This single has expanded the range of expression of BEYOOOOONDS!
12-person idol group BEYOOOOONDS is embarking on their first solo hall tour and a concert at Nippon Budokan this spring. In anticipation of their big performance, they have released a transcending controversial work, "Eiyuu ~Waratte! Chopin Senpai~", a Japanese cover of a famous song by Chopin. And "Hamkatsu Mokushiroku," which is guaranteed to make you want to eat ham katsu! We asked the members, Hirai Miyo, Kobayashi Honoka, and Satoyoshi Utano, to tell us about the untold stories behind the production.
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| (Hirai Miyo x Kobayashi Honoka x Satoyoshi Utano in Songs Magazine vol.4) |
--- What was your impression when you first heard "Eiyuu ~Waratte! Chopin Senpai~"?
Hirai: I was surprised that a famous Chopin song that everyone knows is our new song, but then we heard the shocking lyrics that begin with "Hey, why are you so hungry?" (nee...nande saa onaka ga suku no?). Everyone was so confused (laughs). And Honoka-chan, who is skilled at playing the piano, has been given an important task this time again. "Do your best!" I thought.
Kobayashi: I've played the piano since I was five years old, and this song is based on my favorite classical piece, "Heroic Polonaise." On one hand, I was happy, but on the other hand, I thought, "What if I can't convey the beauty of this song?" (laughs) I felt a perplexing sense of responsibility.
Satoyoshi: When I first heard the song, I was so nervous thinking, "What a difficult song!". But it's a song with an atmosphere that didn't seem to exist in BEYOOOOONDS up to now. I felt like I would gain something new from the song, and I immediately became excited instead. I was also thrilled that the song's development kept changing, which was fascinating and reminded me of the theme park shows I love. I hope that the people who listen to the song will become excited too!
--- What was the most memorable part of the recording process?
Hirai: The keys varied so much, there was no easy part to sing (laughs). But I'm good at low notes, so I tried to make the best of it. The director advised me to sing it as if it was an opera, but I've always loved the stage, so I imagined myself on stage and enjoyed the recording.
Satoyoshi: The melody is seriously difficult! I practiced hard on the parts that I thought were particularly difficult and went to the recording session. In the end, those turned out to be my parts, and I panicked (laughs). In my mind, the line "Really!?" (honto ni!?) was what I wanted to sing most, so I was delighted to be in charge of that part.
Kobayashi: I knew the original song, so I was even more nervous than usual, thinking that if I went out of tune, I would get twice as angry as anyone else (laughs). But I sang with an awareness that I could express the lyrics "Life is art" (jinsei wa geijutsu da), not only with piano accompaniment but also with my voice.
--- Do you have a favorite part from each other?
Satoyoshi: Thank you very much~(shy) For me, it is Honoka-chan's piano accompaniment part, "Well, how about this?" (jaa kore wa dou ka na?) and "You've already got it" (mou aru ja nai ka).
Kobayashi: It was the first time I had special effects applied to my voice, so it was refreshing even for me. It was like a voice from heaven... (laughs)
Satoyoshi: Yes, yes! I think it expresses the fictional world of this song very well. During live performances, she sings with a microphone in one hand and plays the piano with the other!
Hirai: That's craftsmanship, isn't it? She plays with one hand and sings with a microphone in the other.
Satoyoshi: No matter how many times I see it, I always say "Ooohhh~! (applause)”.
Kobayashi: I also have many favorite parts, but I think that Miyo-chan's "Everyone is born for the first time in their life" (umareta dare mo ga hajimete no jinsei) is a significant phrase. It always makes me feel like, "We'll leave it to you to convey our thoughts and feelings!"
Hirai: It was the phrase that I felt the most passionate about during the recording process. I'm not good at high notes, but I thought I had taken a new step forward when asked to sing that part using my falsetto. Thanks to Honoka-chan's words, I'm going to sing even harder!
Satoyoshi: Everyone has challenged different ways of singing, so I think this song is a step up for BEYOOOOONDS!
--- Kobayashi-san is well-known for her experience in piano, but what about Hirai-san and Satoyoshi-san’s music experience?
Hirai: I have always dabbled in various things (laughs). I have been exposed to different instruments: piano, guitar, drums, saxophone in grade school, and a trumpet at home. At a grade school party, I remember playing YUI-san's "TOKYO" on the guitar.
Satoyoshi: I have experience with Taiko drums, but I'm secretly practicing bass guitar now. I like instruments with bass sounds, so my ears are always drawn to the bass... I took lessons from a professional for the first time as part of an official YouTube (sub-channel) project, and I'm practicing stealthily.
Kobayashi: We've never seen you play it live either (laughs).
Satoyoshi: Ufufu (laughs). It's difficult to hold the strings firmly with my little finger, probably because my hands are small.
--- If you can play, then the three of you can play in a band.
Kobayashi: Indeed! I play the keyboard, and Miyo-chan plays the guitar. No, maybe the drums?!
--- What does piano lover Kobayashi-san think is the charm of "Chopin-senpai"?
Kobayashi: Chopin is known as the "poet of the piano." Many of Chopin's works are very delicate, with careful thought given to which notes would make the piano resonate the most. There are so many marvelous pieces, including "Heroic Polonaise." I had the opportunity to perform "Heroic Polonaise" solo at a fan club event once before... It was the most enjoyable piano performance I've ever had. It still feels like a dream that one of my most treasured songs became a BEYOOOOONDS song.
--- Some of the fans wondered if that performance was a foreshadow for a new song...?
Kobayashi: That's right! But it was a coincidence. At least I didn't know about the song's release, so it became an accidental foreshadow (laughs).
--- The MV was entertaining too! What memories do you have from the recording?
Satoyoshi: There is a scene where Honoka-chan looks back with a lovely expression at the end. The other members were watching her on the monitor. Honoka-chan, who joined the group with piano as her specialty, was featured in a song by Chopin, and she gave such a wonderful expression... We were deeply moved and are so glad that Honoka-chan is in BEYOOOOONDS!
Hirai: We all cheered "Honoka-chan, that was so cute~!” but with tears in our eyes(laughs).
Kobayashi: After we finished filming that part, Miyo was the first to say, "That was so cute~!" She rushed up to me with teary eyes. Kurumin (Takase Kurumin) had her eyes makeup done by a makeup artist at the time while I was the only one who said, "Was it such a moving scene?" (laughs).
--- I heard that you have already performed the song live. How did the fans react?
Hirai: When we performed it for the first time at a live concert before the release of the MV, I sensed a wave of confusion from the fans (laughs). But after the MV was released, many seemed to enjoy the slightly different worldview from the song's story. Since then, there have been people in the audience dancing the conductor part in the chorus with us! When I sing the song live, I get emotional whenever I think about the falling confetti in the last chorus of the MV... Once again, this reminds me that the power of MV is incredible.
A very rare MV in which you can see our angry faces.
--- "Hamkatsu Mokushiroku" has the same BEYOOOOONDS feeling (laughs)
Satoyoshi: Yes it is! We reconfirmed that we are BEYOOOOONDS (laughs)
Kobayashi: Indeed (laughs)!
Hirai: We once performed in an Arabian world called "Arabeyooooonds Nights." When I first heard the demo, I thought, "Oh, we've come to a parallel world?" (laughs). But I never thought it would be a combination of "Hamu-katsu" and "Haa... mukatsuku!"(Haa... pissed off!). We were all like, "Amazing!". I believe it is a unique song that sends good vibes from a new angle.
Kobayashi: Anyway, the impact of "Hamkatsu" is strong (laughs). Honestly, it's rare for BEYOOOOONDS to have a song like this, where we sing with a bang and such enthusiasm. I think that this single, with "Fure Fure Everyday" included, shows that BEYOOOOONDS have broadened their range of expression.
Satoyoshi: The other two songs are more of a cheering song, but "Hamkatsu Mokushiroku" is about the blues and frustrations of everyday life. We studied different ways of expressing ourselves, so I would like you to pay attention to the deeper aspects of the song.
--- What did you keep in mind when singing?
Satoyoshi: I thought I should use a strong, deep voice for this song, so I practiced a lot. BEYOOOOONDS has a lot of members with wide vocal variations. After working for three years, I wanted to expand my range of expression! So I always tried to record with the intention to get a part I wouldn't otherwise be in charge of.
Hirai: I'm mainly in charge of the lower part of songs such as "Oil too much oil" (abura kata abura) and "Rather than Hell or Hades" (heru yori hadesu yori). To enhance the worldview of this song, I sang the bass as low as I could go (laughs).
Kobayashi: I also tried to record the song with my interpretation of "Hamukatsu Revelation," but when I listened to the finished piece, I felt that I was still lacking in expressing this worldview. I didn't take this realization negatively but as a new challenge. I will keep practicing to sing with a deeper and stronger voice!
--- In the MV, your infuriating stories are performed as skits.
Hirai: Actually, there are four different skits. The one on the CD is one of them. We perform different skits during live ("Hello! Project 2022 Winter ~ LOVE & PEACE~"). The frustrations everyone shows are adorable (laughs)! The song is full of everyday "frustrations" that will make you chuckle, so please listen to all four different skits!
Satoyoshi: Even amongst ourselves, we don't get to see the members' angry faces, so it's pretty rare (laughs)!
--- How do you all cope with frustrations?
Kobayashi: First of all, escape from reality! I'll read my favorite manga, listen to music, or do drawings. I try to keep my mind away from things that are bothering me.
Satoyoshi: I'm the opposite. I try to think about why I was bothered, "What should I have done? What should I do if it happens again?" If I can't find an answer, I'll leave it (laughs). Sometimes I involve my sister in the discussion too.
Hirai: I am also the type to let it out. I'll tell someone my story like, "This is what happened~." Sometimes I write out my negative feelings in the form of lyrics!
--- Following the release of this single, you will have your first solo hall tour and will be performing at the Nippon Budokan!
Hirai: I've seen DVDs of our seniors on tour. I've always admired their performances on stage and behind-the-scenes too. Seeing that this would happen to us filled me with anticipation. We will do our best to prepare and bring the world of BEYOOOOONDS to everyone who supports BEYOOOOONDS! I hope to absorb a lot of things during the tour and continue to grow. I have been waiting for the Budokan concert for a long time, but I never thought it would happen so soon...! I am nervous, but I am also thrilled, mainly because I have recently been thinking about standing on a big stage with the 12 of us.
Kobayashi: Ever since our first live tour, I've been thinking, "I want more people to see how fun BEYOOOOONDS is at live concerts!" And now I'm finally going to win people's hearts! I will put my 100% to convey BEYOOOOONDS' charms on stage, so I will prepare well while taking care of my health!
Satoyoshi: We will deliver our charm in a performance that only a solo tour can provide. I think this will lead to our future. And for me as well, performing at the Budokan is a big dream and goal. When the day comes, I don't want it to stop at, "I've achieved it!" Instead, I want to make it so that everyone will say, "I want to see more BEYOOOOONDS live shows!". I hope that BEYOOOOONDS and I can continue to raise our attraction for that intent. I am looking forward to meeting you all!
Singing Point
"Eiyuu ~Waratte! Chopin Senpai~"
Hirai: Sing as if you were in a play, with your throat open and your voice coming from the bottom of your stomach. Think about the members and try to imitate them when singing the dialogue and accented parts!
Kobayashi: The chorus contains onomatopoeic sounds such as "Clang" (garatto) and "Bang" (dokanto). It would be best to prioritize expressing the nuances of the words rather than matching the sounds exactly to make it more showy.
Satoyoshi: Articulate your words smoothly (laughs)! I also think that if you sing the end of each line with a clear understanding of "cut here" and "stretch there," it will sound like BEYOOOOONDS!
"Hamkatsu Mokushiroku"
Hirai: When recording, the staff told me to sing "Hamukatsu" with an intense staccato. The "Juwa~"(bubbling) part is like when you eat something delicious, and you think, "Yummy!" (laughs).
Kobayashi: The "Haa..." part is where you have to accentuate the dance, so it's not a sigh, but a spirited "Haa..." (laughs).
Satoyoshi: The rhythm of the song is very pronounced, so instead of singing it softly, try singing it in 16-beat, which is the characteristic of Haropuro (Hello! Project)
My Favorite Music
Hirai: I like to listen to jazz, chanson and bossa nova. One of my favorites is Edith Piaf's "Padam Padam." The former Takarazuka Revue's top star, Sou Kazuho, performed this song in a show, and it was so cool! I hope to be able to sing this song someday...
Kobayashi: I love watching anime, so I make a playlist of my favorite opening and ending themes. Most of them are from shounen manga series. Whenever I listen to the theme song, it reminds me of the world in the anime, and I think, "Alright, let's go for it!" It gives me the strength to keep going!
Satoyoshi: I also love songs from idols and anime, but whenever I feel lost in the moment, I listen to "Mysterious Masquerade" from the Tokyo Disney Sea Halloween show. When I was a child, I was so impressed by this show that I thought to myself, "I must become a stage dancer!" So you could say that this song is where it all begins for me.
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