BABYMETAL was once again featured on GQ Japan Magazine, after winning the "Discovery Of The Year Award 2015" in the "Men Of The Year 2015" the new issue of January 2016 released on November 24 of 2015 features new photos of the girls and a brief interview with them. Check the high quality scans below.
BABYMETAL featured on GQ Japan Magazine January 2016
BABYMETAL is the winner artist of "Discovery Of The Year Award" in the GQ Japan "Men Of The Year 2015". Also this year BABYMETAL was featured in September and October in the GQ Japan Women Special 2015 with a small video interview, photo session and autographed photo for suscribers. This time was featured in November for GQ Japan Magazine January 2016 with two new photos and a small interview (translation to be published later).
Translation by: Thomas Malone.
Check the high quality scans of the release courtesy of our collaborator Rene Colorado.
Get your GQ Japan Magazine January 2016 on Amazon Japan, click here.
GQ JAPAN INTERVIEWS BABYMETAL:
Young girl Metal, Powering through the world -
BABYMETAL, charging ahead with a powerful punch throughout the world ever since their inception in 2010. These girls have make a global movement in locations throughout the worldwith their 2014 World Tour and serving as the opening act for Lady Gaga. In 2016 they are scheduled to perform a solo show in April at the world-renowned Wembley Arena in London. Regardless of whether they hope for this or whether it is their fate, there is no doubt that these girls have evolved to play on the world stage. How do these still teenage girls feel about and consider this role that they play? Moametal states, "We don’t think that we have changed at all. While we are now on TV quite a bit and we are in the public eye, we can still walk down the street of any town and not be recognized at all. The other day there was a really interesting happening. (saying this she looks at Su-metal and Yuimetal) We went to a family restaurant the other day and the people sitting at the table next to us were talking about Babymetal. But, they were totally unaware of us. It was really nice to know that they were only saying nice things about us, but we were really anxious about what was going on."
While she spoke like this we could see her smiling face filled with a great sense of confidence. What we felt was not simply happiness but more a sense of strength. This confidence of theirs certainly comes from the numerous live performances they play both in domestic Japan and overseas.
Su-metal went on to say, ‘"We always had a sense of a very strong group bond including the staff we work with. But as we continue to perform these overseas shows and travel and eat together this bond has grown into a sense of being part of a family, of being part of a team. Our feeling that we must perform each show with a great sense of correctness has not changed and it is something that we will continue to make sure does not change. Whether we play a small live house or a big arena we always talk with each other saying, ‘We need to perform as we always do’. From our experiences so far we have learned that we can not perform to our best if we get into a panic state. We feel that it is best if we perform at each show in our usual manner.’"
‘Performing in the usual manner for real concerts’ no matter what genre one talks about is a very difficult task to carry out. But the girls say that this is something they are able to do.
Yuimetal adds, "We have been together now for 5 years as a unit. We are who we are because of the many hardships that we have encountered. Whatever happens we all work together to support one another and so we are able to overcome anything that comes our way. Because we have that kind of confidence we are able to face anything with out fear and with a sense of an ordinary state of mind. We often look at each other’s faces and expressions as we are performing. By inquiring into each other’s facial expressions we are able to know what the others are thinking and in what situation they are in. So, if one of us is having a potentially difficult time we are able to send a look of, ‘Are you OK?’ and if things are going super great we tap each other on the shoulder signifying, ‘All looks great."
They have performed a great deal of concerts. Even though they are teenagers one wonders, don’t they ever get tired?
Moametal answers, "No doubt we do use a great deal of energy. However, we get way more back than that from the fans who are there with us. And moreover, when we eat the local food of the place we are performing, we are completely restored. That includes the delicious food as well as the rather unusual, right (said looking at the other members). I think the other members will agree with me that we really liked the sausages and potatoes we ate in Germany. Everything was so delicious in Germany we would get extremely excited everytime we heard it was time to eat! We always eat way too much when we perform overseas. But, apparently we are able to burn it all off because we are always moving so much."
London is a special place.
When one is talking with these three baby fox like girls sitting in front of oneself it is hard to tell if they are adults or are they are children, are they tough faced girls or are they cute.
But that is their charm you would have to say. Their real identity is hard to grasp. They are a kind of surreal entity. And exactly because of this, their every movement, every action fascinates
us so much. I feel that I really want to follow how they we continue on their path.
These girls who continue to challenge the limits. The world is chasing after these girls
The Metal dance unit, BABYMETAL-the receivers of this time’s Discovery award.
Given to honor their incredible activities so far as artists that are the focus of attention of the entire world and to show that we expect great things from them in the future as well.
Yuimetal continues, "Anyway, during the first part of 2016 we want to do our best to get ready for Wembley. Since we have still only played at a limited number of locations inside Japan we hope to perform at many more new places."
Moametal goes on to say, "London always presents us with a good opportunities. It is a location that serves as a turning point for us. We are certain therefore that this time as well will allow us a chance to discover new sides to ourselves."
Su-metal takes over saying, "We have done our absolute best to absorb as much of the culture of the localities we visit on these overseas tours as we continue to learn more and more about Metal as we travel the globe. In the song ‘Road of Resistance’ there are the lyrics, “If you believe, you can travel ahead even on a pathless road”. That is exactly the situation we find ourselves in now. While we may not be able to see the finish line we know that our aim is to bring the music that only the three of can perform to as many countries and to as many people as possible."
It is long past the point where the girls could even fit into the costumes they wore when they debuted. The three girls have grown in big jumps every year during these past four years. It is the special right of youth that it is able to grow in an almost limitless fashion.
It can be expected that the full frontal attack of BABYMETAL will continue smoothly in 2016 as well. It is very possible that next year at this time these three will not be able to sit down together for dinner or to walk around town together. Even if that becomes so we can be quite certain that the three girls will continue to look ahead and plow into the future. It is very likely that these girls will venture into realms that no other Japanese artist has ever reached.
