[JO1] Hominis 210827

https://hominis.media/category/musician/post7864/ (Link unaccessible from overseas)

JO1’s Kawashiri Ren and Mamehara Issei challenging choreographing!
“The underlying theme was decided by Mame”.

JO1 is a global boys group formed by 11 people passing the audition program “PRODUCE 101 JAPAN”. They charm their fans with high level performances and started in summer this year “PROCESS JO1” where they take up new challenges in order to be active world wide.
“PROCESS JO1” is one type of videos which are published on JO1’s official YouTube channel, and it shows the process of them thinking and acting by themselves. It not only shows their improvement in singing and dancing, but also improvements in other angles like deepening their teamwork by having fun together and you can get to know their real side as they attend their meetings in hats and masks.
A special version of the videos featuring unaired footage is broadcasted on TBS Channel 1 on the last Sunday each month. In the 2nd episode on August 29th (Sunday), they will challenge themselves to make a dance cover of “Odo” for which the choreography and direction was planned by Kawashiri Ren and Mamehara Issei. In addition, along with the first broadcast (of the cover dance) the production process of the tour goods and the shooting of the music video “STAY” which was shot by the members themselves will be broadcasted.

This time, Kawashiri Ren and Mamehara Issei talked about their thoughts regarding the creation of the cover dance and the change in the nature of the relationship with the other members.

How was the recording of the cover dance that you directed on your own?
Ren: From the choreography of the dance to the camera allocation we discussed everything with the members, so it was a lot of fun.
Issei: Before I hadn’t gotten the opportunity to think of a choreography for 11 people, so while telling my own opinion and relying on Ren-kun I think we made something good.

Was there something you kept in mind in the process of creating the choreography?
Ren: This time, Mame thought of the underlying theme.
Issei: That’s right. I wasn’t able to contribute much to the choreography, so instead I decided on our theme. The first half of the dance portrays us before we became JO1 and while experiencing things that swallow us up, we become JO1 in the end. I thought of a choreography and formation that swallows one up in the group and at the end it’s the very first position of the debut song. When you just see the last part of the video, you might think “Mugendai (INFINITY)” begins.

How long did it take to make the cover dance?
Ren: Actually, we thought about it for about 3 days. That is about the time we took for thinking about each one’s image and choreography and aligning this. Afterwards, we started to practise with the members, but if we count the practise time of the schedule we got earlier, it was a fast speed of 8 and a half hours. We were excited with the members saying “this was so short” (laughs).
Issei: Anyway, I felt that we just focused on it and got it done.
Ren: However we couldn’t practise like always, so the recording time became long (laughs), But, having experienced choreographies, the speed in which we learn it has become shorter than I expected it and there was a part when I felt everyone has grown as we can learn it in such a short time when pushed.

I also heard that you two thought of the costumes, but please tell us the points of those.
Ren: The song has a lot of Arabian and ethnic sounds, so I imagined that we could create a fantasy-like feeling by wearing a black hood in the intro. Also I thought to give the song a Japanese feeling, so I made the costumes more ninja-like. We used various colours for the lightning, so in consultation with the stylist I decided that white would be the best for the clothes.
Issei: I relied completely on Ren-kun for the costumes, but when he consulted with me a bit, I talked about that I hope that the costumes also appeal to people overseas and I felt that these costumes could convey to people that we are a Japanese group and they are what I imagined, so I thought ‘that’s it’!

“PROCESS JO1” shows the process of your growth, but what did you feel when you started?
Ren: Personally I felt once more that I like creating. In the project I create the choreography and the theme song, but it is fun to watch the other members designing the tour goods and I’m very thankful that we got a place to make experiences. I think I’m practicing now in order to create something new myself one day, so I hope to tackle each challenge well.
Issei: In the creation of the goods I drew pictures by hand and there are a lot of things that I made from scratch, so it became also a good experience of creating something while thinking of the fans. I’m always excited to see what interesting things we could create if we pursue it further.

Looking back at your previous activities, did the nature of the relationship with the other members change?
Ren: I feel that we became able to tell the members our opinion more directly. Right after the formation, we kept in mind who is older and who is younger and there were also members who we haven’t talked to in the audition, but now we can talk with each other of course about the performances, but also about something like what we want to eat, so in a good way I feel like we got used to the members.
Issei: I’m not really the type of person who says his opinion, but when I state my opinion from time to time, it usually goes through because everyone is kind (laughs). I’m the youngest, so I feel that everyone looks after me and it makes me really happy that they agree with me. I appreciate it because it conveys that they are looking after me.

Please tell us where you personally want to grow or overcome regarding your future activities?
Issei: I never focused myself on singing, so I often struggled during the activities so far. After all, now I want to polish my singing abilities. For this, I need to be able to express myself, so I watch a lot of things and learn from them and while being taught by the teachers and the members, I want to grow.
Ren: I’ve heard the saying before that “if you want to become first-class, you have to know the first-class”, but the staff involved in the shootings and recordings are all first-class, so I would like to use the time I have to work with pros more hungrily to help me grow. I’m the type who thinks very logically. I often ask questions, but I hope my understanding deepens by asking a lot.

Lastly, please give us a message to JAM who are looking forward to “PROCESS JO1”.
Issei: In “PROCESS JO1” we think first of making it enjoyable for JAM and work hard on it, so I’m happy that you warmly watch us. I hope that we can continue to make enjoyable content.
Ren: The feeling of wanting to meet everyone is the biggest, but especially because we can’t meet, a lot of entertainers are working hard on new things to entertain the fans on SNS, so we are thinking we need to be able to bring things and time that will make you glad that you are supporting JO1. All members want to entertain and we are doing this in a variety of ways, so I would be happy if JAM can receive this feeling.