Today I would like to introduce you to a recent discovery in my journey through the wonderland that is Johnny & Associates: Ae! group.
Hailing from the Kansai (west Japan) region, the six member unit was created by Johnny Kitagawa and announced to fans on February 18, 2019, followed by a formal public introduction at the Kansai Johnnys’ Jr. SPRING SPECIAL SHOW that March. Taking their name from the Japanese えぇ (pronounced like “hey” without the “h” and being Kansai dialect slang for “good”), their name literally translates to “good group.” However, as a form of punny wordplay, they included the English letter A to also mean simply and less flatteringly “a group;” which is, in a word, adorable.
As a tribute to their patrons (and fellow Kansai senpai) Kanjani∞, Ae! group is one of the few who regularly play their own instruments as a major component to their image, giving them more of a rock band feel than your typical pop sextet. But don’t be fooled! Like all Johnny’s talent these guys are multifaceted and can sing, dance, and act as good as any of their peers. Though their style may be a little on the wild side, they always conduct themselves with a humble, self-deferential comedic through-line that is typical of the Kansai/Osaka region; something that shines through in everything they do.
Let’s meet the guys!
Despite being a relatively newer Junior unit, Ae! group’s dedication, hard work, and unmistakable talent has helped them accrue a comparably robust original song tracklist featuring hits like “Firebird,” “PRIDE,” “Stray dogs,” and more. But their musical skills aren’t just for show, as they also have a few self-produced numbers in their repertoire including “神様のバカヤロー” (“God’s Own Idiot”) and “ボクブルース” (“My Blues”) with lyrics by Ken Kojima and melody by Masaya Sano. Masaya Sano also wrote and composed the song “ストーリぃ！” (Storyy!), which was the theme of their recent group stage play “Gachi de Neverending Story.”
Now, for the COOLEST thing in the world!!
I was lucky enough to get the chance to ask Ae! group some exclusive questions centered around their recently completed national concert tour!
As a group, what do you consider your greatest strength when on stage?
Sano: Our voices. It differs from when we’re singing or speaking, but each of our voices has a distinct personality. When we’re singing, whether it’s one of our songs or a song from one of our senior groups, it becomes our own. It’s the same for the variety shows. Seiya has a very unique personality when it comes to variety shows. Because our voices are so distinct, you can tell which one of us is speaking, even if you’re just listening to the radio – and since there are six of us, the range is pretty wide.. I think it’s the same for all idol groups, but maybe especially with us.
When it comes to PRIDE – what does the song mean to you?
Masakado: Even though some of us have been around for a lot longer than other Juniors, we still have a hungry spirit, restless to do even more. It’s all about making a bright future for ourselves as a group, and if you’ve followed our story for a while, you know this is a core part of our background – like our fans who have been there since our beginning. PRIDE is a song about passionately pursuing the future with a hungry spirit – even when everything around you is going up in flames. I like its honest and explicit side, in a good way, and it’s a song that is a good representative of Ae! group. Even if it is sung by others, it is okay, but I don’t know if it would resonate the same way? It might sound like I’m looking at it from an outside perspective, but that’s how the song makes me feel.
Fukumoto: It was the first time that each of us took a role while focusing on one thing and showed a new way of presenting our music. At the time, it was new for us. I didn’t have any bass experience, and it was very difficult. But, I wanted to show my strength and versatility as an idol, so I tried to show my movements while looking and moving more jagged and rough than I had in the past. I did a shoot for a fashion magazine today, and a staff member who had seen our live performance said that the bass part of “PRIDE” was really good and that’s why he wanted to work with us, and hearing those kinds of stories always makes the challenge worth it. Also, I’m happy that it resonates not just with our female fans but the men too. It’s a challenging song that presents new possibilities for everyone.
Richard: I did the rap part, so I didn’t move as much as everyone else. It’s not a type of song I sing all the time, nor do I play an instrument on this song. It’s a song that made me think again about how I present myself. While rapping, as it’s filled with strong words, I feel like I’m saying them to myself. It’s a song that sticks with me every time we perform it. I love it because I can feel the passion rising with everyone while playing this song.
Sano: “PRIDE” was a great challenge. Until that song, most of the songs we would sing were pretty easy to follow. I knew how the drum part should go as soon as I first heard them. But when I heard the drums for “PRIDE” on the demo, I couldn’t follow it by hearing alone. So I asked the agency staff to get me the sheet music, and then I practiced. Two-bass, twin pedals, bass drum with the left foot, practicing constantly all by myself. I didn’t think I could play this kind of song, but now I can relax and play it comfortably. It’s a part of me now. Everyone is always going through something difficult in their lives, and I can feel that we are helping one another while performing “PRIDE” – uplifting each other. During “PRIDE,” we make a lot of eye contact with our audience and each other. It’s a Johnny’s performance, but it’s not like a typical Johnny’s performance. It is a rare and important song to us and our fans.
Kojima: We did 44 performances in the recent concert tour, and we played this song dozens of times, almost 100 I think. The expression changes every time, from intense to gentle to playful. It’s the same for playing instruments. I myself play the piano and keyboard, and every time I wonder if it is better to have gentle nuances, or to be strong right from the beginning. I think it will become one of the group’s representative songs as we continue to grow.
Suezawa: The original demo title was “Take Me Back”, but in the end, Tadayoshi Okura (Kanjani∞) changed it to “PRIDE.” It’s got a meaning that resonates as Ae! group sings this song, and Okura told us that if we could do this song perfectly, we would start a sort of revolution within Johnny’s. It’s a song to enable us to make our mark, so it’s an important song that I want to make great.
Thanks to the devotion of international fans, an increasing number of your videos are available with subtitles in English, Chinese, Thai and more, allowing even more international fans to get to know your music and variety personalities. What do you want these new fans to know about Ae! group?
Kojima: We are a group that always meets a challenge head-on with all our might. We think about it, but then we barrel through the obstacles in ways even the strongest Pokémon wouldn’t do! We’re a JPOP band that sings, dances, and we do variety shows. It’s probably something you’re not used to seeing overseas, like playing an electric current game where we purposefully shock ourselves. Even that was something I hit head-on, ramming through the discomfort, and you can see it all on YouTube! And as for performances, we hit every performance with everything we’ve got, and I’m really happy that so many of them can be seen on the Junior channel. I hope we can become a group that transcends music and takes on the entire world of entertainment as the next generation of Johnny & Associates.
I for one, cannot wait to see where this group goes. So, you can expect more Ae! group and other exclusive Johnny & Associates content soon so…
Stay Tuned!
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