As the ladies of power metal Aldious prepare to release their next album Evoke II 2010-2020 and gear up for 2021, we had the opportunity to chat with R!N, their lead vocalist.

While she just joined the metal band over a year ago, she has a decade long career as a pop singer. Now she talks with us about crossing over from pop to metal by learning to sing with more shouting and still keep it soulful.

Firstly, please introduce yourself to our worldwide readers and fans!

Hello everyone! I am R!N, the vocalist of Aldious!

And, to be exact, you became the lead vocalist in August of 2019 when you officially joined. Where were you when they made the decision and how did that make you feel?

It was about half a year since touring with them as a support vocalist, we mutually decided I’d become an official member. I still clearly remember going to a coffee shop with them to talk about this and how much excitement there was.

Yeah, as exciting as it must have felt, did you have concerns about jumping in as a new member? What has been your approach to performing their big hits and new material?

There was a lot of pressure, especially with joining a band with such a long history. Aldious is often said to represent “Girl Metal” so there were a lot of obstacles to overcome, and I was anxious if I would be accepted by the fans. Yet, I have my own personality, and by trying to create a new image I hope the brightness of my voice can bring a new glow to Aldious.

Frankly, we think they are happy to accept you. Plus, you have had a distinguished solo career. What can you tell us about the differences from solo work to singing for a band?

The first thing is that sense of security the other members bring! I hadn’t been in a band until now, so this feeling is something very new to me. It’s like being part of a family, having someone to talk to or work on something together with. I really enjoy being part of Aldious—being able to have dinner with other members, sending silly messages, and talking excitedly together.

Does the support they provide help you with the more challenging songs? What parts of the songs are most difficult?

Shouting! I’m not used to this kind of vocal. Despite being active as a singer for ten years, I’ve never sung this way before, so I had to learn from scratch. However, I think I’m picking it up now and I’m growing more attracted to this style of singing. Singing Aldious’ classic Spirit Black is still a bit of trial and error, but I’ll get there eventually.

We believe you will, but with so much concentration on vocals, do you still get to write songs? Will you be involved in writing new ones?

Yes, I’ve been working remotely from my home with my newly made DIY studio. I’m creating a whole heap of new songs we can work with, asking other members for their feedback, and if they’d like to work on them together to make some demos.

So, this DIY studio, is that a new project while you have been staying at home during the lockdowns? Any other hobbies you want to tell us about?

To tell you the truth, I’m a bit of a computer-addict and I love watching live broadcasts, so switching to a socially distant way of life wasn’t so difficult for me. Since I can’t go out because of coronavirus, I’ve spent the time creating a DIY studio at home, recording videos, and making things that can be sent from the studio. I also have a piano and guitar so I can make music, too. As well as making music, I enjoy editing videos and watching movies. Any spare time that isn’t used doing these activities is taken up with taking photos of my cats.

R!N’s cat photo on Twitter.

Nice! That sounds like more fun than actually doing work. Yet, there have been times when you did have to work with band members as the new vocalist. What advice have other members of the band given you so far?

They have been very kind and welcoming. I was happy to hear the words “I want R!N-chan to be as she is”. They also offered me lots of advice about metal while we were on tour.

Well, that advice and hard work from touring must have paid off. As of this year, two new albums have been released—the first, Evoke 2010-2020, was released this past summer and the next will be Evoke II 2010-2020 on January 29, 2021. Do you have a favorite song from each?

From Evoke, it’s Ground Angel. From Evoke II it’s Confusion. Both songs are lively and full of energy, you can listen to them and feel good vibes!

Speaking of good vibes, there is one song on Evoke, I Wish for You that is a slower ballad. How do you prepare to sing songs with a powerful melody?

This is the first song that I released with Aldious [that was not a remake]. It’s a song that blends Aldious’ uniqueness with the best of my career so far. At first, I was worried because it’s a ballad, but this song showcases who I honestly am, which is very important for a first impression. It’s a song sung with a lot of soul.

Aldious / I Wish for You (Full Version)

Watch this video on YouTube

And you have taken that soul on the road as earlier this year Aldious were featured entertainers at the National Association of Music Merchants Trade Show. What was it like performing in front of an industry crowd? What was different compared to your usual crowd?

Of course, our audience in Japan is the best! They know who we are! But NAMM was also the best! I was surprised that a place so far from home could be so warm and inviting. It was a valuable experience as we were not well known, yet we managed to fill the venue beyond capacity! We were shocked that people wanted our autographs and to shake hands with us after the performance. I want to do more shows overseas!

For sure, we want to have you come back, but the pandemic put things on hold. The Unlash tour for 2020 had been postponed from April until October when concerts could be streamed online. You mentioned that you like watching live streams, now what do you think about having done them yourself?

I was happy to finally be able to perform live, but it felt a bit lonely not being able to directly feel that unique atmosphere between the band and the fans in attendance at a show. We never imagined the impact of coronavirus would be so big, so I was disappointed that shows were postponed. I was happy that we could at least perform on stage.

Hopefully, they can see you in person as Aldious is making plans for October 2021 with a tour in Europe. Please tell us your feelings about that and what you most look forward to.

It will be my first time in Europe! I’m excited to fly. I’m looking forward to seeing the cityscape and to find out what kind of fans will meet us in each city. I’m glad the dates were postponed and not canceled, I can’t wait to see you and burn up the stage!

Right on, Aldious is known for cranking it up on stage! Last thing, would you be so kind as to leave an encouraging message for the fans and readers.

Hello everyone! This is R!N. It’s not the easiest of situations to meet at the moment around the world, but I would be happy if you could take the time to get close to us by listening to our CDs or playing our DVDs and YouTube videos! I’ll see you all soon. Love you lots! Be careful, God bless!

Thank you so much R!N and special thanks to JPU Records for making this interview possible. Meanwhile, we will be listening to Evoke 2010-2020 and Evoke II 2010-2020. So much so that we want to sing with you at a live show! To everyone, check back with us for tour dates and more news about Aldious.