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| Wolf Howl Harmony members; (c) LDH |
Meet WOLF HOWL HARMONY of EXILE TRIBE, the sensational group that roared to life from the fierce Japanese survival show, iCON Z. Out of an astonishing 48,000 hopefuls, GHEE and Hiroto emerged as the champions, showcasing their unmatched talent and unyielding determination. This electrifying group also includes Ryoji and Suzuki, whose incredible vocal skills from the famed chorus group DEEP SQUAD add a dynamic layer to the mix. These four artists united in the competition's second chapter, forming an unstoppable blend of talent that's ready to take over the music world.
WOLF HOWL HARMONY isn't just a name; it's a story of unity and strength. Like lone wolves finding their pack, these artists have come together to create a harmony that's as powerful as it is unique.
Greeting from WHH
KW: Hi, WOLF HOWL HARMONY! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat with us. Before we dive in, could you please introduce yourselves to our KpopWise readers?
RYOJI: I am RYOJI, the leader of WOLF HOWL HARMONY! I am the leader of the group, but I like to be free and have a mischievous side, so I need a lot of help from the members and everyone in LOVERED (WHH’s fandom)! I am mainly good at mid, low, and rap in group songs! I want to spread Wolf's music to the world through music with emotion in my voice! I have learned to play soccer since I was younger and I am especially good at soccer! Please support us.
SUZUKI: I’m SUZUKI, WOLF HOWL HARMONY's all-rounder!
GHEE: I am GHEE from WOLF HOWL HARMONY. I rap and sing vocals. My roots are in Brazil and my favorite anime is Pokemon. I like Pokemon so much that I always wear Pikachu earrings.
HIROTO: My name is HIROTO of WOLF HOWL HARMONY! My last name is Kutsuno, which is unusual, and I have a nickname "Kukku" from it! Please remember it!
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| RYOJI |
KW: Fantastic! Let’s keep the good vibes rolling and talk about your latest single, "Pink Flash Lights." Can you share the inspiration behind the song? What emotions are you trying to convey, and what’s your favorite thing about it?
RYOJI: In the course of thinking about expressing our group color of "recklessness and hardwork," many of the members shared the idea of "youth for life," and after talking about it during the production meeting, many ideas were born, and we decided to release the song as a trilogy. The first one, "Pink Flash Lights," focuses on spring, the season associated with the most encounters and partings in Japanese culture, which has four seasons, as well as the moment of love at first sight and the color pink, which is the color of cherry blossoms in spring. I hope you can share our desire to express the lightning-like shock that runs through your head by focusing on the moment when you fall in love with a person, thing, or thing that everyone has experienced. My favorite part of this song in particular is the like a Titanic part! Like the famous scene in one of my favorite movies where Jack hugs Rose from behind, I sang this song while trying to express the world of the blindness of the moment of love at first sight and the strange feeling of being in a world that is only for two people!
SUZUKI: This song is the first of a trilogy of songs based on the theme of youth, and lyrically and sonically expresses the feeling of being struck by lightning when you fall in love at first sight, and the feeling of excitement and thrill when everything you see turns pink. Let's be young together! I love the fresh atmosphere and choreography of this song!
GHEE: The concept of this song is love at first sight, and the song expresses the shock of being struck by pink lightning after falling in love at first sight. What I like about this song is not only the sound, but also the lyrics "hugging you from behind like the Titanic," which I especially like because of the playfulness in the song.
HIROTO: This is the first song in our coming-of-age trilogy, which is the theme of the songs we will be releasing. We have tried to express the feeling of pink lightning flowing through our bodies that happens when we fall in love at first sight, through our music. The song is fast-paced and the lyrics are catchy! Please listen to it when you are in high spirits, or on the other hand, when you are feeling down! We will give you a push! My favorite part is the lyric I sing, "I can't tell you how much I love you in just two words," which seems like an obvious statement, but when you think about it deeply, it is a very thought-provoking lyric.
KW: The song is incredibly upbeat and fun—the music video was a delight to watch! Are you planning to continue exploring this genre, or are there other styles you're excited to experiment with in the future?
RYOJI: We are making music with the theme of "emotional and modern”. I hope that people who listen to our music will feel more bare emotions, and although this is a cutting-edge era, and I believe that we live in a world where we can get a lot more information easily, it’s important not to forget to get absorbed in one thing and be enthusiastic about it! I hope to make music with the message "Music is awesome!” It is convenient to have so much information, but in a way, I think it is because we live in the modern age. That is why music is our top priority. In terms of style, all members have grown up listening to many different genres of music, so as long as the theme is youth for the rest of our lives, we would like to take a variety of approaches regardless of genre. Personally, I like HIP HOP and R&B, but I also grew up listening to reggae, ROCK, and techno beats, so I will do my best to convey everyone's emotions at that time.
SUZUKI: Of course this genre is good, but I would also like to challenge myself with songs that have a strong HipHop element or a strong R&B element. Also, I have the impression that this song is a refreshing up-tempo song, but I would like to work on a more powerful up-tempo song.
GHEE: There are still many genres we would like to try. Each member has a different voice, a different genre of music that they have listened to, and a different specialty. One member specializes in rock music, another is more talented in hip-hop, another one in pop, and another in in R&B, etc. Each member has his own specialty, so I hope that we will be able to create something interesting in the future, such as having a different main vocalist for each song.
HIROTO: Thank you very much. Each one of us has had a completely different life up to now, so we have different personalities, different ways of singing, and different music we have listened to, and I think we will be able to challenge ourselves with more and more different genres of music!
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| HIROTO |
KW: Speaking of the music video, what was your favorite part of filming "Pink Flash Lights"? Any memorable moments you'd like to share?
RYOJI: I have never been able to go somewhere in a car with just the four of us, so I was really excited to see what it was like! I thought, "I've never been in a car with just the four of us, so this is what it's like!" I also thought that I would like to do a drive somewhere with just the four of us as a future idea!
SUZUKI: There is a scene where we are all in a car acting in front of a screen, and it was fun to feel as if we were lost in another world.
GHEE: I had the opportunity to ride in the car in the music video with everyone and take pictures. I used to work for a car company, so it was a very exciting and fun time for me because I love cars.
HIROTO: I love the part where we drove around in the vintage BMW! I was very happy to feel as if the four of us were really childhood friends during the music video shoot!
"We are happy if everyone enjoys our music, and we are happy if we can move people's hearts even a little through our music. [...] Our desire has never changed since we were formed, and it will never change."
KW: Reflecting on your journey as a group formed from the survival show iCON Z how do you feel you’ve grown as artists from that moment to now?
RYOJI: The first thing that has changed is my awareness of the importance of the spirit of singing. Music is only complete when there is someone who listens to it, and that is why it is still a challenge for me to sing each word with emotion, but I feel that I am getting better and better at it. I am still learning to sing wholeheartedly, and I will continue to put my heart and soul into my singing!
SUZUKI: Since that time, I have grown in many areas in terms of skills, including dance, but most importantly, my mindset when on stage has changed.
GHEE: First of all, my musha shugyou training has enabled me to cope with various types of bad weather and poor acoustics. Also, I am now able to turn on the switch when I go on stage as an artist, and although I was sometimes nervous at first, I am now able to enjoy the stage. In the area of singing, I think I am able to express nuances better than before because I have done many recordings.
HIROTO: I was never very good at public appearances, but I loved singing. I used to get nervous easily when I sang in front of others, but thanks to this audition, I was able to find courage and confidence in myself!
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| GHEE |
KW: Your debut in August 2023 was met with massive success with you taking home the Rising Star Award Presented by YOKOHAMA at MTV VMAJ 2023 just months after. And this year, your single "Frozen Butterfly" not only topped the charts but also garnered millions of views and reached #9 on Billboard Japan. What motivates you to keep pushing the boundaries and delivering your best performances?
RYOJI: It is the presence of everyone in LOVERED. We are happy if everyone enjoys our music, and we are happy if we can move people's hearts even a little through our music. I believe that I can overcome anything with you all, and even if the obstacles are huge, I can do my best even when I'm having a hard time because I truly believe that I can overcome them with you all. There is no other better space like this, and I am determined to go on a big stage with everyone in LOVERED. Our desire has never changed since we were formed, and it will never change.
SUZUKI: We still have a long way to go, but the fans who follow us and the staff who support us from close by have been a great source of strength. I am determined to stay strong because of them, and I would like to repay them in many ways. I would like to grow even more and deliver even more wonderful things to everyone.
GHEE: I have a dream of performing overseas in the future, so I am motivated by the fact that I am pursuing my dream to make it come true, and my family is also my biggest motivation. My family has always been there for me when I was at the bottom of my musical career, and I am motivated not only to repay them, but also to pay off the mortgage on my family’s house. Last but not least is meeting fans. Every time I see them, my greatest motivation is that I want to stand on a bigger stage and create the best space with them.
HIROTO: I am very happy to know that all LOVERED who support us come to support us in person every day, and even those who cannot come spread the word on social media, and that they are working as if it were their own! I would like to continue working for as long as there are those who support me!
KPOPWISE: Looking ahead, what are some of the goals your group wants to accomplish this year? Are there any exciting projects or milestones you’re aiming for?
RYOJI: Our goal is to have our first album and a solo live show. Please look forward to our upcoming activities.
SUZUKI: I want to deliver a lot of the best music to everyone, release an album, and give solo performances. I would also like to send out music from Thailand and the rest of Asia to the world.
GHEE: This year we want to do a lot of live performances and establish our own color. We would like to find a style that only we can do, as well as the songs that only we can write. It is our dream to perform abroad in the future, so we would like to actively study foreign languages.
HIROTO: In order for us to stand out among the many boy groups in the world, I think we definitely need something unique, and I would like to create a character that can be recognized at a glance!
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| SUZUKI |
KW: What advice would you give to newer or younger groups trying to make a name in the music industry?
RYOJI: We ourselves are still inexperienced, and I think most of you aren’t familiar with us yet, but if you believe in yourself, appreciate others, and keep pushing forward, you will definitely get a chance someday! It is up to you to recognize the opportunities and seize them with your own hands, even when various waves hit you! We are just beginning, so let's work together!
SUZUKI: We still have a long way to go, but I think we just have to keep going and never give up. If you do it until you win, you will not lose!
GHEE: I think it is important to believe in yourself and never compromise on your dreams, no matter how hard it is.
HIROTO: It is important to follow best practices, but there are many areas where we feel that it is not enough to just do the same things as others, so we feel that if we improve ourselves more, we will definitely be able to experience more things as well.
KW: Lastly, do you have any messages for your fans and those who are just discovering WOLF HOWL HARMONY? What can we look forward to next from you?
RYOJI: Thank you for this wonderful interview! And to all of our fans who have always supported us, thank you for everything! We are very happy to have this opportunity to talk about our music overseas, as we have been saying since our debut that we want to bring our music to the world, and we hope to bring our music to more and more people in Japan and abroad. Please keep your eyes on us! We'll be counting on your support! Thank you very much for this valuable opportunity!
SUZUKI: First of all, you can look forward to the three songs of the youth trilogy coming together! We hope to bring you music like never before! Let's experience youth together, no matter how old you are!
GHEE: Thank you for your continued support. We will continue to pursue our music and entertain you so that we can grow even bigger and provide you with the best entertainment possible.
HIROTO: Thank you so much to everyone at LOVERED for always supporting us! We will do our best so that you can say with confidence that we are the best artists. Please continue to support us in our inexperience!
*answers were translated from Japanese.
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Stay tuned for WOLF HOWL HARMONY’s latest single, "Love Triangle," set to be released on June 17, 2024.
Thank you for reading our interview with WOLF HOWL HARMONY! We extend our gratitude to LDH for trusting KpopWise to introduce this incredible group to our readers. Be sure to follow WOLF HOWL HARMONY and KpopWise on your favorite social media platforms!
WHH on Instagram: @wolf_howl_harmony
WHH on X: @WOLFHOWLHARMONY
WHH on TikTok: @wolf_howl_harmony
WHH on Youtube: @wolfhowlharmony
What did you think of the interview? Let us know @kpopwise!