Performing Beyond Borders & Cultures: An Interview with ASH DA HERO

ASH DA HERO is a band that formed in September 2021. It consistst of vocalist ASH, guitarist Narukaze, bassist Sato, drummer WANI, and DJ Dhalsim. Their music crosses several genres, including, but not limited to, rock, punk, and hip hop. Fans of the anime Blue Lock may have heard their recent singles, "Judgement" and "Beast Mode/Octave", within the popular show. We recently had the opportunity to ask them some questions regarding their formation, the creation of their most popular songs, and lots more. This interview is sure to be a treat for existing fans of ASH DA HERO, as well as for those discovering them for the first time. Check it out, and be sure to give their music a listen via the links at the end of the interview!

A-to-J: Hello and thank you for the interview! Can you tell us a bit about yourselves and your music?
A-to-J: こんにちは！あなた方とあなたの音楽について簡単に教えてください！
ASH DA HERO: ハロー。ASH DA HEROです。僕らは日本の音楽と、国外の様々な音楽をミックスしているロックバンドです。
ASH DA HERO: Hello. We are ASH DA HERO. We’re a rock band that mixes Japanese music with various international music styles.

A-to-J: Can you tell us a bit about the formation of the band and your early history?
A-to-J: バンドの結成とこれまでの経歴について少し教えていただけますか？
ASH DA HERO: それぞれミュージシャンとして活動する中で、COVID19をきっかけにバンドを結成したんだ
ASH DA HERO: Each of us was individually active as a musician, and we formed a band as a result of COVID-19.

A-to-J: How would you describe ASH DA HERO's music? Is there any song that you feel truly encompasses your sound?
A-to-J: ASH DA HEROの音楽をどのように表現しますか？自分たちの音楽を最も体現していると感じる曲はありますか？
ASH DA HERO: 日本の音楽の多様性と、国外の様々な音楽をミックスして、常に俺たちのオリジナリティを尖らせているよ。最も体現しているのは Judgementだと思う。
ASH DA HERO: We mix the diversity of Japanese music with various international music styles, constantly sharpening our originality. I think this is best embodied in our song “Judgement”.

A-to-J: Your recent single, "Beast Mode/Octave", dropped just days ago, can you tell us a bit about it?
A-to-J: 数日前にシングル「Beast Mode／オクターヴ」がリリースされました。この曲について簡単に教えてください。
ASH DA HERO: Beast Modeのダンサブルなビートは、人間が覚醒する時の心拍数を表現している。そしてサビのコールアンドレスポンスは、"自問自答"を表現しているんだ。オクターヴは凪と玲王の2人の感情の交錯を歌詞で描き、また主旋律とハーモニーで2人の気持ちのすれ違いを表現したんだ。元々1曲の予定だったが、いくつかDEMOを投げると監督から「2曲使わせて欲しい」と言われて、2曲になったんだ。とても光栄な事だよね。大好きな作品だったから、作品への愛が歌詞に溢れて止まらなかった。純粋に僕も作品のファンだからね。だからこそ責任も感じたし、とても苦労したよ。
ASH DA HERO: The danceable beat of “Beast Mode” represents the heart rate of a person when they awaken. The call-and-response in the chorus represents “self-questioning.” “Octave” depicts the emotional interplay between Nagi and Reo through its lyrics, and the main melody and harmony express the misunderstandings between them. Originally, it was supposed to be one song, but after submitting several demos, the director asked to use two of them, so it became two. It was a great honor. We love the anime, and that love overflowed into the lyrics. Because we’re fans ourselves, we also felt a sense of responsibility. That was tough.

"Beast Mode" MV

"Octave" MV

A-to-J: Since your music has been featured in it, are you a fan of the anime Blue Lock? Or soccer in general?
A-to-J: アニメ「ブルーロック」のファンですか？それともサッカーそのものが好きですか？
ASH DA HERO: ブルーロックのファンだし、サッカーの大ファンだよ。時々プレーもしているんだ。
ASH DA HERO: I’m a fan of Blue Lock, and a huge fan of soccer. I still play occasionally.

A-to-J: Outside of music, what are some of your favorite hobbies?
A-to-J: 音楽以外で何か好きな趣味はありますか？
ASH DA HERO: サッカー観戦かな！イングランドのプレミアリーグが大好きなんだ！
ASH DA HERO: Watching soccer matches! I love England’s Premier League!

A-to-J: What are some of ASH DA HERO's goals for the future?
A-to-J: ASH DA HEROの今後の目標は何ですか？
ASH DA HERO: 僕らは国や文化を越えて活動したいと思っている。言語や文化、国を越えて全ての人々が俺たちの音楽を聴いて１つになる事が夢であり、目標だよ。
ASH DA HERO: We want to perform beyond borders and cultures. Our dream and goal is for people from all languages, cultures, and countries to come together by listening to our music.

A-to-J: Are there any messages you’d like to give your fans, especially those from overseas?
A-to-J: ファン、特に海外のファンに向けてメッセージをお願いします！
ASH DA HERO: 僕らの音楽に触れてくれてありがとう！君の住む街の近くでショウをしたいと思っているからこれからも熱い声援をよろしくお願いします！
ASH DA HERO: Thank you for listening to our music! We hope to perform in a city near you, so please continue to give us your passionate support!

We're very grateful to ASH DA HERO for taking the time to answer our questions, and to all of you for checking them out! Be sure to check out their music, as well as all their social media, which can be found below!

For More Information on ASH DA HERO:
Website: https://ashdahero.com/
X (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/ashdahero
Weibo: https://www.weibo.com/ASHDAHERO 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashdahero__official/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashdahero_official
LINE: https://lin.ee/dVPCVHz
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ASHDAHERO
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/ASHDAHERO
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2XKXvzE0lpnqHcqu5l2lyT
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/jp/artist/ash-da-hero/987304750