Today we have an exclusive interview with Luvielle (ルヴィーユ).

Luvielle (ルヴィーユ) is a very new band, who at the time of this interview had held very few lives. Their style evokes a feeling of “the good old days of VK,” and for that they've gained some attention. They were gracious enough to speak with us about their concept and their plans.

Luvielle (ルヴィーユ), thank you very much for agreeing to this interview.

⚠ 日本語版へこちら。

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• Please introduce yourselves.

I’m the vocalist SINC.

I’m guitarist KIRAN.

I am bassist Youka.

It’s drummer chinari.

• Please tell us how Luvielle (ルヴィーユ) formed.

SINC: Youka (曄香) and I worked together in a previous band, and we both seceded at the same time. We hadn’t planned to make a new band together at the time; but when we would get together and chat, we realized that we both wanted the same sort of direction and atmosphere in our next bands. So we decided to do one together!

The rest just sort of flowed. We were introduced to chinari through a common acquaintance, and Luvielle formed.

Youka: The music that each of us is into has similar qualities.

• You recently gained a 4th official member, guitarist KIRAN. How has this changed the band’s dynamic?

SINC: KIRAN’s joining has been a tremendous power boost for Luvielle. His looks and guitar skills are good of course, but he also has great character, senses, and ideas. We’re looking forward to seeing how Luvielle will change in the future.

KIRAN: I can’t talk much about this because I don’t know Luvielle yet. What I can say for sure is that Luveille has been, and will always be cool.

Youka: We have the power of 100 people now. (laughs)

chinari: With KIRAN joining, all of us have been stimulated as to how to approach our performance, visuals, and other aspects of the band.

• Why did each of you choose to join a VK band?

SINC: Personally, it was because seeing bands in makeup as a kid made a big impact on me.

KIRAN: Because the art that I wanted to express, the art that I wanted to be―to create that kind of art in the world, music and pictures alone were not enough. Because this genre allows me to express my existence through several types of art at the same time. Because out of all things, VK is closest to matching my sympathies.

Youka: Because my favorite songs were VK ones.

chinari: Honestly, I’m not committed to VK. I happened to join a VK band; that’s it.

• Please tell us some past or present VK bands that you listen to.

SINC: There aren’t really specific bands or artists; I listen to a wide variety of music.

KIRAN: If I can define VK as any band/musician that wears makeup, then I often listen to 80s rock bands from overseas.

Youka: There are too many to list (laughs).

chinari: X japan、LUNA SEA、La’cryma Christi

• Why is the band named Luvielle? What’s your band’s concept?

SINC: Youka (曄香) and I came up with tons of potential names, and then we just said them all out loud in one long series. The reason we chose this one was because it looked and sounded cool (laughs). “Luvielle” itself doesn’t have any particular meaning.

That said, we also had this concept that each person who listened to our songs would come into contact with us via the worldview with the word “Luvielle.” So there was a desire to make the name meaningful.

Our band concept is “innocence & ugliness.” It’s trying to express the white “light” of innocence and the dark “shadow” of ugliness; the two are incompatible, but exist in the world together nonetheless.

Youka: SINC-kun and I spent a lot of time calling each other and messaging each other via LINE, trying to come up with a band name that would immediately evoke the darker side of VK. It was seriously hard (laughs).

• On the topic of “innocence and ugliness:” please tell us about your most difficult live so far, and your favorite live so far.

SINC: Since we only just started, I have to count the hardest and my favorite as our first live. The expectations and anxiety were great, but it was the live at which I realized Luvielle had finally formed.

KIRAN: I’ve never found a live to be particularly difficult. But “innocence & ugliness” will always exist in our daily artistic life, so that’s easy for us to express. It’s expressed by our whole body and our whole spirit.

I think my favorite live is any one where the fans get the feelings that we intend them to, and react accordingly.

Youka: I like all of the lives I’ve done.

chinari: The first live was difficult. There hasn’t been a live yet where I’m completely satisfied. There are always lots of challenges.

• Your songs evoke comparisons to “old school” visual kei. Was that intentional? How did you settle on this musical style?

SINC: My own musical roots are VK bands from the 90s and early 2000s, so that kind of band sound is the filter through which Luvielle’s songs have been written. We want to take that oldschool VK sound, update it, and add a little color of Luvielle.

Youka: We decided from formation that we wanted songs that are a modern interpretation of 90s VK.

chinari: I guess all of us just naturally had 90s VK as our roots.

• In VK, there are many different aesthetics (in costumes and artwork). How would you describe your aesthetic, and why did you choose it?

SINC: We don’t want to get swept up in fads; we would like to stick to what we personally believe is good.

KIRAN: I’ve always been looking for a style of art through which I can straightforwardly express myself. And I found it. Yes, it’s visual kei. So far, VK is the genre which is closest to my own artistic expression. It’s consistently beautiful; even decay can feel attractive. I’m fascinated by this beautiful image of flowers blooming, and then falling.

Youka: This style is cool because you can assert your personality as much as you want.

chinari: VK is all about the “worldview.” It fascinates, and then makes you listen.

• You’ve released two CDs, “in tears・・・” and “insane.” Were there any challenges when making those CDs? What are you proud of with those releases?

SINC: The recording of “in tears・・・” and “insane” went relatively smoothly. I was just satisfied to have turned Luvielle’s songs into actual releases.

KIRAN: We didn’t have any trouble. It was really fun to be able to express ourselves. I’m satisfied with both works. During recording, new ideas sprung up and we did retakes; that’s why it’s a wonderful release.

chinari: The recording went smoothly. And the reaction from listeners has been very satisfying.

• Streaming services have become more popular lately. Have you considered using these? Do you think it’s important to have physical releases?

SINC: I want more listeners for Luvielle’s songs, so I’d like to try streaming services eventually. But as a creator, CD jackets, booklets, lyric cards, etc.―all of that makes the work more complete. So I think the role of the CD and other physical media is important.

Youka: CD production is important.

chinari: CD jackets and lyric cards are part of the artist’s worldview, so I think they’re necessary.

• As a newer band, what challenges have you faced? What was the most difficult part of starting activity?

SINC: From the stage of launching a new band, everything is hard. Every effort is made to do the best thing at each moment, but it’s always hard・・・ (laughs) But that’s why it’s fun.

KIRAN: [The hardest part] is making our existence known; it’s a public relations activity. But activity itself is very difficult, and it remains a struggle.

Youka: We’re so new that it’s difficult to even determine which thing has been the hardest. (laughs)

chinari: The first battle that we faced head-on was the recording of “in tears・・・” We had to do well because that song was to be like our business card. But the hardest thing was coming up with the name Luvielle first.

• What makes Luvielle unique? What are your strong points?

SINC: We are really really good friends (laughs).

KIRAN: The gap between us on-stage and us off-stage. Everyone’s really cool [on stage], but we all have a completely different side that’s funny (and sometimes a little crazy). Aside from that, our works have a good balance of colors from each member. I don’t think there are other such bands.

Youka: All of us are really good buddies (meaning we go to drink often) (laughs).

chinari: Is having fun together a strong point?

• What’s your next goal?

SINC: First, in order to make Luvielle more known, I want to expand the area of our live activity, and also increase our media exposure.

KIRAN: I’d like to make Luvielle more known. I’d like to show off the different aspects of our appeal.

Youka: TV appearances (laughs).

chinari: I want to increase the number of people who attend our lives.

• Lastly, please give a message to everyone.

SINC: We’ll continue to make music that we think is cool, so please look forward to Luvielle in the future.

KIRAN: I’m guitarist KIRAN. Please feel the breath of the new Luvielle from now on.

My personal goal is to represent the one-and-only worldview that can only be expressed by Luvielle. We look forward to sharing this world with you through lives and media.

Youka: We continue to evolve and change form, so thanks for keeping an eye us (^_-)-☆

chinari: You haven’t seen anything yet, and Luvielle is still evolving, so stay tuned.

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Luvielle (ルヴィーユ) has several lives coming up:

• 3/15 Shinsaibashi (心斎橋) JUZA
• 4/19 Sakai (堺) Tick-Tuck
• 5/4 (somewhere in Osaka)
• 5/11 Shinsaibashi (心斎橋) Bigtwin Diner SHOVEL

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To Luvielle (ルヴィーユ), thank you so much for allowing us to do this interview! We wish you luck.

Thanks to @Ryu for coordination, and to jonas and a nice Twitter user for translation help.

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