Wonderful school festival / cultural festival

[Culture and School Festival Songs] A curated selection of popular and hit songs to brighten up your venues and events!

10 years as a kindergarten teacher / elementary school teacher / junior and senior high school teacher / childminderkepiko
Graduated from Kunitachi College of Music, Faculty of Music (now: Department of Music Culture and Education, Early Childhood Music Education major). In elementary school, my homeroom teacher was Jun Kusaba, a game researcher. After graduating from university, I worked as a kindergarten teacher for 10 years and as an after-school childcare instructor for 7 years, then took a position as a music teacher at an international school in Singapore. In addition to music education, I engaged in activities that introduced Japanese culture, traditional games, and recreational activities, working with many children. Later, through freelance writing, planning, and editing at Shogakukan, I met many delightful adults and experienced the joy of communicating and sharing. Drawing on the perspective cultivated in the field of education and my experience as an editor, I provide practical information with an emphasis on both input and output, mainly in areas related to music and children. My hobbies include instruments, singing, handicrafts, toys, drawing, traditional games, the outdoors, and books. My special skill is spinning-top tricks.
Accompanist / Piano Instructoryuri
Accompanist pianist × piano instructor × web writer. I began piano lessons at age four and, inspired by my piano teacher, decided to pursue music. I went on to specialized music programs in high school and university, where I discovered the appeal of accompanying instrumentalists and singers. Currently, alongside teaching piano, I work mainly in my home region of Aichi as an accompanist for flute, voice, choir, and more. Through lessons, my students often introduce me to trending songs, and my hobby is trying anything on the piano—Japanese and Western pop, commercial jingles, and beyond. Since 2021, I’ve also been active as a web writer, covering music and a variety of other genres.

Among the many events in school life, the culture festival is one of the most memorable!

At culture festivals, there are countless moments where music plays a crucial role—whether it’s background music at the venue, songs for band performances, or tracks for dance numbers.

In this article, we’ll introduce songs that are guaranteed to hype up the culture festival, aimed at those running the event as committee members and those performing on stage.

With these picks, your festival production is sure to shine!

If you’re in the middle of choosing songs, be sure to use this as a reference.

[Cultural and School Festival Songs] A curated selection of popular tunes and hit songs to enliven venues and events! (211–220)

Overdrive feat. Norma Jean MartineJacques Offenbach

Ofenbach – Overdrive feat. Norma Jean Martine (Official Music Video)

Overdrive feat. Norma Jean MartineJacques Offenbach

This is a rock number by J, featuring a protagonist isolated in a barren world who races forward in search of light and freedom.

Driven by guitar riffs and drum beats, it’s marked by a dynamic rhythm that stirs the listener’s heart.

Released in February 2007, the track is included on the album “LIGHTNING.” Showcasing the full energy of music, it captivates with a unique sound that fuses rock and electronic elements.

Perform it at a school festival and the whole venue is sure to come alive together! With its powerful style and positive message, it’ll ignite everyone’s hearts.

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Dance AloneSia & Kylie Minogue

Sia & Kylie Minogue – Dance Alone (Official Music Video)

Dance AloneSia & Kylie Minogue

This is a collaboration track by Australian divas Sia and Kylie Minogue.

It celebrates liberation and freedom after heartbreak, featuring distinctive dance-pop and nu-disco elements.

Released in February 2024, it performed well on the Australian charts.

The lyrics, which capture the exhilaration of dancing alone, are striking and convey the importance of self-expression.

The music video’s colorful, trippy aesthetic is another highlight.

Perfect for school festivals as BGM or for dance performances! It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser—be sure to give it a try.

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NEW DANCEXG

XG – NEW DANCE (Official Music Video)

NEW DANCEXG

It’s a dance track that everyone can groove to together! It features the bright, energetic sound characteristic of XG’s girl group style, and just listening to it makes you want to move.

Released in August 2023, this song also drew attention as the lead single from the mini-album “NEW DNA.” The lyrics convey the excitement of learning a new dance and the joy of having fun with friends.

Perform it on a culture festival or school festival stage, and the whole venue is sure to come together and get hyped! It’s a track that dancers will love and beginners can enjoy too.

Let’s take a cue from XG’s high-energy performance and dance our hearts out together!

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[Culture Festival & School Festival Songs] Carefully selected popular songs and hit tracks that brighten up venues and events! (221–230)

Beloved daysyangusukinii

Young Skinny – Oh, Beloved Days [Official Music Video]

Beloved daysyangusukinii

This work by Young Skinny is a song about feelings for a precious friend—someone you want to stay with even if you can’t fully understand each other.

It’s included on the EP “If We Could Find Happiness in Anything,” released in September 2023.

At school, there are people you click with and people you don’t, and it’s hard to get along with everyone.

Still, even with someone who has different hobbies and opinions, you might find yourself liking them and becoming friends because of a fleeting expression they don’t usually show, or just a certain feeling.

This is a song that brings out the desire to cherish that kind of friend forever.

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Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster

[Little Glee Monster] Youth Photograph [Litoguri]

Youth PhotographLittle Glee Monster

Known by the nickname “Litte Glee” (Litoguri) and beloved by a wide audience for their beautiful harmonies, Little Glee Monster’s second single showcases the female vocal group at their best.

Released as a double A-side with “Girls be Free!,” this track is also widely recognized as a classic graduation song.

Its lyrics look back on memories from school days, likely resonating especially deeply with third-year students for whom it’s their last cultural or school festival.

It works great as background music, but if you have friends to harmonize with, it’s a pop tune guaranteed to get the crowd going when performed on stage.

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Hoshino Takashi

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ClickME:I

ME:I (Mee Ai) ⊹ ‘Click’ Official MV

ClickME:I

As ME:I’s debut single, this bright, uplifting pop tune is a perfect fit for a school festival BGM.

The song is packed with the charm of ME:I, who debuted as a “future idol,” symbolizing a light that illuminates the future and the turning of a new page.

Released digitally in March 2024, it quickly became a hot topic, surpassing 2.6 million MV views in about 21 hours.

The tightly synchronized choreography by YUMEKI is also a must-see.

It’s great not only as a dance track for school festivals but also to kick off stage presentations.

Give it a listen and enjoy a page of your youth!

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I’ll call your name.SUPER BEAVER

SUPER BEAVER “I’ll Call Your Name” MV (Theme Song for the Film ‘Tokyo Revengers’)

I'll call your name.SUPER BEAVER

Since their re-major debut in 2020, the four-piece rock band SUPER BEAVER has been taking the J-POP scene by storm, and this is their 15th single.

Chosen as the theme song for the film Tokyo Revengers, its message about relationships with friends that we tend to take for granted is truly moving.

It’s a great pick as background music for cultural and school festivals—the highlights of youth—and if you’re in a band, it’s guaranteed to hype up the crowd on stage.

A straightforward rock tune that’s perfect for student events.

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Hoshino Takashi

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