Ayabie in Finland

JaME met Ayabie after their gig in Tavastia, Finland. The atmosphere backstage was laid-back and while Intetsu and Takehito answered our questions, the other members took a chance to relax and followed the conversation.

How did the concerts elsewhere go and how does it feel to be in Europe again?

Intetsu: They really varied a lot. It's been great everywhere though. The audiences were all really different. For example the Swedish listened to our concert quietly as opposed to the Spanish who were really into it. Each place has been truly wonderful.

How did the concert today differ from the concert last year in Finland?

Takehito: The previous time we were here Ayabie was on tour outside Japan practically for the first time. Back then, the most prominent feeling we had was surprise. This time around, we were more prepared for this concert so we knew what to expect.

Nowadays, who writes the lyrics and how does the composing process work in practice?

Takehito: The distribution of work is kind of unclear, everyone does a bit of everything. Recently Yumehito has been writing lyrics quite a lot.
Intetsu: First, someone makes a demo version of a song, then we work through it together and make it more 'ayabie' style.

You'll release a new single in June. Could you tell us something about it?

Intetsu: In general, its style will be bouncy and have a summeresque feeling to it. As the photos show, Ayabie is now in a solid state, which we're trying to bring out with this single.

What new aspects does Yumehito bring to Ayabie?

Intetsu: Yumehito has brought much into the band. The lyrics he writes are original, none of us other four can make songs like his. In addition to that, Yumehito is a colourful person, he's such a mood-maker.

In general, what are the most important themes in your songs and lyrics? Are you trying to express something particular with your music?

Takehito: We don't have any certain message we're trying to spread. The message we have for people is different with every song. That way, the songs are independent.

You obviously put plenty of effort into your visual image. Does your style have a meaning or is it just for performing?

Intetsu: The way we dress is a part of the message we're trying to send, so it's a part of our music.

Has Ayabie now reached its deepest essence or do you still have lots of room for growth?

Intetsu: You can always get to a higher level. There is no such thing as perfection, every time we reach a goal, there is something new we can devote ourselves to.

What kind of expectations did you have about this tour? Did you reach your goals?

Takehito: There were two sides to it. On one hand, it was fantastic to get to perform in Europe again, but on the other hand, there were places we hadn't been to before and we were a bit scared at the same time. In the end, it's been really fun and quite hectic too. Our schedule has been very tight, so we haven't been able to move around freely and enjoy every country. But it's been great fun!

You have new outfits designed by h.naoto. Did you have any influence on the designing process and if so, how was it?

Intetsu: The designer discussed their ideas with each member and our goal was that h.naoto could also keep their own style in every outfit. Each member has had the opportunity to contribute to his outfit. This can be seen particularly in Yumehito's outfit, h.naoto rarely makes that kind of cute, pink outfit, but that's exactly what Yumehito got. (laughs)

Thank you for the interview!

Ayabie: Thank you!

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Thanks to Heikki Mitikka for the pictures from the signing event.