Interview with Da-iCE

Da-iCE (pronounced “dice”) is a five-member all-male dance and vocal group that created their name by combining their concept of dance and the idea of a dice — when the energy of their fans is added to the group, together they form the six sides of dice. Since their formation in 2011, Da-iCE has scored multiple chart-topping hits in Japan. In May this year, the group made their American performance debut at Fanime at the San Jose Convention Center. In Da-iCE's second interview with JaME, the five members talk about their latest releases, summer and more.

Hello Da-iCE! It is said that the "a-i" in your group's name means "love" in Japanese. So, as an introduction, please tell us what love means to you.

Toru: There are many shapes of love, like for family, for friends, and of course for fans, but for me, absolute trust is a type of love.

You recently made your American performance debut at Fanime 2016. Please tell us about your experience there.

Sota: It was the best time. I got to participate in songwriting, dance lessons, etc., and all that preparation paid off. So I really felt a lot of joy during the live performance.

Now that you're back in Japan, what do you miss most about America and your American fans?

Hayate: Before our live performance in America started, I was so nervous and worried about their reaction, if they were going to get excited for our show. But, everyone was really warm, and I had the best time.

Your eighth single WATCH OUT was released on April 6th. The title track is about watching out for the things that deceive us in life so that we can be victorious. What are your personal thoughts on the message of this song?

Taiki: For me, it's about strength of will, meaning that you need to make a decision that's true for yourself.

You released your ninth single Paradive on July 20th. The title seems like a combination of the words "paradise" and "dive". What kind of ideas and themes do you want to express through this single?

Yudai: Well, summer naturally makes you feel free and think about fun things. So, I hope this song will help you "dive" into "paradise" and get super hyped up!

Some fans have commented about the beauty of the beach featured in the MV for Paradive. Please tell us where this beach is located and how the filming for the MV went.

Hayate: We shot it at a beach in Yoronjima, an island near Okinawa. The ocean was so beautiful that I thought, "I'll never see an ocean more beautiful than this."

Many people like to compare J-pop vocal dance groups with K-pop vocal dance groups. Being a J-pop vocal dance group yourself, what do you think when fans compare you with K-pop vocal dance groups?

Taiki: The genres are very close to each other, I think. Since there are so many great K-pop artists, I'm very happy to be compared to them.

You have been called "The Prettiest of the Pretty Boys" on TV and radio programs, magazines, and social media, etc. How do you feel about that?

Sota: I feel very humbled and embarrassed, actually! I'll do my best to live up to the title!

Performing at the Nippon Budokan has been a long-term goal for you and you will finally get the chance to perform there on January 17th next year. What kind of preparations are you making in order to be in tip-top condition for the big day?

Yudai: It's such a blessing to be able to stand on the Budokan stage, but nobody knows if it will be a success or not. To make it a success, we need to make the hall tour a success. Right now, the members are working together to make the hall tour successful, with the motivation to put everything we have into each moment.

What's the next step for you after Nippon Budokan?

Toru: As Da-iCE, we want to keep raising our level of performance so more people will see us. We want to perform live in Asia, and visit America again, too, so that we can expand our range of activities. We don't want to ever stop!

JaME would like to thank Da-iCE and RESONANCE Media for this interview opportunity.

Watch the MV for Paradive below:



Da-iCE Official HP: http://da-ice.jp
Da-iCE UNIVERSAL MUSIC Official HP: http://www.universal-music.co.jp/da-ice
Da-iCE Official Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Da.iCE.official