official GF blog

((((Original article in Japanese))))

Each member’s exceptional skill come from honoring the methods and determination of their favorite legendary musicians of the past.

Their name is Kroi, a band that carries on the cultural legacy of the past while moving it into the future.

Kroi was selected as the winner of the “FORBES 30 UNDER 30 JAPAN 2023” in the “ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS” category, which showcases leaders who we think will guide the next generation.

So, how is Kroi trying to bring a revolution to Japan’s music scene?

Shining Light in a Dull Place

Kroi was formed in 2018. Leo Uchida (vocal/guitar) and Yuki Hasebe (guitar), who were classmates in middle school, and Masanori Seki (bass) and Hidetomo Masuda (drums), who were college classmates, met through Instagram. Later, Daiki Chiba (keyboard) joined as the final member.

Their ambition from the beginning was to “revolutionize the music scene”.

At that time, streaming had not taken off in Japan (annual music streaming sales in 2018 were only 1/3 of 2022’s total), female idol groups were consistently topping the charts, and the type of music you could find at rock festivals was not as diverse as it is today.

SEKI, bass: I thought there was meaning in performing “music that can be danced to” in Japan. The genres coming in from overseas make you want to move your body, but what was being pushed in Japan’s music scene at the time was not exactly “danceable”.

We started this project with the hope of bringing a new wind to the Japanese music industry by elevating and expressing our roots in funk, hip-hop, R&B, soul, and other genres in a Japanese way.

LEO, vocal: Revolution to us is taking something that is not getting any attention at the moment, something that is considered unattractive or tacky, and dragging it to the top. Musically, I think “tacky vibes” are really cool. For example, by inserting an untrendy phrase into a beautiful melody, you can create something unique that has never existed before. Brand new values and aesthetics are created and begin to catch on, that is when revolution begins.

Kroi’s stance is to put an emphasis on things that are different from what is considered valuable, such as getting rid of all impurities or any failures, and making everything time and cost efficient through digitalization. We want to shine a light on things that are being lost in the modern world and values other than what is considered correct in society. This isn’t limited the musical realm, but we also want to make people aware of the essence of the ways we live our lives.

I think we don’t only pursue beauty, but prefer to find beauty in dirty places.

CHIBA, keys: When there’s a choice between something beautiful or something dirty, usually people choose the beautiful thing, but we choose the one that others don’t want. I think that makes Kroi unique.

“Concerts are the art of connecting feelings to the moment”

CHIBA, keys: Also, Kroi is always tolerant of failure. When you work without thinking of failure as failure, it results in moments that can’t be created by being overly diligent and serious. I like that.

HIDETOMO, drums: We value the beauty of chance. When we mix everyone’s opinions with tolerance, we make accidental discoveries that we had never even imagined before.

HASEBE, guitar: Even for concerts, I change my approach as I play, thinking, “This is the kind of mood we’re in today”. I believe that live performances are an art of the moment, and I hope to create something that is unique to each day. I’d like to show that special aura of live instruments playing together through our performances.

Just as Hasebe says, during their concert broadcasted on the famous “M STAGE” show this past July or at rock festivals, they rarely keep to their original recorded sound. They constantly add the flair of being in a jam session and sprinkle adlibs throughout their songs.

Tying the Past Generations to the Future

The history of rock and African-american inspired music along with the faces of numerous legends come to life in Kroi’s performance. Accompanied by fresh melodies and snappy rap lines, they embody the saying, “discover new things by revisiting the old”.

LEO, vocal: Maybe the most important reason we value our roots is purely because it’s fun. We want everyone to know the music that influenced us simply because we love music. On top of that, I have a dream to evolve the music that they have left behind and weave a piece of history!

CHIBA, keys: I think that everyone who has created something new and interesting in the past respects what came before their time, absorbs it, and then creates something new.

The Global Industry

Kroi is also conscious of connecting with the next generation. Nowadays, people can listen to music from abroad at their fingertips, just as easy as they can listen to music from their own country. And, Uchida believes that “it will no longer be the norm to listen to music primarily from one’s own country”.

In that future, Kroi is trying to pave the way for the next generation of talented musicians in Japan to be able to work in the world more easily.

LEO, vocal: I sometimes feel like I have an inferiority complex when I listen to Western music. I feel small as a musician in Japan. I want to make the world a place where everyone can express themselves in a healthy way. I want to challenge the world in that way.

SEKI, bass: We want our music to be heard as a global standard, rather than being distinguished as “Japanese” or “Asian”. To achieve this goal, we will continue to release good music and give good live performances, and we will do it with persistence.

Thanks for reading my translation.

They talk a lot about honoring roots in this article, but don’t really give examples of who Kroi actually listens to.

Their guitarist, Hasebe, loves John Frusciante and Parliament Funk. Leo, the vocalist was inspired by Chad Smith to start playing drums as a kid, which is why he occasionally does a crazy ass bongo solo on stage. Hidetomo, their drummer, loves Johnny Winter, a blues rocker from Texas.

I don’t know the details of the other members but I will update this eventually, I’m sure (:

Peace,

-Maggy