SCANDAL; Our Fans’ Love, 10 Years of History, and Moving Ahead In Our Own Will “

SCANDAL; Our Fans’ Love, 10 Years of History, and Moving Ahead In Our Own Will “From Now On” - Interview with natalie

(The following interview translation focuses on: The tracklist for the BEST ALBUM + ‘FREEDOM FIGHTERS’ + 'HELLO’)

Excitement for the Fan-voted Results

──Please tell us your feelings now, after releasing the voluminous best album as a commemoration of your 10th year anniversary since forming.

RINA: We didn’t specifically decide to release a best (album) at this timing where it’s our 10th year anniversary, instead, just having got to this point naturally. Since we made something with really good content, we have many feelings about wanting everyone to hear it quickly.

──The tracklist was decided by fan-voting this time around.

RINA: That’s right. The members were only told about the results after it was all tabulated, but up till then, we didn’t know how it would be, so we waited in anticipation excitedly. Without thinking, I voted myself too (laughs).

──By the way, what was the song that RINA voted for?

RINA: That’s a bit of a secret (laughs). I was pretty troubled, but the song that I voted for made it onto the album.

Fans Showing Off Their Maniacal Side, Surprising Song Selection

──Were there any song choices that surprised you guys?

RINA: Basically, we all had an idea. We kept thinking,「As expected!」at the song choices. Except, I think if it were up to us, we wouldn’t have included some like「SCANDAL IN THE HOUSE」or「Flashback No.5」. Looking at it, all in all, we would’ve included singles that were more easy to understand.

HARUNA: We were able to kind of feel the maniacal side of our fans. There are also interesting parts like that.

TOMOMI: I was really happy that「Bitter Chocolate」got chosen. This round’s best (album) will be enjoyed together with everyone at our lives, and we anticipated and planned for those songs that would bring about a great call-and-response to be at its center, so I was a bit surprised that such a medium-tempo song that needs to be properly listened to would be included.

RINA: I also have that impression for「Chiisana Honoo」. Since it’s a song that also contains a really important message, I’m really happy that everyone shared the feelings of wanting it to make the best album.

──Having「one piece」on it also reflects the fans’ warm thoughts.

RINA: That’s right! This song was written with the image of us carrying our earliest of dreams, to be sung at our one-man live at the Osaka-jo Hall. I think all of our fans probably knew about the personal history of this song, and voted for it after taking our history into consideration. For that, we’re extremely touched.

A Frequent「Voice (Koe)」At Important Scenes

──Following on, there is「Koe」, which MAMI takes charge of the lead vocals for. It seems that it was ranked No.2.

MAMI: Yes. I’m happy….

RINA: Ahahaha (laughs). Finished? That’s it?

MAMI: It’s not that, but this song wasn’t a single, neither was it a lead song on an album. Yet, many people really liked it.

HARUNA: It’s not like it’s always played at lives either, so isn’t there a feeling of rarity to it? That’s why I think everyone wanted to hear it.

──At last August’s SCAFES (「SCANDAL 10th ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL『2006-2016』」), it was performed.

TOMOMI: It was. It was an important scene that happened (laughs).

MAMI: Looking back, it’s like we’ll definitely play it once every year.

RINA: It’s also an emotional tune eh. I want to play it instantly (laughs).

──By the way, why is it that this song is sung by MAMI?

MAMI: At the start, of course it was planned that HARUNA sing it, but the suggestion popped up from our then director, so it turned out to be a challenge for me.

RINA: At that time, she sent us a voice memo of what it’ll feel like if MAMI were to sing and play it at the same time. That was really great, so we ended up recording it for the album.

MAMI: Ah, that’s right. It happened. That event (laughs). I’m glad that it turned out to be such a well-loved song.

A Love Letter from MAMI in「FREEDOM FIGHTERS」

──New songs are recorded with the best (album), and we also get to properly see SCANDAL at your latest. Firstly, the first song,「FREEDOM FIGHTERS」’s lyrics are written by RINA and composed by MAMI. It’s a powerful number that gets your feelings dancing.

RINA: We created the lyrics first, as a song that places emphasis on 'freedom’. Actually, it was written with the same idea as「Sisters」, which is also included in this album, and was to be worked on similarly, such as having a impressionable title that appealed to the ladies as a supportive song. It’s a way to really gain a huge reaction. For myself, I wrote it to all the comrades out there that are living in our time now, but I had a regret for myself after reflecting upon it, yet「there is no way but to accept it the way it is」. So now, I want to say the same thing to everyone once more. Since it’s a theme that we’re bringing across once again, it’s a big job that was worked on, to a point where I thought「this is nothing short of a life-shortening experience」, but which I’m glad to have written.

MAMI: When it comes to songs, it’s like I was born to guide the rhythm and melody according to the lyrics that RINA has written. For the first time, I felt the slightly unbelievable feelings of,「Ah, such a thing exists」.

──The message in the lyrics were well-delivered in its sound.

TOMOMI: When we received the demo, I thought it was a love letter from MAMI to the rhythmic team (laughs).

MAMI: Ahahaha (laughs). It was intense.

TOMOMI: Since the past, MAMI has spoke of her liking for the rhythmic team, so I always thought that I held huge responsiblity (laughs). It’s unbearable. However, with regards to the tone, it’s a little different from the usual, and it’s been fun recording a more passive tone, something that we like recently. It really strikes me that our liking for (different) sounds have also changed over these 10 years, and it’s good to feel those portions as well.

HARUNA: I too, thought that this was a written challenge from MAMI (laughs). It’s a sound that screams,「You can expect things from me!」. In terms of the melody, it does feel like something that I’m good with, but it was a new way of singing for me this time around.

Made By The Same Duo, Yet A Song With A Completely Different Atmosphere

──And then, the one other new song called,「HELLO」. This was also penned by RINA and composed by MAMI, right?

RINA: Since the best album would hit stores on Valentine’s Day, we wanted to include a Winter love song that everyone can listen to. Although it was created by the same duo, it turned out to be a song that’s of a completely different atmosphere from「FREEDOM FIGHTERS」(laughs). I’m pretty good with this type of lyrics, so it was written without a hitch.

MAMI:: Actually, we had a period in the past where we talked about「making plenty of Winter songs」, and this was a song that was made during the same time as「SUKI-SUKI」, which was included in「YELLOW」. I sent RINA one chorus for the song, and she returned with 2 chorus worth of lyrics, so it was executed very smoothly.

HARUNA: In terms of its content, you’re able to listen to it as a person that’s currently in love, or you can also listen to it as a person that’s sort of remembering a past romance. I’m the latter, so I’m singing it while recalling some bittersweet memories from my high school days.

TOMOMI: I really like songs that are related to seasons. Including「SUKI-SUKI」, we have had an increase in all types of Winter songs lately, and I’m happy about that. I’m generally not great with Winter, but when I think about performing a Winter song, I’m able to end up liking Winter a little more (laughs).

Original article by natalie HERE, translation by fyscandalband. That part about 'Koe’ was especially interesting for me, since we rarely hear Mami chat much about it ^o^