INTERVIEW: ATARASHII GAKKO! Take Us Behind the Scenes of Their New Single
ATARASHII GAKKO! is quite a unique girl group. They wear school uniforms instead of stylish clothing, their choreography is unique and abrasive, and they are dedicated to world conquest. Today, they’re one step closer to taking over the world with “The Edge!,” their brand new hyper-pop track that is acting as the soundtrack to Crunchyroll’s new seasonal trailer.
The group teamed up with Japanese artist and visual designer Fantasista Utamaro for the song’s artwork and for an accompanying visualizer! We had the wonderful opportunity to interview ATARASHII GAKKO! about the song, its composition, and the way they’ve helped spread Japanese culture around the world.
Before you read the full interview, you can listen to “The Edge” here!
Crunchyroll: Hello! Could you please introduce yourself to our readers?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: We are ATARASHII GAKKO!, the four of us, KANON, MIZYU, RIN, and SUZUKA, are self-proclaimed Japanese youth representatives. “Seishun Nihon Daihyou,” that’s what it says on our original socks you see us wearing. As representatives, we share our energy, voice, and passion for life through our performances to connect with the world.
How would you describe your musical style as a group?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: Our musical style is pop-leaning eclectic. We go with music that allows us to express ourselves through movement, so we’re not tied to a particular genre. We love to experiment and see how instinctually we react to the sound and beat.
Visuals are just as much a part of ATARASHII GAKKO! as the music is. What do you think it is about the school uniform aesthetic that appeals to so many people?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: I think it’s because school uniforms, in whichever style, are relatable to just about everyone, even if you didn’t wear one. It tends to represent your youth, conformity, and discipline, which can evoke feelings of nostalgia, comfort, and familiarity.
It also makes us easy to notice “out in the wild” instead of in school. Four Japanese girls in matching uniforms on stage? With self-made eccentric choreography? We are shouting words of encouragement directly at YOU through our art.
Your new single “The Edge” is such an exciting track! Could you tell us a bit about the concept behind the song and how it was written?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: Yes, it’s exciting! Did it make you dance the first time you played it? Because that’s how it came to be. The result was a song with a burst of energy both through the beat and our voices.
What was it like recording “The Edge”? What was the secret to getting such a high energy performance across?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: It was the last thing we recorded in 2022, so we poured all of our energy into it to close out the year. We had such a fun time singing and dancing!
You have had songs with English lyrics before, but “The Edge” is almost entirely in English! What was it like recording a song completely in a different language?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: Honestly, it’s challenging singing in a language none of us speak fluently. Pronunciation is tricky, but feeling the emotions of the foreign words we are uttering is the most challenging part. You need to have a whole lot of trust in the team creating the song with you and extra handholding by the vocal producer so we sound as it should. We love a good challenge, so we had a blast recording it.
“The Edge” is featured as the soundtrack of Crunchyroll’s newest seasonal anime trailer! How did it feel to learn your song would be featured in such an exciting video?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: Ecstatic! We love Crunchyroll from having worked together last year, and now being a part of their trailer is fantastic. Not only that, we love anime too, so it’s overall very exciting.
If there was one feeling or thought you wanted people to come away from “The Edge” with after listening, what would it be?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: I want more!
Anime as well as general Japanese pop culture is becoming more and more popular around the world. How does it feel to be a part of that increasing awareness?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: That is totally AG! Outside Japan, we are often described as real-life versions of anime characters. And our motto is “Seishun Nihon Daihyou,” Youth Representatives of Japan, which is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and pop culture.
Do you have any last message you would like to spread to your fans around the world?
ATARASHII GAKKO!: Seishunites (that’s all of you)! Let’s keep living passionately!
