KAT-TUN releases their new album "Fantasia" on February 15th. It is a work full of feeling that contains many songs recorded in various genres. This album's tour will start soon. This time, we heard about the ideas for this tour and of course about the album from Ueda Tatsuya.
Songs: What did you focus on as a group when releasing the new album "Fantasia"?
Ueda: First of all the theme for this one was to try to make it genre-less without deciding on a system for it. So, while having the staff show us songs, we would tell them what sort of songs we wanted more of and they would find it. We repeated this several times. Moreover, it feels like everyone, the 3 of us and the staff, chose the songs.
S: What made you want to go genre-less?
U: With last year's album "Honey" we tried a more mature atmosphere, so it would be a shame to let that go to waste this time. Rather, we thought it was alright to mix all the genres we have done so far. That's why we also thought it would be interesting to have 2 CDs, one more mature and the other more pop. But in the end, we settled down on mixing several things. While we incorporated changes over the years, we never lost our sense of identity. In particular, the lead song Fantasia feels like us while at the same time, it is a genre we have never tried before.
S: There was certainly something fresh about Fantasia.
U: Actually we were quite worried about making Fantasia the lead song. One of us also proposed it was better to make another song the lead song. But, as the result of many twists and turns, we thought "either way, if we sing it, it will have our identity on it, so isn't it okay?" (laughs). There was also the alternative of choosing the normal way to make the fans feel the KAT-TUN identity. However, personally, I want to include the flow of the current music scene in Fantasia. I'd say it's an addicting song. The rhythm is slightly monotonous but addictive.
S: You also have the desire to further expand your range, or to pioneer new things, right?
U: That's part of it, of course, we are also putting out normal songs, that's why we thought it would be interesting to make the lead song a challenge.
S: It's a song with a unique ambiance.
U: Yes. Unique is perhaps the best word for Fantasia.
S: The MV also had a mysterious outlook.
U: In the MV they didn't use much of our dancing (laughs). We danced quite a lot on set to the A and B melodies. That's why I'm looking forward to the live. I think we will show it on a TV show after this, but I'm the type who can finally grasp the atmosphere of the song after performing it live with the other 2 members, that's when the song will be completed for me.
S: I see. While Fantasia gives the impression of a new KAT-TUN, the first recorded song, DIRTY LUV, is very much KAT-TUN style.
U: Right (laughs). This is the first song, first of all, to put the fans at ease (laughs). I think it has a good flow to be the first song, also during the live maybe it will be a "this is KAT-TUN!" kind of performance.
S: It feels like you could throw some curveballs precisely because you have included a "normal" song.
U: That's true, there were a lot of curveballs this time. And there are a few songs that seem to have inherited Honey's stylish feeling. "Wild Rose" also has a pretty stylish rhythm.
S: "Love Lots Together" also has a stylish taste to it. It has a good rhythm and the melody is smooth so it's easy to listen to.
U: Yes. It feels like an extension of Honey, and I think it is a song that many people will like. In my opinion, this is a song that feels like it will be played at a ski resort (laughs).
S: That's because the MV was a world of pure white?
U: Ah, maybe (laughs). It seems like the staff wanted to see KAT-TUN in all-white. So we were like, "really, OK, we'll do it" (laughs). The MV was white for that reason (laughs). We let the staff see what they wanted to see (laughs).
S: An interesting song is "Perfect Date".
U: Yes! I think the people who listen to it will also find the country style interesting. It's a curveball, so it's difficult to see how to perform it live. I remember thinking that it would be nice to have a song like this, and immediately decided to include it.
S: It looks like a nice accent which you can enjoy together with the audience.
U: Right now we're thinking about how to direct it. But songs like "Wild Rose", which I mentioned earlier, and "Lament" are more difficult to show off in a live setting. Because they're not songs that raise up the tension. So to put it the other way around, how will songs that we are currently having trouble producing be performed in front of everyone during the actual live? I want the people who are coming to the live to look forward to finding that out (laughs). Actually, thinking "they made it so cool despite it having been hard" because they have that information beforehand, they might enjoy the live even more (laughs).
S: After all, there are songs that are easy to produce and those that aren't.
U: There is one song that might move the audience's emotions. However, there are times when such songs cannot be used depending on the arrangement. There is also the possibility that the tension might also drop depending on the arrangement. That is why it is very important to know where to use which song. If it fits well, "Wild Rose" and "Lament" will be good accents, like you said, so I'd like to work on that.
S: On the other hand, isn't it easy to produce a song like "Sail on earth"?
U: It's easy. It's a nice song and it's easy to picture its image. I already have an idea of when to bring it on for the live.
S: It's a song that makes you want to "listen". The vocals are relaxed and the message is also strong.
U: Yes. I think the lyrics have a good theme. That's why couldn't this song be a key point during the live? That being said, we're still in the midst of thinking about it!
S: I think that listened live, with the production added, it will really come to life.
U: Right. I don't think it's a song to perform while riding in the trolly or walking. It would be best to sing it properly and put on more of a production.
S: To make sure the message is delivered.
U: Yes, I think it will be an important song during the live. Taking that into consideration, we're now thinking about how to produce it.
S: "FLIGHT" is also something of a curveball. It has a primitive style and tropical image.
U: I feel that since it has "Yeah!" and "Hey!", we'll be able to tell the audience's level of enjoyment. That gives a sense of purpose in directing it. It's a song that will be accepted even if its production is a little strange.
S: It is easier to picture a production when the song is unique, isn't it?
U: It's easier to come up with, and it is also very rewarding. I sang it very normally in the rhythm, but couldn't help thinking, is that normal! (laughs) That's why I think a song like "FLIGHT" tests your direction.
S: You don't want to "just sing" a song?
U: No, that also depends on the song. For songs with a strong ambiance, it is best to express that ambiance. Anyone can sing a song normally, but how to express it as entertainment is what Johnny's do. It may be possible to just sing it but because we're Johnny's we create a performance that "charms".
S: You expand on what the song itself has.
U: Yes. If it was a performance at a live house I think it would be fine to sing it normally. But if it is on a scale of an arena or dome, it has to be "attractive". We need to think about that. So if we end up singing "FLIGHT" normally at the live, please know that we settled down in that direction (laughs).
S: Got it (laughs). "Zero kara ichi e" is a feelgood song.
U: This song is really easy to sing. It is not too high and the melody is simple, I recommend it for karaoke.
S: That's because it is a song made by Mizuno Yoshiki, isn't it?
U: It definitely is Mizuno-ish. Ikimonogakari has many songs that everyone can sing, don't they? How to say it, they're very easy to accept? "Zero kara ichi e" is also a song like that.
S: For KAT-TUN, I think "Zero kara ichi e" is also a curveball, so once we listen to the rock taste of "ELIZA" we are relieved once again.
U: This is a KAT-TUN classic following "DIRTY LUV". But the lyrics are kind of funny. Actually, ELIZA is the name of the very first AI (artificial intelligence).
S: Eh, really?
U: It is AI so it doesn't have any emotions. That's why it keeps saying "I never know SIN". But at the end it says "I maybe know SIN". It's that kind of story, so when you listen to it with that in mind, I think it has something in common with "RAY". I really like the ambiance of these lyrics.
S: "Kissing your hurts" is also a dramatic song.
U: Starting with "Kissing your hurts", there is a series of melodious songs that you can listen to, "tōmei na asa" and "yume de aitai" on the 1st limited edition, and "mado wo akete" on the 2nd limited edition. And for me, this is one of the reasons why this is an album worth listening to.
S: Right. It is not an aggressive piece.
U: That's why we are having trouble making the live (laughs). There are also a lot of songs, so if there were only this many songs, there wouldn't be enough to get the audience excited. But take "tōmei na asa" for example, it got included because during the meetings I said it would be best to have an easy-to-understand song as well. I thought that if everything was checked for Western music, there might be some customers who would not be able to keep up with the music. So, I suggested it would be better to play it band style like the ones we used to sing in the past.
S: "Tōmei na asa" is very band style.
U: Right. The point is that it is better to include a song with a proper melody and message. Old KAT-TUN albums always included songs that were familiar to the audience and easy to listen to. But "Honey" didn't have a song in that style, so I thought it would be best to include it this time. Because, after all, it would be hard for the fans to be left behind, wouldn't it? It is important to do what we want to do, but there should definitely be songs that the fans would like to hear. There are also a lot of songs that don't need to be the most fashionable. And if those songs are included in the live performance, they will stand out among the more fashionable songs. I thought it would be better to have songs that resonate with the audience.
S: "Tōmei na asa" is a very good song. It is a song about life, and it has positivity toward the future.
U: Yes. It is easy to understand. "Yume de aitai" is also melodious, and "mado wo akete" is a song that depicts everyday life. So overall, I think it is a good balance.
S: The regular edition also includes a unique song called "KAT-TUN no genba".
U: The lyrics are Nakamaru's. So I think this is more like Yuichi Nakamaru's situations than KAT-TUN's situations (laughs). Because I don't have "curly hair" and my shoulders don't shake (T/N: get scared) by the amount of pyrotechnics (laughs). Actually, if you only listen to the music, it is really cool. I'm sorry to the person who composed the song that we used these lyrics with it (laughs). I'm sure he never imagined the lyrics for it would turn out like this (laughs). But I think it is a song that will make the fans happy.
S: No mistake there (laughs). Speaking of albums, the 3 solo songs (included in the regular edition) are fun every time. This time you produced a song called "Judas" and wrote the lyrics for it.
U: It is a collaboration with TEEDA from BACK-ON. During the Honey live I performed a song called "Lollipop" which was also made by TEEDA. So I thought I would ask TEEDA this time around again, and since I had the time I wrote the lyrics (laughs).
S: That's how it happened. But it is different from "Lollipop" which had a really sexy style. The sound is also heavier.
U: If I had to say so, "Judas" became a rebel song.
S: The title "Judas", he was one of Jesus Christ's disciples who betrayed Jesus.
U: Yes. A song from the side of Judas. The lyrics say, "we are Judas, man". I thought it would be interesting to include lyrics about things that are happening today, so I wrote the song based on that while communicating with TEEDA. We are now discussing how to perform the song live. I wrote the lyrics with my own strong feelings, so I think it will be a meaningful performance. I'm sure the audience will be thinking "What's he trying to say?" Of course, the answer is inside of me.
S: You'll include a message in the performance.
U: Yes. I think it will become a performance with a message. Only, it will depend on each person how far they can get it.
S: The impact of the "Lollipop" live performance was amazing, do you prefer to create an ambiance when you perform on stage?
U: I look at solo songs as works of art. So, I may have a strong desire to show them as a show. And as I said before, we perform live in a large venue.
S: Right. Since it is such a big space, it would be a waste not to create a production.
U: That's really it. It would be a waste. It makes me feel like I want to convey the meaning of the song properly. In that case, directing is helpful. In particular, "Judas" has a lot of English and it is rap, so I think it is hard to understand its meaning just by listening to it.
S: That's why it becomes easier to understand it visually.
U: Yes. It was the same with the previous song "Lollipop", it was mostly in English, so I thought that most people would not understand what I was singing. So I created a performance that would convey what I was singing. That's why, if you do that once, afterward you can sing it normally. If there was another chance to sing "Lollipop" I might sing it with a band. But if it will only be performed on stage, I'm the type who wants to produce it properly.
S: If there is a production, the audience will be drawn into the world the song depicts.
U: That's the difficult part. There are parts where I can't pick up the sound because my eyes are drawn to the performance (laughs). "Lollipop" also has a really cool sound, but people who have seen it live will probably only have the impression that it is "erotic" (laughs). There is that type of difficulty.
S: Because there are times when you are overwhelmed by the performance. There's a conflict there.
U: That's right (laughs). But for me, I have a strong desire to do things with this kind of ambiance. So, after understanding that, I hope you can listen to the music properly. Unfortunately, "Lollipop" was only sung live, but "Judas" is in the album.
S: In that sense, there are many songs to look forward to in the live.
U: Of course. During the live, songs other than those recorded in this album will also be included, so I think that you will be able to fully enjoy KAT-TUN's world as well.
S: The tour will start on February 23rd at Marine Messe Fukuoka. What kind of live do you want to do this time?
U: First of all, the audience can now speak out. That's bigger than anything else. Therefore our tension will change, and we need to calculate the order of the songs. However, I think the audience's throat is probably rusty (laughs). It's been three years since they could share their voices. That's why I want them to train their throats before coming (laughs). Even if you cannot speak in a loud voice, if you can raise your basic volume up, it will be completely different. Also, before coming to the live, a vocal practice at home is a must (laughs). I think you'll be able to enjoy it more if you warm up your throat before coming.
"FANTASIA'S" SINGING POINT
I don't know about the other two (Kamenashi, Nakamaru) parts, but my part is all about rhythm. As long as the rhythm is right, you can get by, so please take care of the vertical lines (laughs). Also, don't sing alone, but preferably with all three people (laughs). I think you will enjoy singing if you separate my part, Kamenashi-kun's part, and Nakamaru-kun's part.
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