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MMN Interview: SCANDAL look back at their overseas performances since their debut and going from “anime characters” to a “band” (Part One)
In 2016, SCANDAL toasted to ten years since their formation, and this autumn, they will celebrate their 10th anniversary since their major debut. The band released their eighth album HONEY this month which peaked at number one on Japan’s iTunes album charts on the day of release and ranked number one in iTunes J-pop charts across the globe including Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Peru. Last year, 3 of the band members – Haruna (Vocals/Guitar), Mami (Guitar/Vocals) and Tomomi (Bass/Vocals) – became the first Japanese female artists to sign an endorsement agreement with Fender. It is evident for all to see that SCANDAL are building and fortifying their career as an all-girls band representing Japan in both name and reality. In this interview, the four members looked back at their overseas activity and told various stories from their perspective as an all-female band.
Interview & Text: Mami Naruta / Translation: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga
■”I think people overseas felt that we were performing anime characters”
――In the “HISTORY” column of your 10-year anniversary website, you have a timeline for your music activities for both Japan and the rest of the world lined up side-by-side. I felt that this was a reminder of how your band are enthusiastic about activities overseas. Your first overseas action was an American tour across six cities before your major debut in 2008. That’s amazing.
RINA: Yes, our first tour was in America, wasn’t it? We did all of that despite being an independent band who hadn’t even toured Japan yet. Back then we went forward with finishing everything we did to the end like crazy every time, but we had a strong connection overseas at the time, so from that year onward we went there every year without fail. At first, we felt like we were just children without a cause, but we gradually became something that couldn’t be ignored. Bands would cover our songs overseas, and the number of people who came to like us after watching us on YouTube went beyond our imaginations. Our fundamental stance is to go and perform in places where there are people demanding for us, so we focus on performing live without creating borders around the world.
――I see. Looking in detail, your first few years saw you perform at a lot of Japanese culture festivals such as “Japan Expo” and “AM2.” That was a time when you performed in uniform-style costumes, wasn’t it?
MAMI: It was. The “Age of Uniforms” (laughs). That was a time when we did theme songs for anime, so the uniforms were part of it. We were also called to perform at a lot of festivals that promoted Japanese culture too.
TOMOMI: In our early days, we even had an animation kind of thing of us all on our official MySpace page. And we received a lot of attention from people overseas, so it felt like “animation” was spreading across the world as part of Japanese culture.
――From your experience having stepped onto the international stage, have you felt a desire for Japanese culture overseas, and by extension a culture for Japanese girl bands?
HARUNA: We were also unaware of it at the time. We were simply happy with the demand and could feel the joy of being able to perform live in lots of places, so that’s why we went. It might have only been recently that we became conscious of looking to overseas seriously as a girl band.
RINA: I think that awareness strengthened when we came to perform solo shows. And our overseas fans also changed with it. At culture festivals, there were many people there simply out of curiosity who weren’t our target goal, and there were a lot of people who were also interested and felt Japanese culture in the seifuku costumes. I think from the point of view of people overseas, it felt like we were like anime characters performing.
――In 2015, you held a huge world tour where you performed 41 shows across Japan, France, the UK, Germany, America, Mexico, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
RINA: There were more people who had watched our music videos on YouTube than those who knew us from anime on this tour. I felt that people came along to support us as a band. The atmosphere was totally different in the venues too compared to our early days.
MAMI: I believe there’s something historical about being in a position where people know your existence from social media and video-sharing websites. When we began our career, social media still wasn’t being used all that much in Japan, and YouTube as it’s used today wasn’t a thing. I feel the change in times with regard to our connection overseas.
■”Our world tour made me feel that ‘SCANDAL’ had come to be seen as a band in and of itself”
――Having toured 9 countries, please tell me about any impressions that have been left on you, on or off stage.
RINA: We’ve had the opportunity to do a lot of interviews, but I’ve noticed that the content of the interviews have changed from place to place. Before, we’d get asked a lot of questions related to anime like “What do you think of anime?” and “What kind of anime theme song do you want to do next?” But now the questions are focused on the band itself. It made me feel that “SCANDAL” had come to be seen as a band in and of itself, without anime.
MAMI: Mexico and South America in particular are places where the way in which Japanese bands are viewed on YouTube are different from other countries. In other countries, anime and manga take priority. How people find us derives from there most of the time. But in South America, “Japanese bands” are an established cultural genre. They search for Japanese bands from the get-go, they find their favourite and share it with friends. That’s how we’re introduced over there. I was really happy that they viewed us in that way.
RINA: Something I remember from on-stage… The way people enjoy live performances. I saw how each country really does have its own unique culture. In Japan I don’t think we have that style of support where we hold up our country’s flag, but there are places where people have fun by waving their own country’s flag and drink and dance.
TOMOMI: For example, football is really popular in Mexico. When we turn the lights off in the venue, people chant “Olé, Olé, Olé” like a sports match.
RINA: Right? When we toured Europe, there was someone on stage [to introduce us and] get the crowd excited. They’d say something like “Here’s SCANDAL!” and the sound effects would begin playing (laughs). I noticed how the beginning of shows was different in each country and location.
HARUNA: In Asia, there were a lot of times where everybody sang together. It happens a lot in Japan too where people sing the chorus together, but elsewhere they sing the entire song from start to finish, don’t they?
RINA: So much so that everyone’s voices become even louder than Haruna’s mic volume (laughs).
MAMI: Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore were just like that, weren’t they? Usually people listen and are just there in whatever way they like. Their love really got through.
TOMOMI: Something I find different from Japan are people’s interests. There’s a real diversity in the people that attend, from older people who look like fans of that venue to the edgy punk type. I’m super interested in how they came to know SCANDAL. Well, I know social media is big, so if it was 10 years ago, I think the people who we couldn’t meet will come to our world tours now.
RINA: It’s precisely because we can look up and find our favourite things that our interests are so broad.
■”It doesn’t matter how we’re perceived, what’s most important is that people can enjoy us”
――Have your perceptions changed in relation to performing?
RINA: Strictly speaking, we’ve made a lot of changes to our sound and equipment, but our songs are all sung in Japanese, and I feel that wherever we go to perform I want to do everything the same without any changes. What does change is how we communicate with fans on-stage. We’re working hard to be able to speak in a country’s language as much as possible.
MAMI: People really get in the music easily, so if they’re excited, they’ll join us. I feel people come to the shows and have fun, so there are no worries there.
――This is a simple question, but do overseas music fans know the difference between idol groups and girl bands? Regardless of the use of instruments or not, do you think that there are people who perceive Japanese girl groups as “idols”?
MAMI: I think their understanding of the word “idol” is different from that in Japan. In Japan, it’s a single genre, but overseas, it’s someone who has an influence on you or someone you love. It’s someone you yearn for and someone whose existence is like that of a star. I think that grasp of the word is much stronger, so there might not be a lot of people who do make that distinction.
RINA: Don’t get me wrong, but I think either is fine. We don’t go out of our way to say “but we’re not idols.” Being seen this way means not giving special instructions and just have people come to like and enjoy our music. Because I think idols and bands are both cool. I find idols to truly be multi-players. They can sing, dance, act and have variety, and are really outgoing in a human way. Even in a band set-up, an idol’s nature can become their weapon of choice – their charm. I want us to be a group that can be enjoyed as humans, so even if there are people who see us as idols, I can say in all honestly that it doesn’t make us feel uncomfortable in terms of motivation. If people can enjoy us and say “They’re an interesting bunch,” then that makes me the happiest.
MMN Interview: SCANDAL want to live coolly as Japan’s representative all-female band (Part Two)
■“We want to be cool so our listeners throughout the world can be proud”
――When SCANDAL head out across the globe, “Japan’s representative girl band” really is an is appropriate catchphrase in reality and in name.
RINA:: We’re not quite there yet. But that makes me happy.
MAMI: But if we’re asked whether we’re placing focus on our overseas activities, that’s not the case. It’s just the way things pan out. We go with it without intending to separate Japan and everywhere else. It isn’t the case that from the beginning we were conscious of wanting to become Japan’s representative girl band or become popular overseas, so to have that said to us now makes me really happy.
RINA:: I have an increased awareness for us to be cool so that people think to themselves things like “I’m glad I supported them” and “I, who support SCANDAL, love who I am” for the very fact that we have listeners all around the world. I’ve taken in the fact that lots of different people listen to us, so I’ve truly come to think that I don’t want to let the fans down. I want to live cool, so much so that listening to SCANDAL’s music becomes people’s confidence.
HARUNA:: Yeah. We’ve done this for twelve years, so I want to have confidence in that.
RINA:: I feel that our fans’ minds are the same regardless of what country they’re from. I haven’t asked each of them individually, but when I look at things like the atmosphere in a venue, although people’s ages, gender, race and religion are different, I really feel that everyone holds the same mindset. I think that’s where the world ties together.
HARUNA:: Overseas fans come to our tours in Japan, and vice versa Japanese fans come when we play overseas. I’m happy that there’s an interaction.
TOMOMI: There’s an unofficial international fan club called “SCANDAL HEAVEN.” Groups of people on there from each country get together and post photos of themselves eating together on social media.
――Fans that have transcended national borders and connected through your music have left a happy impression on you, haven’t they? Also, I think within the female band scene, you have your own unique values.
RINA:: I think girl bands are accepted as one part of Japanese culture. There are very few girl bands overseas. It seems difficult for them to last a long time. I hear stories of bands disbanding soon after their debut. That’s why, in contrast with us who’ve been together for 12 years, there’s a lot of people interested in what a long-lasting girl band is like. There are people who feel culture and appeal in our existence, so I’ve felt we’ve moved forward.
――It’s true when you mention overseas girl bands. Nothing springs to mind immediately…
RINA:: If we’re talking recently then HiNDS are really cool, and they have a unique feel that I find great. If the number of girl bands increases from country to country, the music scene will become more exciting. I’d like to support them.
■“Japanese girls are skilled at creating their own personal ‘cute’”
――By the way, what do each of you find to be the charm point of Japanese girls?
RINA:: They’re allowed to mix together the things they like. They’re skilled at creating their own personal “cute.” Even ordinary school girls. They create a world that they love on their Instagram pages, don’t they? This is found in Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s style too, but for example, adding a little spice to something that isn’t just cute. Their ability to self-produce is strong.
HARUNA:: Everybody knows what suits them. Whether it’s make-up or different fashion styles, they skilfully incorporate what looks good on them and create something original. I think that’s wonderful.
RINA:: In our recent album HONEY too, I think we’ve been able to create songs that mix together sweet and bitter. The album is centred around songs we wrote in 2017. This time we reconsidered “Japanese rock” while keeping them sung in Japanese, so when people overseas have listened to it, I think they’ll see it’s a record that conveys today’s Japanese girl rock. In that sense, I think we’ve created an album that compiles 10 years of a SCANDAL that has taken influence from many things, sweet and bitter.
――In 2017 you released your 10-year anniversary greatest hits album, toured Japan’s 47 prefectures and went on your first taiban* tour. It was a substantial year for you.
RINA:: Last year we put on tough, masculine-like performances, which made us wonder what kind of songs a girl band should perform. It was a period where we re-evaluated things like our position and status. We had strong thoughts that “We’re girls, so we really should be doing the kind of rock that girls can do, otherwise it’s not interesting,” especially during our taiban tour.
[*Translator’s Note: A taiban is a concert where several bands perform.]
――The bands that joined you at the taiban were UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, 04 Limited Sazabys and BLUE ENCOUNT, right?
RINA:: We toured with 3 big bands at that festival, so it was something I mulled over. So I think we’ve been able to create an album that shakes off those thoughts in a girly way.
――Your album cover was produced by AMIAYA, twins who are active in Tokyo as fashion icons. How did that collaboration come about?
TOMOMI: We’ve actually been close with AMIAYA ever since we were introduced to them by Mizuki (Masuda) of [music group] Negoto. We knew that the album contained a lot of personal things. It’s filled with events that have happened in our daily lives, our favourite words, smells, colours and things like that. It came about because we thought since the album is so personal, it would be good if we made it together with a close friend. We were also crazy about how perfect the album colour and AMIAYA’s character went together.
――All things considered, I think that how you’re all able to write your songs together is really your strong point as a band.
RINA:: Hehehe (laughs). The four of us are individuals so songs are born left, right and centre, but when performing as a band, they become SCANDAL’s songs. It’s strange, isn’t it? Even though we do it together we never grow tired, and even now my heart is always racing. I think right now is the most fun time ever.
■SCANDAL recommend their favourite spots around Tokyo
――You’ve just released your new album. What mode is SCANDAL in right now?
RINA:: We’ve once again been able to create something that shakes free the kind of rock that seems good, in 2018, the 10th anniversary of our major debut, so the sense of accomplishment having completed HONEY is amazing (laughs). We’re taking this album on a hall tour, our first in three years, so I hope to put on the best performance we can now.
HARUNA:: We also have an Asia tour after our tour in Japan! We didn’t have an overseas tour last year, so this time we’re going to the Philippines and China for the first time. I’m really excited. We’ve received messages on Twitter for years of people saying “Please come to the Philippines,” so we’re finally going. I think they’ll be fully charged for us (laughs).
RINA:: Asia have welcomed us with a “Come back!” so we’re always at ease there! Fans bring along their friends to the airport. I get the feeling the number of new people increases every time.
MAMI: Yeah. There might even be places where the audience has completely changed. I’m interested to see how people will listen to this album.
――To wrap up, can each of you recommend some spots in Tokyo?
TOMOMI: When my friend visits from my home town, we’ve boarded the Yakatabune at Sumida River several times. You can eat traditional Japanese food like tempura, and you can see places like Odaiba and Skytree in one go while you go down the river. It was so much fun. I recommend that course!
MAMI: If you’re coming for a good time during spring’s cherry blossom season, then how about Shinjuku Gyoen or Meguro River? Since I don’t think you can easily see cherry trees lined up like that overseas. It’s not something flashy or gaudy, and this is a simple way to look at things, but you can kind of feel Japan with just one glance of them. It might be fun to visit and have fun enjoying the four seasons.
HARUNA:: As for me, I’ve been filling up by goshuincho*. For foreigners, it’s kind of like a stamp rally? Well, it’s not as simple as that, but I think if you’ve made the effort to come to Japan it could be fun to spend your time doing it. I started by purchasing a goshuincho at Sensō-ji. If you go to Sensō-ji, you also have Nakamise-dori just before you reach the temple which is a lot of fun. You can enjoy the so-called essence of Japan.
[*Translator’s Note: A goshuincho is a book used for collecting goshuin, which are stamps or seals you can receive when you visit temples and shrines in Japan. Each place has their own unique stamp.]
RINA:: For me… Tower Records in Shibuya. CD shops are dying overseas. I think Japan has the most CD shops in the world, but out of them all I think that’s the biggest. They have everything there. I see photos people have taken that have come from overseas of the Tower Records building, and I think to myself “so that’s how they view it.”
――Even when you actually look at things like the stock and floorspace, it’s the world’s biggest CD retail store.
RINA:: It’s true. It’s a valuable place. There’s a documentary movie called “ALL THINGS MUST PASS” that covers the history of Tower Records. After I watched it I went to Tower Records in Shibuya and was really moved! I don’t know what the future has in store for record shops, so I hope people enjoy it while it’s there. It’s the coolest CD shop.
