Kagrra Sakura Interview
Light pink flowers blooming in a field of snow
This is Kagrra, whose 1st mini-album "Nue" sold out on the same day it was released, and whose original worldview is an asset they use to charm a lot of fans whenever they perform. Their first oneman concert is in Tokyo at Shibuya ON AIR WEST on March 3rd. At the same time, they'll be releasing "Nue" 2nd press and their 2nd mini-album "Sakura", so you must check them out! The members are incredibly busy with preparations for their tour "PK Kassen" with Poisonous Doll, starting from March 5th, immediately following their lodging for recording "Sakura", which we'll talk about in this interview.
Lodging amongst the mountains...
―For recording your 2nd mini-album "Sakura" which releases on March 3rd, didn't you lodge together in the mountains?
Isshi: It was amazing~! The snow!! It was about 3m high wasn't it?
Everyone: That's an exaggeration. (wry smile)
―Ahaha. If it was piled up that high you wouldn't be able to go outside!
Isshi: Yeah, but, me and Nao went down to the village to get gasoline, but the snow was only half done and we couldn't go back. So we called for rescue saying "We can't go back! (crying)"
Nao: It was truly amazing. And two of those people were so ecstatic to see that major snowfall...
―Who and who?
Nao: (while looking at Akiya and Izumi) A red-head and a blue-head... (while making a shocked face) I worried about them because they're so spoiled.
Isshi: (without delay) You are too!!
Nao: ~♪
―Ahaha. Did you do anything like a snowball fight?
Isshi: That would've been great, but he did leap into the snow naked.
Nao: (without delay) Akiya.
Akiya: What are you saying, that was Nao! I had my pants on properly!
Nao: Ah right~ ♪ (laughs)
―Did you return to your wild roots from living in nature?
Isshi: No, everyone was playing games and two of them lost, so for the punishment it was "something I absolutely don't want to do" and they leapt in together side by side.
―Ahaha. Things like that are fun when lodging, right?
Isshi: Yeah, it was~ I was troubled by bad health from the start of January, and even during our lodging it was difficult because my pitch was bad. I had IV fluids before we went, and while we were lodging I finished recording quickly... I had a humidifer in my room and gargled 10 times a day.
―That was tough huh...
Shin: Right, but Isshi was boasting to the Engineer like "I'm using the throat spray every day!"
Isshi: (gathering himself up) I didn't say that!
Shin: Right away you said to the engineer, "That's not good for my throat." (laughs)
Everyone: What's the significance of the throat spray? (laughs)
Isshi: N-no, will you listen? That's the heart of my vocals!!
Everyone: (puzzled face) What?!
Isshi: Because, the way I manage my feelings is important. If I think "I can do it today" then I can do it, and if I think "It's no good" then I'm relying on something. And I'll firmly believe "I can do it" if I have something to rely on. (flatly) Humans get the wrong impression! ...but, when I'm not in pain, I'll think, "how strange"!
Everyone: Of course. (laughs)
Isshi: Come to think of it, Shin you were always getting in my way weren't you?
Shin: Ehh? No I didn't??
Isshi: Liar. After I sang I asked "how was that take?" and the Engineer said "Sorry. that blond guy next to me was noisy so I couldn't listen"!
Shin: (gathering himself up) That's not it! I was just talking with the Engineer like I usually do! You're making it out to be all my fault. (cries) But I was working while sleeping at the studio!
―You were sleeping in the studio?!
Shin: Yeah. I always go to the studio early and get through my work, but there are mites there! So I was itchy all over my body due to the mites, so itchy.
―That's wretched. (wry smile) Anyway, did recording go smoothly?
Izumi: This time we did it all in one shot. So because we couldn't compile it afterward, it was like "after a moment" and then when we made a mistake, "ok from the beginning!" Redoing it and redoing it was tough emotionally, you know? And then... Nao got angry...
Nao: Izumi was getting stubborn towards the end! So I told him "Just take a break." (cool smile)
Everyone: Actually you were re-recording too!
Nao: Eheh♥
―Eh?
Shin: Because we thought "After recording the bass, let's record guitar!" but we were told by the engineer "Redo the bass" right?
Akiya: And when I was recording guitar, the engineer told me "That just feels bad" and I was shocked so I said "It's not the guitar but the bass that's bad!" (laughs)
Isshi: And then I called Nao, "Hey, Nao-kun? We're re-recording, so can you come right away?" (laughs)
Nao: I was like "Y-yeah." (bowing his head deeply) I was bewildered but I went~
Shin: Yeah. (laughs) The main focus of our previous work "Nue" was for songs that we'll perform at lives, so we did the recording for that situation, but this time when I got into the booth I had the idea that we could record the phrases while compiling them.
Akiya: I was also thinking about lives while recording "Nue", and the sound isn't something that can be easily replicated at a live, but this time it was done without difficult tricks. (flatly) For these tracks, the things that come to mind at the beginning are packed in throughout... Therefore...
Akiya & Shin: We're worried about lives. (wry smile)
―Why's that?
Shin: There are phrases that are difficult to perform at lives, so from this point on it's like we're imitating our own songs.
Let's make the cherry blossom flowers bloom
―What is the total concept of "Sakura"?
Isshi: "Spring." When you talk about seasons, it's the snow melting and flowers blooming, and the feeling of waiting for it to become spring, right? For this mini-album, I had the feeling of "these cherry blossoms really suit these stories" for the 4 types of cherry blossoms (4 tracks). The one with the same title "Sakura" is the original cherry blossom and in the other 3 tracks there's one scene of the story where I sing about blooming cherry blossoms.(*1)
―Although this work is consistent with subtle grace, "Yousai" is interesting like it's throwing a curveball.
Isshi: Ahh, "Yousai" is extremely suggestive. (holding back laughter) And it's because I'm singing in a very high tone which I haven't done much of up to this point, right? But, I think the lyrics and my voice are suited perfectly to that song. Conversely, "Sakura" is nothing but straight-forward. The lyrics seem like that, but even the original melody of the song was written without anything piling up. It was the first time that I've recorded with straight forward words.
―Is that so? Incidentally, Isshi, the way you sing throughout all the songs is very gentle.
Isshi: Eh? Ah, right... ...(thinking about it) Maybe it was gentle after all...
―Was there some kind of turning point in your way of singing?
Isshi: ...recently I've been thinking a lot, "I can protect various people on my own," and, "It's exactly because I'll protect them that I make music with peace of mind." And I've been emotionally moved by natural beautiful scenery. So when we were lodging together, all the grime of daily life fell away, and I was able to make music with extremely beautiful feelings... But, when we came back, I returned to myself. (laughs)
―Ahaha. On the same day as the release day of "Sakura" which reflects such a beautiful soul, you'll also have your first oneman at Shibuya ON AIR WEST. You're calling it "Ouka Ranman", what's the significance of that title?
Isshi: That means we're including the fans in our feelings like "Let's make a scene of cherry blossoms blooming with everyone."(*2)
―I see. And are the other members looking forward to the first oneman?
Izumi: That's right. I want to perform and enjoy it. That's what I want to convey to the fans too... And I think we'll charm everyone with the kind of strong entertainment in a oneman that you can't show at usual short lives.
―It'll be a showy live won't it~
Shin: That's right. But, although the appearance is important, the performance is the big factor in how far the guests will be pulled into the world of Kagrra, so we want to reproduce the quality on the original recording too.
Akiya: I also want to bewitch them with my guitarist style, so I play like "Even if guys are watching they'll be interested" you know? I don't want it to be a live that would embarrass my parents if they go see us!
Nao: (suddenly) He'll get undressed! That guy!! (flatly)
Everyone: What the hell! (explosive laughter)
Isshi: Ahaha. That would definitely make your parents cry.
Akiya: I'm not getting undressed. Nao, you should get undressed.
Nao: Not a chance. I'll have stamina from now on!
―(laughs) Well, and what about Isshi?
Isshi: I think for people who don't know Visual Kei, our image seems "scary". But, we're a band with the gentleness to resist that. So, everything is "love". We'll constantly perform as a band that has gentleness.
―For Frush Ver.2, Kagrra has two performances at Shinjuku Liquid Room and Osaka BIG CAT, and the theme will of course be...
Isshi: Love.
Izumi: Are we that particular about it? (laughs)
Isshi: (heartily) Because you know, everything is "love"!
Nao: (laughs) "Love" right? (seriously) And we want to convey the atmospheric worldview we have as Kagrra...
Everyone: What kind of worldview is an "atmospheric worldview"?! (laughs)
Isshi: (holding his stomach while laughing) What on earth is that atmospheric worldview?
Nao: I don't know! (wry smile)
Shin: In our case, suddenly hearing us and suddenly seeing us is something we can turn to our advantage, but on the other hand since there will be people thinking "What was that?" when they see us live for the first time, we want people thinking that to come see Kagrra again.
Izumi: And then they'll come to the next live.
Isshi: That's right. And the bands we're performing with at these events are known as Visual Kei, so isn't it that we're another band in the same field? But we intend to make our own field as Kagrra and draw a line where "We're different from other bands." Then the guests will think "I've never seen a band like this before..."
Akiya: (forcefully) We'll try to capture everyone!
―For recording your 2nd mini-album "Sakura" which releases on March 3rd, didn't you lodge together in the mountains?
Isshi: It was amazing~! The snow!! It was about 3m high wasn't it?
Everyone: That's an exaggeration. (wry smile)
―Ahaha. If it was piled up that high you wouldn't be able to go outside!
Isshi: Yeah, but, me and Nao went down to the village to get gasoline, but the snow was only half done and we couldn't go back. So we called for rescue saying "We can't go back! (crying)"
Nao: It was truly amazing. And two of those people were so ecstatic to see that major snowfall...
―Who and who?
Nao: (while looking at Akiya and Izumi) A red-head and a blue-head... (while making a shocked face) I worried about them because they're so spoiled.
Isshi: (without delay) You are too!!
Nao: ~♪
―Ahaha. Did you do anything like a snowball fight?
Isshi: That would've been great, but he did leap into the snow naked.
Nao: (without delay) Akiya.
Akiya: What are you saying, that was Nao! I had my pants on properly!
Nao: Ah right~ ♪ (laughs)
―Did you return to your wild roots from living in nature?
Isshi: No, everyone was playing games and two of them lost, so for the punishment it was "something I absolutely don't want to do" and they leapt in together side by side.
―Ahaha. Things like that are fun when lodging, right?
Isshi: Yeah, it was~ I was troubled by bad health from the start of January, and even during our lodging it was difficult because my pitch was bad. I had IV fluids before we went, and while we were lodging I finished recording quickly... I had a humidifer in my room and gargled 10 times a day.
―That was tough huh...
Shin: Right, but Isshi was boasting to the Engineer like "I'm using the throat spray every day!"
Isshi: (gathering himself up) I didn't say that!
Shin: Right away you said to the engineer, "That's not good for my throat." (laughs)
Everyone: What's the significance of the throat spray? (laughs)
Isshi: N-no, will you listen? That's the heart of my vocals!!
Everyone: (puzzled face) What?!
Isshi: Because, the way I manage my feelings is important. If I think "I can do it today" then I can do it, and if I think "It's no good" then I'm relying on something. And I'll firmly believe "I can do it" if I have something to rely on. (flatly) Humans get the wrong impression! ...but, when I'm not in pain, I'll think, "how strange"!
Everyone: Of course. (laughs)
Isshi: Come to think of it, Shin you were always getting in my way weren't you?
Shin: Ehh? No I didn't??
Isshi: Liar. After I sang I asked "how was that take?" and the Engineer said "Sorry. that blond guy next to me was noisy so I couldn't listen"!
Shin: (gathering himself up) That's not it! I was just talking with the Engineer like I usually do! You're making it out to be all my fault. (cries) But I was working while sleeping at the studio!
―You were sleeping in the studio?!
Shin: Yeah. I always go to the studio early and get through my work, but there are mites there! So I was itchy all over my body due to the mites, so itchy.
―That's wretched. (wry smile) Anyway, did recording go smoothly?
Izumi: This time we did it all in one shot. So because we couldn't compile it afterward, it was like "after a moment" and then when we made a mistake, "ok from the beginning!" Redoing it and redoing it was tough emotionally, you know? And then... Nao got angry...
Nao: Izumi was getting stubborn towards the end! So I told him "Just take a break." (cool smile)
Everyone: Actually you were re-recording too!
Nao: Eheh♥
―Eh?
Shin: Because we thought "After recording the bass, let's record guitar!" but we were told by the engineer "Redo the bass" right?
Akiya: And when I was recording guitar, the engineer told me "That just feels bad" and I was shocked so I said "It's not the guitar but the bass that's bad!" (laughs)
Isshi: And then I called Nao, "Hey, Nao-kun? We're re-recording, so can you come right away?" (laughs)
Nao: I was like "Y-yeah." (bowing his head deeply) I was bewildered but I went~
Shin: Yeah. (laughs) The main focus of our previous work "Nue" was for songs that we'll perform at lives, so we did the recording for that situation, but this time when I got into the booth I had the idea that we could record the phrases while compiling them.
Akiya: I was also thinking about lives while recording "Nue", and the sound isn't something that can be easily replicated at a live, but this time it was done without difficult tricks. (flatly) For these tracks, the things that come to mind at the beginning are packed in throughout... Therefore...
Akiya & Shin: We're worried about lives. (wry smile)
―Why's that?
Shin: There are phrases that are difficult to perform at lives, so from this point on it's like we're imitating our own songs.
Let's make the cherry blossom flowers bloom
―What is the total concept of "Sakura"?
Isshi: "Spring." When you talk about seasons, it's the snow melting and flowers blooming, and the feeling of waiting for it to become spring, right? For this mini-album, I had the feeling of "these cherry blossoms really suit these stories" for the 4 types of cherry blossoms (4 tracks). The one with the same title "Sakura" is the original cherry blossom and in the other 3 tracks there's one scene of the story where I sing about blooming cherry blossoms.(*1)
―Although this work is consistent with subtle grace, "Yousai" is interesting like it's throwing a curveball.
Isshi: Ahh, "Yousai" is extremely suggestive. (holding back laughter) And it's because I'm singing in a very high tone which I haven't done much of up to this point, right? But, I think the lyrics and my voice are suited perfectly to that song. Conversely, "Sakura" is nothing but straight-forward. The lyrics seem like that, but even the original melody of the song was written without anything piling up. It was the first time that I've recorded with straight forward words.
―Is that so? Incidentally, Isshi, the way you sing throughout all the songs is very gentle.
Isshi: Eh? Ah, right... ...(thinking about it) Maybe it was gentle after all...
―Was there some kind of turning point in your way of singing?
Isshi: ...recently I've been thinking a lot, "I can protect various people on my own," and, "It's exactly because I'll protect them that I make music with peace of mind." And I've been emotionally moved by natural beautiful scenery. So when we were lodging together, all the grime of daily life fell away, and I was able to make music with extremely beautiful feelings... But, when we came back, I returned to myself. (laughs)
―Ahaha. On the same day as the release day of "Sakura" which reflects such a beautiful soul, you'll also have your first oneman at Shibuya ON AIR WEST. You're calling it "Ouka Ranman", what's the significance of that title?
Isshi: That means we're including the fans in our feelings like "Let's make a scene of cherry blossoms blooming with everyone."(*2)
―I see. And are the other members looking forward to the first oneman?
Izumi: That's right. I want to perform and enjoy it. That's what I want to convey to the fans too... And I think we'll charm everyone with the kind of strong entertainment in a oneman that you can't show at usual short lives.
―It'll be a showy live won't it~
Shin: That's right. But, although the appearance is important, the performance is the big factor in how far the guests will be pulled into the world of Kagrra, so we want to reproduce the quality on the original recording too.
Akiya: I also want to bewitch them with my guitarist style, so I play like "Even if guys are watching they'll be interested" you know? I don't want it to be a live that would embarrass my parents if they go see us!
Nao: (suddenly) He'll get undressed! That guy!! (flatly)
Everyone: What the hell! (explosive laughter)
Isshi: Ahaha. That would definitely make your parents cry.
Akiya: I'm not getting undressed. Nao, you should get undressed.
Nao: Not a chance. I'll have stamina from now on!
―(laughs) Well, and what about Isshi?
Isshi: I think for people who don't know Visual Kei, our image seems "scary". But, we're a band with the gentleness to resist that. So, everything is "love". We'll constantly perform as a band that has gentleness.
―For Frush Ver.2, Kagrra has two performances at Shinjuku Liquid Room and Osaka BIG CAT, and the theme will of course be...
Isshi: Love.
Izumi: Are we that particular about it? (laughs)
Isshi: (heartily) Because you know, everything is "love"!
Nao: (laughs) "Love" right? (seriously) And we want to convey the atmospheric worldview we have as Kagrra...
Everyone: What kind of worldview is an "atmospheric worldview"?! (laughs)
Isshi: (holding his stomach while laughing) What on earth is that atmospheric worldview?
Nao: I don't know! (wry smile)
Shin: In our case, suddenly hearing us and suddenly seeing us is something we can turn to our advantage, but on the other hand since there will be people thinking "What was that?" when they see us live for the first time, we want people thinking that to come see Kagrra again.
Izumi: And then they'll come to the next live.
Isshi: That's right. And the bands we're performing with at these events are known as Visual Kei, so isn't it that we're another band in the same field? But we intend to make our own field as Kagrra and draw a line where "We're different from other bands." Then the guests will think "I've never seen a band like this before..."
Akiya: (forcefully) We'll try to capture everyone!
Notes:
*1 - There's no mention of sakura flowers whatsoever in the other tracks on this album...
*2 - "Ouka Ranman" means "profusion of cherry blossoms"
Song titles link back to their respective translations, as always.
*1 - There's no mention of sakura flowers whatsoever in the other tracks on this album...
*2 - "Ouka Ranman" means "profusion of cherry blossoms"
Song titles link back to their respective translations, as always.