We had the opportunity of interviewing the Japanese rock band and Visual Kei, XANVALA! The band initiated its activities in the begging of 2020 and their sound combined different elements and influences, making their work diverse and fluid. The name of the band, XANVALA, refers to a “loose and messy hair”.
Despite the pandemic, they found a way to keep in touch with their listeners through transmissions of concerts, without public, in the YouTube channel of PARAGUAS INC., stamp of which they are part. Recently, they have succeed at doing presential events as they used to.
As this interview is being published, XANVALA is close to launch Seisen, the third single of the band. It will include four unpublished tracks and there will be a version that includes a DVD of their presentation「Curtain Call」TOUR FINAL – shuumaku – that happened in Takadanobaba AREA in August, 2021. Watch the music video of the title track, Seisen:
As this is our first interview, please, can you introduce yourselves?
Tatsumi: I’m Tatsumi on vocals. I’m a Brazil enthusiast.
Yuhma: I’m Yuhma, I’m on guitar and dancing.
Souma: Olá! I’m the guitarist, Souma. Thank you for your ongoing support.
70.: It’s written as “setenta” but my name is Nao. I’m the bassist.
Tomoya: I’m Tomoya on drums. I love you.
For our readers who don’t know the band yet, where would you recommend them to start listening to XANVALA?
Tatsumi: “Janome”.
Yuhma: “Hidari mimi no akuma”.
Souma: “XANADU”.
70.: “Seisen”.
Tomoya: “Dare ga tame no kofukuron”
What is XANVALA about? What kind of message do you want to transmit with the band?
Tatsumi: It’s all about to keep going forward. Even if you are weak, covered in scars and bruises, or feeling discouraged, you have to move on.
Souma: Our concept is about bringing the courage to step forward every time, no matter how hostile the situation may be.
70.: Proving that there is beauty in the disorder. We have many songs that buckle down to it.
To know you even better, what are the personal influences that led to you all to form XANVALA?
70.: There is nothing in particular. I believe fate brought us together when our previous bands ended.
Tomoya: Our musical backgrounds are quite different, but I think that has played to our advantage.
You started XANVALA just before the new coronavirus pandemic restrain everyone’s activities. But you guys have adapted well with chats and live-streaming. How’s it been like to start a band in this chaos?
Souma: We were puzzled and didn’t know what to do at first, but we were conscious that our fans were waiting for us so we resorted to various ways to show ourselves through online activities.
Tomoya: We didn’t want to stop at all and, even if were stumbling and groping, we got able to work and stay proactive.
So, we saw you streamed some lives without audience on PARAGUAS YouTube Channel, how is to perform with no audience? Did the streams help to get closer to the public in this hard moment?
Tatsumi: I feel we were able to reach not only our fans in Japan but also people in other countries. I’m glad we did those concerts.
Souma: We put special attention to make the performances as if everyone were watching from a special seat in the front row. We got many messages saying how much they enjoyed it. It was satisfying.
Tomoya: Many people got to know XANVALA thanks to those no-audience concerts. It was a great outcome.
As a new band, what kind of things were in your minds while composing your songs till now?
Souma: “It would be great to have a song like this”. I have been working with that idea every single time.
Tomoya: My priority number one is the actual live performance. I envision all the excitement and energy that the song could bring.
The Seisen MV is really shocking, what kind of themes do you want to explore in this release?
Tatsumi: The theme is “Living is a fight”. Recently, I’ve been acutely aware of how hard life is. That’s the reason behind that theme.
70.: That song embodies the current fighting spirit of a new XANVALA.
Thank you so much for this interview, please, leave a message to our readers and Brazilian fans.
Tatsumi: I hope one day we will be able to perform in front of you and we can hear each other’s voices. Let’s stay alive until that day.
Yuhma: I love Brazilian culture, from samba and bossa nova to soccer, churrasco, etc. I will go to Brazil someday! Até logo!
Souma: Definitely, we will go there to meet you. Please take care until then. Eu te amo!
70.: Thank you! I hope we can travel to the opposite side of Japan.
Tomoya: We will meet one day during a world tour. Please send us your support from the other side of the world!
Translated by Maithe.
