During their very first appearance in France, the nine members of D.O.L quickly proved that their boundless energy could transcend any language barrier.
Across the four days of Japan Expo, the group steadily built a loyal audience, with more and more fans returning to each performance and even joining in the choreography alongside the members. Between catchy punk-rock anthems and infectious enthusiasm, we sat down with D.O.L to discuss their latest single Summer Freeze, the meaning behind their name, their growing international ambitions, and the unforgettable experience of winning over French audiences.
Hello everyone! Could you start by introducing yourselves?
[In French]
Kakeru: My name is Kakeru. [applause]
Naoto: My name is Naoto.
Ibuki: My name is Ibuki.
Sho: My name is Sho.
Rui: My name is Rui.
Tomoki: My name is Tomoki.
Hiroki: My name is Hiroki.
Kaito: My name is Kaito.
Minato: My name is Minato.
Could you tell us about your latest single, “Summer Freeze”, which you promoted for three months? Were you able to accomplish everything you had hoped to?
Ibuki: It’s always difficult to achieve 100% of what you set out to do when you have this kind of schedule, but we were able to accomplish the goals we had more or less set for ourselves, especially by reaching No. 1 and No. 3 on the weekly Oricon charts. What also makes us truly happy is hearing fans tell us how much they enjoy listening to our music or watching us perform.
And tell us more about Summer Freeze!
Kaito: It’s a summer song that brings back memories of our teenage years, as well as memories we may never have actually experienced. It perfectly embodies our punk-rock style.
Speaking of your musical style, how would you define it?
Tomoki: We’ve realized that French audiences really connect with our Japanese musical style. Being able to perform in front of them has helped us understand what defines us as a group : we create energetic, uplifting music.
You performed here for the first time this morning. What are your expectations for your appearance at Japan Expo?
Kakeru: It’s our first time in France. Of course, we’re faced with a language barrier, but to overcome it, we’ve learned a few French words and sentences that we used during this morning’s performance, which really helped create a great atmosphere. Over the next few days, we’d like to learn even more ways to communicate with the audience so everyone can have a great time! [applause]
For example, what’s a French word you’ve learned?
[laughter]
Kakeru: [in French] “Ça va?” [laughter] It’s the easiest thing to say during a concert, and it gets the biggest reaction.
And what about the others?
Kaito: [in French] “J’ai faim!” (“I’m hungry!”)
Hiroki: [in French] “Mignon!” (“Cute!”) [laughter]
Could you tell us about the meaning behind your group’s name?
Ibuki: Our group name, D.O.L, stands for Dream Out Loud. We formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when it was difficult to express ourselves, interact with fans, or even hold concerts. Our name represents the idea of expressing your dreams out loud. From the beginning, our message has been about persevering and continuing to pursue your dreams despite difficult circumstances.
Did you ever imagine that, six years after COVID, you’d be coming to France?
Everyone: Not at all!
You’re also very active on social media. Could you tell us more about that?
Tomoki: Yes. We also have an account called Japanese Brothers, which consists of three members. The goal of that account is to share our music with people around the world. But being here at Japan Expo as all nine members feels like a dream come true, and we’re incredibly happy about it.
Is Japanese Brothers a sub-unit? Are you planning to release music as a trio?
Minato/Tomoki : We all have very different personalities, so we try to highlight our individual strengths and talents in different fields. In that sense, Japanese Brothers does function as a sub-unit, and its three members (Kakeru, Sho, and Rui) are very popular. Their goal is first to build their popularity in Japan. We also have another unit that showcases our main vocalists, made up of Kaito, Naoto, and myself.
As individuals with different activities (YouTube, social media, and so on) how do you all come together to represent D.O.L?
Kaito: As we mentioned, each of us has our own strengths. Some focus more on singing and dancing, while others concentrate on acting. For example, Hiroki has 2.2 million followers on social media. Having members with distinct roles and unique personalities is what creates the dynamic of D.O.L and makes us a one-of-a-kind group.
If you could recommend just one of your songs to fans, which would it be?
Kaito: “Summer Freeze!” But if you asked each of us individually, we’d probably choose songs like “Telephone” or “Signal”…
You have a really cool fashion style. Was this schoolboy-inspired look something you created yourselves?
Ibuki: It was actually our producer who decided on our outfits. The idea was to embody high school students and capture that feeling of adolescence while remembering those wonderful moments.
It may be your first time in Paris. Is there anything you’d like to do or see?
Kaito: Eat a baguette.
Kakeru: We did have a little time to look around, so we went to see the Eiffel Tower!
Do you have a message for your fans?
Hiroki: First of all, for the women: “Cute!” And for the men: “Cute!” [laughter]
We’d like to thank D.O.L and Japan Expo Paris for this opportunity.
This interview is the result of a collaboration between KAvenyou, CKJPOPNEWS and NAUTILJON.
