HANABIE. is a Japanese pop metalcore group from Tokyo, Japan. The band was formed in 2015 and is known for its unique Harajuku-core style, fusing together heavy metal music and a cute aesthetic. The band comprises vocalist Yukina, guitarist Matsuri, bassist Hettsu and drummer Chika.
The Daily Illini sat down with HANABIE. after their Lollapalooza set to discuss their popular aesthetic, how they create their sound and their set on the T-Mobile stage.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
A translator was present during the process of this interview.
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The Daily Illini: I know your style is described as Harajuku-core, kind of blending heavier music with Harajuku aesthetics. How did you develop this unique style fusion?
Translator: The term Harajuku-core was originally made by international fans, so they actually named the band after they saw their visuals and concerts. HANABIE. really likes cute stuff, and also they do heavy music, so it was part of the essence of what they usually did, with the fan putting a theme to it. That really kind of sunk in, and they really like using the Harajuku-core name. Originally when they were in school, they were doing a copy band of Maximum the Hormone, another heavy rock band in Japan, so after they were doing a copy band they wanted to incorporate what is unique to HANABIE. That was their cute style. They like cute stuff, so all that was combined with the heavy rock music and their style was built up.
The DI: What are some of the key influences that have shaped your sound and aesthetic? Are there any bands or genres that have inspired your music?
Translator: As they mentioned earlier, they were a copy band of Maximum the Hormone, and that is where their bass comes from, which they really, really like. In a way, they do have different genres that they like, so that’s what they all brought into HANABIE. Matsuri, she’s really into metalcore sound. She likes rock music. And for Yukina, she mostly listened to a lot of Japanese rock and also J-pop, pop punk, the melodious genres of music. For Hettsu, Pisces and Secrets is where she gets a lot of her stuff from. Chika likes listening to One Okay Rock and Crystal Lake and takes a lot of inspiration from them.
The DI: Can you walk me through your creative process when recording music and how you balance the heavier elements with the aesthetic and the visual aspects?
Translator: For the recording process, usually Matsuri makes up the demos, and she sends it over to the other three. Matsuri tends to like the cool, really heavy rock sound. So, when she passes it over to the other three, they will add the pop of cuteness to it or subtract some of the heavy stuff. So, they would have a lot of additions of what they think is cool or what they think is good for the theme, as well as subtracting some stuff. Matsuri makes the demo and they all kind of create the music together. As for the music videos and aesthetics, they try to think of a theme together and what kind of visuals would go with the music. Primarily Hettsu, because she makes all of the outfits for the band. So, she’s like the creator of pretty much everything visual-wise. They all put in the elements of what they like.
The DI: How was your experience performing at Lollapalooza, and what was it like to bring your style of music to such a large and diverse audience?
Translator: At Lollapalooza, it was a great honor to be on stage, such a great stage and they’re very thankful for that. But being onstage, it kind of sunk in how they’re here at Lollapalooza. So it was a pretty emotional time when they first went on stage and saw the crowd. We do know that it was a very diverse crowd, but the fact that they all got together, waving their hands and shouting together was really emotional for them.
The DI: What was the process behind selecting which songs you played? Were there any specific tracks that you were particularly excited to perform?
Translator: So they wanted to play all the songs that were music videos so it would be easier for first-time listeners to get into. That’s how they kind of picked their setlist. And also for the song “Be the GAL,” it was the first time they had the really big beach balls out. They wanted the have the audience have fun, listening to the song and also playing with the balls. So that was one thing they wanted to do, and it happened so they’re really happy about it.
The DI: Are you currently working on any new music?
Translator: Yes, yes. They are always releasing new music. They usually make songs then go on tour, make songs go on tour. They do have a new single coming out next week.
The DI: How do you guys envision your music evolving in the next several years?
Translator: So when they create their music, they always think of the future, what’s ahead, how they’re gonna sound in the future. What they’re aiming for is to be really cool aunties, just being there and rocking, even when they’re older.
