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HANABIE. is an all-woman nu-metal band made up of vocalist Yukina, guitarist and vocalist Matsuri, bassist and backup vocalist Hettsu, and drummer Chika. Although it’s been less than a year and a half since their debut, they were performing at overseas metal festivals even before they debuted, and in 2024 they played on the main stage at Lollapalooza, one of America’s “big three” outdoor festivals. Their momentum, especially overseas, knows no bounds. They spoke with Billboard Japan about their experiences around the world and about how it turned their attention to their hometown of Tokyo, the theme of their new EP, Bucchigiri Tokyo.

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First off, could you talk to us about Lollapalooza 2024, where you played in August?

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Matsuri: Lollapalooza is a super-famous festival, so at first we thought there was no way we’d actually be able to play there (laughs). We were jittery and restless all the way up until the actual day of the show.

Yukina: We’ve been very fortunate to be invited to play at metal festivals in lots of different countries, but Lollapalooza isn’t a metal festival, so we thought a lot about what to say and what to wear during the show. Hettsu stayed up late decorating the four platforms we stood on.

Hettsu: I went shopping for fabric with Chika. Not to sing my own praises too much, but I think the platforms turned out well, and they were a great match for the Lollapalooza stage (laughs). Also, for the first time at a HANABIE. show, we had a VJ, and for some of the songs we were projected up onto a huge screen.

Yukina: We also tossed some beach balls into the crowd and did some other things just for the show.

How did the success of the show affect the band?

Matsuri: It gave us a lot of confidence. Pulling off a big show like that was a great experience for the band. Also, we played during the daytime, so it sparked an ambition in us to make it even bigger and to one day perform in a later spot on the timetable. We also wanted to work even harder on our overseas shows.

Have you always been ambitious?

Matsuri: I don’t really think so.

Yukina: The more we play in different countries and in festivals in Japan, the more things we want to achieve.

Matsuri: We didn’t expect our music to connect with overseas audiences. Finding out that it connects gave us a lot of confidence. It made us want “more! more!”

You played at a few other overseas festivals after Lollapalooza. Have you gotten used to those kinds of shows?

Matsuri: Yes, we’re pretty used to them now. We’re gradually starting to get a picture of the different atmospheres at individual festivals in individual countries. Last year, every day was just like “This festival is amazing!”

Outside of festivals, you also did a roughly one-month-long tour of the U.S. together with Ukrainian metal band Jinjer and American deathcore band Born of Osiris.

Yukina: We played 19 shows in one month. It was like four days in a row, then a day off, and then repeat again, over the whole course of the tour. Jinjer’s performances had a lot of entertainment value. They were like watching a show. That influenced us, too, so we tried to be more expressive and to create an atmosphere for each song through our expressions, movements, and gestures.

Chika: Also, our individual performances came together and gelled.

Hettsu: Jinjer and Born of Osiris are both very technical bands, and they’re very locked in, so we focused more on getting ourselves locked in. That’s another way in which it was a really wonderful tour.

Matsuri: We’ve got the same sense of groove now, we push or pull the rhythm together. That was always an issue for us, but now we’re all starting to sync up, so I can really feel how we’ve grown.

After the tour with Jinjer, you did a tour in Australia, and now, having travelled the world, you’ve released a new album, Bucchigiri Tokyo. If it hadn’t been for your overseas experiences, you wouldn’t have chosen that name, would you?

Yukina: Right. Not just the title, but I don’t think we would have gone in the same direction with the songs, either.

Traveling to all these different places and meeting new people, you keep hearing “Japan’s great. Tokyo’s great.” So you rediscovered your pride and affection for where you’re from, right?

Yukina: Right. Partly because anime has such a huge presence that you take it for granted, I’d never really thought that deeply about Japanese culture, but through our world tour I found out how much people love Japanese culture. That opened up lines of communication, and I’ve come to feel really proud of our culture.

A lot of the songs on the new EP go pretty hard. “Bucchigiri Tokyo” is a surprisingly straightforward song.

Matsuri: So, about that song…I saw Green Day perform live for the first time at a festival in Europe. I’m a huge Green Day fan, so it was like a dream, being able to hear songs I’ve loved since I was little, all being performed live. That feeling stayed with us after the tour ended and we came back to Japan. We wrote “Bucchigiri Tokyo” about two days after we got back, still feeling that same spirit. I think that’s why that straightforward feeling comes through in the chorus riffs.

So the punk feel of the song comes from Green Day?

Matsuri: Right. Of course, it also has a lot of HANABIE. in it, but the mindset underneath comes from Green Day.

And then there’s “Ito Okashi My Type.”

Yukina: From that famous personality test…(laughs). It’s pretty popular now. Or, rather, it’s something that everybody’s interested in nowadays, so we decided to use it in a song. It’s well-known all around the world, not just Japan, so I think the song’s theme will resonate with people in any country. The song also has a kind of Heian era feel. A classical Japanese feel.

Matsuri: There are aspects of our modern age that share something in common with the Heian era, so we put them into our song, using a kind of pop approach.

There are artists who avoid referencing modern fads in their lyrics. You, on the other hand, actively try to do that, right? Don’t you worry about what will happen after those fads have passed?

Yukina: I don’t worry about it. It’s like the songs will age with us. We’re trying to create artistic output that’s super-fresh, in the way that only we can.

Matsuri: When we get older, there’s no way we’ll be able to do what we’re doing now, so we’ve got to do it while we can.

What kind of year do you think next year will be?

Yukina: It’s been almost a decade since our band formed. The one decade anniversary is a major milestone, so I want us to give ourselves a pat on the back and then be like, “Okay, now let’s give it our all again!” We’ve already been announced as playing at the German FWacken Open Air 2025 festival and some other festivals, so we want to really pump up the energy levels, both here in Japan and overseas!

—This interview by Daishi “DA” Ato first appeared on Billboard Japan

Wagakki Band’s Japan Tour 2024 THANKS – Yasou no Oto – came to a close on Dec. 10 at Tokyo Garden Theater. This year marks the eight-member group’s 10th anniversary, and in January it announced that the band would go on indefinite hiatus at the end of the year. With this tour, Wagakki Band will be putting its activities on hold for the time being. The band performed songs off its best-of album released in October, ALL TIME BEST ALBUM THANKS – Yasou no Oto -, with members conveying their gratitude to fans as the project’s title suggests and putting on a show representing the culmination of the decade of work together as a singular musical group.

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As the members appeared one by one to the opening music “Overture – Yasou no Oto -,” the audience already showed signs of excitement. Once the members were in place, the set kicked off with the sound of the koto (Japanese harp) and the powerful rhythm of the wadaiko (Japanese drums) leading into “Rokuchounen-To-Ichiyamonogatari (Re-Recording).” The ensemble captivated the audience with its intense arrangements, while still allowing the individuality of each instrument to shine through. Perhaps because this was their last show together before taking a break as a band, the seriousness with which the members approached this performance was palpable.

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Frontwoman Yuko Suzuhana (vocal) took a moment to hype up the crowd after the first number. “Today is the culmination of our 10th anniversary,” she said. “Everyone here, let’s all come together. Keep up!” The group then launched straight into “Valkyrie -Ikusa Otome-.” By this time, the members’ expressions had softened and it was clear they were trying to enjoy the show to the fullest. In their next track, “Aria of Life,” the band gradually built up the excitement in the venue with a performance featuring contrasts in tempo and emotive vocals.

“Today is probably a special day for you all, and it’ll be a special day for us too. Thank you for being here on this day that we’ll work together to create,” said Suzuhana. “Let’s all liven things up like a big year-end party.” The band then resumed the set with the serene track “Starlight (I vs I ver.).” The singer encouraged the audience to turn on the lights on their smartphones during “Queen of the Night” and the venue was bathed in dazzling light, creating a dreamy atmosphere combined with the dramatic music.

Midway through the show, the band members flaunted their colors during an instrumental section highlighting their musicianship. After Machiya (guitar & vocal) dazzled with a sparkling arpeggio followed by some percussive techniques, Kurona (wadaiko) joined in with his Oke Daiko (a kind of wadaiko) with a shoulder strap and Suzuhana performed a sword dance, creating an imaginative sight onstage. During the session, Kiyoshi Ibukuro (koto) also joined in with Shirasagi, a bunka-koto (compact koto) he produced, and the musicians boisterously showed off their skills in friendly rivalry. Then, Machiya, Asa (bass) and Wasabi (drums) wowed the crowd with their aggressive metal riffs, while Daisuke Kaminaga (shakuhachi) and Beni Ninagawa (Tsugaru shamisen) added their flourishes to dramatic effect.

The octet went on to perform songs including “The Beast,” which included time for the audience to take photos on their phones, “Perfect Blue,” featuring twin vocals by Suzuhana and Machiya, “Synchronicity,” and “Children Record.” They drew fans into their robust musical world with a wide range of songs like “Yoshiwara Lament” and “Sasameyuki (Re-Recording).” The set list mixing Vocaloid tracks and the band’s original numbers was truly a summary of Wagakki Band’s career. “We put together the set list based on requests of everyone’s favorite songs,” Suzuhana told the crowd. “Wagakki Band’s catalog includes rock-heavy numbers and elegant ballads, but no matter what we play, it always ends up being a Wagakki Band song. The music will continue to live on, so I hope you’ll continue to listen to and sing your favorite songs.” The band then performed the “Re-Recording” version of its first original song, “Hanabi,” featuring vocals evoking both glamour and transience backed by the band’s solid performance.

As the end of the main set approached, Kurona and Wasabi commenced their drum vs. wadaiko battle, now a regular feature of the band’s shows. Kurona hyped up the crowd, saying, “I want today to be the best battle cry of the decade,” and the audience responded by cheering loudly in time to the beat by the two drummers. The band then launched into “Kishikaisei (Re-Recording)” to the rhythm of the 3-3-7 beat, signaling the start of the show’s climax. During “Yukikageboushi,” fans spun towels above their heads, enhancing the feel of togetherness. The band went on to perform “Yasouemaki,” a track displaying the fruits of their years together as a group, and the main set ended with a flair with Wagakki Band’s signature number, “Senbonzakura (Re-Recording).”

The members returned to the stage as if led by the voices of the eager crowd singing “Akatsukino Ito.” Because this was the band’s last live show before going on hiatus, each member took turns expressing their current feelings. “Hard to believe we’re taking a break,” “I’m so glad I joined this band,” “Thank you for encountering us,” they voiced in unison. When Asa noted, “The eight of us together made a full-fledged team. We each had something missing, so we were able to stand by each other and fight together as a band,” Suzuhana responded by saying, “We were able to create so many miracles because the eight of us together made a full-fledged team.”

“There’s so much music in the world, so we thank you for finding and liking Wagakki Band,” she continued. “We’ll continue to struggle and survive in this world of music, so please keep supporting us.” The members then presented their fans with “GIFT,” a song filled with their feeling of gratitude. The venue was filled with smiles and tears as the song, promising a reunion rather than an end, came to a close.

Fans may be feeling sad right now, but as Suzuhana said at the end of the evening, “I think this view today will continue to support our lives from now on,” they can reminisce on the many miraculous moments they’ve seen over the years as they wait for the day the eight members converge again as the Wagakki Band.

This article by Tomokazu Nishibiro first appeared on Billboard Japan.

Wagakki Band Japan Tour 2024 THANKS – Yasou no Oto – Set List

Tuesday, Dec. 10, Tokyo Garden Theater

1. Overture – Yasou no Oto –

2. Rokuchounen-To-Ichiyamonogatari (Re-Recording)

3. Valkyrie -Ikusa Otome-

4. Aria of Life

5. Amenochi Kanjyoron (Re-Recording)

6. Starlight (I vs I ver.)

7. The Last Confession on Earth (Chikyuu saigo no kokuhaku wo)

8. Queen of the Night

9. Toono Monogatari Kyuu Yon

10. Toono Monogatari Go Go

11. Chie no Kakitsu

12. Homura

13. The Beast

14. Perfect Blue

15. Synchronicity

16. Children Record

17. Yoshiwara Lament

18. Sasameyuki (Re-Recording)

19. Hanabi (Re-Recording)

20. Effector Of Life

21. Drum vs. Wadaiko Battle – Ikusen no Onkai –

22. Kishikaisei (Re-Recording)

23. Yukikageboushi

24. Yasouemaki

25. Senbonzakura (Re-Recording)

Encore

1. Akatsukino Ito

2. Hoshizukiyo

3. GIFT

With the 25th anniversary of her debut rapidly approaching, AI has announced various tie-ins and collaborations starting in November 2024. Her latest song is “NAKAMA,” the ending theme to the latest anime series Dragonball DAIMA. AI has loved the Dragonball series since she was a young girl, and she talked with Billboard Japan about everything from her love for the series to her collaboration with EDM titan Zedd on the series’ ending theme and her other experiences working with overseas artists. She also revealed her plans for her 25th anniversary year and her somewhat surprising outlook on the future.

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The Dragonball franchise includes comics, movies, TV series, and more. How did you first connect with it?

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AI: I think my first exposure to Dragonball was with the comics, but what made the strongest impression on me was the TV series. I’m part of the generation that grew up with it. I watched it the whole time it was on TV. At one point I moved overseas, so I lost contact with it, but then they started making movies. It must have been like the number one or two thing I was into as a kid.

How did you feel when you found out you’d be working on “NAKAMA,” the ending theme of Dragonball DAIMA?

AI: At first, my team just said something like, “This is Dragonball DAIMA, a new series that will be coming out soon,” and they showed me a video. I saw it while on the road, and I was just saying “Wow” as I watched it. My manager then said, “You’ll be doing the ending song,” and the minute he said it, the tears started falling from my eyes (laughs). I’d loved Dragonball since I was a kid, and I was so happy, I was like “Whaaaa?” It’s not just me. I think everyone loves Dragonball. I’m not the type of person who talks a lot about what they like, but it seems the team knew (laughs).

So there’s a sharp contrast between you and Zedd, your collaborator on “NAKAMA.” He’s made his love for Dragonball very public, even posting pictures of himself in Dragonball cosplay on his social media.

AI: That’s right. I’m the kind who watches from a distance (laughs). It’s like I love it so much that it’s holy, so I don’t dare to touch it.

How did the actual process of making the music go?

AI: Right after it was decided that I’d be working on the ending theme, Zedd happened to come to Japan, so we met and we talked about what kind of song we should write. Then a while after he went back to the U.S., he sent a video of him playing solo piano. I was really impressed, thinking “this chord progression has a wonderful feel.” It wasn’t just a bright and cheery song, but had the feeling of an ending song.

What did you focus on when writing the lyrics?

AI: I love Dragonball as much as anyone, so when I wrote the lyrics I thought about the fans who had watched and loved Dragonball through the years.

Zedd pays a lot of attention to the details of songs—the tone, the nuances of the sound, and the like. Was it hard working together with him?

AI: No, not at all. On the contrary, he was quick to give his okay (laughs). On top of that, the song he wrote was really easy to put Japanese lyrics to. I actually found matching English lyrics to the song a lot harder.

This was your first time working with Zedd, but you’ve collaborated with a lot of overseas artists before, right? Which stand out the most in your memory?

AI: The first name that springs to mind is, of course, Chaka Khan. She’s very down to earth. Like, I offhandedly said something like “I’d love to get a Grammy someday,” and she said “That’s easy.” For Chaka, that’s what getting a Grammy must be like. She doesn’t brag or act arrogant. I think it’s just that for her, the message and the heartfelt feeling of the music is more important than any kind of award. I think that’s what moves her.

Is there a big difference between Chaka the singer and Chaka behind the scenes?

AI: No, not at all. She has the least gap between the two. She’s always like that, and she carries around this huge fan and is like “Heyyyy!”

But you have a similarly broad-minded personality. It seems like you two could really talk at the same level.

AI: That’s because she’s so accommodating. It’s because of the way she is, because she’s such as great person. I have so much respect for her that I get a bit nervous and I can’t really approach her. But she’s very outgoing and approaches me, so our conversations just keep rolling (laughs). I saw her at a Billboard Live show before we sang “One More Try” together. I was wearing these really long rings at the time, which covered my entire fingers. She saw them, and she lifted my hand up in the air and stared at them and said “Wowww!!” I thought that if she liked them so much, I wanted her to have them, so I gave them to her (laughs). At her show, when she came out on stage and started singing, I just started crying. It wasn’t even a sad song or anything. Her voice was just so powerful. When I was a little kid, my parents loved Chaka Khan, too, and my mom even went to her shows, so I had all these memories. I have a lot of interesting stories about Chaka.

Who else has made a big impression on you, besides Chaka?

AI: Boyz II Men, who I collaborated with on “Incomplete,” were amazing. Their voices were truly angelic. Watching their recording session taught me so much. The way they joined in chorus, the freedom with which they let their voices roam, and each of their voices, they were all wonderful. They had this strong sense of stability. They could go airy, or belt out really bold vocals, and deftly switch between them. I think I learned more from them than any other session. Trey Songz is also a genius. He was still young when I met him, but he was a great kid. When we recorded “Beautiful (Remix)” together, he was already well-known in the U.S. but relatively unknown in Japan. He can write music, he can sing, and he can even do sound engineering. He can do it all. I remember really feeling the love he had for R&B.

What about Snoop Dogg?

AI: On our “Let It Go” collaboration, Snoop and I recorded separately, but then it was decided that we’d film the video together, and I was like “Really?” So I went to LA and got ready and waited. I was wearing this tight, uncomfortable dress and these high heels, waiting for him. He didn’t come until like six hours later. That’s really true to form for Snoop, but I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, so I was there waiting to tell him off when he comes in and says “The song was great, but that’s not all, your voice is great, too.” With that, I was like “I love this guy” (laughs). He’s generous with praise. So my anger faded, and ultimately we had fun filming the music video together (laughs).

I would have thought the Jacksons would have made the biggest impression on you.

AI: That experience had me so nervous. For me, the Jacksons are the very pinnacle. They’re like Dragonball. They’re just beyond imagining. Like, these are not people I could ever actually meet.

In the MUSIC ON! TV “AI Miss MICHAEL JACKSON – The Miracle of the King of Pop” series, you went to the U.S. and filmed the Jacksons. It covered a really long span of time. I doubt there has ever been, or will ever be, another Japanese person who has gotten such an up close and personal look at the Jacksons.

AI: It was really long. Really long, and the schedule was really tight. I had to make sure not to be inadvertently rude to anyone, but there were also so many things I wanted to ask. There were a lot of people who shared really genuine stories and stories I’d never heard before. It was just one moving experience after the next.

That’s what led to your recording “Letter in the Sky” with them, right?

AI: I just wanted to run away. It was all too much for me. I felt like I was unfit to even deal with them. The show was about exploring the roots of the Jacksons after Michael Jackson’s death. I met his brothers during the filming of the show, and things just took off from there. They said “We’re going to be performing at a tribute event. Why not come sing with us?”

On your RESPECT ALL album, which came out last year, you sang Bill Withers’ “Lean on Me.” You also performed the song in the “Lasting Peace” project at the G7 Hiroshima Summit. I’m sure you’ve loved this song for years but what led you to want to sing it now?

AI: When the decision was made that I would be singing at the G7 Hiroshima Summit, I wanted to share a message with the world. I thought a message of peace would be good, so I wanted to sing with a chorus of children. I was going to sing “Aldebaran,” “Not So Different,” and then I wanted to sing a cover song, so I came up with a list of candidates. I didn’t want a song with a big, lofty message, like “Let’s change the world, let’s do this or that.” I wanted a song that was more about the ups and downs we have in our lives, a song that was like a dialogue. I felt that this song was the one that was closest to my own spirit. It didn’t sound like a lecture, but instead was the message that I wanted to share the most. I also thought that it’s a wonderful song that would contribute to peace. Then we started talking about recording it, and I decided to perform it to a simple piano accompaniment.

I see. You sang with a children’s choir on “Lean On Me,” but on your tour you also led a gospel chorus, and on your best hits album, Kansha!!!!! – Thank You for 20 Years New and Best, you included gospel versions of songs. Do you feel that when you go back to your roots, you go back to gospel?

AI: Yes. I love gospel. I love that assembly of voices. That power. Gospel isn’t just sung in a straightforward way, it uses all these different techniques, and hearing them just gets you so excited.

I get the impression that when you sing in English, there’s a bit more freedom and a bit more of a relaxed feeling. What do you think?

AI: When it comes to speaking, my Japanese is better, but when I’m singing, for some songs, English is easier to pronounce and it fits better with the music. But there are also songs which only work in Japanese, so it really comes down to the individual song.

It’s going to be your 25th anniversary soon. Do you have any plans?

AI: Yes, I’m going on tour and I’m going to put out an album.

One of the things I vividly remember from a previous time interview was that you said “I want to win a Grammy. I’m going to win one.” Do you still feel the same way?

AI: Yes, I want to get a Grammy. That desire hasn’t changed. But I think that when I said that, I wanted a Grammy as a demonstration of my ability. I picked it simply because it was the most famous award. I felt like I had to do a lot of different things while I was still young. Nowadays, I don’t feel that need to rush. But, of course, since I said I was going to go win a Grammy, I will. I want to take care of everything on my bucket list. But it doesn’t have to be right this moment. I’ve still got my health and energy, so I think I’ve got time (laughs).

What are your long-term goals?

AI: Right now I’m focusing on my children. It’s pretty hard work. It’s shaken up everything—what I write, what I say, what I do, my attitude, my rhythm. I don’t think there’s any experience like it. It’s like really hard but rewarding training. Like I’m a monk going through ascetic training (laughs). It’s like you break yourself completely down and then the question is how you’re going to rebuild yourself. To be honest, I really don’t think about the 25th anniversary of my debut. It’s just the people around me who are focused on it. So much so, actually, that when someone first mentioned it, I was like “Oh, really?” (laughs) For me, music is just something that I’ll probably keep on doing forever. I think that’s important. I just live each day, hoping that I’ll make it through with no problems.

—This interview by Hisashi Murakami first appeared on Billboard Japan