered via accompanying press release. Now loyal followers of the planet's premiere death metal / J pop hybrid act are feeling concerned about what this new legend might entail. On Tuesday, BabyMetal opened its 2018 world tour in Kansas City without Yuimetal, playing a 10-song set and offering no explanation regarding Yuimetal's absence.

BabyMetal's management Amuse, Inc. has also remained silent on the disappearance of Yuimetal, who previously missed a December 2017 concert due to undisclosed illness (the group spoke up in that instance and cited Yuimetal's "strong desire" for BabyMetal to perform without her so as not to upset ticket-holding fans). A #WheresYui hashtag has sprung up on Twitter as BabyMetal's audience wonders if this is some kind of publicity stunt, if Yuimetal is sick again, or if she has departed the group entirely.

"Please tell me just whether Yui is healthy at least," one Japanese fan writes.

"GIVE US SOME INFORMATION DAMMIT" demands another in Brazil.

Eighteen-year-old Yuimetal, a.k.a. Yui Mizuno, has been with BabyMetal since the outfit's 2010 inception. Between 2010 and 2015 she was also a member of Sakura Gakuin. It should be noted that currently no images of BabyMetal's singers or their backing ensemble Kami Band are featured on the group's official website. Instead, seven cloaked figures stand ominously in a circle above the title "Metal Resistance Episode VII: Apocrypha: The Chosen Seven."

BabyMetal will be performing in Austin, TX tonight. Meanwhile, with baited breath the world waits to find out what's happening not only with Yuimetal but with this project at large.