ile ▁later ▁on , ▁I ma ichi ▁quickly ▁became ▁a ▁big ▁fan ▁of ▁the ▁group ▁and ▁learned ▁to ▁sing ▁their ▁songs . ▁However , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁initially ▁have ▁the ▁dream ▁of ▁becoming ▁a ▁singer . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁his ▁then ▁girl friend ▁encourag ed ▁him ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁V ocal ▁Battle ▁Aud ition ▁ 2 0 0 6 : ▁Asian ▁Dream , ▁an ▁aud ition ▁to ▁find ▁a ▁new ▁vocal ist ▁for ▁Ex ile . ▁He ▁passed ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁without ▁much ▁prepar ation ▁but ▁failed ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁second ▁round . ▁Despite ▁his ▁loss , ▁he ▁became ▁serious ▁about ▁purs uing ▁a ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁singer , ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁determined ▁to ▁get ▁reven ge ▁for ▁his ▁failure . ▁From ▁that ▁point ▁on ▁he ▁started ▁att ending ▁vocal ▁training ▁less ons ▁at ▁the ▁V ocal ▁Academy ▁of ▁Tokyo ▁at ▁night s , ▁after ▁a ▁full ▁day ▁of ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁construction ▁worker . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁he ▁won ▁runner ▁up ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁in ▁the ▁artist ▁category ▁of ▁the ▁ave x ▁W OR LD ▁A UD ITION ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁started ▁being ▁en rolled ▁in ▁the ▁A vex ▁Art ist ▁Academy ▁as ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁student . ▁From ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁to ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁more ▁than ▁ 1 0 0 ▁different ▁aud itions . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁I ma