The sun was unusually brilliant for the UK on April 21, marking the second European tour date for MIYAVI’s Day2 World Tour as if the heavens knew the Japanese guitar samurai would be visiting. In a room adjacent to ULU’s stage area, the report took place in a long white room with ceiling to floor windows, flooding the room with light. Dressed in a loose black graphic sweatshirt, matched with casual black jeans, MIYAVI’s pre-show outfit was finished with the pair of futuristic black on white sole Y-3 NOCI HIGH sneakers.
You usually wouldn’t go on a world tour this quickly considering it was only just last year you had your Firebird World Tour. In your previous tours, you’ve left at least a two to three-year gap between each one. What made you decide to go on tour this quickly without taking any breaks?
Great question, we were not expecting to have another world tour this year as we already had one last year, but since I came to Paris for the fashion show and appearing in New York for the United Nations gathering, so we just wanted to have a couple of shows in London, New York, Beijingāthat kinda circuit. Itās not a “tour”. Sometimes youāll have several shows a year at your home [country], so something like that. We were planning to have a couple of shows in some capital cities so that people can come if they want. If theyāre not nearby, they can still come. If we ended up having another ātourā when we came to London, why donāt we play in Paris, and then what about Berlin, what about Russia, what about Warsaw? This time as you see, itās more compact. The venues are smaller as well.
Yes, and youāre also going to be touring South America, right?
Thatās a different story, America we were only planning to have concerts in LA and NY, but we ended up including other cities. It was good. We made an announcement about this tour, and the fans in South America started going āThis is not a world tour!ā.
We had offers from local promoters in South America, their voices were really meaningful and powerful to us. We can not have a show without the help of local people. I donāt know the promoterās contact numbers or the venues, so we need the local help. In this case, my fanās strong voice made the local promoters work on this. We got the offer from local promoters so we were able to make it happen. You know, even the merchandise originally didnāt have the dates [printed] for South America when I designed it. We got the offer after planning the tour dates after.
Thatās a really beautiful story to see how strong your [the fans] voice is. Of course, Iāve been wanting to go to South America, but itās far, we donāt have any idea about what we can do in that area, the language differenceāSo itās impactful to us to see how strong my fanās voice is. Itās happening now! Iām really excited and Iāve been wanting to go.
But it is not just my decision, I have my staff, the schedule, the dealsāThis time it was a miracle that we were able to make this happen. I really appreciate the voice of my fans in South Americaāa lot!
So far you have performed 18 shows, completing the Asia circle. How do you make sure that you maintain your health and energy? Because itās not easy.
Yeah, itās not easy. I mean thatās also another great question.
Do you give yourself a limit on stage?
No, thatās not it. The thing is, I donāt party. At all. Itās the routines, the little things, that you keep doing every day that is everything. Itās not a big thing at once. To me, I feel more like an athlete on the road. What I eat is different off-road. On or off-road, I exercise every morning right after I wake up. I talk to my Japan and US staff in the morning and I also like to wake up early morning around four or five.
Four in the morning?!
Yes, I really like the energy in the early morning. I exercise every day, every single morning, before the show, after the show, and before I go to bed. Itās really important to keep that mentality. Thatās really crucial.
Back then I used to get a massage in every country as on stage Iām running around, banging my head, but no more. Itās simplicity thatās important so you can maintain yourself without any special treatment. If there wasnāt a massage place I couldnāt recover, so now I can do that by myself now.
Food as well, I always make my own smoothie in the morning to keep my condition good. The quality of the breakfast at the hotel doesnāt affect me as I have my own breakfast every single morning. Also, Iāve been cutting out carbs.
Actually, on this tour, Iāve been eating carbs on purpose, so thatās the basic difference between on and off road. The amount of energy I use on stage and in the studio is totally different because you know, on stage, Iād sweat a lot. I always use that energy in my muscles and fat. At the same time, itās really important to give your brain and body enough energy, so Iāve been controlling the amount of sugar and carbs on the road. Iāve been eating a lot of carbs, yeah.
Whatās your preference for carbs?
No gluten, so riceāBrown rice. Brown sugar candy, quinoa, and corn. I donāt usually eat bread or pasta, but sometimes Iāll have no choice.
Music is really spiritual, so to keep doing that you got to make sure you are in a good condition physically. Itās my responsibility to deliver the best performance. I almost got sick in Asia. The air is different especially in Hong Kong and Beijing, theyāre beautiful cities with beautiful crowdsābut the quality of the air, I wonāt say itās good. It affects your voice and throat.
Earlier this year you mentioned youāll be releasing new EPs every month starting from March. Long Nights featuring Sonita Alizadeh, and In The Crowd featuring Seann Bowe. What kind of expectations should fans have for the future EP releases?
, To be honest, the basic concept is having freedom of creation. Weāve already got many tracks weāve been playing on stage, but we havenāt released it yet, so thatās the main purpose of this. The release of this month is coming out soon in the next couple of days. (So On It is out now on iTunes)
Weāve noticed you cover a lot of other musicians songs, how do you go about picking the songs to cover? Especially the songs that end up being on your setlist during the tour.
I just pick the tracks that I get inspired by. Iām not the only person who picks, my producers, the staff, they all, collect those tracks. Iāll be playing and not knowing what it is, but I could feel inspired. Iāll feel the music with the guitar and I play.
Also, youāve been playing Pink Spider on your setācould you tell us how hide has influenced you for the tribute album?
I respect him in many ways as an artist, his attitude towards his creation and his fans. How he communicates and builds that relationship with his fans. Also, his attitude towards the global market. Itās not only for the Japanese market, he was trying to take his fans to the next level. Not always just facing his fans all the time, but trying to challenge them with new things, and itās not easy at all. Thatās actually not what the audience wants. Thatās fine you know, but at the same time, itās the same as education. My two daughters, I face them of course, but at the same time, I donāt help them all the time.
Sometimes I let them make a mistake and I strongly believe that is true love, the real way to show your love and affection so that they can become independent. The same towards my fans, of course, I want to make something they want, but I want them to feel proud of themselves as a MIYAVI fan, so Iām not saying what weāre doing is wrong, but itās also important whatās happening outside of our world. Thatās what I realized when I was in the visual kei world.
Itās a beautiful culture and itās unique from others, but do your parents like this? Are your parents proud of you? Are your classmates interested in whatever, thereās no perfect music or creation but at least I want to have authenticity, craftsmanship, and professionalismāand then even when people donāt like it, I donāt want people to look down on my fans.
Itās really sensitive, I want my fans to be strong who can stand by themselves.
Like you do with your daughters?
Yeah! I donāt know if this is the right way to say it or the right thing to do as an artistāas a performer, as an entertainer. I donāt want my concert to be a place for them to escape from reality.
I donāt want to have that. Itās not good. Itās like sugar. I donāt like it.
I want them to go back after my concert stronger. Thatās what my show is for and itās my responsibility.
Where did you pick up all these ideas and philosophies? One that has helped you guide your daughtersā upbring, and the strengthening of your fans? Do you have anyone who inspires you in particular?
Hm, thatās a good question. I have no idea. Of course my wife, Melody is huge. I really appreciate her for raising my kids, thanks to her Iām able to be on tour like this. Weāre very similar, and at the same time I have things she doesnāt and she has things I donāt have, we share the ideas and the attitude towards our kids. Iām more strict. My kids have to exercise every morning. Posture, breathālittle things. To gain muscle isnāt the purpose, itās to gain the habit of knowing that itās important.
So yeah I get inspired by my partner Melody.
Since weāre on the topic of family, how is the communication?
On social media we talk, with Melody we chatted for two hours after I arrived in London. I stayed in Paris because I had some meetings, so I arrived in London via Eurostar, so I was talking to Melody when I was having dinner so I can share the place I was in with her.
And then, my daughters they have apps we communicate with, but recently they were playing “Minecraft”, but thereās a different app called “Roblox”, theyāve been playing that so I play with them. When I have time I get online and I find them and we play a little bit. [laughs] Itās fun to do something together in the internet world.
So letās move onto Bleach the Movie, congratulations on your role. For fans who donāt know the anime, could you tell us a bit about the film?
I think you guys know that anime more than me. [laughs] You guys should explain. I wasnāt familiar with that anime that much. I like anime like Vagabond, Fighter Baki, I like creations with philosophical aspects you know? In a way, Bleach has it too.
I realized many of my fans like it, so when I got an offer from the director I was interested in the relationship between Byuuka and Rukia because I have a younger sister. Just like what I said, to protect or being sweet to them is not the only way you can show your affection. So, Byakuya is also really strict but he really loves his sister. Thatās his way to love her so thereās a bit of conflict between him and her because he wants her to be strong enough but the value of life is different. To me, that emotion and the feeling towards his sister is really interesting to me. It was also a great opportunity to experience the sword action, I had fun.
Did you end up doing all the action moves or did you have a stuntman doing the more dangerous stuff for you?
I didnāt do any dangerous stuff, but I did all the stunts myself.
The character you play in the movie is kind of similar to yourself; both of you want justice in this world, are calm natured, and charming.
Is he charming? I donāt think so. He doesnāt even smile.
Yeah, thatās whatās charming about him. [laughs]
[laughs] I mean with the story and the other people yeah, itās really charming. I like his stance. Itās all for a purpose. Thatās it. To me too, to make the things happen I would sacrifice other things, thatās the basic stance and I think thatās what he has as well.
Action-wise, it wasnāt dangerous at all because no one can see him when he moves [makes fast sword-swinging gesture]. Youāll see a bit of the action in the trailer when I kill Ichigo.Ā [laughs]
Was it fun?
Itās always fun to kill somebody! [laughs]
From your previous role as Watanabe (The Bird) in the movie Unbroken, you immersed yourself in the role to the point and isolated yourself from Jack OāConnell when you guys werenāt filming. What were some of the challenges you faced while filming your role in Bleach? For example, did you end up doing difficult stunts or it took time to get into your character?
I think other actors are more professional. I donāt have a switch to go back and forth between a character and myself, thatās why I need to avoid casual conversation [with them]. Once I get into a character, I donāt want to come back because it takes time to get into that place. To be honest, sometimes I think about how deep someone gets into it. Iām the type of person who gets into a character and doesnāt come back for a while. I had to keep my distance.
The main guy and everyone else is really nice. Even in the film Gangoose, theyāre all nice, but I play a villain so I donāt want a relationship that might get in the way of the performance. If we fight, I would want them to hate me, so itās the same. Thatās actually the only way I know. Like in the first film Unbroken, I donāt know any other way to get into the character.
Letās move onto your UNHRC work!
Finally! [laughs] There are so many things to talk about, a lot of the time people forget.
Not at all, we know itās a passionate subject of yours. Last year you became the first Japanese Goodwill Ambassador for Japan. Congratulations on that. Since then weāve noticed you have started participating in more UNHCR meetings through your Instagram. Has becoming a Goodwill ambassador opened a new door for you to help and educate the world about the refugee crisis?
Yeah, a lot. As a human being. Yes.
Thatās what Iāve been talking about in my shows and how it should be for my fans. This might not be a good thing to say as an entertainer or singer or as a product in this entertainment business, doing this kind of humanitarian work, sometimes people donāt expect, and sometimes not appreciate this type of work. Sometimes it gets in the way because itās not what people want, but like my kids, I donāt want to keep giving my kids sugars and chocolate. Itās really important to put vegetables into the meal, the balance is really important. If I keep giving spinach to my kids would, of course, hate it.
I think music can really make it happen, like for people who donāt listen to speeches, they might listen to music. The music can be a bridge, and thatās something I might be able to do. Thatās the theme. The first time I went to the refugee camps I was scared.
The one in Lebanon, right?
Yeah, I realized thereās something I can do with music there. Music is invisibleāyou can not see it, but we have it and it can be a glue to connect people and bring people to a new placeāthatās my role as an ambassador. I’m MIYAVI, even at the refugee camps, Iām not your typical ambassador, Iām a rockstar who is doing humanitarian work. Thatās the reason for my identity as MIYAVI the ambassador.
Your song Long Nights is relatable to so many people out there. It can be relatable to those who lost a loved one, someone going through a difficult time, someone suffering from depression or someone with insomnia etc. Do you have a message for the readers out there struggling and finding it difficult to find a spark of hope to go on?
Itās not only āyouā who is facing a hard time. Even Iāve had it, sometimes I have a hard time too. But the thing is, to be strong you need to strongly believe that there is a scenery you can see after you have overcome the difficulty. Without it, there is nothing to fight against, so as long as you know tomorrow will come, you can get through a long night. Even if the night is really long, you can endure it. I wouldnāt say itās easy, but thatās the only way so just believe that tomorrow will come. Itās not up to others, not up to me, I donāt do anything for you. I make music and I might be able to support and give you the word of advice, but you are the only one who can deal with it. I really hope my music can support to help you to overcome your hardships in your life.
We would love to thank MIYAVI and the incredibly helpful staff for their time to organize this face to face interview opportunity, and we hope our readers have enjoyed this insightful conversation with him. Best of luck to him for the rest of the Day2 World Tour.
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