This week vkgy interviews visual kei band nurié.
nurié is a stylish young vkei band whose concept is to “override the common sense” of the current scene, whose music has garnered praise among foreign fans. Read on to learn more about their world.
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nurié, thank you very much for the opportunity for this interview!
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First, please introduce yourselves. What’s a phrase you would use to describe yourself?
[Vo. Oosumi (大角)] I am nurié’s Oosumi Ryuutarou (大角龍太朗). I’m the vocalist. I would describe myself as a clumsy tsundere girl.
[Gt. Hirose (廣瀬)] I am nurié’s Hirose Ayato (廣瀬彩人). My part is playing the guitar. I would describe myself as a strong unbeatable career woman, who at home is too clingy to my boyfriend.
[Ba. Takanashi (小鳥遊)] I am nurié’s Takanashi Yahiro (小鳥遊やひろ). My part is playing the bass. I would describe myself as Yamato nadeshiko.
[Dr. Sometani (染谷)] I am nurié’s Sometani Yuuta (染谷悠太). My part is the drums. I would describe myself as a bad girl who spoils bad guys.
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Next, please tell us how nurié formed.
Oosumi had done a solo project before nurié, and the members who supported him then became the current members of nurié.
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How did you decide your band name, and what does it mean?
We took the name from the child's activity. [Ed.: nurie or 塗り絵 means “coloring book.”] For us, music is not work but “a game” so we want to keep challenging ourselves with a free mind.
The other thing is that when coloring the blank white pages of a coloring book, even though there are lines, you can color outside of them. In that way, the name is a metaphor for our musical stance.
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What is the meaning of your concept, “overwriting the common sense of the scene?”
Because we want to constantly pursue new things through nurié. To be honest, “boring“ is the only word we can use to describe today’s visual kei scene. We love this scene so much that we want it to open up more possibilities.
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How did you become interested in vkei? What do you like about it?
[Oosumi] There was no visual kei rock band in my home town of Shiga, so I decided to do it.
[Hirose] When I was in high school, there was someone in my class who liked visual kei, and thanks to that person I learned lots of the culture of visual kei and fell in love with it.
[Takanashi] I always wished to be in a band myself, however there are so many kinds of artists and bands in this world. Beside that there are also bands who are visual kei [in nature] if not in name. So I thought it would be easiest to express myself if I entered that genre.
[Sometani] It was GACKT who showed me the world of visual kei. The first time I started to play visual kei myself was as a student. My bandmates liked visual kei, so they influenced me too. Visual Kei is simple and cool, and that's what I wanted to be like too.
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You are a vkei band, but your style is unique for the genre. What makes nurié a vkei band?
It might be our overflowing charisma. ...Not sure.
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Many vkei bands have images which evoke a “fantasy world.” On the contrary, nurié is often seen in “real world” settings, such as city streets. Is there a reason for this?
[Oosumi] I think it's because I have never been saved by a song that makes me dream.
[Hirose] In the end, I think it's the “real world” that everyone is living in right now that brings us closest to the people who listen to us. Such songs also resonate more with me.
[Takanashi] It feels more alive when it's life-sized and real.
[Sometani] I agree with Ayato-kun (Hirose). When I feel weak, I need strength, the first thing I listen to is music with real words and feelings.
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Your costumes and artwork have a chic, modern feel. How do you maintain that strong sense of design throughout your art?
Basically it’s the style that Oosumi wants to draw. The three members who play instruments—Hirose (廣瀬), Takanashi (小鳥遊), and Sometani (染谷)—embody that and add even more color to it. We are always expressing colors that only the four of us can draw, and before you know it, it's ready to show.
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Among foreigners, nurié is considered one of the strongest newcomers of 2019. Why do you think international audiences have resonated with your music so strongly?
Basically, we're the most surprised ourselves, because we don't use English in our lyrics... (laughs)
The reason could be that our sound has been accepted by overseas fans could be that it’s new to the visual rock scene. We think it's like that. Let us keep thinking that...!!
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What inspired you to play this style of music? Are you conscious of maintaining a certain style while composing new songs?
To be honest, there is absolutely no concept of creating style. we feel that the sound we want to make, the words that we want to use and the melody that comes out naturally and honestly, those feelings are transmitted without any hesitation is what makes nurié what it is today.
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Please tell us about your January 14th single Hito Toshite Hito de Aru Youni (人として人で在る様に). What is the story of the title track? How did you compose this song?
The internet has spread through modern society. This is not only the story of Japan, it’s common for the rest of the world. Suicide and murder, bullying, crimes: it’s all spread via SNS. And so it became a song of disgust about the composition of the perpetrators and victims of these acts.
We hope that everyone who listens to this song--even if it's just a few people--is reminded to hold on to their humanity.
- Hito Toshite Hito de Aru Youni (人として人で在る様に)
- Yoru no Sei ni Shite (夜の所為にして)
- Honebuto Monchicchi-kun (骨太もんちっちくん)
- Hito Toshite Hito de Aru Youni (人として人で在る様に)
- Yoru no Sei ni Shite (夜の所為にして)
- Inochi ni Nefuda wo Harare Ikiru。 (命に値札を貼られ生きる。)
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The MV for Hito Toshite Hito de Aru Youni (人として人で在る様に) seems to have a strong story. What is the meaning of the MV, and how did you come up with it?
Regarding the intent, we think that the feeling of the viewer’s side is all that matters, so there is nothing to present from us. We wanted to create an MV based on our worldview and the concept of the song, so we shot in a cityscape that strongly reflected “modern society.”
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Please tell us about the coupling songs from Hito Toshite Hito de Aru Youni (人として人で在る様に). Do they relate to the title track in any way?
We made them for you so that you would learn about the wide range of nurié's song variation—so the songs don't relate to each other. However all songs are packed with words and melodies which surely pierce through the listeners' hearts. So we highly recommend you to check them out.
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How has the band evolved between its first and second singles? Are you already working on another release?
There was quite a change in the emotion that we have put into the sound, because this time we have put in many expressions that we didn’t show in our first single.
Right now we are also working on our next releases. We face various obstacles which stand in front of us due the influence of COVID-19, but we won't give up!
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How do you compose and write new songs? Is there something in particular that you want listeners to feel when listening to your music?
[Oosumi] The moment when I hear a sound, I see the color of the song, then I will write my lyrics to the song which will fit the color of the song. Also, if I want a certain color, I usually tell it to our main composer, Ayato (Hirose).
[Hirose] Sometimes I listen to the colors from Oosumi, and other times I show him the colors of the songs I've made. Basically, nurié's songs have a wide range and so any song can become a nurié song, I think that's a strength that differs us from other bands. Each person has his or her own way of feeling things, so if you could give us your own interpretation, that would make us very happy.
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What is the band’s dynamic when recording new songs? Is it stressful, or does it come naturally?
Sometimes we don't understand it ourselves, it just happens. (laugh)
It's more of a realistic expression than a dynamic expression.
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For someone who hasn’t heard nurié yet, which song should they start with, and why?
Please start with the song Toumei ni Mazaru。 (透明に混ざる。).
It's a song that’s surely timeless.
We have uploaded the MV to this song, so please listen to it.
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What has been your biggest challenge as a band so far?
[Oosumi] To shape nurié.
[Hirose] To release our first single monologue (モノローグ).
[Takanashi] That I decided to stay with this band until I die.
[Sometani Yuuta] Our second release since that one is totally opposite from our first.
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Please tell us your goals for 2020. What’s your ultimate goal as a band?
[Oosumi] To answer the question right now, I would say to beat the current world situations together with all our beloved fans. That's much more important than our own success.
[Hirose] The same as what Oosumi said. The current situation is difficult for everyone, but I want to overcome it with all band members and all our beloved fans!
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Please give a message to your reader.
[Oosumi] Thank you for reading.
As long as there’s even one person who’s saved by the words in my songs, I’ll never stop singing them. I would be happy if I could change something in the world someday. Thank you very much for your current and future support for nurié!
[Hirose] Thank you for reading. Please feel free to listen to the freeing music of nurié.
[Takanashi] Thank you for reading to the end. You can listen to our music via Spotify and other music subscription services, so I would be happy if you would try us out.
[Sometani Yuuta] Thank you for reading until the end. These days it's very frustrating that we cannot share the same space with everyone, but I'm sure we'll get over this trouble and will see you again in good spirits. I also want to go overseas someday!
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To everyone in nurié, thank you for allowing us to interview you. We wish you the best of luck.
Please see the band's official Twitter for live schedule updates, as everyone navigates COVID-19.
Thanks to @Ryu for English translation and coordination, and @vkeijonas for Japanese translation help.
If you liked this interview, please support us by liking, sharing, and commenting! You can also support us at Patreon. If you have questions or comments, feel free to contact us at vkgy.official@gmail.com!
Details
- OHP: https://nurie-web.jp
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsuBz9bzZW1-WzEvFdreUuQ
- webshop: https://nurieshop.theshop.jp/
- IG: https://www.instagram.com/nurie_japan
- IG Yuta: https://www.instagram.com/nurie_yuta/
- IG Yahiro: https://www.instagram.com/nurie_yahiro/
- IG Ayato: https://www.instagram.com/nurie_ayato/
- IG Ryutaro: https://www.instagram.com/nurie_ryutaro/