At PMX this last November, JrockRevolution.com had a chance to share an exchange with idol duo Papillon. Enjoy!

Please introduce yourselves.

Nagi: From looking at the stage, I’m on the left, Nagi.

Miri: And I’m on the right side, Miri.

Can you tell a little about how Papillon formed?

Nagi: I began activities first as an idol, but then I ended activities with my previous partner, and then I invited my friend, Miri to join me.

What encouraged your decision to become idols?

Nagi: We used to go to lives quite often, and I wondered what it would be like to be up there on stage performing, at first. Then I came to see how fun it is to be on stage and having fun with the audience and I’m continuing that decision because of that

Did you always want to be idols? Was there something that you were interested in doing during your childhood?

Nagi: I never thought about becoming an idol, but I liked anime a long time ago and so I wanted to become a voice actress. I did go to a school for voice acting for a little while, but I wasn’t able to become a voice actress, so I started doing covers of anime songs and that’s what led me to where I am now.

Would you still be interested in being a voice actress?

Nagi: Ah, I really want to do it!

Miri: A long time ago, I really liked western clothes, so I wanted to become a clothing sales clerk. I went to fashion school and while doing that I worked as a sales clerk for a couple years and I used to take piano lessons as well and I was interested in music but I never thought about being an idol. Being here like is a very mysterious feeling.

You two were able to do fashion modeling at your concert from the night before, do you see yourselves doing that in the future, or would you like to?

Miri: Yes, I really would like to do it again.

Nagi: It was our first time doing it, and it was a real learning experience. If I get another opportunity, I would definitely like to do something like that again.

What do you think is a best thing about being an idol?

Nagi: Most definitely doing concerts. I like seeing the audience’s happy faces and having fun with them. I receive power from them and it makes it even more fun and exciting for me to experience that.

Miri: There’s a lot of interesting people that come to our concerts and I like to see their smiling faces and I just really love performing.

How about the most difficult thing? What is a challenge about being an idol?

Nagi: Contrary to Japan, where there are people who know us, it’s difficult to perform in front of a new audience where they don’t know who we are, like last night’s concert.

Miri: It’s difficult to perform in a new place even in Japan, and so we get nervous and it makes it more difficult to MC.

Well, you did a very good job last night.

Both: Oh thank you very much!

Nagi: We were very nervous…

Can you describe the process when developing and promoting new releases; is there a focus on the music and your appearance, styling, or any other combination?

Nagi: The music is written by someone else, and we write the lyrics. Once everything is put together, we work on the songs by performing them at shows and sort of practice them with the audience to create the right feeling.

How about the overall style and look? Even though we saw you wearing Hangry&Angry at the concert, is there any particular style you wear on stage when they are performing?

Miri: We always wear costumes that match with our songs

Nagi: We change our costumes according to the lyrics or the theme of the music

Specifically last night, you wore H&A, is that something you would normally wear?

Nagi: We used to have something similar, but this is the first time we wore Hangry and Angry

Miri: We used to have costumes from the same company, h.NAOTO. And I liked the style of the clothes, so I would wear it a lot.

Which brands?

Miri: Just all of h.NAOTO, I stopped wearing it before it got really popular with people who liked Visual Kei. I used to wear it before most people knew about it.

Are there any particular styles that you generally feel comfortable in or enjoy wearing?

Nagi: Sweats. (laughs)

Miri: Just generally, right? Skirts, like really cute and frilly kinds of clothes.

Nagi, you are a producer of Cure color treatment and extensions, yes? Why did you decide to produce them?

Nagi: Since it was a company that produces Visual Kei things, and Visual Kei fans like to do things like changing their hair color, I thought about trying out different kinds of styles that idols wear and introduce that, so that’s why I decided to make them.

Have you thought about producing any other beauty products?

Nagi: I want to produce eyelashes.

We will be looking forward to that.

(group laughter)

Miri, would you be interested in producing anything?

Miri: Yeah, I really want to try it.

What kinds of things?

Miri: Something involved with clothes like coordinates. Like a stylist.

What did you think of the concert and audience from last night?

Nagi: At first, I couldn’t see the audience’s faces, so that made me a little nervous. And even though it was a completely new audience, they raised their hands for us and went along the ride with us, which made me very happy.

Would this be your first time attending a convention?

Nagi: I came to a convention before in July, by myself and I haven’t really done anything else besides that.

As an idol?

Nagi: Yes, I did a concert.

Is there a reason why Miri didn’t attend?

Nagi: It was a bit of a sudden decision for me to go, and there were no real plans to perform so I went as staff and I somehow had the chance to perform.

Even though you are idols and have a pop sound, would there are other types of music you would like to try?

Both: Like rock style.

Like something from Visual Kei artists? Or American rock artists?

Nagi: Yes, more masculine kind of songs that guys would be able to enjoy.

We will look forward to that the next time you come here.

Both: We will do our best.

(Group laughter)

Since you have a strong emphasis on style and fashion, do you listen to any Visual Kei bands in particular?

Nagi: We used to go to Visual Kei concerts a lot, so we were very influenced by Visual Kei.

You shared the stage with Uchuusentai Noiz, how does that compare to a normal show for you, since idols typically perform by themselves?

Nagi: I have performed with a band before in LA, there didn’t seem to be any exclusiveness, like only girls will see guy performers or vice versa. I really liked that.

Miri: I felt the same with how there was no separation between boys and girls even though there was a Visual Kei band and there was no discrimination, so I would like to more concerts like that.

Will we be expecting your return anytime soon?

Both: If we are able to, we want to.

Please leave a message for your fans

Nagi: Papillon is an indies idol group and I would like it if everyone would be interested in Japanese culture as well as the world of idols.

Miri: I feel that same way as Nagi. The fans of idols in Japan are enthusiastic and it’s very different than the audience here so the American audience would probably laugh if they saw them. So I would like the American audience to expand their horizons.

 

Interview by: Reiko

Edited by: Ali W.