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, unique idol unit LADYBABY became instant news right after their debut.)
With the MV of their first single, “Nippon Manju”, receiving almost 9,000,000 plays on YouTube (as of October 10th), unique idol unit LADYBABY became instant news right after their debut.
Taking center of the group is the strongest and cutest member of the group, Ladybeard, who is from Australia and forever 5 years old. Then there’s Rie Kaneko, aged 17, and Rei Kuromiya, aged 14, winners of miss iD 2015.
From a visual aspect, the three of them seem to be a strange combination, but with their shaking concept and music, they’ve become the center of attention in the blink of an eye. If you take a look at the YouTube comments section, there are many comments from people who aren’t Japanese. Even abroad, this is the first time people have seen such a crazy group, and being so new, the group has gotten a great response. In no time after their debut, they received support from abroad to hold performances on October 11th in NY, Los Angels in October 13th, London in November, and Cologne in December. Pushing forward with their own out-of-the-box, attention-grabbing style, we’ve sat down with LADYBABY for an interview.
– If I’m not mistaken, it’s been half a year since you began activity as LADYBABY, and in that time do you think anything has changed?
Rie: Until now I was doing a lot of solo work, but you know, because of doing LADYBABY, much of my activities are group-based now. Because I’m not just responsible for myself, but for everyone involved, I think I’ve really learned a lot.
Ladybeard: I was really surprised. We got such a big reaction in a short amount of time. So I was really happy and surprised. It was like, “Hey!” (he says in a loud voice) It’s really quite amazing! Thank you, everyone!
Rei: Rie already touched on it, but up until now we were doing individual activities, but now the three of us are almost always together. We meet just about every day for concerts, practices, and stuff like that. So because of that I now have a stronger sense of considering what everyone around me will think when I do something, and about taking responsibility for my actions.
Rie: Up until now I’d only worked in Japan so my outlook was limited to just that, but because we’ve gotten the attention of people around the world, I’ve been thinking about how we have to increase the power of our performance!
– I think are a lot comments saying, “LADYBABY is interesting; they’re great!” but at the same time I think there also some negative comments, too.
Ladybeard: Well, I got some negative comments from the heavy metal world. But I could kind of understand their behavior. A lot of people who listen to heavy metal only listen to metal. So there are a lot of people who don’t care for something that sounds a little like metal, but isn’t really metal. Was there anything else negative?
Rie & Rei : Not really. We just don’t care, maybe.
Rie: I think it’s only natural we’d get comments like that. I don’t really pay them any mind, because I’m having fun and that’s good enough for me. Doing a lot of searching on the web, people also say we’re a “rip off”, but we have our own direction and I think that’s great.
Rei: We just like being entertaining.
– I think your ages and backgrounds are very different, (Ladybeard is five years old), but have you learned anything from these two?
Ladybeard: I’ve learned a lot. We’re doing songs of Japanese girls. Both of them are little Japanese girls. So their singing is much better than mine. I’m always learning dancing and singing techniques from them. I’m really grateful; they’re great teachers.
– So you’ve been learning from Rie and Rei how to be cute!
Rei: But from the moment we first met Ladybeard, his visual performance stood out the most.
Rie: Ladybeard is a professional, so I learned a lot because of that. There things I respect about him because I can’t do them myself.
Ladybeard: Thanks!
– It looks like you all have a great relationship. Now I’d like to ask you about your music. “Nippon Manju” has a metal kind of sound to it, while is coupling track, “ULTRA☆LUCKY”, is more anime song-like. As if it were a towel-waving song in summer… Do you plan on continuing to do songs from a variety of genres?
Rie: I’d like to. I feel like LADYBABY itself doesn’t have a genre. So because of that we can challenge a bunch of different genres, and in a sense we’re more mind-blowing than other idols and units. I’d like to make the most of it.
Ladybeard: I think our best feature is that we have no genre. Because of that we come off as really unique!
Rei: It’s like a blessing.
– I think there’s been more of a reaction from abroad than there originally was in Japan. There are a lot of comments on YouTube that aren’t in Japanese. (laugh)
Ladybeard : I’m so happy with it! And there’re so many comments in Russian and I can’t read them.
-Which country did you get the most reaction from?
Ladybeard: I think America and Brazil. But it’s very surprising that there are fans in Israel! We received messages from Israeli people. That was amazing! I really thought that Israel had other things to worry about like war. It’s amazing! I’ll stop the war! It’s amazing because of the hard situation they’re living in.
– You have concerts scheduled in NY and Los Angels in October, London in November, and Cologne in December, but is there anything you’d like to do or you’re looking forward to at these places?
Rei: I want to buy clothes in London!
Rie: I don’t know? I want to proudly take a selfie of myself giving a peace sign in front of all the scenery I’ve seen of each place on TV, and then upload it to my SNS.
Ladybeard: I’m looking forward to all of it. I always look forward to wherever we’re performing. But New York is such a mysterious and wonderful place, so I’m really looking forward to going to New York. Before, my family and my ancestors lived in London. I lived in Germany so I can speak German. I had really wanted to do a performance there, so it’s really like a dream come true.
– During concerts is there anything that the fans do that make you happy?
Rie: I’m happy when they got excited with all their might, and really get into it like that!
Ladybeard: I’m just happy with their smile. If they’re smiling, I genuinely believe they really enjoyed the show. It’s good enough for me. That makes me happy!
Rei: When the audience is able to enjoy our music with a smile, that makes me the happiest.
– I’d like to ask you what LADY BABY’s future goals are!
Ladybeard: That there won’t be war on account of how stinky Rei’s farts are. I’m joking! My final dream is to end war and bring happiness!
Rie: I want the three of us to stand on a big stage someday. If we’re talking about Japan, then Budokan sometime next year! Maybe that’s too big of a hurdle?
Ladybeard: After Budokan, Tokyo Dome, and then next Madison Square Garden in New York!
– Finally, if there are there any artists you’d like to go up against or collaborate with, please tell us!
Ladybeard: BABYMETAL, Slipknot! Next year’s Knotfest?! Maybe!
Oversea Concert Information
October 11th, NYC SOB in New York
Venue: 200 Varick Street New York, NY 10014
Doors open: 5:30 p.m. / Show starts: 7:00 p.m.
Advance tickets $12, day of tickets $15
October 13th, Anime Jungle in Los Angels
Venue : Anime Jungle, 319 E 2nd St #103, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Doors open : 6:00 p.m.
Admission free with purchase of LADYBABY merch
November 27th~29th, London at HYPER JAPAN
Details coming soon
http://hyperjapan.co.uk/latest-news/christmas/lady-baby/
December 5th, Cologne at Werkstatt
Details coming soon
Related links
LADY BABY official website
LADY BABY Twitter
LADY BABY Facebook page
Ladybeard Twitter
Rie Kaneko Twitter
Rei Kuromiya Twitter
Source: Tokyo Girls' Update
Source article written by Ayaya
Photo by Mime Soga
Translated by Jamie Koide