BABYMETAL chat about new record and touring

We had the chance to catch up with BABYMETAL before their upcoming show at WaMu Theater in Seattle on October 4th. The Japanese kawaii metal band is back in the States after 4 years and they are excited to connect and perform for all their fans and support their latest record, The Other One. Tickets can be purchased here.

Where am I catching you in the world?

MOMOMETAL: We’re in the US for our tour right now!

What are you most excited about touring the US after 4 years?

MOAMETAL: I’m most excited to meet everyone who’s been waiting for us. I’ve always been wondering how our fans and crew who we haven’t seen in a while are all doing. So, I’ve been missing them all for 4 years! Meeting everyone gives me strength. I always hope to be the reason for someone’s smile but it’s my side that’s been cheered up to smile. My loneliness is blown away when I see everyone so I’m so glad that people are coming to our shows to see us again. Thank you so much for waiting for us for the past 4 years! I want to spend a lot of wonderful time with you all since we couldn’t meet!

What role did music play in your upbringing?

MOAMETAL: Looking back, I’ve always lived my life with music. So, that’s why I am who I am today because of music. It’s vital for my growth, so it’s my growth hormone! It’s healing! It gives me power! It’s what I treasure! Especially after discovering BABYMETAL’s music, I have more people that I care about. Thanks to BABYMETAL’s music, I was able to meet everyone! If it weren’t for BABYMETAL, there are people that I wouldn’t have met and places I wouldn’t have gone. What if I hadn’t been in BABYMETAL? Or, what if I had quit BABYMETAL? It’s a little scary when you think about it. I think all music is wonderful, regardless of genre, but BABYMETAL’s music is especially special to me, and I’m really glad that I have BABYMETAL in my life. I hope you all go on in life in many ways through BABYMETAL and have many wonderful encounters. And no matter what kind of music you listen to or what kind of people you meet, we’d be happy if you could keep us in the back of your mind. I’m always with you. I hope BABYMETAL’s music will play a positive role for everyone who cares about BABYMETAL.

How does Japanese culture influence the band?

SU-METAL: First of all, the idea of ​​”Kawaii x Metal,” also comes from Japanese culture. Our music includes the sounds of ancient Japanese instruments, and there are many fans who say they like the sound of Japanese words. I think Japanese culture is sprinkled throughout BABYMETAL.

How was it working with Tom Morello on “METALI!!”?

MOAMETAL: How do you think? Isn’t it amazing?

I was too surprised it made me laugh first! That’s how great it is to work with such a legend! His exciting guitar technique is really unique and cool! At the same time, I wonder how much effort and perseverance took to get to this point? I respect that. And I always get power from his performance! Thanks to the collaboration with him, it seems that people who didn’t know about us at all got to know us, so thank you Tom Morello! Please let me call you my friend from now on! Ha ha!

What kind of song is your new song METALI!! ?

MOMOMETAL: As SU-METAL says, METALI!! is a song that takes the good parts of Megitsune and PA PA YA!! It’s a fully Japanese style song and an essential song for our live performance because even those who listen to it for the first time can enjoy the matsuri jollity together.

What inspired your newest record, The Other One?

SU-METAL: This album is a side story of BABYMETAL. It was created based on the concept, what if BABYMETAL exists in another parallel world? Unlike our previous works, the songs on this album are based on myths and photographs so each of the 10 songs expresses a different world. Since this album has a deeper theme than the previous albums, I think the more you listen to the songs, the more the impressions of the songs change and stimulates your imagination.

What is the story you want people to know behind the tracks?

SU-METAL: This is related to what I said earlier, but each song has a very deep theme. For example, when I first listened to “Monochrome“, I thought it had a beautiful guitar melody, so I tried to sing it in a gentle way. But if you pay attention to the drums and bass, there’s a heaviness to it and it starts to sound a bit sad. After that, when I read the lyrics in depth, I was able to notice the message hidden inside, and the way I sang it gradually changed. This is just one example, so listen to it and face the songs over and over again, and I want you to feel the messages hidden in each song on this album.

What songs/artists are you into at the moment?

MOAMETAL: While on tour, I listen to BABYMETAL’s music almost every day because we’re always working on our songs during rehearsals and during live performances. So, I haven’t been able to listen to much other music lately. But I recently started listening to Bad Omens and got hooked. They are also touring in the same area as us, so if there’s a good timing, I hope to go see them somewhere! I also listen to Tool and Paledusk a lot. There are many artists and songs that I like, but right now I’m into Måneskin‘s new song, “HONEY“.

Do you bring something on the road with you to remind you of home?

MOMOMETAL: I always bring Japanese food with me! I love rice, so I really appreciate freeze-dried rice. It’s so delicious that I’ll want to eat it even when I’m in Japan. Other than that, I just bring the things I use every day when I’m in Japan!

What is the hardest thing about touring?

SU-METAL: Number one is taking care of your body. We’re having our shows every day, so even if you feel energetic, your body may not be able to keep up. Also, I listen to BABYMETAL’s music so much that even in my daily life, it’s playing in the corner of my life, and I sometimes find myself performing live in my dreams, and I can’t tell if it’s real or not.

What is the most rewarding?

MOMOMETAL: Our shows, definitely! I feel really happy when I see the expressions on the faces of the people who are waiting for us, and every time we finish a show, I feel like there are more places for us where we wish to come back, which makes me really happy.