ni-hao!!!!: The japanese all girl band that proves punk’s not dead, it’s just different

In the moments before Rosalía took the stage during her recent Motomami tour, the audience listened to a playlist curated by the Spanish singer, which included songs that influenced her latest album. While some of the tracks were popular, such as Snoop Dogg and Pharrell Williams’ hit Drop It Like It’s Hot, Paul McCartney’s classic Maybe I’m Amazed and Rauw Alejandro’s recent Punto 40, it also included relatively unknown tracks, such as ni-hao!!!!’’s Matsuri-Shake, a chaotic composition that mixes a fast industrial heavy sound with several female voices shouting a kind of cheer. The four current members of the group describe it as Cheer-Punk.

“We have a lot of respect for Rosalía,” says Red Ariko, one of the founding members during an interview with EL PAÍS in Mexico City, where the band played three small, but very loud, shows. “So we were very happy when we found out we were on the playlist”. For many followers of the Spanish singer, this was the first approach to this band that has more than 20 years of history as an independent band in every sense. They organize their tours, concerts and even sell their own merchandise after the shows. In fact, this interview was arranged directly with Blue Yukari, another co-founder of the band, without a representative.

ni-hao!!!! was formed in 2000 in Kyoto, Japan. Originally, the group consisted of Blue Yukari and Red Akiro as bassists and Green Reo as drummer (the band usually identifies itself by colors, which they use on stage). When asked about the reason that led them to want to make a band, they answer. “It’s just one thing: To do what we want to do. We just want to enjoy and have fun. That’s the only thing we want”. At the time, the band was focused on an experimental grunge and psychedelic rock sound, a sound they developed on their own, without taking an outside example as a base. “We wanted to do things that only we could do. We like other bands like Melt-Banana (another experimental rock band) but they didn’t influence us.”

After Gorgeous (their first U.S. release) the band decided to go for a more new wave sound, but with their unique style. Yukari became a drummer with Akiro and Reo (who is no longer in the band) playing synthesizers. It would be only the first time the band members changed instruments. The lineup morphs depending on the band’s need at the time. Currently, Yukari and Akiro are in charge of percussions while new members Yellow Miwako and Purple Kaori play bass and guitar respectively. On how they were chosen to join the band, Yukari highlights: “We just wanted to play with them, even if they didn’t know how to play those instruments”.

As a quartet, the band has taken a turn towards a very different punk than we have seen in the West. Although their sound has always had a chaotic element to it, the way they play instruments and produce their songs, results in an explosion that becomes that much more intense when you see them perform live. They also kept their electronic style, which makes their sound much more layered.

On stage, the four women stand side by side (if the space allows it). In the center, Yukari and Akiro beat their drums with cavewoman intensity while Miwako and Kaori provide nuance to the rest with complex bass lines or few noisy chords. While Yukari does most of the singing, the rest join in from time to time creating a cheer-like sound. This makes even those unfamiliar with the act quickly become attracted to the music and join in the mosh-pit. The audience becomes a big part of their shows, especially their more intimate ones, with everyone jumping around. It’s also interesting that no one is particularly concerned about not understanding the Japanese lyrics (which focuses on feminism, freedom and even jokes).

“We didn’t decide to play punk,” says Akiro. “I think we’re getting old,” interrupts Yukari. “Not just me. Everything changes: the world, feminism, peace. A lot of things. There are a lot of problems and we’re angry about those things, so that makes us more punk. We want to express all that anger.” The result is what they call “Cheer Punk,” a sound they believe can help turn that anger into happiness, although Yukari admits, “I don’t expect my songs to cheer people up, but I hope they do.”

ni-hao!!!! is a special band and one that must be experienced live. Thanks to the exposure Rosalia has given their song, more people have been able to discover the band, which could result in more international performances. They recently released two singles that prove they will keep the punk spirit. About the future they don’t mention too much, except that they want to keep playing until they are 80 years old “although maybe a little slower”.

Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition