I Don't Like Mondays. 10th Anniversary Interview

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I Don’t Like Mondays. (IDLMs.) is a four-member rock band based in Tokyo that was founded in 2012. Despite their 80's sound roots, their meticulous music production and groove transcend boundaries between Japanese and Western music./Their songs evoke a sensation akin to driving through the city. The band members are YU (vocals), CHOJI (guitar), KENJI (bass guitar), SHUKI (drums). We had the honor of interviewing them on the cusp of the their release of the EP FOCUS and the celebration of their 10th Anniversary! Be sure to check out their latest music video, “Shadow” below!

Ken: Congratulations on reaching your 10th anniversary! How does it feel to have been making music together for a decade?

YU It feels like it’s been a long journey, yet it also feels like the time has flown by. Over the last 10 years we’ve changed labels, had periods when we couldn’t perform live due to the pandemic, and as the vocalist, I even made some significant changes to how I sing. When we first started the band, we never imagined we’d be doing a theme song for “ONE PIECE” or holding solo tours overseas. We’ve tried a lot of things–it took us 10 years to finally discover what we should be doing.

Ken: Looking back over the past 10 years, what are some of the most memorable moments or milestones for the band?

YU: Writing the theme song for the TV anime “ONE PIECE.” It helped us gain recognition in Japan, of course, but it also immediately introduced us to audiences worldwide. Thanks to that song, we were able to perform in places like Spain, Argentina, and Brazil, places we couldn’t have easily gone before.

“During the pandemic, we focused on creating music meant for listening to alone, at home or through earphones”
— SHUKI

Ken: How has your music evolved since your first album? Are there any particular influences or experiences that have shaped your sound over the years?

SHUKI: In our debut era albums like “PLAY” and “TOKYO,” we put all our passion into producing every single track. We experimented with various genres in a single release—EDM-like tracks, hard rock elements, UK-inspired sounds—hoping our fans would enjoy this variety. While we still incorporate different genres in our music, after a decade we’ve honed our identity as a band, making it easier to convey our character and the sound we want as a band. During the pandemic, we focused on creating music meant for listening to alone, at home or through earphones. We’ve also occasionally been inspired by both traditional and trendy J-POP.

Ken: What challenges have you faced as a band over the past decade, and how have you overcome them?

SHUKI: We’ve faced new challenges every time we write a new song over the last 10 years. We always tell ourselves, “It’s okay! We can do this!” to get through it.

Ken: To what do you attribute the band’s longevity and continued success?

KENJI: Sometimes when we’re all gathered in the music room to compose, we think CHOJI is playing the piano. But then we looked closer and realized he was playing while asleep.

“ I want to make the next decade one where every single song, album, and tour makes people say, “The current I Don’t Like Mondays. is the coolest.”
— YU

Ken: As you celebrate this milestone, are there any new goals or aspirations you have for the next decade?

YU: I want to make the next decade one where every single song, album, and tour makes people say, “The current I Don’t Like Mondays. is the coolest.”

Ken: For your 10th anniversary, you’re releasing a new EP. Can you tell us about the inspiration behind this project?

YU: In our previous album “RUNWAY,” we managed to reaffirm the kind of band we aim to be and the music we want to deliver to the world. The word “FOCUS” also has the meaning of focusing on the ‘band we aim to be’ something we discovered through our previous release. The album has seven tracks which span various genres, and I think it really shows our charm.

Ken: How does the sound and style of this EP compare to your earlier work? Are there any new elements or directions you’re exploring?

CHOJI: “FOCUS” could be seen as a sequel to “RUNWAY.” In producing “RUNWAY,” we regained awareness of the kind of music we want to create. We carefully selected only the songs we need now, keeping in mind that we’d be performing them live. It enhanced the clarity of the “I Don’t Like Mondays” sound, both the lyrics and our sound.

Ken: What was the songwriting and recording process like for this EP? Did you approach it differently than you have with past projects?

CHOJI: This album led to us making the most demos we’ve ever made. We held meetings every few months to discuss what kind of songs we needed for the current version of the band, while keeping in mind that we’d be performing them at concerts.

Ken: What do you hope listeners will take away from this EP, and how do you think it reflects your journey as a band over the past 10 years?

KENJI: Some artists celebrate milestones like these with best-of albums or self-covers of their past hits. But instead of looking back on the past, it’s our intention to “FOCUS” on the future starting with our 11th year, which is part of the meaning behind the word “FOCUS.” We hope our fans will enjoy it as the culmination of our 10 year career so far.

Ken: How have the relationships and dynamics between band members evolved over the past 10 years?

KENJI: It hasn’t changed much. Sometimes we have differing opinions during production, but as I mentioned earlier, we’ve always maintained a level of distance and respect each other as adults.

Ken: Are there any live performances that stand out as particularly memorable for you? What made them special?

CHOJI: When we performed in Yantai, China. The audience made various flags and held them up during the show. I’d never seen anything like that in Japan so it felt really fresh, and I was happy to see a flag with our logo on it.

Ken: Do you have any memorable stories or messages from fans that have touched you over the years?

KENJI: When we performed the song “Zenbu Anata no Sei Nan Da” while on tour in China. That’s usually a song fans listen to quietly in Japan, so we assumed it’d be the same there. But in China, the audience sang along loudly. I was surprised to see such a big difference in the way the same song could be enjoyed.

“We’ll work hard to perform live in big venues all around the world, so we can do all the on-stage things we’ve been wanting to do!”
— SHUKI

Ken: Are there any new plans or innovations for your upcoming tours or live performances?

SHUKI: We’ll work hard to perform live in big venues all around the world, so we can do all the on-stage things we’ve been wanting to do!

Ken: Lastly, is there anything you would like to say to your international fans?

YU: We may not have many chances to meet, but keep listening to our music and wait for us until we come to your city! Thank you for everything!

Interview: Lotus Juice

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Lotus Juice is a rapper, composer, and lyrcist who is most known for his involvement in the Persona series. Lotus Juice isn’t just any musician, he is a pioneer in the Japanese music industry, paving the way for rap music specifically in the video game music industry.He was born in Tokyo, Japan but moved to the United States at a young age, and grew up in New Jersey. Growing up, he was influenced by rap/hip-hop music, such as Biggie and Tupac. In 2006, an opportunity came up and he was introduced to Shoji Meguro, the composer of Persona and from there on the two began working together. Lotus Juice is not just known for his works in Persona, but has been a part of other series such as Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Noragami, Black Butler, Magic Kaito, just naming a few along with his original works.

Lotus Juice has been traveling the world attending anime and gaming conventions which give the opportunity for his international fans to meeting him, such as the USA, Mexico, and Argentina. A big thank you to Anime Central and staff as us at Ongaku to You, along with two other media outlets, Nyarly and CEntertainment Media had the opportunity to interview him.

OTY (Luna): How different is it to write music for a product like Persona as opposed to writing music for your personal releases:

Lotus Juice: Its very different. Because for any contents like Persona, Shin Kamen Rider the movie, I like to ask for a script as I like to understand the whole concept and content. One time I was playing a fighting game, the ending theme was Snoop Dog and it had nothing to do with the whole concept, which bummed me out and I didn’t want to do that. As for Persona, I’m a fan, I’ve played the game eight times already. I’d already been writing music for Persona the Animation as well. That is so different than how I write my personal songs.

Nyarly: Out of all the different musical styles you listen to, what made you interested in pursuing a career in rap?

Lotus Juice: Because I was most influenced by it. Growing up int he 90s, hip hop and R&B was a sensation. it was a growing market, probably the biggest market in the 90s. Bad Boy and Death Row records, there wasn’t a day that’d go by you didn’t listen to their songs. You’d walk around a small town and you’d hear their music. So, everyone was into it and I was a basketball player. We’d play at night and some people would bring their boom boxes and play random hip hop songs from Hot 97 from New York City. So we were all influenced by it. Notorious BIG was my favorite rapper, so naturally, it became a thing. I never thought I was going to be a professional musician, I came to New Jersey when I was 8, graduated high school in the US and went back to college in Japan. Identity crisis, I only spoke English in high school. But back in Japan, I couldn’t talk to my peers in Japanese as I wasn’t speaking Japanese to them. While back home I was only speaking Japanese to my parents. Its different speaking to your parents than your peers.

Nyarly: You went to college at Sophia University. Were a lot of their classes taught in English back then?

Lotus Juice: Its all in English.

Lotus Juice: My friend had asked me to perform at his event. I had never performed before and never thought about it. But I did perform and it was such a bad show. This dude came up to me after the show saying he was a rapper too and asked me to perform at a show in Shibuya at the venue Club Venoes. He stated, I want you to perform because you were great. We kicked it off and got together, made a song and performed. My career in the clubs started from there.

Nyarly: One comment I want to make: Before I played Persona 3, I wasn’t a fan of rap. But hearing your music made me more open to it. Since then I’ve been listening to a lot more mainstream rap from the 90s.

Lotus Juice: I get that a lot. When I rap, I don’t know about other rappers and how they do it. I want to make sure it is a sound. I don’t want it to be a poetry reading. It feels like on a two mix, such as in a song; like an instrument and you rap over it. It feels like there’s a vocal and there’s a track and you have to mix it and make it sound like music. That’s my intention when I write my music; I listen to the drums, I listen to the bass, then subconsciously I listen to the lead and other riffs, chords. It has to mingle with all the instruments.

OTY (Luna): As a music industry veteran, how do you feel your music style has developed over the years?

Lotus Juice: I don’t know? I try to sing more because its something that I can’t do. You know, I’ve been rapping for so many years and working with all these singers makes me want to do something new. I wish I could sing better, I’m practicing and trying to expand my skills. Working on the song, the approach is different I think because I’m better at it now. I now know how the process goes. Usually when I receive some offers for movies, anime or games, I get the song, I get the concept script, and I read it. Then i don’t do anything for a couple days. I think about it subconsciously, trying to absorb it in like a sponge. Then go back in my studio and try to find something I can relate it to. Sometimes the concept is so crazy, I have nothing I can relate it too so I act it out. I make believe that its not me and I just write. In terms of Persona, it’s the social link and the bitter sweet ending. Even P52, there are so many things that I can relate too. I’d say 30% is me and 60% to 70T is from the content.

OTY (Luna): Thank you, I appreciate that. You’ve been in the industry for so long and worked with so many artists and projects.

CEntertainment Media: How did you get connected to making for video games and anime?

Lotus Juice: It was connection. Let me rephraise that, I started making music while in college such as shows and clubs and didn’t get paid. Didn’t make an album or anything, no streaming services back then. I was going to quit in my senior year. I was also doing narration as well, such as TV commercials as well as making music. I thought maybe I should concentrate on narration, then this group, called Vildge, they saw me do an accapella hip-hop rap and asked me to do a collaboration with them. A week later we were performing at an auto show, biggest crowd I’ve ever been in front of, about 1500 people. Hanging out and having fun, this made me want to pursue this career. I made a single, then made an album. Didn’t sell much but it reached the right people, such as Shoji Meguro, the composer for Persona. He just found me, he called me up through a friend of mine and asked if I was interested in rapping over a game music. Being the cocky rapper that I was, I wanted to listen to the beat first, so he sent me a CD. I heard it and it goes ‘baby baby baby’ and I wanted to do it. I go into the studio, a lot of its in broken English, it was difficult to understand. He asked if I could revise it, so I put it on loop and I fixed it, that was ‘Mass Destruction’. I did that in 30 minutes. He then mixed it, brought it back to the company and they loved it. So he asked me to do another song and that was ‘Burn My Dream -Last Battle’. From then on, Personal Trinity Soul the Animation came, the producer was a huge fan of Persona 3 and he wanted me to be on the anime. That happened to be Taque Iwasaki (Shin Kamen Rider, Rurouni Kenshin). He liked me so kept asking me to do some animation songs.

OTY (Luna): International fans usually find out about this music through anime. First of all, do you watch anime? Do you have a favorite:

Lotus Juice: I do! I’ve been watching One Piece a lot lately. The new season is just incredible. I’m a big fan of One Piece. I wouldn’t say I’m a regular anime fan. I wish I could watch more, but I got to work. I’m more of a gamer, such as Splatoon and playing Like a Dragon 8. I’m making my island and time just flies by. I just wish I had more time.

CEntertainment Media: What is it you love about the Persona series?

Lotus Juice: There are so many things! Reload in particular, the user interface is amazing, the graphics are amazing. Shimada-san did an amazing job designing it. Music, overall music is amazing (not just because I”m in it). P4 and P5 are amazing too. I”m very blessed to say that I actually play and love each one of the games I’ve been in.

OTY (Luna): How did it feel to come back for Persona 3 reloaded?

Lotus Juice: It was amazing, incredible. I think I knew that Shoji Meguro was going to quit and Kitajo-san was going to be the new composer. It turned out very good, loved his works. Very excited.

Nyarly: How has your work with Persona effected you?

Lotus Juice: Changed my whole career. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the Persona series. Anytime I do anything with Persona or ATLAS, I give my 120%. Making sure that first of all, I have fun, second of all, its a good song. It’s something that ATLAS wants. When I’m making a song for a game, I want to make sure that I don’t interfere with the scenes they play the music.

Nyarly: Do you ever feel that your success with the Persona series has made it to that’s all they think about when they hear your name?

Lotus Juice: So, at the autograph session. this guy came up saying I like this song from your fourth album, and this song from that. That right there is a true fan. Its good and bad, but mostly good. It doesn’t really bother me.

Nyarly: Are there any other anime and games you’d like to be involved with?

Lotus Juice: Yes, if I could just participate. Like a Dragon! I love One Piece, but I can’t imagine myself doing a song for it as its so different from my style. Splatoon maybe?

Nyarly: I think that’d be fitting as you’ve done. You’ve also done a lot of the music for the side story in tactica.

OTY (Luna): How do you feel the Japanese hip hop scene has progressed since you began?

Lotus Juice: Like a huge step. They are actually really good now. When I first began, it was like a copy cat thing, trying to be a gangster, doing gun signs in Japan when there is no gun violence and trying to be tough like smoking weed in clubs. Its so illegal (referring to smoking weed). Just trying to be like Tupac. That’s why I stayed away from all these hip-hop scenes in Japan, usually there delinquents that have problems in school, got arrested. Such as Bosozoku, they take their bike/mopeds and ride around Tokyo highways and make a mess; they’re rappers. 60% or 50% I saw in 90s/00s were in bad. There were still talent MCs like TWIGGY or ZEEBRA or DABO. But those people were talking so much shit about things they didn’t have to sing/rap and they smoke too much weed. Nowadays, there are some cultural changes with so many tattoos. Tattoos are still looked down on, due to criminals and Yakuza and tattoos on face is so outlandish. A lot of young rappers do that, its crazy. There is one rapper, OZworld, he is so talented and he can sing too, I’m jealous. He’s a good looking guy too and you didn’t see that much back then. I’m looking forward to checking it out. I’m not in their scene but I think its good for the culture.

OTY (Luna): Do you mind if I elaborated? With Awich making her debut at Coachella, how do you feel this will impact the hip hop music scene in Japan?

Lotus Juice: Awich? I love her. Definitely good, there is nothing but good to come out of that. When there is one charisma, a lot of people follow that. That was Biggie and Tupac from my age. A lot of rappers try that but come to realize they are not them and try to be original. That effected me too. There are so many influences in other artists. Awich, OZword sure they’re being analyzed right now. Especially because of the free style battle, that’s been going on for ten years now and its changed how MCs are perceived in japan. Back then, it was ‘oh you’re a rapper’ , ‘yo yo yo’, so it was more like they were making fun of us. Its more than that, its graffiti, DJ-ing, dancing. break dancing - they are starting to recognize that. You got to be articulate to write a versus.

CEntertainment Media: What advice do you have for anyone who wants to make music for video games?

Lotus Juice: From my experience, try to understand the whole concept if you get the offer. Such as Like a Dragon. You can’t make a happy song, maybe depending on the situation. Mostly I’m assuming if hip-hop, implement it into Like a Dragon song like a be a battle scene. If you can include words or turns from Like a Dragon, the fans will like it, the creator will like it. It can’t just be me me me, you need to understand the whole concept. I think the creators and the fans will like that.

OTY (Luna): What kind of message do you have for your international fans?

Lotus Juice: Thank you for supporting me for all these years. Its incredible at my age, I’m here performing and I live in Japan. I have five other cons this year in the States. It’s something I never imagined in my life. I don’t take that for granted. It’s happening because of your support. Thank you and hopefully you keep supporting me. Hopefully when I do my tour in the States or anywhere, you guys show up.

Interview: MORISAKI WIN

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MORISAKI WIN is an actor, singer, voice actor, and performer, born in Myanmar but moved to Japan when he was in fourth grade. MORISAKI WIN started his career as a musician/performer when he was in his second year of junior high. In 2008, he joined the boy group, PRIZMAX as its main vocalist, which later disbanded in March 2020. He then made his major label debut as “MORISAKI WIN” on July 1st with the single “Parade”, which was used in the commercial for the Suzuki Sorio Bandit, that garnished much attention.

MORISAKI WIN proceeded to release his first album titled Flight on May 26, 2021, which ranked No. 1 on five several distribution services. In 2022, MORISAKI WIN released a series of singles with international writers, sang the theme songs for Avataro Sentai Don Brothers, and has showed his diverse range in his performances. In 2023, he released his long-awaited album, Baggage, and the movie tie-in “Dear” and “DAY1” from the TV drama, Ya Boy Kongming.

MORISAKI WIN is not only a talented musician, but he is also an established actor. He starred as ‘Daito’ in Stephen Spielberg’s hit film “Ready Player One”; Kousuke in Humanoid Monster Bela; and Junichi Sato in Sherry to name a few. He has been featured in several musicals, such as Tony in the second season of West Side Story; the lead role as Jamie in Jamie; and recently starred as the leading role in Broadway sensation “Pippin” at the Tokyu Theater Orb.

I had the honor to sit down and Interview MORISAKI WIN at Anime Central. Please see below! He was a kind, funny, and genuine person. You can also check out MORISAKI WIN at his official website, X, and Instagram!

Luna: What was it like doing the opening and ending for Avataro Sentai Don Brothers?

MORISAKI WIN: Since the Japanese Sentai series has such a long history, it was quite an honor to be taking part of it. At the beginning I was nervous as if I really had deserved it.

Luna: Were you a fan of Super Sentai growing up?

MORISAKI WIN: Yes, of course! Power Rangers! I grew up watching the Power Rangers version of Super Sentai in Myanmar.

Luna: What is your favorite Super Sentai series that you’ve seen?

MORISAKI WIN: I would be the most fond of Power Rangers but I did do the songs for Don Brothers. Has Don Brothers made it to the States yet?

Luna: Not yet.

MORISAKI WIN: I hope Don Brothers makes it to US and gets incorporated into Power Rangers. Since the story is great and very chaotic. It’s enjoyable for grown up as much as kids.

Luna: For international fans, how they usually find out about J-pop is through anime. First, do you watch anime, and if so, what would you say is your favorite?

MORISAKI WIN: I really love anime. Some of my favorites are Kaiju No. 8, Mushoku Tensei, and Dungeon Meishi (Delicious in Dungeon ). I enjoy the Isekai and reincarnation shows too. A few that I’ve watched and currently watching on Netflix are Reincarnated as a Farmer, Monster, Re: Zero, Uncle form Another World, Steins; Gate, 7 Seeds, Hunter x Hunter and Time Patrol Bon (T-P Bon). Time Patrol Bon is new, its by the creator of Doraemon.

Luna: Is there a venue that you performed at that you will never forget? Also, is there a dream venue that you’d like to perform at?

MORISAKI WIN: Dream venue in Japan would be Budokan. One of the venues would be a ballroom in a certain Hyatt Hotel. It was just two nights ago (May 17th), I didn’t know if there would be any turnout, but there was. And the audience was great. It was a great experience.

Luna: It was a fun experience. Thank you very much!

Luna: How did you come to work on Ready Player One? What was that experience like?

MORISAKI WIN: In Japan, the first one was a video audition. I then got a call back, I got called to LA for a second audition. Then I waited about eight months for an answer and I found out I got the role. Then we went to London (outside of London), England to shoot at the studio. It took about four months. It was a big experience, it was my first Hollywood movie. It was like a dream. We were shooting in 2016, we waited for about two years and it came out in 2018. At the time, my life had changed. Including my life in Japan, after Ready Player One was released. People who didn’t notice me before, started noticing me. At the actual filming, the stage was so lavish, it was a unique experience. Not only that, The Stephen Spielberg is right in front of you and he’s telling you, ‘Win, it’s not like that’ giving you all the directions. In retrospect, it was quite the experience.

Luna: I saw that movie in theaters, day 1. I remember when it came out.

MORISAKI WIN: For real? Thank you! How did you feel for the first time?

Luna: I loved it and wanted to see it again afterward. It was so much fun, energetic. I loved every character.

Luna: As you made your major debut musical career during the pandemic, what were some of the difficulties you encountered and how did you overcome them?

MORISAKI WIN: The biggest weirdness was that there was no live performance of any sort until then. If you made your debut you were supposed to start touring all over the country to promote yourself and performing in front all of the people. But there was no telling if my music was actually reaching anyone. I realized that during the pandemic that was a time period of endurance I had to go through. When I finally got to perform to an audience and watching the reaction of a live audience is different. Normally a Japanese audience is more reserved, but I did get a reaction out of them.

Luna: Do you have a message for your international fans?

MORISAKI WIN: I hope everyone get to find my music on Spotify, AppleMusic, Amazon, and any other platforms in the States. And then when you get to know my music, I’ll come back here and perform again. I hope to see you again at my concert. Thank you!

Luna: Thank you so much MORISAKI WIN!

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Interview: STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION

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STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION is the sound making project of songwriter/music producer and former rock band OLDCODEX member R·O·N who produces various sound contents and music for varieties of popular Japanese artists and Anime series.

To celebrate the latest release of his single ‘PEACEKEEPER’ which is the opening theme song for “That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime” Season 3 which you are able to listen to here! We were able to interview R·O·N at Hawaii’s anime convention Kawaii Kon!

Ken: First of all thank you so much for letting us do this interview, we are fans of what you bring to the Japanese music industry. And congratulations on passing your tenth year in the industry!

RON: Nice to meet you Ken and thank you so much for having me!

K: As this is your first Hawaii convention, are you having fun and is there anything you would like to do while you are here?

RON: Yeah, I’m having a lot of fun so far! I wanted to eat Poke (Raw fish with sauce) and I did!

K: Where did you go to eat Poke, might I ask?

RON: Oh just UberEats haha


K: Honestly, one of my favorite places to eat Poke is nearby at Foodland Farms and I would highly recommend it.  Be sure to have the legendary Poke Bowl which is like Danburi style (Fish and Rice) and is very delish.

RON: The Poke I had was very good, however it was also very spicy.

K: Ah I see, yes, they probably gave you the Spicy Tuna which is a local favorite.

RON: I see!

photo credit by jus. management

K: For your upcoming release ‘PEACEKEEPER’, where did you have the idea to talk about a theme of handling the difficulty of communication.

RON: In regard to the lyrics, I first receive a basic overview of the anime and then I think about how I should express the idea for the song. So it ended up not being so difficult to handle a theme like that.


K: Oh I see, so for a majority of the anisong that you have done, is that the usual thought process?

RON: Yeah, yeah it’s almost exactly like that!

K: Oh I see! Since you have done so many anisong in the past, What would you say is your favorite anisong that you have written/composed?
RON: That is such a difficult question haha. In terms of only STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION songs, I would have to say ‘STORYSEEKER’. It is one of my favorites.

K: I see. How do you curate your set list?

RON: So specifically over the last two or three years. I had done about 10 shows or so, and during those shows I developed about 4 patterns of a specific setlist that I built around.

K: Do you take a different approach when making a setlist Japan versus overseas?

RON: Actually as of right now I’ve only performed once in Japan about three years ago, when I was a part of a band setlist. While overseas it’s usually just me as a one-man, so I would say that is the biggest difference.

…my most cherished memory would have to be when I was able to perform in Germany last year…

K: What would you say is your most Cherished memory in the 10 years you have been active?

RON: Oh my most cherished memory would have to be when I was able to perform in Germany last year, mostly due to the fact that I had lived in Germany when I was in grade school and it was a very memorable experience for me.

photo credit by jus. management

K: When performing, how do you prepare?

RON: I usually try to get into the mindset that I hope that the audience would enjoy the setlist that I’m doing. That is the most important thing for me.


K: Is there a venue that you performed at that you’ll never forget? Also is there a dream venue that you would like to perform at?

RON: It would have to be the Mercury Lounge in New York, as it was the first venue that I had done a solo one-man show at.

I hope to perform in Los Angeles and Torrance, California as I used to live there as well haha.


photo credit by jus. management

K: Who is the one artist you would love to work with in the future?

RON: YOSH the vocalist from the rock band SSTP (Survive Said The Prophet), I really want to make a song with him!

…making music feels natural to me.

K: Do you have a process or certain mind set when creating your songs, if so would you like to share that process?

RON: Not really, making music feels natural to me. So there isn’t really a special mind set that I have to be in when composing songs.

K: Which was your favorite song to write/ compose?

RON: I can’t just pick one, I usually compose and write about 200-250 songs a year so to be able to pick just one, is really difficult. I would have to say every song haha .

K: Which artist would you say is your biggest inspiration?

RON: The rock band Korn ahaha.


K: For international fans, how they usually find out about J-pop is through anime. First do you watch anime, and if so which would you say is your favorite?

RON: Unfortunately, not the recent anime but I used to watch ones like Gundam, Evangelion, Sazae-san, Chibi Mariko-chan. Maybe you might not know the last two haha, but I used to watch Anime.

K: Thank you so much for joining and I look forward to the concert tomorrow (at the time of interview) and enjoy your time in Hawaii!

RON: Yes, Thank you very much, and thank you for having me!

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Interview: BALLISTIK BOYZ

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BALLISTIK BOYZ is a seven-member dance and vocal group who is a part of the popular sub-group EXILE TRIBE. These seven extremely talented members perform physically demanding acrobatic dance routines while singing emotional and thought provoking lyrics. They are the first in EXILE TRIBE to have all members to hold the microphone to sing, rap, and dance.

After the release of their highly anticipated third album Back & Forth, we were honored to interview them once again for this release! We have linked both the Digital and Physical edition so be sure to check it out. We have linked several song throughout the interview, along with the videos as well!

Ken: Thank you for having us again BALLISTIK BOYZ,  we are looking forward to the upcoming album!

BALLISTIK BOYZ: Thank you for having us again!

K: What should fans be looking forward to with this album release as it's been over 2 years since Pass the Mic in 2021?

RYUTA HIDAKA: This is an album that our fans can fully take in our growth over the past two years and our future possibilities, and I think the fans have been looking forward to it!

YOSHIYUKI KANO: It’s been two years since our last album, and during that time, we had lots of experiences like living in Thailand for six months and holding a live tour in Japan!

The album includes songs produced in Thailand and songs that the band members composed and wrote lyrics for. We tried a lot of new things on this album, and the lead song is also very new since we’ve never included a ballad, so I think you will enjoy it a lot!

… sometimes moving towards our dreams, sometimes being pushed backward, but steadily moving forward one step at a time.

K: Where did the name for your latest album come from? Does it happen to have any special meaning?

MASAHIRO SUNADA: The song represents how we’ve lived since our debut, challenging ourselves in many ways to make our dreams come true, repeating trial and error, sometimes moving towards our dreams, sometimes being pushed backward, but steadily moving forward one step at a time.

K: With Back & Forth being your third album, what was it you learned from your first two albums that helped you with putting this album together?

MIKU FUKAHORI: Since the last album, we’ve become clearer on the BALLISTIK BOYZ style, so we produced it based on that.

RIKIYA OKUDA: Some of the songs on this album were written by the band members, so I think you’ll feel how we’ve grown more mature since our last album was released, and the genre of music has also broadened!

We wanted to create a melody that’s more pleasing to listeners than focusing on expressing our feelings.

K: What has been the biggest challenge you encountered working on your newest album Back & Forth?

MIKU FUKAHORI: Producing the melody for “N.E.X.T.” We wanted to create a melody that’s more pleasing to listeners than focusing on expressing our feelings.

RIKI MATSUI: When we recorded “Drop Dead”, we produced it in Thailand. Only a studio was provided, and we had to do the rest ourselves. It took a long time because we provided all the direction and advice for each other.


K: Which songs did you have the most fun working on for Back & Forth?

MASAHIRO SUNADA: I’d say “N.E.X.T.” Our band member Miku wrote this song, so it felt new, and it was fun to record it under Miku’s direction during the recording.

K: The track ‘In My Head’ is an emotionally based song and is the group's most emotional song to date. Can you walk us through the creative process invoked in ‘In My Head’?

MIKU FUKAHORI: I purposely chose straightforward lyrics and created them by imagining a wistful heartbreak song that could be easily sympathized with.

RIKIYA OKUDA: This is a heartbreak song, so I wrote the lyrics straight out, not in a roundabout way, so that more people can relate to the song. There are various kinds of love stories, and I think you can feel the wistfulness of this song more if you watch and listen to the music video!

By composing and writing the lyrics, we’re able to give shape to our thoughts and music….

K: With “N.E.X.T” you guys did both the writing and composing for this track, what was it like taking on a challenge like that, and should fans be on the lookout for more releases that are written and composed by you?

MIKU FUKAHORI: By composing and writing the lyrics, we’re able to give shape to our thoughts and music that we want to deliver to you, so I hope you will continue to look forward to our music.

RIKI MATSUI: N.E.X.T. is a song about our deepest feelings, so we were worried about how the fans would react when they heard it, but we’re glad that they warmly accepted them. By composing and writing the lyrics, we can deliver our feelings in a more realistic way, so no matter what the content is about, I think it makes the music more enjoyable to listen to.

We shared the same dreams of achieving success in Asia and around the world with everyone in TRINITY and Gulf…

K: What was it like collaborating with Gulf Kanawut and TRINITY for “All I ever Wanted” and “Drop Dead” respectively?  Can you elaborate on how these two collaborations came about?  Will we see more collaborations in the future?

RYUTA HIDAKA: We’ve been working with Thai superstar F.HERO since 2022, and F.HERO introduced us to artists with whom we could collaborate well. We shared the same dreams of achieving success in Asia and around the world with everyone in TRINITY and Gulf, so we were able to create great music in a good relationship, mutually stimulating and enhancing each other's skills. Collaboration allows us to create a worldview that we could not create on our own and bring out what we cannot, so we hope to continue collaborating regularly in the future!

MASAHIRO SUNADA: We met Gulf and TRINITY after being introduced by F.HERO, a well-known rapper in Thailand.

TRINITY has been a great inspiration as a group of people of the same generation who share the same dreams. We’re good friends and rivals.

Gulf is already a superstar in Asia, so we had a lot to learn from someone who is already where we’re aiming to be. He was very friendly, and we went to a cat cafe together. LOL!

K: When creating ‘God Mode’, at the time, did you know it would be the anthem for SIGUMA SQUAD? How does it feel knowing it's the anthem for SIGUMA SQUAD?

YOSHIYUKI KANO: After originally hearing about the collaboration with BUCCHIGIRI?!, we were asked to do a team song for SIGUMA SQUAD, and we got to know what kind of team it was before moving on to production!

So, it was easy for us to visualize what we were looking for, and I think their team's colors match our image!

RYUSEI KAINUMA: I knew about it. However, since we did the production before the animation was completed, I didn’t understand the detailed nuances but heard some of the concepts before recording. I was honestly happy. Be sure to check out the special video that we made for the series as well!

K: What was it like Touring with both THE RAMPAGE and PSYCHIC FEVER for your Thailand and Bangkok concerts and are there any other EXILE TRIBE groups you would like to tour with?

RYUTA HIDAKA: We were able to promote LDH and EXILE TRIBE comprehensively by working as a team with seniors and juniors (of LDH), not only by ourselves.

I’ve had the experience of working with the FANTASTICS before our debut, so I think it would be very interesting if we could perform at  a live concert together again.

MASAHIRO SUNADA: Together with LDH, there was a more masculine and passionate vibe of ‘Let’s do this!” than when we usually perform on our own. I’d like to tour with LIL LEAGUE or KID PHENOMENON. I feel like we have the same vibe, haha!

K: After you finish a live performance what is usually the thing you like to do first?

YOSHIYUKI KANO: First, we discuss the day's live performance, bringing up any corrections or feedback.

I look forward to dinner afterward and when I have time, I eat something famous in the area!

RYUSEI KAINUMA: Playing games back at the hotel!

K: The last time we had interviewed you guys for the single "SUM BABY", you were the youngest of the Exile Tribes, but now there have been several groups that had debuted. Do you feel added pressure from being Senpais for those groups?

RIKI MATSUI: I feel it. But we are us, so we’ll always keep in mind what we think is cool and how we feel, and keep the story going.

MASAHIRO SUNADA: I always wanted to be the youngest, but it didn't work out that way, LOL. There’s a lot of pressure, but it’s a good stimulator. I have no choice but to keep improving myself day by day so that I can become a reliable and cool senior.

K: Do you have free time outside of the studio to pursue other hobbies or does the studio keep you pretty busy?

RYUTA HIDAKA: Thankfully, we’re busy these days, but when we have time, we enjoy our hobbies. I go surfing.

MASAHIRO SUNADA: These days, I’m so busy that I don't have time for a single hobby. I'm glad that I'm busy. But it's hard when I don't have time to work out at the gym, LOL.

K: Do you have a message for your international fans?

MIKU FUKAHORI: We definitely want to do a lot of live shows and events overseas.

Please come visit us when we do!

RIKIYA OKUDA: Thank you for your warm support! I believe that we are all BALLY'S (fans) regardless of where we are in the world, so please continue to give us your love and support more than any other group, no matter which country we are in!

K: Once again, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule, and we look forward to your upcoming releases!

BALLISTIK BOYZ: Thank you for having us once again, and please look forward to Back & Forth!

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