Idol Back Slapping

[Sasori]

Stardust Planet's Cho Tokimeku Sendenbu uploaded the making of video for their 2020 Christmas concert. I forgot about their pre-concert ritual of have their backs slapped. I seem to remember other groups doing this ritual as well, but couldn't find any reason for it. It seems like a recent trend. Any insight?

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[Lurkette]

I can't tell you the exact origins off the top of my head, but it's not new. Many entertainers do this as a pre-performance ritual in Japan, as sort of a symbolic (but also physical get-the-blood-pumping sort of thing) push to go out and do what they need to do, even if they're nervous.

Another one you might see, although less common in idols because it's more of a solitary activity, is someone touching their palm with their finger and then putting that palm up to their mouth. They're writing down their anxieties with their finger and then swallowing it, again, as a symbolic suck it up and go.

 

[Sasori]

I can't tell you the exact origins off the top of my head, but it's not new. Many entertainers do this as a pre-performance ritual in Japan, as sort of a symbolic (but also physical get-the-blood-pumping sort of thing) push to go out and do what they need to do, even if they're nervous.

Another one you might see, although less common in idols because it's more of a solitary activity, is someone touching their palm with their finger and then putting that palm up to their mouth. They're writing down their anxieties with their finger and then swallowing it, again, as a symbolic suck it up and go.

Thanks for the insight! I thought it might have been new to the Idol scene, but had it's roots in some sort of Japanese custom and got carried over. I know there's the face slapping ritual (slapping both cheeks with your hands), but I didn't realize other entertainers also did the back slapping.

 

[MedicationHelps87]

Probably a preparation warm up thing, like how heavy metal vocalists in extreme metal, drink water a lot before going on stage to clear the throat.