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Out on 2/14! The 8th album released by 〈SCANDAL〉 whose cuteness and glamour is increasing is a must-listen-to masterpiece! (Part 1)
All-girl band SCANDAL will be releasing their 8th original album 『HONEY』. As if representing these girls who are soon celebrating the 10th anniversary of their major label debut, it is an album that is sweet, slightly spicy, and packed with songs with glamour. This time, we interviewed all of the members about their their album 『HONEY』, changes born once again in the band after reaching the 10th year since their major debut, and their current mentality. It will be delivered in two parts!
――The artwork for your album 『HONEY』 releasing on 2/14 was handled by the twin artist unit AMIAYA, correct? How did this collaboration come about?
TOMOMI: The first time I met them, Mizuki Masuda of the band Negoto, whom I'm close with, introduced us. For our first meeting, I went to AMIAYA's place to have a nabe party with everyone (laughs). They also starting coming to our live shows, and also started getting involved with the other members.
――I see. You first knew them privately.
TOMOMI: Yes. So, during the production period of this album, the members talked about doing a private-like atmosphere for 『HONEY』. That being the case, we thought, wouldn't it be interesting if we tried to make it with our really good friends? We then decided to ask AMIAYA.
――How did the flow progress in reality?
RINA: First, we conveyed our image of the album's concept and vision in words to AMIAYA, brought the materials together and held a meeting while deciding the direction and deciding to make the image color red. Then, we had AMIAYA get the outfits together and had them remake that again. It felt like it became more and more solidified while we bounced around ideas together.
TOMOMI: Specifically, AMIAYA produced it the visual aspects including their casting suggestions of a stylist and photographer as well as the location and the outfits.
――When you look at the completed artwork, you see that it has another angle of appeal that's different from the past SCANDAL. What were your thoughts when you saw the finished product?
RINA: That it was linked to the album's theme and took the shape of what we wanted to do. We gave the keywords of sweetness, sharpness, and a bit of salaciousness to 『HONEY』, and the contents of the lyrics are mixed with nuances like that. This collaboration began from us having strong thoughts about wanting to visualize the theme we imagined, so we're happy that we were able to do something that was more than we imagined.
――Was there a big response from fans?
MAMI: We've gotten a lot of responses from girls in particular. AMIAYA are models and DJs as well as producers of a fashion brand, so there is a sense of balance unique to these two who understand the feelings of those in the public eye as well as those behind the scenes. Because music and fashion are so close to each other, we're very happy that we're getting responses with these visuals from those who didn't know about our music.
――There might be some people who get into it by just taking a glance at it because they think it's cute.
TOMOMI: But, it was interesting that the response from guys and the response from girls were totally different, whether it was due to more skin being shown than usual, or because our expressions are a bit bold. The girls said, "That's so cute〜♡," but it feels like the guys were a bit confused (laughs).
HARUNA: Personally, we looked at overseas magazines and on Instagram, and thought that we could apply the images that we liked to SCANDAL's style. It was a great experience to be able to shape what we liked into one form.
RINA: We've had things we like and things we wanted to do since the beginning, but a little while ago we also felt that we shouldn't express how SCANDAL currently was in that way. Perhaps it was simply because it didn't suit our music at the time. However, the four of us have been a band for 10 years, we've gotten more into nuances in music and fashion, and the range of things that we can express has also increased as we've aged.
――In your early days you had the school uniform image. Was there a fixed concept, like, "SCANDAL should be this way" among yourselves?
RINA: Yes. My way of thinking was that SCANDAL must be like superheroes. Before we went on stage it felt like we were metamorphosizing into SCANDAL. When comparing this album to our first one, the content of the lyrics are completely different. Right now, we're putting out the personal parts of each of the four of us, and our private lives are also changing. However, this is a natural change. It's been 10 years since we were students, and of course there will be big changes no matter how you live. We've been continuing to make music in our teens, our twenties, and soon our thirties, so it feels like our way of expressing ourselves is completely different at each age.
――After a story like that, when you listen to 『HONEY』 once more, it feels like it's an album that you could make because of your ages.
RINA: It's become so natural that we didn't even pay attention to it. SCANDAL has a style of all the members writing lyrics and music with HARUNA's vocals, so if we were to continue singing love songs that could not be possible in the real world, it would feel like there'd be a limit somewhere age-wise. So, we feel that it's better to do music that you can see yourself playing for a long time.
――Could we ask each member to recommend one song apiece from the album for the readers of Men's JOKER?
MAMI: Mine would be 「Oh! No!」. Girls' heads get jumbled up when they're in love―rather, they're always at full operation. You think about things like, "What makeup should I do for the boy I like?", "How should my hair be?", or "What clothes should I wear?", but actually, shouldn't you be loving the you who can stay motivated, and the you who you see in the mirror? That part exists within me too. Girls mustn't forget that they're always their own heroine. I think that's something that's cute and is a strength. Those things I had been thinking about were quickly made into a song, so the lyrics, melody, and performance turned it into a busy song.
――It's like that complexity is what a girl's brain is. The word count is also considerably longer than the other songs (laughs).
MAMI: That's right. The lyrics are really long and are jam-packed with things I wanted to say. I was able to write a bit without thinking too deeply about it. I hope that this song can make guys feel that this is what it's like when girls are in love.
――How about you, TOMOMI?
TOMOMI: 「Mado wo Aketara」, the song that I made with Mizuki Masuda of Negoto. It was completed around three years ago, and I'm very happy that my friend and I were able to make a song together. I really like the world view of songs and arrangements made by Mizuki Masuda, so I placed an order for her to put her personal favorite Rhodes synth to finish up the arrangement. It's the only song on 『HONEY』 that had been used from our backstock of songs. It was also emotional for me to be able to put the sounds with a loop feeling to them that I listened to frequently in private at that time on the album. The tone's a little dark (laughs), and it has a calm, mature mood to it, so it may link with the readers.
――Thank you very much! We will introduce RINA and HARUNA's recommended songs in part 2!
Out now! Not just visuals! The new work of 〈SCANDAL〉 who leads their scene is so awesome! (Part 2)
All-girl band SCANDAL released their 8th original album 『HONEY』. As if representing these girls who are soon celebrating the 10th anniversary of their major label debut, it is an album that is sweet, slightly spicy, and packed with songs with glamour. This time, we interviewed all of the members about their their album 『HONEY』, changes born once again in the band after reaching the 10th year since their major debut, and their current mentality. The second half will be delivered this time!
――In part one of the interview we asked MAMI and TOMOMI to recommend a song from your album 『HONEY』 for the readers of Men's JOKER. Following that, we'd like to ask RINA and HARUNA about which songs they'd recommend as well.
RINA: "Futari" for me. Although it's a rock tune, the lyrics are a story about a pair who's been going out for a while now. Even if a girl knows the feelings of her partner to some extent, she wants him to take some kind of action, which is what I thought while writing it. But, because he's nervous too, and because nobody wants to get hurt, it's hard to take that step forward. While they're staying cozy, she wants him to take action and touch her heart. So, it'd be great if you'd have the girl you like listen to it, get a little braver, and take a step forward.
――HARUNA, if you would.
HARUNA: "Short Short." I really variated how I sang all throughtout this album, but this song changed how I sing, in an especially easy-to-understand way. I sing it quite gently. MAMI sent over the demo first, and the take I sang while we were in pre-production was basically used for the final cut. The members too liked the take from then. How we typically finish songs is to record the instruments and then put the singing in last, but the order changed a bit with this. It's memorable that we were able to make it in a very interesting way.
――The way you sing is different enough to make you think, "Is the same person singing the entire time?".
HARUNA: I wanted to, as much as possible, match the melody and the mood of the song―rather, the atmosphere that this song has, and I changed [how I sang it].
――Was that a style you found for 『HONEY』?
HARUNA: That too, but it's the sensation that we gained throughout the last year. I personally wanted to establish my own vocal style once more at the same timing of the 10th anniversary of our major label debut. Since we're a band whose lyrics and music are written by its members, I thought it'd be nice if each song had its own flavor. So, I wanted to explore more singing methods that would match that. I didn't want restrictions like, "The lyrics need to be this way because I'll be singing," or, "It needs to be in this key because I'm singing." I sang with as much motivation as possible to express the songs that the members wrote as they wanted to. SCANDAL should have a style that is flexible and can change in any way. For that, vocals should also change.
――Being able to do a challenge like that is proof that the bonds you have as a band are deep.
RINA: Since HARUNA had that kind of motivation, the degree of freedom we had for the lyrics also increased considerably. 「Short Short」 is exactly that; we sing about money at the beginning of the lyrics. It's a quite malicious, cruel expression, but HARUNA's adorable, gentle way of singing mellows it out. The message will be too strong if you sing it too straightforwardly, so being able to find that balance is also a big change for SCANDAL.
――The songs on this work were mostly written for the album, right?
RINA: That's right. Our single and digital-only songs are also included, but the rest were written for this album. Order-wise, 「Platform Syndrome」 was the last one to be completed, right?
TOMOMI: When those who have experienced heartbreak listen to it, I think it'll really echo in their hearts.
――What is the flow often like in regards to your style for producing songs?
RINA: It's completely different depending on the song, but basically MAMI sends me demos including melodies and arrangements and I add the lyrics; or, I send the lyrics first and MAMI makes the melody.
MAMI: There are also times when lyrics come to mind when I'm thinking of songs and melodies, so when that happens I will add lyrics just how they are.
RINA: All of the members write lyrics and music, so being able to have various ways of writing songs is a strength of SCANDAL's.
――This album too is a work where SCANDAL's "current selves" is tightly concentrated to accomodate the changes you've had in increasing your appeal as women. Will it be possible to challenge new things without the fear of change in the future as well?
RINA: Yes. We can change precisely because there are things that won't change. While we're debuting a new band every year and releasing more and more new releases, we've realized that it's very difficult to have people like SCANDAL only. So, without depending on the current situation, we will steadily launch ourselves from new places and continue to fight. Last year was a pretty tough year for us with our 47 prefecture tour, and having bands that are active in the festival scene play joint lives with us. However, as we were able to finally tour around the prefectures and small live houses we couldn't go easily, it feels like something that was missing from SCANDAL was covered a little. By experiencing that, it makes it seem like the band's in a very good condition to welcome the 10th anniversary of our major label debut.
――In recent years it feels like all-girl bands with momentum are debuting right after another, and that a new all-girl band scene is spreading out. Have you taken notice of that?
RINA: We're very happy that the scene's being livened up, but we might not be too aware of what we want to do about it, or how we want to liven things up. This is something very simple, but we might only be thinking about how SCANDAL should continue being a good band. What makes us the happiest is giving 120% to what we can do, having fun, and making our listeners happy as well. That sums it all up.
HARUNA: That's right. There's no doubt about it.
――You might be able to continue on for a long time precisely because you have calm, simple feelings about it.
RINA: We don't really have an eagerness in regards to the scene, but we're simply very happy to get people excited. Both men and women can be in bands and play cool music. We feel that too watching other bands.
――That's exactly why many people look up to SCANDAL and start bands. Have the members talked to each other about the vision you have for yourselves in 5 or 10 years?
HARUNA: We do, but we honestly don't look that far ahead. The only thing we think about is doing what we presently can do with all of our strength.
TOMOMI: We can think about it, but it'd be 2 years at most (laughs). Even if we talk about what's next, that's as far as it goes.
RINA: There are also circumstances where we must hold down live venues (laughs).
――You don't know what'll happen from this point. But, you do want to continue on for a long time.
RINA: We want to continue on as far as we can. It seems like the Guinness World Record for the longest-running all-girl band is 17 years. That's pretty short when compared to all-boy bands who have been around for 30+ years. That's why we also hope that we can extend the lifespan of all-girl bands.
――We're looking forward to continuing to watch your cool live performances at any age! On 3/3 you'll also begin a nationwide tour in support of your album 『HONEY』.
HARUNA: Yes. Similar to last year, live shows will be at our center this year, but we'd also like to play lives overseas this year too. Since we have live performances overseas in some form every year, it'd make us happy if we could have more chances to do so.
――Do you have any ideas for your next work?
RINA: Not at all (laughs). We're at the point where we'll start making songs, but first, during our live shows we'll be feeling the reactions of those who have listened to 『HONEY』 while thinking about the sound and atmosphere of our next work, and what kind of visuals we could associate with it.
