Interview with m-flo and HIROOMI TOSAKA

Hip-hop and dance unit m-flo will return as a performer for OTAQUEST LIVE at The Novo in Los Angeles on July 3rd. Ahead of the event, the trio share their thoughts about their reunion and latest songs. 

LISA, what are your thoughts and feelings about your return to m-flo after so long?

LISA: Well, I haven’t really considered it to be such a long time frame until I actually came back. We always kept in touch and they always invited me back to their concerts to keep performing our songs. I haven’t really felt that that kind of connection was ever lost. They were always inviting and welcoming and we kept doing what we do. Even during our time apart, we always kept in touch and had the desire collaborate and keep making music.

Now that you’re a trio again, how have your work dynamics changed? Did you find it easy to get back into the groove again as a group?

LISA: The groove was always there. We connect thru music, and it was very fast for us. It didn’t take much for us to click when it comes to music. And doing what we do, R&B or hip-hop and our style of music, the way we make music doesn’t really change. What you listen to and what ☆Taku brings to the tracks of whatever he is inspired by … you have to mold yourself to make it fit to how m-flo sounds now. In those ways, I listen to ☆Taku a lot. I think we're still pushing borders and challenging listeners. I think I'm just listening to ☆Taku more now.

VERBAL: It’s been 15 years since LISA’s departure and return to the group, so we all gained lots of new experiences under our belts and definitely have more appreciation for one another, making her comeback that much more exciting. But since we’ve been in the game for so long, we needed to get back in the zone with fresh ears and minds, remembering when we geeked out in ☆Taku’s house recording demos for days for the first album Planet Shining. We needed to “unlearn” lots of preconceived notions and knowledge we gained over the years, which were preventing us from getting loose and being experimental.

What’s the biggest difference between the music made by just ☆Taku and VERBAL versus the music made by the three of you?

VERBAL: We all have our individual forte, but when all three of us are together there’s definitely magic in the room. All of us have very distinct and different flavors, but for some reason we all create synergy, and it’s something we can do only when it’s the three of us. When we did the m-flo loves series, it was new energy for every song. If m-flo was a brand, m-flo loves was not the regular collections, but collaborations, drops, and pop-ups. The direction of the songs were obviously contingent on the artist we were working with, and there were many discoveries we wouldn't have made had we worked only on our own.

What would you say makes the tripod e.p.2 stand out from the tripod e.p.?

LISA: I don’t know what stands out and what doesn’t. We just make it, create it. I for one don’t look so far out to see where music can take us because I always believed it was the listener that would take us to the next level. What music stands out is ultimately for our fans to decide.

☆Taku: It’s interesting. It’s the same groove, but totally different.

VERBAL: I don’t think it necessarily stands out more than the tripod e.p., but the tripod e.p.2 was more of a message through its title, that the original three are back again with the same recipe for the long-awaiting fans.

What’s the message you want to convey through never? How was this song conceptualized?

LISA: Well never is never. It’s a very melodic ballad that we composed. The offer came thru a movie project and we had quite a lot of music that we gave to the producers to consider but they chose never. That sat well with us too. We had a lot in our pockets but I guess never fit what they needed and it also fit well with us. We felt we were ready to release this ballad.

VERBAL: It was ultimately a communication between LISA and ☆Taku and myself. When she was writing the song, her lyrics gravitated towards her regret in leaving the group. Not to sound cheesy, but it was like a letter written to us, and we were reciprocating through music by letting her know that there was always a place for her waiting.

What emotions and thoughts were you filled with as you created No Question?

LISA: ☆Taku’s track was just fantastic. It was just crazy good. When I heard it I was just like, “What?!” I make music in Guam a lot because it’s like my inspired place. So I just took myself there right away. It didn’t take me long before things just flowed. Some big spirit or whatever made this melody just come out and believe it or not words came out of it too. So, I already had “You’re the only love no question.” Already had that phrase from the very beginning. Props to ☆Taku for his vision on this track.

VERBAL: It’s essentially a love song, but it was also a cry to let loose, to get in the zone “our way”, no matter what people around us tell us.

Why did you give Piece of me an 80’s vibe?

VERBAL: We wrote it for a movie/TV drama series called “Prince of Legend”, and the soundtrack consisted of 80s cover tracks, which we produced as well.

epic is about digital love, face-to-face interactions and being greatly in love. What prompted you to create a song about these themes? What can you tell us about the creative process for this song?

LISA: epic is actually a very simple tune. It’s very m-flo from all directions when it comes to the track, from the top line, the lyrics, the rap. Everything is traditional m-flo style, which I really like. Because it's just so us. This epic theme came from ☆Taku. He wanted me to work on that word and concept and bring something from it. But I didn’t really dig deep because, I mean, how do you with something that is “epic?” (laughs) We just wanted to make the track sound like us. We just kept it really true to our style and sound.

What are your thoughts and feelings about your upcoming performance at OTAQUEST? What do you want to communicate to your fans through your OTAQUEST performance?

LISA: We're very excited to perform at this show again. ☆Taku has put a lot of time and effort into making this concert come about. I love and support my brother for that and give him many thanks for letting us get out of Tokyo and perform in the US. That has always been our dream. Big props to Taku and what he's bringing to m-flo. I'll always do my best and give all I can. That's what I do too. We're very excited and waiting for all of you guys to come see us!

VERBAL: Last year was a blast, and so we’re excited to be back! ☆Taku always told me about the anime conventions and how hyped they were, but we weren’t sure how it was going to turn out, especially because it was our first time performing in the US. But I was surprised to find that over 90% of the audience were non-Japanese from the US, who knew our music! I realized then that music is universal, no matter the language.

Please leave a message for JaME readers.

LISA: Thanks so much to all the readers. We give thanks to everyone that digs our music and supports m-flo. Always take care of yourself and thanks for loving music. Music is energy and love. Please keep loving it and love us too!

VERBAL: We’re planning to perform at many of the anime events and festivals, so come check us out when we’re in your town! Check us out on our Instagram/Twitter for upcoming shows!

Actor, solo artist, vocalist and photographer HIROOMI TOSAKA released his first solo single WASTED LOVE in 2017 and put out his latest single SUPERMOON this April. He will be making his debut North American live performance at OTAQUEST LIVE on July 3rd.

In terms of music, what’s the biggest difference between your solo work and your work in Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE? Do you express a different side of yourself as a solo artist or is your solo work an extension of who you are in Sandaime J SOUL BROTHERS from EXILE TRIBE?

HIROOMI TOSAKA: I believe there are differences in sound and the performance we show and express.

From the past to the present, what type of music influenced you the most as an individual? How do you reflect such influence in your sound?

HIROOMI TOSAKA: I think I was influenced by hip-hop and R&B in the 1990s! I reflect such influence in group music and solo music and express it as J-pop.

You’ve worked with Afrojack on several songs. How was it like working with him? What does he bring to your music?

HIROOMI TOSAKA: Afrojack is my friend as well as a comrade. He creates music as one of the top DJs in the world, and his great ideas and creativity brought out my talent through the production of the album with him.

Why did you continually use the moon as the theme for your latest solo releases? Even your clothing brand is moon related. Does the moon hold some special significance for you?

HIROOMI TOSAKA: "Moon" has been the word people used as a metaphorical example for me, and it’s been a big theme, so I believe it's very special to me.

What are your thoughts and feelings about performing live in North America for the first time? What do you want to communicate to your fans through your OTAQUEST performance?

HIROOMI TOSAKA: It's going to be my first live performance overseas and I believe this is going to be a great chance to show my sound and performance to fans in different cultures. And I want to show my own color as a solo artist.

Please leave a message for JaME readers.

HIROOMI TOSAKA: I want to bring the world and sound of an artist who has been working in Japan to the performance, so please look forward to the performance!

JaME would like to thank m-flo, HIROOMI TOSAKA, OTAQUEST and MediaLab PR for the interview opportunities.