Up-and-coming girl band "Kimito Band" is currently on a nationwide tour "Reco First & 4th Anniversary Tour" for the first time in about a year, releasing a new single "Thanks." On August 4, their activities are getting more and more exciting, and the Sapporo concert (October 13) is their This will be their first live performance in Hokkaido in three years. How are the girls doing?

We asked Maori Ohno and Rio Kiyohara about their hidden thoughts.

Each of them is also notable for their solo activities. That's why they are so exciting as a band.

--You have overcome the Corona disaster and celebrated the 4th anniversary of your debut. How have your activities been so far?

Maie Ohno (Ohno): It's been four years since I realized it. The first one or two years were band-centered, but in the third year, each member's individual activities increased, and this is our fourth anniversary. This year, I would like to put all my energy into my band activities while also focusing on my solo activities.

Rio Kiyohara (Kiyohara): I used to be active as an idol and graduated after two full years. Now, when I think that I have been active as a band for twice that amount of time, I sometimes think, "Oh! I sometimes think, "Oh! At the beginning of our band activities, we were not well-known at all, but after our 2nd anniversary live at "Zepp Haneda", I feel that we have gained more attention than before. I think we have been able to step up little by little over the past four years.

--You have been active in the group that preceded Kimi to Band, and you have been with them for four years. Do you feel any changes for yourself?

Ohno：It is very difficult to keep going. The previous group didn't last, but now I am able to continue with this band, and recently I feel that we finally have a solid foundation. I feel that we have finally come to a place where we can aim higher. I am filled with the feeling that we have finally arrived at a place where we can aim higher. Little by little, I feel like I can sense the future.

Kimito and Maori Ohno, the leader of the band and in charge of the drum part

--Have you ever felt a gap between your band activities and your idol activities?

Kiyohara: Of course it is a totally different environment, but I think it is harder now in a better sense. Before, we were a group produced by Yasushi Akimoto, so we were by far the best at attracting audiences. On the other hand, after we became a band, all the members started to think of all kinds of things we could do to attract customers, such as sending out daily newsletters, distributing flyers, and talking to each person individually. I feel that the "muddy, hard-working" style of activities fits me very well.

Rio Kiyohara, former member of the idol group Last Idol and guitarist/vocalist of Kimito Band

--I think that's why I've been able to enjoy some of the things that I've been able to do.

Kiyohara: Actually, I am the type of person who is anxious about doing something different from others. ...... I think there is no other style like ours, so I have been worried about it for a long time. But recently, there are so many things that have come true because of this style and the views we have been able to see. I am enjoying it now that I don't have to worry about it anymore.

Ohno: In my case, it is quite painful for me to keep working on one thing for a long time because of my personality. Rather than being asked to learn dozens of drum parts for a new song all at once, it is more fun to do a variety of jobs a little at a time. If I concentrate too much, my head starts to hurt (laughs). (Laughs.) It may be a misnomer to call it a change of pace, but I can switch off my mind when I get another job, so in that sense, I think my current style suits me.

Kiyohara: The breadth of our activities means that there are many new things to do, so every day is fresh and new!　I think the reason I am always excited to work with Kimito Band is because we are a group like this. Maie is also involved in many individual activities, so when I see her working hard, I am often inspired to do more. There is a kind of rivalry between us, but we are also "friends".

From left to right: Yukitan, a bassist and a performer, Risako Morita, a singer-songwriter, Kiyohara, and Ohno.

--While your personal activities have been increasing, do you feel like a band member when you go on stage?

Kiyohara: I want to look cooler than I usually do, so there are moments when I switch to "band member mode. There are moments when I switch to "bandman mode. However, even in my individual activities, my main focus is "for the band. I feel that I am only able to do what I do because of you and the band, so the band is always in my mind even during my solo activities.

Ohno：When I am doing photogravure or doing interviews with the band, I am not different from others. I usually give my all, but when I go on stage, I close my eyes and go to ....... I think the way I put my heart and soul into it is quite unique (laughs). I think that because I am in a band, I am able to devote myself to my individual activities and put my heart and soul into them, and vice versa.

The new single, which is a reminder of our original intention, is a piece that contains the future of "Kimi to Band"!

Single "Thanks." released on August 4, 2024

--A new single "Thanks." was recently released. Isn't it rare for a single CD to be individually titled?

Ohno：Yes, it certainly is. But it is thanks to our fans that we have been able to continue our activities, and after four years, we wanted to express our gratitude to them.

Kiyohara: Not only to the fans, but also to the people involved, the staff, and the members. We tend to forget our original intentions in the fourth year, so the title of this album is a way of saying to ourselves, "The reason we are able to continue our activities now is because of the support and encouragement of those around us.

--The concept of this single is "a little bit mature, a new you and the band". Could you tell us the specific meaning of that?

Ohno：When we have released singles in the past, we have always released them as a set of three songs, and we always included one sparkling song. This time, however, we decided to focus on "coolness" in all three songs. I feel that the songs are "a bit mature" in the sense that we are focusing on such songs.

Kiyohara: It's a step up from the image we had before.

--When I heard the song "So Hight! Personally, I think it has a 90's J-rock feel. ...... What is your impression of the two of them?

Kiyohara: At first, all the members listened to the demo soundtrack together, and at that point, I was already imagining a great live performance!　I instantly had images of how I wanted to deliver the song live, and how I thought it would sound live. There is a long drum solo in this song, and when I first heard it, I had a feeling that it would be really cool to play it live. I was really looking forward to seeing the drum solo live.

--I was really looking forward to seeing the drum solo live.

Ohno：I play the bass drum all the way to the chorus of the first verse, so my hands are free, so I encourage him (laughs). (laughs) During the drum solo, I was very happy to be able to participate in the excitement. Also, we stop for about three bars in the song. I had never done that before, so when I performed it live, it created a very unique atmosphere that I couldn't resist. Until now, "Monster of Love" has been the standard song that gets people excited, but I think this song will be the best.

--The second song "Midnight Scream" is also the theme song for the movie "Ghost Spotters - Yumeyu" in which you both star. I wonder if you have different feelings for it than the other members.

Ohno: I always like movies with horror elements, but at first I thought, "What is a theme song? (laughs). But when I heard the finished song, it was cooler than I had imagined and had a great sense of speed. Our movie also speeds up towards the end, so I was happy that the song matched the scene perfectly.

Kiyohara: When we performed this song at a previous live concert, the fans had never heard it before, but they were perfectly in tune with the fast pace of the song!　That made me happy.

--I was so happy to hear that. so you seem to have a connection with horror films (laughs).

Kiyohara: When I was in "Gakko Gurashi! Kiyohara: In "Gakko Gurashi!" I appeared in the movie, but the theme song was sung by my juniors. I didn't sing the theme song myself, so it was the first time for me to sing the theme song of a movie in which I starred, and it was our own song. I have never been so happy to sing a theme song for a movie in which I starred. I was also able to see the completed movie, and when the song came on the screen at the end, I was very moved because it matched the image of the movie perfectly.

--Next, please tell us your first impression of "Koi Gokoro," which was written by one of the members, Mr. Morita. There are not many songs with lyrics written by the members, so I guess it must have been an aspect that stuck in your mind.

Kiyohara: I respected ...... how she could write so cutely to express a single feeling of love. When I told Risa-chan (Morita-san) that I liked the way she said it because it was so cute, she said, "I wrote that part thinking of Rio-chan! She also said that she wrote other parts of the song thinking of the members.

Ohno: When I listen to this song, I can picture the scene of "this girl is doing this in this situation," so it is easy for me to get into the song. I get the feeling that the fans are really into the song at the live shows as well. I hope you will immerse yourself in Risa-chan's worldview at the live performance.