Girl band Little Glee Monster's latest album "Bright New World" reveals how much the members have matured since their debut.
Released by Sony on Feb. 12, the album includes "I Feel The Light," a song featuring iconic U.S. band Earth, Wind & Fire, and album-opener "Echo," which was used by public broadcaster NHK as the theme song for their Rugby World Cup broadcasts.
Band members Serina, Asahi, Mayu, Karen and Manaka performed the song on NHK's annual New Year music show.
"Echo" played a part in boosting the enthusiasm for rugby that erupted across the country during last year's tournament, featuring lyrics about training camps and friendly rivalry that were a departure from the standard Little Glee Monster repertoire.
"I was happy to hear people say their image of the band had changed [after hearing 'Echo']," Serina said, talking about the song that millions of people across the country would've heard during the Rugby World Cup. "The rugby-themed song started a good chemical reaction."
"We follow the same diets athletes use to manage our physical condition before live performances. It's great to hear athletes saying they listen to our music, because there are parts of what we do that are the same," Manaka added.
"Lots of our fans are working hard juggling school club activities. I hope our songs can be of some help to them," Mayu said.
They recorded "I Feel The Light" in Los Angeles with Earth, Wind & Fire.
"Once, we performed together at a concert and the band members said they wanted to work with us one day. I thought they were just being polite at the time," Manaka said.
During the recording, "They didn't say anything, they just watched each other's eyes [while they were playing] to check if everything was OK," Serina recalled. "They made the song with love."
The culmination of the efforts of a band that last year celebrated its 5th anniversary, the song reveals the full breadth of the group's abilities, combining the dynamic feeling of funk music with playful J-pop melodies.
As for the next 5 years, Asahi said her long-held dream is to perform at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games. Although she's not sure if it will come true, she said she wants "to sing more so that people of all ages will become fans."
"I hope that we'll all have stronger characters," Manaka said,
"Five years from now, we'll still be friends," Serina added, while Mayu revealed something a bit more private: "We'll all be more mature. It would be great if each of us had started our own happy families."
Karen's goal was perhaps the biggest of the bunch: "I want us to be national pop icons," she said.
Fans will be able to experience the appeal of the band's harmonious hits during a nationwide tour slated for late March.
"We want our warm voices to reach the audience from a close distance," Manaka said.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
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