The glittering vastness of Tokyo guarantees leisure at each flip. Japan is house to the second-largest music market on this planet, tailing solely the US in numbers. Fan tradition is alive, nicely, and arranged; bodily media stays an infinite income generator, and the faces of pop stars pepper subway stations and commercials all through the town. Whereas the enormity of the business means there’s room for a lot of totally different sorts of acts to search out their following, it could possibly additionally imply that it’s that a lot tougher to rise to the highest. Travis Japan, the J-pop group developed by Starto Leisure and represented by Capitol Information, are up for the problem.
Travis Japan consists of seven members (Chaka, Umi, Shime, Shizu, Genta, Machu, and Noel, the final of whom is presently taking a relaxation from group actions). The members are all extraordinarily devoted to packing their schedules with particular person efforts to assist elevate the band’s collective profile, together with modeling gigs, appearing alternatives, and style endeavors. Genta lent his voice to the brand new Disney movie Mufasa, taking over the function of Scar for the Japanese launch. Umi, fashionable and funky, has a notable presence within the style world. Chaka, who additionally acts because the group chief, has an in depth tv resumé, however all of the members have expanded their talent units within the realm of TV and selection exhibits.
Backstage, just a few hours previous to the present at Yokohama Area (their sixth and last present on this metropolis run), the members are most keen to debate their work as a workforce, which they appear to treat as a touchdown place of types throughout the monumental orbit of particular person schedules. Shime compares himself to Doraemon, a fictional character from a Japanese manga of the identical identify who has the power to conjure no matter somebody round him could be in search of within the second. “I’m right here to assist the wants of the group,” he confirms.
His bandmate eagerly introduces himself as “Machu, like Machu Picchu,” and his vivid, contagious power solely will increase tenfold as soon as the group takes the stage that night.
And whereas Travis Japan’s home recognition is evident, the members have made no secret of their aspirations to develop a world presence. Early of their story, the group educated in Los Angeles to hone their efficiency abilities (their identify is a nod to esteemed choreographer Travis Payne, who was instrumental to the band’s early growth). Shortly after their debut, they briefly competed on America’s Received Expertise. They returned to tour the US within the fall of 2024 and bought out each cease.
Travis Japan, picture courtesy of Starto Leisure
There are noticeable variations between performing overseas and of their house nation, they affirm; however relatively than shift the main points of their present relying on their viewers, they as a substitute really feel impressed to re-ground in what makes them particular. “Our efficiency is similar, whether or not it’s in Japan or abroad,” Machu explains. “And our followers are our followers.” With that being mentioned, they had been particularly delighted to see American followers “shifting to the music” throughout their 2024 go to.