Since forming in 2019, the pop-rock band Melikret has been on a meteoric rise, becoming one of the hottest acts in Sapporo's music scene. This year, they've steadily expanded their reach with the release of their first mini-album, "Sleeping Beauty of 1 yocto," in February, a successful nationwide tour, and a performance at a major event at PREMIST DOME in April.

Furthermore, at the major outdoor festival "JOIN ALIVE 2026" on July 19, they've made the huge leap from being last year's opening act to performing on the main stage! We sat down with this breakout band, poised to take flight from Hokkaido to the rest of the country, to talk about their whirlwind journey and their passionate feelings about the massive stage that awaits them.

A Great Response in New Places: The Mini-Album "Sleeping Beauty of 1 yocto" and Nationwide Tour

Left: Renir (Gt.), Center: Chipe (Vo & Gt.), Right: Toki (Ba.)

──You released your first mini-album, "Sleeping Beauty of 1 yocto," in February. You also toured to promote the album. How was the response?

Renir: The response was fantastic. We went to many new places like Sendai and Fukuoka, and it was great to be able to say "nice to meet you" for the first time. The local reaction was really good. In Sapporo, we have a lot of long-time supporters, so it's a relatively at-home atmosphere. But the people seeing us for the first time had this intense, focused look in their eyes, in a good way. Including that sense of tension, I feel we grew significantly through that tour, not just in our performance skills but also mentally when we stand on stage.

Chipe: We've always been active in Hokkaido, so when we decided to do a tour, I was very anxious about whether people would actually come. But someone told us, "I've been waiting for you to play a show in Kyushu!" and that was a huge relief. It made me want to go back regularly in the future.

Toki: It was our first time, so I had a lot of worries, but I was happy that many people told us the album was interesting and had a great variety of songs from different genres.

Renir: The tracklist for this mini-album was more or less decided in advance. However, as a band, we wanted to make it a conceptual piece. As we considered what kind of songs would be included, Chipe created an instrumental track that embodied the essence of "Sleeping Beauty of 1 yocto." That allowed us to create a work that, when listened to from start to finish, feels like a single, cohesive story.

A New Vista from a Massive Stage

──In April, you performed at "SAPPORO MUSIC EXPERIENCE 2026," held at the Daiwa House PREMIST DOME, the largest venue in your band's history. What was that like?

Renir: It might sound simple, but it was on a whole different scale. It was just so much fun. The sound reverberation, the volume of the applause from such a large crowd—every single thing was massive. I'd heard the term "big stage" before, but I couldn't really picture it concretely. This experience gave a clear shape to that vague idea. That was a huge takeaway for me.

Chipe: I think only a handful of people were there specifically to see us. But even so, it was heartwarming and wonderful to see fans raising their hands and getting excited, and to see so many others enjoying the music even if we weren't their favorite band. It was also a big deal to be able to perform alongside artists I admire. It made me want to work hard to be able to perform in a place like that again. I think the biggest gain for me was being able to clearly set my next goal.

Toki: I thought I'd be more nervous and tense. But when I actually got on stage, I found it incredibly fun. I discovered that I'm someone who can enjoy performing at a large venue in front of a huge audience, so that's something I can look forward to in the future. I think I'll be a bit more composed at this year's JOIN ALIVE (laughs).

New Song "Ashita no Gochiso" Themed Around Hokkaido's Dining Tables

──Your 19th single, "Ashita no Gochiso" (Tomorrow's Feast), was released on Wednesday, July 8. What kind of song is it?

Chipe: One of the major themes of this song is the "dining table." The dining table is a place where the love nurtured by Hokkaido's vast land is served, and it's also a place that can support you as you take on challenges to savor the future. This song was written as the opening theme for "Aguri Okoku Hokkaido NEXT" (HBC), a show I've enjoyed since I was a child, so I'm truly overwhelmed with emotion. I hope that the warmth the show has delivered for so long will reach even more people through this song.