☆ bmsg ☆

Translated and summarized from SKY-HI's interview series with Nikkei, "Be myself, for ourselves"

Original interview, 126th installment from April 17, 2025


Boss opens this BMFO saying by the time this magazine issue is released (Nikkei interviewed him in February), eddy’s graduation date would be set, and talks about eddy’s “GOODBYE HIGH SCHOOL DAYS” project and new album “Otona ni Nante Naritakunai”. Boss is ready for the worst that there may be a “GOODBYE HIGH SCHOOL DAYS, Part 2” and prays that eddy graduates (eddy did safely graduate high school)

Boss feels like he’s in his second year as a producer, what’s changed is his commitment to producing the soloists: Starting with eddy, then Reiko and Aile the Shota.

Up until now, he believes that solo artists need an environment where they can creat and do what they want – if the environment is in place then the artists will grow naturally. He thought that was what’s best for solo artists since we’re at an age where you never know if something will be successful or not. He thinks that is partially correct, because he wants to raise the probability of success to the max

From boss’s own experience, sometimes after he releases a song he’d go, “Maybe I should’ve done it like x”, solo artists need someone to bounce ideas off with, so he wants to be proactively involved with his solo artists in the production stage and offer suggestions
- Once boss started being aware of that and is proactive, he feels like his own creativity has gone up. Eddy’s “Otona ni Nante Naritakunai” was the first work he was involved in as a producer, and he feels like he made one step further than his usual “consultation” with Shota and made concrete suggestions for improvement

Boss is consciously trying to level up as a producer and he has a rough idea of how to get there so he wants to work hard on it this year
- He’s had opportunities to meet with other producers and talk to them, and from their talks he feels like his feelings towards songs hasn’t changed, in a good way. And he feels like he’s grown in confidence
- With BE:FIRST and MAZZEL, he is able to put into words how and what he wants to produce with them and what works for each of the groups the more he produces for + with them

Now that boss has grown in confidence as a producer and very motivated, he wants to involve the members in production as much as possible and an opportunity for them to grow. Shunto for instance, wrote the lyrics for “Spacecraft”, but has been producing music on his own and boss wants to encourage him to produce more.

Boss thinks to create your own style, you have to at least write 20 - 30 songs.
- Exceptions: Imase, who got a guitar at the age of 20 and had his major debut a year later without any music experience; Kawatani Enon, started writing with his guitar after seeing a live performance by Yura Yura Teikoku

Obviously, if he involves the boys in production, things take 3-4 times longer than if boss was working on it alone, but he wants to give them opportunities to create, and considers it a worthwhile investment in the long run.
- He’s been asking Manato to create a genius top line ASAP
- He wonders if he should create a rule where “Anyone who has completed 10 songs by themselves can participate in production” especially for BE:FIRST, whom he expects some independence
- For MAZZEL, the desire to be involved in production varies among the members, but he thinks it’s what makes MAZZEL great that not everyone wants to participate

Boss has been really seeing Seito’s potential in creativity lately. The melodies he creates is a combination of music he has been listening to. Seito was also producing songs on his own before joining BMSG, so he wants to announce to the boys about the new rule, “You should have at least written 10 songs before participating in production”

eddy is ranked first in terms of creativity by boss. eddy creates melodies and songs that really surprise him

HERO SUIT was produced by boss, but he found Seito, Ryuki and Eiki’s musicality very interesting during the recording process and the session was fun for all of them.
- Eiki’s very persistent – even if everyone else found his take good, he will say he wants to give it another shot one more time. Ryuki might tell him, “But isn’t doing it like this easier?” Eiki would respond saying that he wants to try the more difficult one.
- Boss noticed that Eiki and Ryuki all have motivation and various ideas for melodies they have in mind, so he looks forward to seeing how they do in the future
- Boss thinks creativity grows and develops after listening to a song that’s finished and having regrets of “Aawh, I could’ve done better” so he thinks MAZZEL will continue to grow from here onwards. With all the members participating creatively in RSF, he thinks it’s an interesting EP and a turning point for them.

As for future goals, he hopes to firmly establish the recognition of individual MAZZEL members and their distinctive personalities, not just as a group. Even within BMSG or the array of boy groups out there, MAZZEL’s chaotic and scattered individuality is something boss thinks won’t overlap with anyone else for at least the next ten years. He wants to work hard to spread MAZZEL’s unique qualities and it’s important to establish MAZZEL as an irreplaceable presence.
- RSF is a piece of work boss produced from his growth in confidence as a producer, so he thinks wind will blow in a positive direction. He was intentional about making a song that brings out the chararacters of MAZZEL and “J.O.K.E.R” was that song. Boss is happy that it is such a hit. MAZZEL has a lot of potential so the only thing they can do now to get the world to discover+understand them is to do their best in creativity, create good things and put on a good performance.
- MAZZEL has MAZZEL DUO MISSION, and in the fall / autumn Ran is starring in a movie. There are many activities in place for both the group and individual members, boss is really grateful for the opportunities they get.

The general public seems to think that it’s better if members of boy groups appear on dramas or variety shows to make their faces better known, but boss thinks that’s not necessarily the right answer. Even if people are interested he doesn’t think it’s meaningful if the live performances aren’t good. Putting on a good performance is the most important thing and he thinks that’s not going to change in the future.

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