BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE is made up of 7 multi-talented members, consisting of Ryuta Hidaka, Yoshiyuki Kano, Ryusei Kainuma, Miku Fukahori, Rikiya Okuda, Riki Matsui, and Masahiro Sunada. They have released their latest single, "LAST DANCE NI BYE BYE" on May 22, 2022, and celebrated their 3rd anniversary via Livestream with fans. Check out the music video for "LAST DANCE NI BYE BYE" here.
The group has many exciting things coming up as they aim to become a global group! LDH JAPAN, together with HIGH CLOUD ENTERTAINMENT (Thailand), have signed a partnership agreement to amplify entertainment from Asia to the world through a cultural exchange between Japan and Thailand. BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE will move all activities to Thailand for six months from August 2022 to January 2023. During this time, the band will be working alongside prominent Thai rapper and music producer F.Hero to create explosive entertainment.
KpopWise caught up with the group amid their busy schedule and preparation for their big move for an interview.
Hello! Fans very proud of you and are excited to see performances of "LAST DANCE NI BYE BYE"! Here are some questions fans are curious to know about!
Can you tell us about “LAST DANCE NI BYE BYE”?
Ryuta Hidaka: When we recorded the song, we sang parts that were different from what was originally assigned singing parts to us. Some of the parts were also changed. Everyone in the band can sing, but importantly we want everyone to be able to sing parts that suit them the best.
Yoshiyuki Kano: I was so fired up for the filming of this music video that I bought myself a necklace, but I was so overzealous that the necklace broke during a dance.
Ryusei Kainuma: We created most of our choreography for our previous songs, and also this time around we wanted to show ‘We can dance this much’ and amplify our song with our choreography. We also asked dancers of the same generation to create the choreography with us. Although it is a difficult dance, the song is catchy and it helps to enhance the song visually.
Miku Fukahori: This time around, the song is the most intense dance song I have done. It was very difficult to dance many times in the music video.
Rikiya Okuda: During the music video shoot, there was a shot where we all had to shoot from head to toe. One of the members' shoe soles slipped off and it was caught on the camera during a good part of the shot. It worked out ok as it was cut, so I'm glad it wasn't a problem!
Riki Matsui: The 3 singles recorded this time all have different tastes, but with regard to "WAVIN", it was a song that made me find a new self. We had a lot of discussions in the studio with the staff members and arrived at it.
Masahiro Sunada: Let’s show our dance
skills! That was the theme and thought going into creating this piece. The song
is catchy with a city pop feel, but the lyrics are sad and frustrating, which
makes it actually a very emotionally charged song.
What is an embarrassing childhood memory?
Masahiro Sunada: When I was about nine years old, we had a dance lesson where we had to dance in a circle, one free dance at a time. When it was my turn, I couldn't do anything and I used to cry in the circle!
Do you have any thoughts on visiting the rest of the Southeast Asia countries since you will be in the region?
BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE: We have
been to Malaysia and Indonesia once, so we’d love to see all the local fans and
people we collaborated with again. We would also like to visit Singapore and
the Philippines, which we have never been to!
What are some unforgettable moments you have while performing?
BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE: Our
promotional activity in South East Asia in 2019! After working as BALLISTIK
BOYZ outside of Japan for the first time, we felt the real difficulty of
challenging the world, but at the same time we could feel the possibilities. We
were able to take the first step towards our goal of going global, which has
been our goal since the formation of the group.
Which artists would you love to collaborate with in the future?
BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE: We want to
collaborate with artists from 88rising. We are also interested to see how we
sound like when collaborating with vocals from female artists!
For Team NYC: What states did you visit when you lived in the USA?
Masahiro Sunada: I have been to Los
Angeles, Washington D.C., Nashville and more!
I know Los Angeles best because I spent about two weeks there every summer while I was studying in New York, and I have many great memories of it.
I also have very fond memories of Nashville! love the city, the atmosphere and it’s culture, so it's definitely a place I'd like to go back to.
What are you most excited about doing in Thailand?
BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE: We are excited to start our new journey in this part of Asia, and look forward to meeting new people in Thailand!
Do you have any goals you want to meet by the end of January 2023?
Ryuta Hidaka: We will be heading to Thailand for a project that has recently been announced, so we will not only be based in Japan but also in Thailand. Although I do not know what kind of challenges will await me, this is a big step for us in our quest to go global. I am sure that our overseas fans are looking forward to it, and so are we, Asia.
Yoshiyuki Kano: I am looking forward to the activities we will be doing in Thailand, for the first time in my life for as long as 6 months with 2 groups.
Ryusei Kainuma: We will be in Thailand for 6 months starting from August. This is under a partnership with our management LDH JAPAN and F. Hero’s High Cloud Entertainment (Thailand). The more I imagine it, the more it feels like my dream is expanding, the more excited I get. I’m looking forward to it. But before that, we have a tour in Japan, so I would like to save some energy for our Japanese fans before we head to Thailand. I am looking forward to seeing all of you!
Miku Fukahori: We’ll be in Thailand! We are one step closer to global expansion!
Rikiya Okuda: Going to Thailand will be a chance to show our entertainment and musicality to many people who do not already know us. We hope to make music with many people in Thailand and create new and fun memories with them and let them know how good we are.
Riki Matsui: I am very excited to be able to work not only in Japan but also in Thailand. I am very much looking forward to finally starting something that has been standing still for a long time...I can't help it.
Masahiro Sunada: Our upcoming Thailand project!
What is a message you want to give to your fans?
BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE: We want to thank you for all your warm support! We have missed you all so much because of the COVID’19 pandemic and have not been able to meet you all in person as often as we would have liked.
We are really looking forward to finally starting the Thailand project this year, which will give us more opportunities to meet you all in person. Your presence is a source of energy for us to work hard every day. We will continue to do our best so that we can be your proud group and make your lives as happy as possible through our activities!
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Physical copies of Last Dance Ni Bye Bye on CD JAPAN
We give special thanks to BALLISTIK BOYZ from EXILE TRIBE, LDH JAPAN INC, and Canglo Pte Ltd for the interview!