exist†trace kindly offered their time at Sakura-Con in Seattle, USA, to speak with JaME.
Mid evening on Friday, April 22nd, the first night of Sakura-Con 2011, fans gained the opportunity to see female visual kei band exist†trace perform for their first time in the US. Just before exist†trace was to leave on the following day, the band kindly spared a few moments to speak with JaME about their US debut and the concert on the previous night.
Welcome to the US! Can you start with introducing yourselves?
Miko: I am Miko, the guitarist.
Jyou: I am Jyou, the vocalist.
Omi: I am Omi, the guitarist.
Naoto: I am Naoto, the bassist.
Mally: I am Mally, on drums.
So far what are your impressions of the US? Have you done any sight-seeing?
Mally: We haven't been able to do much sight-seeing.
Jyou: In America, there are so many people, that’s my impression — so many nice people.
What is the story behind your name, exist†trace?
Naoto: We want to leave behind a trace of our life or existence within our music.
Can you briefly explain your concept?
Miko: We’re not really normal women. If you see a woman, you think that her voice is going to have a soft sound but what we’re going for is a heavy cool sound. So when people see us, they think, oh, they’re going to be cute, but they’ll be shocked when they hear us.
How do you operate in a largely male industry, where men aim for a feminine look, yet exist†trace is an all-female band? Have you found that to be a strength or a weakness?
Jyou: For us, it’s a strength.
Mally: But in the past for us, it was a weakness.
How so?
Mally: Visual kei is dominated primarily by men and a lot of the fans are women. So there was a lot of prejudice towards us. Those fans were more on the side of being an enemy but we’ve made that into a strength for us.
How did you change it?
Mally: The number one thing for us is our performance. We express a really strong sound. There are some things that can only be expressed by women, and I think that's something that we add. Like there is a world that can only be explained by women.
Can you explain that idea in further detail for us?
Miko: It’s not that we know more as women but it’s because we have the viewpoint of a woman. A lot of our lyrics involve themes like living and dying. From our point, we're the sex that gives birth and I think that it's a largely different mentality from a male. So for every year that passes, our type of thinking changes and I wonder if that's because I am woman.
A bit of a change in topic… Who designs your costumes?
Jyou: We work with a designer and also many of us say “I want to wear that!” and that’s how we decide the costumes.
Your appearance last night is connected to your US debut as well as the release of your US album, Twin Gate. Can you tell the readers a little more about it?
Jyou: On the album Twin Gate, there’s mix of four new songs and some older songs. In June this year, we’re debuting as a major-label band and while in the process of our debut, we’re continuing with the same feelings we had from before. Just as with Twin Gate, some aspects will stay and some will change. We’re trying to make our debut with both sets of feelings within us.
Then a major debut is like the next stage in your life, as women?
Jyou: If that’s the case, then I’d be happy.
Do you plan on releasing more albums in the US or even a tour?
Jyou: Right now, we have no plans. But we’d love to do a nationwide tour. Our goal is to have more people listen to our music -- we want to do music and hopefully continue to make more.
During one of the songs sung in last night’s concert, Jyou, you sang in English. Can you speak English well?
Jyou: (laughs) I can’t speak it at all. (laughs)
Last night, after the audience called you back out for an encore performance, Jyou re-entered onstage, carrying two flags: a Japanese flag and an American flag. The two flags had the kanji for ‘kizuna,’ meaning 'bond' in Japanese, written on it. What was the significance of the word 'bond' to you?
Jyou: 'Kizuna' to us means a heart to heart personal connection. Just recently, Japan had a devastating earthquake and tsunami which caused a lot of damage. But there was a lot of support given by America to Japan -- these bonds between America and Japan are ones that stretch over the ocean.
Before playing the encore performance, Jyou, you gave a short speech concerning the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in Japanese. Why did you decide to do it in Japanese?
Jyou: Well, originally, I wanted to do the speech in English but once I came here, I found out that a lot of people understood Japanese. Then for me, it was important to share those feelings in my mother tongue to really have that deeper connection.
Ending on a lighter note, can each of you name one of your hidden talents?
Jyou: I love maps. So before we came, I downloaded all of the maps for the area and figured where everything was before coming to Seattle.
Mally: If you ask Jyou where something is, she will know. Automatically.
Even with your eyes closed?
Jyou: (in English) Yes. (laughs)
Mally: Cooking.
Jyou: Anything she makes is delicious. She’s really good at making Japanese food too.
Naoto: I’m into manga and anime. I know a lot about it.
Omi: Shodo. Even though I’m actually left-handed, I do it with my right hand.
Miko: I like rabbits.
Jyou: But that’s not a skill...
Miko: But, I know a lot about rabbits.
Jyou: Miko can knit -- she makes stuffed animals. Very cute and womanly, right? (laughs)
Lastly, any final words for your fans?
Jyou: Our first live in the US was so much fun and I really appreciate all the support we received. When we come back next time, we hope to hear louder, powerful voices from everyone.
JaME would like to thank exist†trace, their management; and JapanFiles.com for making this interview possible.
