[OWV] Classy 220310

https://classy-online.jp/lifestyle/200696/

My dream is that four of us stand on the stage of the Budokan and the venue is filled with QWV.

The popular boy group “OWV” released their 5th single “You” under the concept of “beginnings” on March 9. In reference to the title track “You”, which depicts the beginning of a new season and new feelings, we asked them about “You” as “rival”, “admiration” and “fans”, as well as “I” (=oneself). As the third one, the main vocalist of OWV, Urano Shuta, appears who emits an unique presence with his carefree nature and high tone voice!

My goal is to become someone who entertains and makes everyone excited

Who comes to your mind when you hear the word “rival”?
Eh? A rival… a difficult question. Didn’t everyone else say “They are their own rival”? (laughs) My rival is Mickey Mouse! This is something surely not one else has answered. I think of Mickey Mouse when it comes to the highest level of entertainment that everyone enjoys. In order to meet Mickey you start preparing the day before and on the actual day you have to stand in line for long and everyone is excited, so I started to wonder whether there was some similarity to me being an artist in the entertainment industry. Still, I’m no match for Mickey.. (laughs) But I’m trying my best so he will acknowledge me as his rival one day!
As a child I often went to Disneyland and DisneySea with my parents, so I have a lot of pictures taken there. I remember wearing the headband and the popcorn case and longing for the next day. I liked Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain a lot and rode those with my father a lot. I said to the members “One day I want to go with you all” and I’m sure it would be fun. I will choose the hair bands / head masks everyone will wear. I think Fumiya gets Gelatoni, Katsu-kun Chip and Honda-kun Mini-chan! (laughs) And I take Pooh-san. Just thinking of it is fun! Although the taste is different I would be happy if OWV’s live shows gives you a similar sense of excitement as going to Disneyland.

Strength and spirit… I admiringly looked at my father’s back full of willpower

Who comes to your mind when you hear the word “admiration”?
My dad. As a guy, I always chased after him. I resemble my mother in looks and personality, so I really admire a strength and spirit like my father has. Once my father decides on something, he sticks to it to a scary degree. I always watched him closely and honestly I thought “he is so cool”. He keeps on doing muscle training for about 10 years and still cherishes the keychain that I gave him as a souvenir from a study trip. When I asked him why, he answered “You said that ‘I should always keep it on‘ when you gave it to me.”.. A keychain from OWV’s merch recently joined it (laughs) Each time, he comes to the shows and he is my biggest fan. I hope to become someone with a strong will like my dad.

My dream is that four of us stand on the stage of the Budokan and the venue is filled with QWV.

Next is about “You” in the meaning of the fans. Please tell us about a feeling or an episode regarding the fans.
We made our debut in the Corona pandemic, so we could hardly have shows with audiences. When we first performed in front of QWV, I felt their warmth and in turn we received power from them. The QWV on the seats conveyed how much they like OWV with their gazes, their hands and how they waved their penlights and they are an unique unreplaceable existence. I feel nothing but gratitude to QWV who always waited for us besides the Corona pandemic making it hard to meet and their own troubles in school or at work. Nowadays I’m simply happy that we can be a part of the life of the fans. I feel we can continue to be active thanks to the fans kindly watching over us, hence I’m here because of QWV. I want to give back to them more and more through the performances and the daily activities of OWV.

Lastly, we would like to ask about I = your current self. Please tell us about your growth and tasks that you experience in your daily life and how you look at the future.
Something I believe I improved at is dancing. Rather than the usual provoking dance of OWV, the title track “You” has a choreography that fits to the soft and refreshing mid tempo ballad. It tests your expressiveness more than the intense songs, which was very difficult and confusing initially. I repeated the practice on my own in a trial and error manner, and when I saw the finished MV I felt that “I might have grown a little”. You could describe the dance of “You” with “whirling”. Also, I continued the muscle training program which I started with the members last summer, so I feel like that this has helped me to improve a bit in regard to my core and dance mobility.
TN: Shuta uses 踊る vs 舞う here, a difference that is hard to bring into English. Both mean dancing but 舞う has a more traditional/elegant feeling.
In fact, back during the debut preparations we set up the goal that “we want to go to the Budokan within two years”. Soon after, however, the pandemic began, and the days continued in which we couldn’t be as active as we imagined, but we aim to get closer to the Budokan little by little in our own way. No matter how long it takes, my dream is that the 4 of us stand on the stage of the Budokan and later the Dome and the venue is filled with QWV. Everyone please wait for us, because we will take you to the Budokan and Dome!

One phrase is loaded with feelings. The special point of the new song “You”

Please tell us about your recommendation and your favourite part of the single.
Just like I mentioned earlier, you could rather describe the dance of the title track “You” as “whirling”. The second chorus is my absolute favourite! I hope you will enjoy the freshness of a choreography that OWV has never shown before and we also do a dance challenge on Tiktok, so i hope you will dance it with us. It is our first mid tempo ballad, so I was initially unable to imagine how it would turn out, but it turned into a song everyone can sing along to.
In the lyrics there is the phrase “Colourful My days Each time the moon and sun pass” and in this phrase my way of singing changes. During “Colourful My days” I sing gently, remembering what has happened so far. On the contrary, during “Each time the moon and sun pass” I sing with strength with the feelings and passion for the next step. I hope you will listen to the song while paying attention to this.

Were there any memorable events or small incidents during the creation process of the 5th single?
You might be tired to hear about this but… (laughs) it was raining on the day of the MV shooting again. It had become such a refreshing MV, but there was a downpour outside. There must be a rain guy among the members. I think it’s Katsu-kun and not me (laughs). Despite having sunny weather each time we have a live concert, we have no luck with the weather on the days of MV filmings. But I won’t ask for much because it’s better to have sunny weather on the performance days! Because I would end up worrying about attending QWV if the grounds were slippery. It was planned from the start to shoot inside, so it was a close call. This was because we shoot during the New Year’s holidays and we would have frozen in the spring costumes if we had filmed outside. For the time being, let me explain why Katsu-kun is the rain guy. Because he is devastatingly handsome (literally = dripping with rain). Didn’t I say something great? (laughs)
TN: Rain guy/girl = someone who seems to attract the rain no matter where they go