REIRIE Billboard interview

<Interview> REIRIE (Kuromiya Rei & Kaneko Rie) talks about their story of reunion after 5 years and a revolution of love and hope

On New Year's Day 2023, it was announced that Kuromiya Rei and Kaneko Rie reunited after 5 years to continue their activities as REIRIE. Eight months have passed since then, and the two have been busy with their first one-man live, a nationwide tour, and TIF.

In this interview, we delve deeper into their relationship while reflecting on those days. We record the essence of their activities that can be described as a "true revolution of love and hope," along with their messages.

Additionally, they discuss their first band set live, "Re:dog," which will be held at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM on September 10, as well as the one-man lives scheduled for November and December on their respective birthdays, so be sure to check it out.

Overcoming trauma at TIF after 6 years: "It was all natural!"
-I want to start with the latest topic; after 6 years, both of you performed together at TIF (TOKYO IDOL FESTIVAL 2023). The first performance was on the largest outdoor stage, HOT STAGE, right?

Kaneko Rie: We kissed there 6 years ago.

-Were you not fighting at that time?

Kuromiya Rei: We were on good terms (laughs).
Kaneko Rie: But basically, Rie was forcing it, right?
Kuromiya Rei: Always forcing it (laughs).

-This year, were you not shy about trying to kiss again?

Kaneko Rie: No, we weren't trying to kiss this year!
Kuromiya Rei: That was more like a display of affection for a dog. Everyone has preconceived notions and thinks, "They might kiss again" (laughs). I think it just looked that way because our distance is too close.

-How was TIF after such a long time?

Kaneko Rie: The feelings were incredible. The first time Rei and I performed at TIF, I didn't even know how amazing TIF was, nor did I understand how significant it was for other idols. But after all the experiences we've had and the lows we've seen, when we stood on the TIF stage again after 6 years, so many emotions overflowed. I finally understood, "Oh, there are many kids who stand on stage with these kinds of feelings." I think I was more emotionally invested in this TIF than in any other time before. I tried not to show it too obviously, though.

-Did you end up collapsing from heatstroke after the live because of that?

Kaneko Rie: It wasn't heatstroke! I was just in a good state!

-Like a sauna thing (laughs)?

Kaneko Rie: I’m sorry everyone worried, but whenever we have a live in summer, the hotter the performance, the more I end up like that. It’s like a floaty feeling…! When you go in and out of a sauna and cold bath, you get all dizzy, right? You go completely white, right? That feeling hit me during the last two songs, and I couldn't think of anything. But when I looked at the audience, nobody else seemed to be in that state, and I thought, "This is strange! Why am I the only one feeling dizzy?" (laughs). That was one point of frustration. If I’m not feeling good, then I still have a long way to go!

-It would be a problem if the audience kept collapsing, but they were really getting into it, right? (laughs)

Kaneko Rie: That made me so happy! I had a bit of a complex about being an idol. I've heard a lot of criticism about my activities so far. So, there was an incident when Rei and I performed at TIF before! It felt like a curse in my mind. What happened was, when I looked us up at TIF, there were comments like, "These guys aren't idols. Why are they performing at TIF as idols?" Seeing that, Rei was like, "Huh?" and was a bit defensive (laughs), but that memory loomed large in my mind...

-It became like a trauma, didn't it?

Kaneko Rie: So, I was wondering if we would be accepted at this TIF. How would those who have been watching idols for a long time perceive us? I wasn't exactly scared, but I just didn't know how the current REIRIE would be taken. However, when I stood on stage, there were so many people smiling. We had fun, but what made me happiest was that the audience seemed to be enjoying themselves!

-So, it became a day that resolved your lingering feelings after six years.

Kaneko Rie: It turned out it wasn't such a big deal. Back then, we were both teenagers, so we took heartless words like a curse, but I realized that being bound by the concept of whether we were idols or not was silly. There’s no need to worry about such things, and the fact that the audience showed happy expressions was everything; I believe that’s what matters most. Even though I wasn't as put together as Rei (laughs), I was really glad to see everyone enjoying themselves.

-So, you’re glad you performed.

Kaneko Rie: Yeah. For the first time, I felt really happy at TIF! It got my spirits up. Since it was blazing hot, both Rei and the staff were exhausted by the end (laughs).
Kuromiya Rei: I had planned to travel after TIF, but I canceled it.

-The fact that you were completely burnt out means you enjoyed it too, right?

Kuromiya Rei: Yeah. I don’t have that much attachment to TIF, and I don’t know idols that well, nor have I been following that scene closely, so emotionally... I felt a bit like an outsider compared to the other kids who were working hard as idols. It’s not that my enthusiasm was low, but I just didn’t have that much attachment. However, once I performed, it was fun regardless, and the stage was just enjoyable! It felt like a great summer memory.

-That means you had a great live performance. You enjoyed it without having time to think about unnecessary things.

Kuromiya Rei: Exactly! It was a day when I thought, "It’s fun, so that’s good enough!"

-I think that was well reflected on stage as well. I’ve seen various idol performances, but REIRIE felt the most natural.

Kuromiya Rei: Everything was so natural! We’ve stood on various stages before and will continue to do so, and I think negative feelings can arise each time. But for me, that doesn’t matter; wherever we perform, it’s a REIRIE stage as long as we’re there, and the size doesn’t matter either. I’ve always thought that way, so at TIF, we stood on stage as usual, and if anything, we were able to perform even better than usual. I think that was also due to the synergy with TIF, but still, there’s no need to be swayed by unnecessary feelings.

-That’s why, in terms of performance, and even in the way you both crouched down to talk during the MC, it felt like watching you two having fun in private despite it being a live performance. I felt that was a captivating world that can only be created by REIRIE.

Kuromiya Rei: In the past, that wasn’t allowed. We were told what we shouldn’t do from the start, and we did it because we wanted to provoke that (laughs). But now, the staff lets us be free, saying, “You can do anything,” so we can have those natural live performances, and I think we enjoy doing that.

-The live performance where you shouted and hyped up the crowd under the blazing sun at the FESTIVAL STAGE was fun, and I felt REIRIE’s strengths again at TIF. I truly think it’s amazing that just the two of you can generate an energy that rivals any large idol group.

Kaneko Rie: I’ve never cared about the number of people. When I’m on stage with Rei, I think, “There’s nothing better than this.” I think that comes through. No matter how big the stage is, if it’s just Rei and me standing together, the size doesn’t matter at all.

-When these two come together, they are the strongest. In a previous interview, you mentioned that “the two are soulmates,” and you’ve continued to embody that since your revival as REIRIE. So, I’d like to reflect on the story so far. On New Year's Day this year, you announced that you would be performing together under the name REIRIE for the first time in five years. How did you feel at that moment?

Kuromiya Rei: The response was beyond what I imagined.
Kaneko Rie: Clearly, the number of people reacting was greater than five years ago, so it felt like, “Who are you?” (laughs). But that shows how much we’ve left behind... Times change quickly, but still, what we’ve created continues to be passed down. For us, that moment was now, but there was something left as a work that carried a message through time. Realizing that made me acknowledge the desperate times we lived through back then. I felt a sense of purification regarding the five years that have passed since then, and that was something very joyful for me.

-It really became a meaningful revival, didn't it?

Kaneko Rie: But there are parts where I think, "Well, that makes sense!" A certain fan said something like, "What I thought would last forever will eventually break. Rei Rie taught me that it will never return to how it was." But I knew that Rei and I would be together again someday. I just thought it would be when the timing was right for both of us, and that happened to be five years later. Then, when we announced the start of REIRIE, people were saying things like, "The two who taught us that there is no eternity have now taught us that there is eternity." And that's true. We are so destined to be together that we are not even bound by the word eternity.

-I see.

Kaneko Rie: I wonder if that "Rei and Rie will definitely connect again somewhere" kind of hope was leaking through. It's been like that for the past five years. Personally, I interpret that as the reason for the response. But who knows.

-Who knows (laughs).

Kaneko Rie: So, earlier I said, "Who are you?" (laughs), but if many people were able to feel that, I would be really happy.

-And "Rabbits" was announced as the first song of REIRIE. The story of the two we were just talking about was directly reflected in it, but what was your impression when you first heard it?

Kaneko Rie: The feelings of both of us are so directly conveyed in the music. I haven't had many experiences like that in my music activities so far. For me, the most heightened emotions and the most real feelings I have while living are when I'm with Rei. There has never been an easy-to-express song for that, and there have never been such hopeful lyrics. The entire story of the two of us is packed into just three minutes of music, and I thought it was amazing. It’s like a "donburi" of experiences! (laughs).

-It's the essence of both of your lives. Rei-chan, what did you think or feel about "Rabbits"?

Kuromiya Rei: After the start of REIRIE was decided, I was imagining, "What kind of songs will we be singing from now on?" Will it be something like LADYBABY's songs? Or like ILIE's? Or will it be something like my band? I was imagining various things, so I first thought that this song was different from any of those. While keeping the good parts of what we've done so far, they created a song about the "real Rei Rie" from a completely different perspective. Everyone makes songs that resonate with experiences that anyone can relate to. But "Rabbits" is our story, and it’s a song that only we can sing, which gives it meaning because we sing it.

-It’s a super personal song, right? Extremely personal.

Kuromiya Rei: Exactly! It doesn’t conform (laughs).

-If you were aiming for mass appeal, you would make the lyrics more abstract to apply to everyone.

Kuromiya Rei: But that’s not it; it’s truly a song that belongs only to us.

-But everyone cried and laughed when they heard it, right? It really hits home. It's the most ideal, isn't it?

Kuromiya Rei: It is ideal! Because we had a song like "Rabbits" at the beginning, we were able to establish the direction of "This is the image we want to convey" afterward, and that was the image we desired as well. If the beginning was casual, everything afterward would become casual too. There’s only one beginning, so I really feel grateful that it was this song.

-Every time I see Rei-chan singing "Let's stay together forever," it hits me hard. How do you feel when you sing it?

Kuromiya Rei: I felt that way too when I was singing "Let's stay together forever" at TIF.

-Did it hit you hard?

Kuromiya Rei: I was like, "Oh no, oh no."
Everyone: (laughs)
Kaneko Rie: So cute. I didn't know you were crying.
Kuromiya Rei: I thought, "It would be nice if I could say that," and... it was emotional.

-The first song of REIRIE's first one-man live on March 25 was "Rabbits," but I remember being moved to tears early on during "Let's stay together forever."

Kuromiya Rei: I understand! It's a good song.
Kaneko Rie: We are like "Weekly Shonen Jump." Friendship and bonds. But that hasn’t really been conveyed to the public. In our hearts, we’re always raising our fists like in "ONE PIECE" (laughs).
Kuromiya Rei: Even though we're always on the ship.
Kaneko Rie: There’s no one like us who embodies "Jump"! Everyone else forms a circle before their live performances, but we’re always forming a circle in our hearts! That's why a simple phrase like "Let's stay together forever" has such power, and there’s no one who can give such convincing force to these words and make everyone feel it like we do. That’s what we can express because we are "Jump."
Kuromiya Rei: I totally agree!

-What kind of live performance was the first one-man live for you two?

Kuromiya Rei: Mentally, it was chaotic for me. Since it was REIRIE's first live, I was quite anxious until I went on stage. I was restless, running down the hallway, trying to distract myself by eating something. When I finally got on stage, there were way more people than I had imagined, and I thought, "Did we have this many fans? Was it like this before?" So I was really desperate to regain my composure. I was overwhelmed and excited (laughs). If I let my emotions take over, I wouldn’t be able to do anything, so I was also desperate to keep that in check.
Kaneko Rie: I think Rei had a lot of feelings about returning to the stage as REIRIE. I felt that during the week leading up to the one-man live when I was next to her. There was fear and pressure to take on challenges, and I think she was carrying a heavy burden. So, during the first one-man live, I felt like, "I have to support Rei!" I had been waiting for Rei, and I knew there were others waiting with similar feelings, but for Rei, there are various feelings, including negative ones, about having stopped partway through. So it’s like, "That’s not the case."

-You were trying to lift Rei-chan's burden.

Kaneko Rie: But I thought that since it wouldn't be conveyed through words, the only way to make it understood was through the stage (laughs). I was trying to convey through the live performance that 'Rei is more of a hope for everyone than she thinks.' I could feel that Rei was picking up on that as well, and in that sense, it turned out to be a good live performance. The most pleasing thing was that Rei was able to let go of the feelings she had been holding onto for so long. I felt that the feelings of all the fans who had been waiting, as well as everyone who was there that day, were all simultaneously summoned to heaven, so I was glad.

-At the time of your reunion, the relationship between the two of you had become positive, but Rei-chan had negative feelings about reuniting with the fans, didn't you?

Kuromiya Rei: That has always been there. Even after my comeback, I felt more apologetic. I went on a national tour with REIRIE, but I had quit before touring during my LADYBABY days. So, while I kept telling myself that 'there are many fans who wish for Rei to stand on stage,' there was internal conflict. It wasn't just feelings like 'Ah, this is fun! This is the best!' but also thoughts like 'If only I could have done this back then.'

-From your first one-man show to the national tour and TIF, for Rei-chan, it was a time to confront your past self, and it was a story about how to overcome that.

Kuromiya Rei: Exactly! So, it was a battle of how much I could avoid thinking about the negative things I just talked about. But I think I shouldn't resent my past self from five years ago, and I don't want to turn those times into bad memories anymore. Over the past eight months, I've really been overwhelmed with various emotions. So, for me, each live performance is a challenge... this is really a burden.

-But because of that burden, you can turn it into passion and think, 'I have to create a better world than back then. I have to make a better life.'

Kuromiya Rei: That's right. I'm currently active as REIRIE, but that is connected to the past. The more I stand on stage with Rie like back then, the more I think that way.

-Hearing what you just said makes the content of the letter you read at that first one-man show even more touching.

Kuromiya Rei: My goal for 2023 is not to express negative things in front of the fans. I try not to say such things at work as much as possible. If I do say something, it should be something that everyone can laugh at, like someone’s joke or a dirty story (laughs). Another goal is to support Rie. So, I think that's why the letter from that day ended up being like that. I almost cried while writing it.

-It might be embarrassing to read aloud now, but...

Kuromiya Rei: Then don’t read it out loud!
Everyone: (laughs)

-Well, just one sentence. "Because Rie taught me 'I love you,' I want to convey 'I love you.' I love you from the bottom of my heart!" you wrote, right? I thought it was good that we could start REIRIE from that message. I believe such straightforward words could only be conveyed at that time.

Kuromiya Rei: Maybe I’ll be too embarrassed to ever say it (while starting to put on sunglasses).

-Rie-chan, how did you feel when you heard the contents of that letter?

Kaneko Rie: I thought, "I must not cry." For me, crying means killing the other person's feelings. You see, when I received that letter, I felt a lot of Rei's loneliness and sadness that she had carried for the past five years... No, I feel like I'm going to cry.
Kuromiya Rei: No! If you cry, then I will cry too.
Kaneko Rie: ...When I received that letter, I felt a lot of Rei's loneliness and sadness from these past five years, and I thought that if I cried about it, I would "forget." I have decided that when I know the pain of someone I love dearly, I absolutely will not cry. I don’t want to forget that pain. I absolutely do not want to forget the loneliness and pain that Rei has carried.

-Rie-chan, you received that letter with such strong feelings.

Kaneko Rie: I was crying the whole time during the ILIE concert. That was because it was about myself. I wanted to forget all the feelings I was carrying, so I was letting the tears flow to reduce the pain. However, I absolutely did not want to do that in front of Rei. It was my way of showing the greatest love. So when I stand on stage with Rei, instead of crying for her, I think, "I want to be someone who can understand the feelings that Rei has never been understood by anyone else." Therefore, since REIRIE started, my goal has been that if Rei is supporting me, then I will not cry for her. If I cry, then there will be no moment for her to be weak, and supporting her so she can be herself is my love, I think.

-It’s nothing but love.

Kaneko Rie: That’s why on that day, I was told, "Surprisingly, Rie-chan didn't cry," but from my perspective, it was like, "Do you have any idea how much I held back my feelings to not cry!" Even though there were still some tears that flowed, I absolutely did not break down in front of Rei. Right now, I’m carrying that cross (laughs).

-By the way, Rei-chan. How long are you going to keep wearing those sunglasses (laughs)?

Kuromiya Rei: .......... (laughs)
Kaneko Rie: Maybe Rei didn't understand either. How much love I have for her. But now that she knows, she must be thinking, "That's gross, this person" (laughs). I'm always asked! "Why do you like Rei so much, Rie?" But by gradually expressing these feelings, I hope Rei can come to accept herself. Rei is the type of person who really dedicates herself to others, and she usually works hard without showing her weaknesses, so I want to be a supportive presence for her. It's a relationship on that level. The other day, Rei referred to us as "matching," and I was really happy. "Matching" is such a nice word.

-It's a perfect word to describe the two of you.

Kaneko Rie: We have feelings for each other deep down, and there are parts that only we understand. Since we can only show fragments of that to everyone, it must be hard for them to understand how deep our connection is. That makes sense, of course.

-But hearing what you just said, I genuinely think it's amazing. I may have never seen a unit or group that can operate at that level of relationship. Also, it was such a good story that I thought maybe you should write a novel.

Kaneko Rie: We have a lot of chapters to write. I think we'll keep illustrating them one by one forever. A novel about Rei and Rie. There has always been a book within me, and my life is written in it, but Rei is always there. That's how significant she is, so those five years apart aren't a big deal. But for Rei, Rie is... a tiger (laughs)? At that time, I didn't know how painful it was for Rei to be understood, so I barged into her heart in a half-hearted way. I think that's part of why the two of us drifted apart, but over these five years, I learned a lot about Rei's feelings.

-That's quite an amazing story.

Kaneko Rie: Am I a little creepy? (laughs)
Kuromiya Rei: Creepy!
Everyone: (burst out laughing)

Staff: Even in YouTube live streams, Rie-chan sometimes gets into this mode (laughs).

Kaneko Rie: I do! So I think I have to be careful, but when it comes to Rei, I can't help but act this way.

-Rei-chan, how do you feel about Rie-chan's story so far?

Kuromiya Rei: Creepy (laughs).

-Please give me a response other than "creepy" (laughs).

Kuromiya Rei: Of course, I'm happy. But my personality makes me say "creepy." I do have feelings that I don't want to be understood, but Rie tries to understand, right? Now Rie knows me better than I know myself (laughs). But from my perspective, it's the same. I know Rie better than she knows herself. That's why, even after five years, we can maintain the same relationship. But because of that relationship, I felt those five years like an eternity, and while I knew we would definitely meet again, there was still a fear of "What if we break apart again?" I didn't want to say goodbye, which is why it wasn't easy to meet.
Kaneko Rie: But that underestimates me.

-Please don't fight, okay? (laughs)

Kaneko Rie: I'm not fighting (laughs). I think people who have hit rock bottom and have nothing left to lose are scary. Because they no longer care about enemies or allies. However, in my case, after separating from Rei, I saw my own version of rock bottom, and for the first time, I felt that "I'm not scared of anything." Because of that, I thought, "It's okay if Rei hates me." It ended up feeling like a fight, but I hugged Rei and said "I'm sorry" at the end. Still, it's Rei who would think, "I can't forgive you." But Rei has a stance of "I will never give any feelings to those I'm not interested in." That means, the way she emotionally rejects me by saying "I will never forgive you. I hate you!" might be Rei's own version of upside-down love. I could think that way on my own. It's like, "Well then, it's fine if Rei hates me."
Kuromiya Rei: Right? It's gross, isn't it?
Everyone: (laughs)

-But I almost felt like crying.

Kaneko Rie: I don't have any feelings for people I don't care about, and I think the feeling of hate is a form of kindness. Because it shows that you are thinking about the other person. That's why Rei often used to say, "Murderous intent is my driving force," but I think it's amazing for the person being targeted by that murderous intent. I see it as a reward (laughs). So, when Rei came to hate me and we ended up separated for five years, even that felt precious to me.

-When anger or disgust is openly directed at someone, that usually ends the relationship. But Rie sees even that as love, while Rei, tormented by anxiety, decides to reunite. And now, seeing them happily working together is miraculous. It's so enviable that it makes me feel jealous (laughs).

Kaneko Rie: Jealous (laughs).
Kuromiya Rei: It's a little gross (laughs).

-I might have been infected.

Kaneko Rie: Hey!
Kuromiya Rei: When Rie talks with this kind of passion, it’s contagious. But, you know, it's rare to meet someone like that in life. That's why we're "matching."
Kaneko Rie: But what's miraculous is that Rei can make me feel this way. I might have some strange aspects, but I think it's amazing that she can stir people's feelings to this extent.

-When I look at the relationship between you two, I feel like I can't carelessly use the word "soulmate." Young people often use it, though.

Kuromiya Rei: It's all fake, that kind of thing.
Everyone: (laughs)
Kuromiya Rei: It feels kind of shady. It's all just a facade. I think some kids look good standing together on the surface, but they lack that genuine vibe that seeps out. So, I don't want us to be lumped together with that kind of thing.
Kaneko Rie: It pisses me off when people call it "yuri business."
Kuromiya Rei: There's no Japanese word that can properly describe our relationship. That's why everyone says "yuri." People should study more. I don't want us to be carelessly compared with those common, simple words.

-Unexpectedly, it turned out to be a really great interview.

Kaneko Rie: I'm glad. I didn't end up coming off as a creepy person, right? (laughs)

-It's fine. We'll continue a bit longer (laughs).

Kaneko Rie: I keep Maria in my heart. I've tamed her.

-The Mother of God? (laughs) But you're talking about love on that level, right?

Kaneko Rie: The hope that a relationship like ours actually exists as a fact. We just want everyone to understand that. For people who are fighting loneliness, no matter how lonely they are now, we want them to know the hope that "such an existence might appear to me too." That's why it's not the time for things like 'Oshi no Ko' to be popular. Everyone should know something much more essential.
Kuromiya Rei: But thanks to that, a lot more people are getting interested in idols, right?
Kaneko Rie: I want that interest to be directed towards us.

-Unexpectedly, it's "Oshi no Ko" vs. REIRIE (laughs).

Kaneko Rie: Hahaha!
Kuromiya Rei: Indeed, it's better when the enemy is strong (laughs).
Kaneko Rie: But that's exactly how big it is. That's the kind of battle I want to fight. I want everyone to understand the essence, beyond concepts like idols or music. Especially now, in a social media society where the essence is hard to see.
Kuromiya Rei: We probably look cold to others. They might think we're just people who are "not interested in anything." But in reality, there aren't any people as passionate as we are!
Kaneko Rie: We're only interested in revolution!

-That's amazing!

Kaneko Rie: Isn't it hope? Even if you think you don't have someone like that in your life, the fact that "Oh, there is. Two people who can realize this kind of relationship!" exists here makes you jealous. I think spreading that is connected to the revolution.

-If you can think, "If I interact with people with this level of feeling and determination, I might be able to have that kind of relationship with someone important to me," that's a huge hope.

Kaneko Rie: Exactly. It's like, "It's okay to be disliked. Isn't being disliked better than not being liked at all?" If you have that kind of stance, there's nothing to fear. That's what I think. Love is just a battle with yourself about whether you can be that obsessed. I'm standing in that state... Maybe it's strange that I'm talking about such a heavy topic in broad daylight (laughs).

-Please don't suddenly get shy now (laughs).

Kaneko Rie: But I'm really happy to have someone listen to these kinds of stories. Rei understands everything, so I think it's just about spreading it to more people.

-The revolution that REIRIE is trying to spark is a pure revolution of love and hope, isn't it? It's a big topic, but the essence is simply wanting our form of love to be seen as hope.

Kaneko Rie: I can't hold onto these feelings alone anymore. It's impossible to bear such feelings by myself without talking to someone! But Rei always seems to be like, "Are you saying that again?" (laughs).
Kuroimiya Rei: I'm just listening with a "Uh-huh, uh-huh" (laughs).
Kaneko Rie: But REIRIE is standing on stage betting on how to convey the feelings they've carried this far. So it's not about being an "idol" or a "singer" or anything like that from the start. We're talking about life!

-Wow, that's just too cool.

Kuroimiya Rei: I was listening with the feeling of "I wonder if this is what the audience at a talk event is like" (laughs).
Everyone: (laughs)

-By the way, this interview was requested in relation to the first band set live 【Re:dog】 at Ebisu LIQUIDROOM on September 10th, and the one-man live shows in November and December...

Kaneko Rie: Wait! We ended talking about a revolution (laughs).
Kuroimiya Rei: That's more of our essence, and it's interesting.

-Rei-chan, first, your enthusiasm for the first band set live.

Kuroimiya Rei: I'm looking forward to it!

-That's it?

Everyone: (laughs)

-What about you, Rie-chan?

Kuroimiya Rei: Go for it! Do your best!
Kaneko Rie: Rei enjoys controlling me, so please enjoy that side of me. As for what I want to convey... We've already said everything (laughs).

-That's right (laughs). If you've read up to this point, you can understand what feelings the two of them have when they stand on stage. By the way, what kind of band members are there?

Staff: Shinnobu-san and Tomoki Yamashita, who composed "PUI" and "ULTRA" for REIRIE.

-With a live band, it seems like the live show will overflow with emotion more than ever.

Kaneko Rie: While we are singing with raw emotion, don’t you think the sound also has to be live to balance it out?

-That's what I wanted to hear!

Kaneko Rie: We wanted to do a live show that suits us more. So, I think the band set live will convey a lot more than before. For us, it's no longer just about the performance (laughs). It's a battle of whether it gets conveyed or not.

-What kind of content will the one-man live shows in November and December have?

Kaneko Rie: It's a birthday celebration, right?
Staff: On the day, it will probably feel like a birthday celebration, but for us, it’s just that we booked the venue on their birthdays. Since last year, we’ve been aiming to hold a 1000-person-scale live each in November and December at Shibuya O-EAST. Rei-chan doesn’t like calling it a birthday celebration.
Kuromiya Rei: I don't like being celebrated.
Kaneko Rie: The miracle of being born on 11/29 (Good Meat Day). How can we not celebrate that?
Everyone: (laughs)
Kaneko Rie: But it’s good that she dislikes it. Rei doesn’t want others to celebrate the day she was born.
Kuromiya Rei: Are you happy to be celebrated? I'm embarrassed. But I like celebrating other people's birthdays. I haven't celebrated Rie's birthday from last year yet (laughs). So, let's talk about Rie's birthday live. For the one-man live on November 29, write "looking forward to it!"

-You already used that earlier (laughs). So, what kind of live do you want for Rie-chan's birthday on December 18?

Kaneko Rie: I'm looking forward to it!
Everyone: (laughs)

Kuromiya Rei: No, we need to put in extra effort for the December one-man.

-Same for November (laughs)! How do you want to celebrate it, Rei-chan?

Kuromiya Rei: I can't reveal my plans yet. I'm scared of being exposed.

-Exposed?

Staff: Rei-chan calls it "being exposed" when her thoughts get found out (laughs).
Kuromiya Rei: So I don't want to tell you anything!
Kaneko Rie: It's great that she doesn't easily reveal her thoughts. Isn't that smart?

-That's true. Usually, people want to say it.

Kaneko Rie: I’m the same way. That’s why I like that side of Rei.

-Maybe that’s why you’re attracted to each other. If you were both like Rie-chan, you wouldn’t have this kind of relationship.

Rei Kuromiya: That’s too intense (laughs).