A MUST-see for party people! STEREO JAPAN are HOT right now!

14.May.2016 | MUSIC

STEREO JAPAN are a group who make use of EDM (Electronic Dance Music) and charm all party people with their sound. The group are organised into two separate groups: Stereo Tokyo and Stereo Fukuoka. Today, we get up and close with the members of Stereo Tokyo.

“If we’d have been in the same class, the five of us wouldn’t have gotten on well and formed this group”. With their completely different personalities and hobbies, the one thing that binds the Tokyo members together is EDM. If you’re a music lover and an idol lover, this is an artist you’re going to want to get into.

Members: (from the left) Ayaka Shiina, Yurina Kawamura, Nanako Miura, Misa Saionji, Chihana Kishimori

Photography: Atsushi Yamada / Interview: Momo Sahori (SHUTTER)

What’s “STEREO JAPAN”?
STEREO JAPAN is divided into two groups – Tokyo and Fukuoka. Although Tokyo and Fukuoka are both places in Japan, they each have differences in things such as dialect and food culture. In the same way, although there is one group – “STEREO JAPAN” – let’s see how their subgroups, Stereo Tokyo and Stereo Fukuoka, differ.

 

――Do both Stereo Tokyo and Stereo Fukuoka have a different atmosphere about them?
Shiina: The Fukuoka group has a guy member, so they do have a different air to them.
Miura: We like to get on the dancefloor with everyone and get down. I think that distinguishes us from other idol groups and the Fukuoka group.
Kishimori: I don’t think we lose when it comes to getting the crowd pumped.

 

――Both groups are normally doing their own individual things. How linked are you with the Fukuoka members?
All: We’ve only met them once!

 

Whether or not they’re helping out with the geographical problems of Tokyo or Fukuoka, it looks like there’s not a deep connection with it. But it seems they are aware of it…

Mirua: We’re both comparable on numerous levels, so I don’t want to lose to them. But I also want us to be able to work hard together, and I’m sure the Fukuoka group think the same thing.
Shiina: I also feel in some way that I don’t want to lose to them either, but that doesn’t mean I see them as rivals. I would be happy if we can come together and work hard.
Miura: I feel that the atmosphere and live performances of both groups are considerably different. So I think that coming together of differences makes STEREO JAPAN really great.

 

――As Stereo Tokyo, do each of you have different a different part to play?
Miura: I’m the DJ and the others MC. The set-lists are made on the spot, so we kind of just go straight into it without being informed of anything. Sometimes I get asked “Are you really DJ’ing?” I really am! If I mess up the sound will stop, so If that happens maybe people will believe me (laughs).
Kishimori: During a song, we shout things like “Everybody scream!” and “Hey! Hey! Hey!” which never fails to get everybody going.

 

――Do you also dance?
Kawamura: I’m not particularly amazing at singing, so I get the crowd moving by dancing! I’ve been doing hip-hop dancing since my 2nd year of elementary school. I wasn’t familiar with EDM style dancing, but it’s super fun doing any kind of dancing.

EDM not their only forte: introducing the idol genre!
STEREO JAPAN have continued to push forward in their work using EDM, but their single “Dancing Again”, which was released on May 4th, makes use of the idol genre. What are their thoughts in regard to the new song?

 

――What kind of song is your new song “Dancing Again”?
Miura: Our songs are EDM, so we never have a hook in them: it’s usually melody A, to melody B, to the drop. Our new track actually has a hook which really surprised everyone! (laughs)
Saionji: It suddenly sounds really cool at the drop. The rest of the song is very idol-y, but the drop is the real highlight and makes you want to dance. It’s like a split-personality track (laughs).

――Since the new song is idol themed, does that mean your performance of it is different from usual too?
Kishimori: We’re trying out some idol-like things, like self-introductions of each member!
Shiina: There’s never much MC’ing; we usually just perform.
Kishimori: It’s not something we’re used to, so it feels weird (laughs).
Saionji: At the end of a performance we all line-dance together. The fans join in with us too, so it’s a lot of fun.

For the group’s coupling song “RUN”, there was the news of their possible disbandment if they were to see over 10,000 copies of the CD. The conditions for this unprecedented turn of events were that if member Nakano Miura was unable to complete a 42km marathon (which was completed successfully on April 17th) and the new single sold more than 10,000 copies, the group would have to disband. It wasn’t “if they DON’T sell 10,000 copies, they will disband”, but if they DO sell them. This kind of act is what makes Stereo Tokyo so unique. It can be said that this single is an important work from the group, allowing them to continue together.

“We’re girls, we have ambition!” A talk about their aspirations
It’s been around 1 year since the group formed. With the increase of their fan base and improvement of their performances, each member of Stereo Tokyo has been able to really grow. (Kawamura has seen change, having grown 10cm, since she’s a teenager). What prospects do the girls have for the future? Let’s find out.

 

――What is your next objective?
Miura: I have a genuinely strong desire to perform overseas. But concrete preparations aren’t in place yet…
Kishimori: Nothing is set in stone just yet, but we definitely want to keep partying as we always do. I want to give everyone really fun parties.
Shiina: I saw a video the other day on the internet of a foreign idol group singing one of our songs. They were really into it, so I want to go to that place and perform for them.
Miura: We also saw idols from Thailand dancing to our songs! I want to go and play in lots of different countries.

――What aspects of Stereo Tokyo do you want people from overseas to enjoy?
Miura: Stereo Tokyo’s style is to dance together, so rather than seeing us live, I really want people to listen to our music and let the music flow through them while they dance freely.
Kishimori: Just as Nana says, our songs are EDM, so I want people to enjoy listening to them first, so we can dance and lose our minds together in the music.

 

Both their visuals and music are good. Stereo Tokyo’s main feature is their cuteness and their clubbing side. Whether you’re a party person or not, why don’t you try stepping into the glowing neon world of Stereo Tokyo’s dance music?

 

Stereo Tokyo http://www.st-Tokyo.com

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