mrbellamy-sir - Tumblr blog

mrbellamy-sir · 5 years

Photo

MeseMoa. - The self-proclaimed idols who began by taking a joke too far are now heading for the Pacifico stage

This is an interview from 14th June 2019. Here’s the original link for the Japanese and the photo gallery.

I’ve done my best to translate it but I’m just a beginner so there are some parts that might not be entirely accurate. Thanks also to @namfonrainwater for the help.

MeseMoa. is a 9 member boys group that was formed when they uploaded a Morning Musume. dance cover video to a video sharing site in 2012. After that video was showered in attention, receiving over 1 million views, in 2013 they took on their former name Musumen. and changed their musical activities into those of a self-produced, "self-proclaimed idol group". In the 7 years since then, they've sold out Tokyo's Nakano Sunplaza, undertaken the 47 prefecture nationwide tour 'Thanks!' in 2016, had great success with their 2018 nationwide tour 'Maze No.9', and are steadily making progress.

Here at Music Natalie we interviewed 8 of them, with Nibansenji absent due to illness. Of course we discussed how the group came to be, as well as the characteristics and selling points of the team, and their excitement towards their solo concert at Pacifico Yokohama in August, which will be their largest capacity concert yet. The conversation that unfolded revealed how friendly their relationship is.

Interviewer: Kawakura Yukiko

Photography: Emi

The last dregs of pulp after everything else has been squeezed out

· Thank you for agreeing to your first appearance in Music Natalie!

Nichan & Tomitake: We're really glad to be here! *claps*

Aoi: Some of us have been interviewed as part of Musumen.'s sub-group TrafficLight., but this is our first time as MeseMoa. (You can read the TrafficLight. interview here (in Japanese))

· You have had a long career so far, but could you introduce the group for our readers who don't yet know you…?

Everyone: *waving their hands* It's not really a career!!

Nozakibento: We just spent a long time being unknown.

Nokkuso: It really is just that we have a long history of activities.

· Is that so. *Laughs* First of all, could you tell us how the group came to be?

Shirofuku: I had already been doing dance covers as a hobby, and it was a dance to Morning Musume., a group that I'm a fan of, which became the group's beginning. I wanted to gather a group of people in the same number as Morning Musume.'s members, and the people I spoke to out of the dancers I knew became the current members of our group. When we posted the video, the response was much bigger than expected. We received comments from general viewers as usual, but also from Morning Musume.'s producer Tsunku ♂, and we were invited to perform at various dance events. From there we decided not to limit ourselves to dance overs, but also to release original songs. We steadily continued our live activities as "self-proclaimed idols", and in 2015 we achieved our greatest wish of performing at Nakano Sunplaza. In May this year we celebrated the 7th anniversary of the group's formation, and are now rushing into our 8th year.

· You evolved from a cover dance group to "self-proclaimed idols" and have spent 7 whole years together.

Shirofuku: That's right. But to be honest, we're just a group of people with no talent. You could say we're like the last dregs of pulp that remain after everything else has been squeezed out……

Everyone: Ahahaha

Kimagure Prince: We didn't have to take auditions or anything, we just began because we were friends with each other.

Shirofuku: It feels like we're a group of amateurs who used the 'self-produced' label to our advantage and somehow managed to come this far.

It began with a dance event in Tokyo

· Did you know each other well before the group's formation?

Aoi: Kind of. We kept in touch with each other individually over the internet, and sometimes we performed at the same cover dance events so met each other there.

Kimagure Prince: Even if we didn't speak much, we would watch each other's videos so we generally knew what kind of style each person danced in.

Shirofuku: One thing I'd like to say is that I wasn't the only one that choose the group members. I know the first person I asked about it was Aoi…

Nichan & Nokkuso: We're pretty sure we were invited by Gerutan!

Forgeru: When I heard from Shirofuku that he was forming a group, he asked me if I knew anyone who'd like to join, so I said I'd find some people for him and asked a few people in my circle of friends. At the time, Shirofuku said something like, "I can't find people because I have no friends." *laughs*

Shirofuku: Ahahahaha

Kimagure Prince: We were all living in different areas, but we had a plan for how to gather as a group. Around the day we decided to shoot the Morning Musume. cover video, there was a big dance event in Tokyo at which most of the members were performing. The timing was really lucky because everyone was able to meet up.

Nokkuso: In a way it's like we chose the group members based on who was available on that day, right?

Shirofuku: I guess so. *Laughs*

Nokkuso: That's why Tomitan wasn't a 1st generation member, because he lived in Hokkaido and couldn't come to the event.

Tomitake: I'm the only 2nd generation member. I was already friends with everyone, so I just inserted myself into the group at a later date.

Everything we do comes from taking our jokes too far

· Looking back on MeseMoa.'s history, please tell us the most impressive events and turning points.

Shirofuku: When we first released an original song after doing dance covers, there were no other groups doing the same thing. But now there are a lot of people who began original music activities by posting on video sharing sites…

Aoi: At the time you could count them all on one hand.

Nichan: Our discussion about holding solo events after that left a big impression in my mind.

Tomitake: I remember everyone saying, "Will people actually come to see us!?"

Nichan: The members had appeared at various big events many times, but it's a different story when it comes to solo events.

Forgeru: We'd never heard of any group that had been created on a video sharing website go on to hold independent events.

Shirofuku: That's true. But perhaps we attempted that challenge specifically because nobody else around us was trying it. Now I'm really glad we made that decision. After that we stacked up live activities like our 47 prefecture tour in earnest, and events like taking an audition to appear at a big festival are pretty memorable. We participated in the 'Deren no!? Summer Sonic!? 2013' Audition to see if we could perform at Summer Sonic, which had its ups and downs…

· Summer Sonic is generally more of a band-oriented festival, isn't it?

Shirofuku: It is, but we did our best to dance and give out an idol aura, and we performed on the stage in the special 2013 section. There were various comments regarding the participation of what began as a cover group, but perhaps some people learnt about us through this experience.

Kimagure Prince: Participating in the 'Stairway to M-Sta Ultra Audition' in 2017 was also memorable. Our activities are usually focussed around the internet, but we also felt strongly that we wanted to appear on TV.

Nozakibento: It resulted in an overwhelming defeat, but somehow we were able to get to the final shortlist. The support from all the fans was very encouraging.

Tomitake: If we're thinking about turning points, it's got to be our Nakano Sunplaza performance. The first time we held a concert there in 2015 and performed on the stage where no-one thought we'd be able to stand became a source of confidence for all of us. We were also so proud to perform to a sold-out crowd.

Aoi: At first we only mentioned Nakano Sunplaza as a joke, because it's the holy land of Hello! Project.

Tomitake: We messed around saying how much we'd love to go there.

Nichan: You say that, but doesn't everything we do come from taking our jokes too far? "Let's release our own single" or "Let's hold a concert and a cheki-kai", they were all jokes. *Laughs*

Nozakibento: At least they were at first.

Nichan: Once we'd decided to do something then we talked about it seriously, but our first steps all began in jest.

· But you've managed to make all those things happen properly, right?

Nichan: *with wide eyes* Yes…you're right!!

All: Wahahahaha

Aoi: That's how the results turn out, I guess. *laughs*

Nichan: A fortunate conclusion indeed.

An irregular collection of people - in a good way

· At the 2015 Nakano Sunplaza performance, you announced that you would quit the jobs you'd individually been working alongside your idol activities - whether an office worker, a nursery school teacher or anything else - and devote yourselves to being idols. You had to make preparations for this decision, but how did that come to be?

Shirofuku: We often couldn't get our schedules to match up and were usually affected by time restrictions. We also felt like we should treat the group in a more professional way for the sake of those who supported us, so we talked it out over and over and decided to focus on this one activity.

Tomitake: We also asked the fans how they felt about it at our Nakano Sunplaza concert, like "What if we decided to make this our jobs?" There were certainly some people who liked the fact were just doing it for fun and not taking it too seriously.

Shirofuku: We too were hesitating until the very last minute.

Aoi: But thanks to that decision, the number of times we could gather as a group increased noticeably. Our practice sessions became much more efficient.

Shirofuku: There have been a lot of advantages to that decision. On the other hand, while we were doing our activities just as a hobby many things were forgiven, but now that level of indulgence no longer applies. Since we said we would make being an idol into our jobs, we felt an increasing sense of responsibility to show something suitable.

· By being determined and placing your bets on these activities, did the group's teamwork grow stronger?

Kimagure Prince: We're originally very close friends, but I think our teamwork grows stronger every day. Each member of MeseMoa. has things that he's very good at and things that he's not so good at, but I think that humanity aspect is part of our charm. In a good way MeseMoa. is an irregular collection of people, created by each of us showing off our specialist areas.

Tomitake: Speaking of our relationship like that, we're basically just like a family. Maybe we have a common destiny?

Nokkuso: In the dressing room we're always super noisy!

Shirofuku: You can even hear the members' laughter from the toilets on the other side of the building.

Tomitake: This is probably our worst aspect, but we still can't shake the feeling that we're amateurs, so we struggle when we have to be strict. Also, we keep repeating the same jokes as so many years before and laughing at them, even from 7 years ago.

Nichan: We're like a bunch of terribly forgetful grandpas. *Laughs* At any rate, we get along well, and I think that feeling is best conveyed during our concerts.

Tomitake: We might not be very good at singing or dancing, nor are we particularly handsome, but our MCs are definitely funny!

Nozakibento: However, deep down we're all serious about this, so it's not like we let each other be idle and take it easy just because we're friends. I think our team is brought together in a positive atmosphere by wanting to work hard and produce something great.

A certain company refused to sign all 9 of us

· What are the selling points of MeseMoa. that make you different from other boys' groups?

Aoi: From the start we weren't affiliated with any companies, but made good use of the internet as a self-produced group. Just 2 years ago we finally created our own company (DD).

Shirofuku: Our former member represents the company as its president.

Kimagure Prince: Perhaps it's because we aren't part of a major company that we're able to freely do what we want to. That's become our character. But that's just based on my impressions of major companies. *laughs*

Forgeru: We heard this from a staff member who's been with us since our formation, but they asked if we could all be signed onto a certain company and were rejected. Apparently they said that all 9 of us would be too much…

Nichan: In short, we couldn't join. *Laughs*

All: Wahahahaha

Tomitake: But that might have been for the best. Because we did everything by ourselves, we were able to stay motivated.

Shirofuku: It was normal for us to think and act by ourselves, and maybe we wouldn't have been able to come this far if we hadn't done that. I guess this is a big difference from other groups.

Nichan: Also, I think we've been able to continue together for so long for the same reason that a family stays together. To put it simply, we all love each other, and we can keep going because we're all here for each other.

Tomitake: Nokkun has always said that if anyone else quits, then he'll quit too.

Nokkuso: If we're not together as a group of 9 then there's no meaning to it.

Shirofuku: But if Nozaki-san quit…?

Nokkuso: Then I'd keep going!

Nozakibento: *interrupts* Why just me?!

All: Wahahahaha

Nichan: Here's a typical pattern. *Laughs* This is what we meant when we said earlier that we keep laughing at the same jokes. We'll always laugh at this kind of thing.

Where are you supposed to buy our CDs?

· One thing we'd like to ask about is the fact that, even though you're self-produced and mostly focussed on online activities, your number of fans is still growing. What's your key to success?

Tomitake: Actually, it's because we can only actually meet in person. As we said before, we don't appear on TV very often, and the members usually do online broadcasts on an individual basis. The only times we really all meet together are for concerts and other events. I guess everyone is looking for the fun and the explosive power that comes when all 9 of us gather.

Shirofuku: One of the reasons is perhaps that we started doing lots of free lives last year. Although they're technically release events, they're easy for people to take part in if they're coming for the first time, and also easy for fans to invite other people they know.

Nokkuso: It's also easier for us to visit some regions for a free live than to travel for a tour.

Nozakibento: If you talk to people who've become fans recently, many of them say that the first time they saw us perform was at a free live.

Nichan: We were the ones who said we wanted to hold free lives. We wanted to increase the chances for various people to come and see us without difficulty. When we held an event at Ikebukuro Sunshine City in May, it seems we were the first artists to perform there without having our CDs in major circulation. That's a great honour.

Tomitake: But because they're not in circulation, our music isn't available in CD shops. People often ask us where they're supposed to buy it. *laughs*

Nozakibento: And yet we're always asking people to buy our CDs. If you do want to buy something, please get it at an event or use the mail order system on our official site!

Kimagure Prince: Once we advertised the group using bus wrapping, but it had a confusing warning saying, 'The CD will not be sold in CD shops. Please search 'MeseMoa.' online for details.'' *Laughs*

Tomitake: Perhaps the key to attracting fans is to come up with new things every day to make sure people don't get bored.

Forgeru: At the very least we make sure to post on social media.

Tomitake: We also stay a step ahead of everyone else by doing all the things they won't do…that's what we've always done from the beginning. Maybe that's because we don't have a particular concept. Since we don't have to rigidly stick to any one setup, we can try out various things, so I think that's one of our assets. We take each piece of music and discuss it, like, "Next time let's make a school theme," or "This time let's become office workers."

Forgeru: It feels like a Lucky Dip saying, "Try me!!"

Kimagure Prince: Each time we're dyed in a variety of different musical concepts.

We're confident that we'll definitely make Pacifico a huge success

· Speaking of your recent live activities, during this May's long Golden Week you appeared on the live stage at 'NikuFes', the food event that specialises in meat.

Nichan: That's right. We've been allowed to perform at NikuFes many times throughout the years, but the atmosphere of this year's performance was just like a music festival, which really surprised me.

Tomitake: The enthusiasm from the audience was amazing. We always get nervous when we perform in a place away from our typical locations like that, but there were more first-timers who stopped to watch us than I'd thought. From the stage we could see people having fun. I'm glad that the number of people who watch us and think we look interesting is growing.

Forgeru: Some of the fans also brought their friends and family along, so it really felt like our circle has expanded.

Shirofuku: The first time we appeared at NikuFes, we went around handing out flyers in person. But this year so many people came to the meet-and-greet session that we wouldn't even have had time for that kind of thing. That was surprising. Talking of concerts, we're currently doing a hall tour 'Ch8 ~Channel 8~', but last time we did a hall tour was the 'We changed our name from Musumen.' tour, for which we couldn't sell out all the seats. Thankfully this time we've had lots of applications for tickets. I keep wondering when we became this kind of group. We're very grateful, but it also feels kind of strange.

· It seems your next goal is to perform at Nippon Budokan, but you will conclude your current nationwide tour 'Ch8 ~Channel 8~', which began at the end of May, by performing at Kanagawa's Pacifico Yokohama on 4th August. Pacifico Yokohama is also a big venue, so are you feeling excited for it?

Kimagure Prince: When we were aiming for Nakano Sunplaza we did our best and achieved that dream. Next is Pacifico Yokohama, which is about twice the capacity of Nakano, and those tickets are now sold out. We have no idea what the view will be like, but now that we've been doing this for 7 years, we're confident that we'll definitely make Pacifico a huge success. In the past we wouldn't have been able to say that.

Shirofuku: We've put a lot of effort into the staging of this tour, so for those who are used to seeing us in a live house it might be like seeing a fresh MeseMoa., with the videos and the stage set.

Aoi: Up until now we've basically had no stage sets, but this time we have stairs etc., so we can also change the way we choose to stage our songs. The tour title is 'Ch8 ~Channel 8~' because we're using TV channels as the concept.

Kimagure Prince: Sometimes we parody existing TV shows, or make up our own variety shows.

Aoi: That's also typical NicoNicoDouga. *Laughs*

Kimagure Prince: For sure. I hope lots of people come to see it.

Nichan: Even if people have never seen us before, it's OK for them to come and see any of these shows. There's no connections to previous tours or anything like that, so you can just come on a whim and have fun. Each performance is like a one-shot manga.

Tomitake: There's nothing at all that would make it difficult for new fans to come along.

Kimagure Prince: This time the first part of our performance is more like a talk show, and the second part is the live concert. So people who are more interested in our personalities and character might come to the first part, and those who want to see us dancing might come to the second part.

Shirofuku: We'd be really glad if people came to see us wherever in the country we're performing, not just to Pacifico.

Nokkuso: There are also exclusive projects that change every day so you can only see them at a particular location, plus we're planning to hold free lives on the days before and after our concerts in nearby locations.

Aoi: If you're interested, you should check out our YouTube channel in advance and watch various videos so you can have more fun.

All: We'll be waiting for you!

#mesemoa #musumen #translation #interview #jpop #idol #japan #music natalie

8 notes · View notes