When Joy Becomes Music: MAZZEL’s “Get Up and Dance” on THE FIRST TAKE
The group’s second appearance reveals the joyful chemistry — and playful improvisation — that defines MAZZEL.
When MAZZEL first appeared on THE FIRST TAKE with “Only You,” the performance revealed a quiet and deeply emotional side of the group.
The atmosphere was focused and intimate.
Every note carried a sense of concentration, as if the members were carefully shaping the fragile emotions inside the song.
Their second appearance, performing “Get Up and Dance,” shows something completely different.
This time, the feeling is immediate and unmistakable.
Joy.
A Song That Feels Like Happiness
“Get Up and Dance” has always been one of MAZZEL’s brightest songs.
Up-tempo, colorful, and built on a groove that leans closer to funk and soul than conventional pop, the song naturally carries an infectious energy. But what makes this THE FIRST TAKE performance stand out is not simply the arrangement or the tempo.
It is the atmosphere created between the members.
From the very beginning of the performance, smiles appear naturally.
The mood feels relaxed, almost playful.
Listening to the song in this setting, it quickly becomes clear that this is not simply eight singers delivering a rehearsed performance.
Instead, the music feels alive.
When Music Becomes a Conversation
One of the most striking elements of the performance is the constant eye contact between the members.
They glance at one another while singing.
They react to small ad-libs.
They laugh at unexpected moments.
The result feels less like a performance being delivered to an audience and more like a musical conversation unfolding between friends.
Rather than performing for the camera, the members seem to be performing with each other.
At times, it feels as if the song itself becomes a dialogue — voices responding to one another, rhythms passing from one singer to the next.
Watching the video, the atmosphere is reminiscent of friends sharing a joyful moment together, exchanging jokes and reactions as the music flows naturally.
That sense of shared enjoyment is what gives the performance its warmth.
Even through a screen, the feeling is contagious.
The Joy of Playing Together
THE FIRST TAKE is known for its stripped-down format.
With minimal production and a single microphone, artists cannot rely on elaborate staging, choreography, or visual spectacle. Everything depends on the performance itself.
For MAZZEL, this format reveals something essential about the group.
They genuinely seem to enjoy making music together.
You can hear it in the playful improvisations.
You can see it in the spontaneous smiles.
Rather than presenting a perfectly controlled performance, the members allow the song to breathe. Small variations, reactions, and unexpected moments appear naturally within the flow of the music.
The result feels closer to a live jam session than a carefully constructed studio recording.
And that freedom is precisely what makes the performance so compelling.
A Playful Improvised Verse
One of the most memorable moments in the performance comes when RYUKI suddenly adds an improvised verse.
THE FIRST TAKE 踊ろう
みんなで Get Up
混ぜる (MAZZEL) 個性の束たち
自由すぎて Maze
Fun から Zeal が弾け飛ぶ
このバースで君を照らす
We Are MAZZEL
The playful lines immediately caught the attention of fans.
Interestingly, the verse also reflects the meaning behind the group’s name.
MAZZEL, a name created by producer SKY-HI, combines several ideas:
the word “mazel,” associated with happiness and good fortune, together with “maze” and “zeal.”
A maze suggests individuality and complexity, while zeal represents passion.
In the improvised verse, those elements appear almost like wordplay — happiness, individuality, and overflowing energy woven into the lyrics themselves.
In that moment, the group’s name becomes part of the music.
A Different Side from “Only You”
What makes this moment even more interesting is how strongly it contrasts with MAZZEL’s previous appearance on THE FIRST TAKE.
“Only You” was intimate and restrained.
Beyond the Labels: How MAZZEL’s “Only You” is Quietly Redefining Love in J-Pop
MAZZEL’s performance of “Only You” on THE FIRST TAKE recently captivated audiences, surpassing 500,000 views within just 12 hours.
The members stood close to the microphone, focusing intensely on the emotional core of the song. The performance felt almost fragile — like something delicate being shared quietly with the listener.
“Get Up and Dance” moves in the opposite direction.
The mood is open, relaxed, and full of movement.
Instead of quiet concentration, the stage is filled with laughter and playful energy.
Taken together, the two performances reveal something important about MAZZEL as a group.
They are not defined by a single emotional tone.
Sometimes they communicate through stillness and introspection.
And sometimes they simply celebrate the joy of music itself.
The Sound of Joy
In the end, what makes this performance memorable is not a single vocal highlight or a particular musical moment.
It is the atmosphere.
The sense that eight people are genuinely enjoying the music they are creating together.
That kind of happiness cannot easily be scripted or choreographed. It emerges naturally — through trust, familiarity, and the chemistry that grows when artists spend time performing side by side.
For a few minutes, “Get Up and Dance” becomes more than just a song.
It becomes a shared moment of joy.
And that feeling is exactly what makes this performance so special.
Behind the Scenes
The members later revealed that something unexpected happened during the recording.
EIKI’s headset had stopped working, and he could not hear anything when the song began — despite being responsible for the opening line.
Still, he performed the entire song without showing any sign of trouble, even adding harmonies during the performance.
If you watch the beginning of the video closely, you can actually spot a small moment: as the members enter the studio, EIKI briefly trips over his headset cable and quietly mutters something like “Oops.”
That may have been when the connection came loose.
Once you know the story, the performance becomes even more impressive — a reminder that even when something goes wrong, the music — and the joy — keeps going.
Written by Lily-K | BMSG Pulse