Interview with BALLISTIK BOYZ

On February 21st, dance-vocal group BALLISTIK BOYZ released their third album, Back & Forth. In the two years since their previous full-length album, PASS THE MIC, the group has had many valuable experiences, including a lengthy stay in Thailand where they collaborated with local artists and producers and performed in front of new audiences.

Shortly after Back & Forth hit stores, JaME had the opportunity to ask BALLISTIK BOYZ some questions about songs from the release, incuding a few tracks they personally penned the music and lyrics for. We also touched on their experiences working with Thai artists, performing a theme song for Sigma Squad from the anime series “BUCCHIGIRI?!” and what else is on the horizon for them this year.

Is there a meaning behind the title of your new album Back & Forth?

Rikiya Okuda: Like the name of this album, we’re moving forward little by little in pursuit of our dreams and goals, but sometimes things don't go well and we’re pushed back again. Because we experience a lot in our lives, we set forth this theme and named the album to reflect it!

Riki Matsui: The album represents the two years since our last album was released, and is about us going back and forth between good and bad times, living in Thailand, and moving back and forth between Japan and other countries.

How does it compare to your previous album PASS THE MIC? Do you feel like your sound has changed in any way, or did you try something new on this release?

Ryusei Kainuma: We held the (previous) tour under various circumstances, and compared to those days, we have more experience overseas. Since our level of seriousness about everything has changed, I think the range of what we can do now and our potential has expanded considerably.

Masahiro Sunada: I think the main difference between this album and the previous one is that it contains songs we wrote ourselves and songs in collaboration with Thai artists.

Miku, Rikiya and Riki, you worked on the lyrics for In My Head. What was the inspiration behind this song?

Miku Fukahori: While taking inspiration from movies and TV series I’ve seen in the past, I wrote the lyrics based on my own image of heartbreak, which is straightforward, sad, and sympathetic.

Rikiya Okuda: When I heard the demo, I felt the vibe of a heartbreak song, so the three of us wrote the song with the theme of storytelling in mind. My part of the song is about looking back on memories of past relationships, and I wrote the lyrics in a way that fans can relate to!

Riki Matsui: I was inspired by movies and TV series. I wrote Romeo and Juliet into the lyrics.


Were there any fun or challenging moments on the set for the music video for In My Head?

Ryuta Hidaka: I personally had a scene where I played billiards with a female cast member. We filmed it while simply enjoying playing billiards, so I think that the natural excitement of that scene will be used.

Yoshiyuki Kano: I was looking forward to seeing the scenes from each of the acting parts after the music video was completed. The part of Ryuta's scene was the only one I could see the filming of since the location was close. I was watching them playing billiards, thinking how fun they sounded! In the dancing scenes, we had to dance many times and shoot from various angles, which became very tiring, but we kept dancing and did our best to make a good music video!

God Mode is the theme for the Sigma Squad from “BUCCHIGIRI?!”. Have you had a chance to watch “BUCCHIGIRI?!” yourselves? If so, what were your impressions of the series and Sigma Squad?

Ryusei Kainuma: The anime is the in the “delinquent anime” category, which is well-known genre in Japan that is both funny and cool! I also sing the theme song for the Sigma Squad that appears in the anime, and I think the Sigma Squad is wild but their powerfulness stands out! I personally like Sigma Squad the best.

Riki Matsui: Stylish, cool, and a strong team.


Miku, you produced the song N.E.X.T.. What were you aiming to convey with the music for this track? Is there anything about it in particular you’d like fans to notice?

Miku Fukahori: I want to send the message that no matter how hard our journey is, we’re able to shine because of all of you who support us, and even if we’re not close together, your thoughts always give us confidence. Please also listen to the song as if it were you.


What was it like working with Gulf Kanawut on All I Ever Wanted?

Ryuta Hidaka: Gulf is popular not only in Thailand but also in Asia, and when we released the music video and the song, it was so influential that it was trending on X. I was really happy, and it became an opportunity for more people to hear about us.

Masahiro Sunada: Gulf is already a superstar in Asia, so we had a lot to learn from someone who’s already where we’re aiming to be. I was charmed because he’s so kind, handsome, and tall (laughs). He’s very friendly and I have good memories of going to cat cafes with him.

All I Ever Wanted was a departure from your usual style in a lot of ways. Was there anything about the song or video that was particularly challenging or a good learning experience for you?

Yoshiyuki Kano: It was our first time collaborating with Gulf, a cool and kind person who can also act, so I thought it would be a challenge, and we worked hard together to create a good piece.

Ryusei Kainuma: It was a great honor to collaborate with Gulf on the song. Also, it was a style of music that we had never done before, so we had a lot to learn. An experience that BALLISTIK BOYZ is grateful for!


You performed DROP DEAD with TRINITY for Japanese audiences for the first time last year. How did that experience compare to performing the song with them in Thailand?

Rikiya Okuda: This day was so special that I will never forget it. I am sure that Japanese fans would have loved to see this collaboration and the song live, so I was very happy that we were able to make it happen together. I think we showed a new kind of entertainment in Japan!

So, I hope to continue to explore opportunities for collaborations that are beyond our imagination and perform with them live!

Miku Fukahori: I think this is the first time for Japanese fans to see a performance with ten people, and we were very happy that TRINITY came to our home country. We were able to perform with great energy.

You’ve been back in Japan for a while now. Is there anything you miss from the time you spent in Thailand?

Ryuta Hidaka: Winter in Japan is very cold, so I sometimes miss the warmth of the Thai climate. I also miss the lively and bustling streets of Thailand. Of course, I also miss all BALLYS in Thailand.

Riki Matsui: I miss going out to a café after practice every day or eating at the mall with all of us together.

If you could spend another long period working overseas like your trip to Thailand, which country would you want to visit?

Yoshiyuki Kano: I’d of course like to visit a variety of countries, and I would love to visit the U.S. and Europe!

Rikiya Okuda: I want to go to America. I started singing and rapping in New York, and it has been my dream since I was a child to gain fame in the U.S., so I want to make it happen.

I’m determined to make this dream come true!


What else can fans look forward to from BALLISTIK BOYZ in 2024?

Ryusei Kainuma: First, we have a tour in Japan! Our goal throughout this tour is to evolve as a band, so keep an eye on what we’re up to!

We’d also like to be a lot more active overseas, so definitely look forward to that!

Masahiro Sunada: We’re always preparing for fan meetings and live performances overseas and for the next stage of our career in Japan, so please look forward to it and believe in us!

JaME would like to thank BALLISTIK BOYZ and avex for making this interview possible.

Links to download and stream Back & Forth on various music platforms are available here, while physical versions of the release can be purchased here.