Wagakki Band
Interview by Nhu Nguyen
May 7, 2018

Wagakki Band released their fifth studio album Otonoe in April and we had the chance to talk to Yuko Suzuhana (vocals), Machiya (guitar), and Ibukuro Kiyoshi (koto) about their stunning new release, the creative process, and inspiring a new generation in the art of wagakki.

Aside from rock, some of your recent work includes musical elements like jazz, piano, and orchestra. Why did you decide to add these new creative elements?

Suzuhana: Each of the eight members of our group have different musical roots, and I’ve felt uncomfortable being perceived as a rock band — our music naturally evolves as we continue to share our musical tastes and influences with each other, and we don’t feel like we’re limited to just one genre. After five years together, we understand each other better and we’ve been able to create our own unique “Wagakki Band genre”. That’s the voice we’re using to express ourselves. As for the piano, it felt comfortable to make that next step since I majored in classical piano in college. The sound has always been in my head, but we waited for the best timing to include it, once we established what Wagakki Band is.

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