Whirlwind pop group ATARASHII GAKKO! represent a new generation of Japanese youth (seishun in their native language), one embracing personal expression and pushing against traditional boundaries a little at a time. The outlandish quartet -- comprised of kawaii-but-fierce Mizyu, wildcard Suzuka, graceful Kanon and funky Rin -- break down genre walls to create music mixing elements of pop, jazz, hip-hop, rock and more, delivered with a punk energy and featuring frantic dance moves, choreographed by the four members themselves.
"We want to prove that young people's energy is unlimited," Suzuka says. "We want to be leaders for young people. Through our performance, we want to express to them that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
The outfit brought four teenage girls from across Japan to Tokyo. Their personalities balance one another out, and after meeting they quickly developed a tight bond as ATARASHII GAKKO! Each member's personal music preferences hint at the diversity they'd meld together in their own songs -- Rin comes from a rap background highlighted by a love for Lauryn Hill, Suzuka points to Beyoncé as an idol, Mizyu cites J-pop ambassador Kyary Pamyu Pamyu while Kanon came up on the kinetic sounds of K-pop.
Just as vital to ATARASHII GAKKO! and their goal of connecting with a new era of youth is their visual flair. They say they're dedicated kumitaisou enthusiasts, referring to a type of group acrobatics practiced in every school in Japan, usually involving students standing on one another's shoulders to construct wobbly human pyramids. ATARASHII GAKKO! transform this curriculum staple into a tool for their own self expression, constructing intricate dance moves built around teamwork.
"First, we listen to the song and then we have a lot of meetings amongst ourselves to figure out what to do about the choreography," Suzuka says. "We then finally start training for the physical execution of it."
Their moves, unfolding like a chaotic cartoon but requiring a lot of precision and unity to pull off, helped ATARASHII GAKKO! stand out in their early years, and made the group catch immediate attention when they released their debut single "Dokubana" in 2017. Also helping them turn heads was their decision to do all of this while wearing seifuku, Japanese for the sailor-suit uniforms kids wear to school. "The uniform is the signature of young people in Japan...and it's a metaphor for the rules you can't break," Rin says. "We express our uniqueness in these clothes to show how you can push the boundaries of those rules." That extends to their socks, which boast different messages visible in every music video and live performance.
The visual and musical strengths have settled just right in the last four years to produce one of the most unpredictable and entertaining pop groups going in Japan. Over the course of two full-length albums -- 2018's Maenarawanai and 2019's Wakage Gaitaru -- ATARASHII GAKKO! have brought a wide range of genres together into dizzying pop cuts concealing lyrics full of depth, including experiments in haiku. Their words transform daily teenage experiences running from being assigned a new seat in class to being caught in a love triangle to simply procrastinating into supercharged snapshots of youth.
They've also shined on social media, both thanks to their anarchic YouTube uploads and bringing their wild dancing skills to TikTok.
ATARASHII GAKKO! joined 88rising in late 2020 to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, while aiming to teach the globe about what makes Japan special through their The Seishun Academy YouTube series. "We want to show the charm of Japan via our own weird emotion and style," Suzuka says. That also powers their first global single, "NAINAINAI," a mission statement soundtracked by a retro-inspired hip-hop beat and their tag-team approach to singing.
In late 2021, the group released their first EP under the 88rising label, SNACKTIME. Like "Pineapple Kryptonite," the EP is produced by legendary producer Money Mark, who is known for his works with the Beastie Boys and other iconic musicians.
The EP explores a variety of musical genres and demonstrates the group's versatility through songs like the free-spirited punk anthem "Free Your Mind," the instant dancefloor earworm "CANDY," the eccentric Italo-disco tune "Fantasico," and the glee inspired "Happy Hormones." With Money Mark acting as their mentor and coach, ATARASHII GAKKO! learned how to take control of their creative output and artistic destiny. The "SNACKTIME" EP is testimony to this as it is a story of empowerment and evolution while alerting the global audience that ATARASHII GAKKO! is an immensely talented force to be reckoned with.
Recently, they partnered with Nike Japan for a fitness campaign around their track "WOO! GO!" - a track meant to motivate the youth to get active. They also just played a sold-out show at the ZEPP Diver City in Tokyo, which was able to be live streamed to fans globally.
ATARASHII GAKKO! continues to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, fueled entirely by the power of youth. They refuse to stop pushing the creative envelope and evolve, and will keep doing so in 2022.
show less
"We want to prove that young people's energy is unlimited," Suzuka says. "We want to be leaders for young people. Through our performance, we want to express to them that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
The outfit brought four teenage girls from across Japan to Tokyo. Their personalities balance one another out, and after meeting they quickly developed a tight bond as ATARASHII GAKKO! Each member's personal music preferences hint at the diversity they'd meld together in their own songs -- Rin comes from a rap background highlighted by a love for Lauryn Hill, Suzuka points to Beyoncé as an idol, Mizyu cites J-pop ambassador Kyary Pamyu Pamyu while Kanon came up on the kinetic sounds of K-pop.
Just as vital to ATARASHII GAKKO! and their goal of connecting with a new era of youth is their visual flair. They say they're dedicated kumitaisou enthusiasts, referring to a type of group acrobatics practiced in every school in Japan, usually involving students standing on one another's shoulders to construct wobbly human pyramids. ATARASHII GAKKO! transform this curriculum staple into a tool for their own self expression, constructing intricate dance moves built around teamwork.
"First, we listen to the song and then we have a lot of meetings amongst ourselves to figure out what to do about the choreography," Suzuka says. "We then finally start training for the physical execution of it."
Their moves, unfolding like a chaotic cartoon but requiring a lot of precision and unity to pull off, helped ATARASHII GAKKO! stand out in their early years, and made the group catch immediate attention when they released their debut single "Dokubana" in 2017. Also helping them turn heads was their decision to do all of this while wearing seifuku, Japanese for the sailor-suit uniforms kids wear to school. "The uniform is the signature of young people in Japan...and it's a metaphor for the rules you can't break," Rin says. "We express our uniqueness in these clothes to show how you can push the boundaries of those rules." That extends to their socks, which boast different messages visible in every music video and live performance.
The visual and musical strengths have settled just right in the last four years to produce one of the most unpredictable and entertaining pop groups going in Japan. Over the course of two full-length albums -- 2018's Maenarawanai and 2019's Wakage Gaitaru -- ATARASHII GAKKO! have brought a wide range of genres together into dizzying pop cuts concealing lyrics full of depth, including experiments in haiku. Their words transform daily teenage experiences running from being assigned a new seat in class to being caught in a love triangle to simply procrastinating into supercharged snapshots of youth.
They've also shined on social media, both thanks to their anarchic YouTube uploads and bringing their wild dancing skills to TikTok.
ATARASHII GAKKO! joined 88rising in late 2020 to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, while aiming to teach the globe about what makes Japan special through their The Seishun Academy YouTube series. "We want to show the charm of Japan via our own weird emotion and style," Suzuka says. That also powers their first global single, "NAINAINAI," a mission statement soundtracked by a retro-inspired hip-hop beat and their tag-team approach to singing.
In late 2021, the group released their first EP under the 88rising label, SNACKTIME. Like "Pineapple Kryptonite," the EP is produced by legendary producer Money Mark, who is known for his works with the Beastie Boys and other iconic musicians.
The EP explores a variety of musical genres and demonstrates the group's versatility through songs like the free-spirited punk anthem "Free Your Mind," the instant dancefloor earworm "CANDY," the eccentric Italo-disco tune "Fantasico," and the glee inspired "Happy Hormones." With Money Mark acting as their mentor and coach, ATARASHII GAKKO! learned how to take control of their creative output and artistic destiny. The "SNACKTIME" EP is testimony to this as it is a story of empowerment and evolution while alerting the global audience that ATARASHII GAKKO! is an immensely talented force to be reckoned with.
Recently, they partnered with Nike Japan for a fitness campaign around their track "WOO! GO!" - a track meant to motivate the youth to get active. They also just played a sold-out show at the ZEPP Diver City in Tokyo, which was able to be live streamed to fans globally.
ATARASHII GAKKO! continues to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, fueled entirely by the power of youth. They refuse to stop pushing the creative envelope and evolve, and will keep doing so in 2022.
Whirlwind pop group ATARASHII GAKKO! represent a new generation of Japanese youth (seishun in their native language), one embracing personal expression and pushing against traditional boundaries a little at a time. The outlandish quartet -- comprised of kawaii-but-fierce Mizyu, wildcard Suzuka, graceful Kanon and funky Rin -- break down genre walls to create music mixing elements of pop, jazz, hip-hop, rock and more, delivered with a punk energy and featuring frantic dance moves, choreographed by the four members themselves.
"We want to prove that young people's energy is unlimited," Suzuka says. "We want to be leaders for young people. Through our performance, we want to express to them that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
The outfit brought four teenage girls from across Japan to Tokyo. Their personalities balance one another out, and after meeting they quickly developed a tight bond as ATARASHII GAKKO! Each member's personal music preferences hint at the diversity they'd meld together in their own songs -- Rin comes from a rap background highlighted by a love for Lauryn Hill, Suzuka points to Beyoncé as an idol, Mizyu cites J-pop ambassador Kyary Pamyu Pamyu while Kanon came up on the kinetic sounds of K-pop.
Just as vital to ATARASHII GAKKO! and their goal of connecting with a new era of youth is their visual flair. They say they're dedicated kumitaisou enthusiasts, referring to a type of group acrobatics practiced in every school in Japan, usually involving students standing on one another's shoulders to construct wobbly human pyramids. ATARASHII GAKKO! transform this curriculum staple into a tool for their own self expression, constructing intricate dance moves built around teamwork.
"First, we listen to the song and then we have a lot of meetings amongst ourselves to figure out what to do about the choreography," Suzuka says. "We then finally start training for the physical execution of it."
Their moves, unfolding like a chaotic cartoon but requiring a lot of precision and unity to pull off, helped ATARASHII GAKKO! stand out in their early years, and made the group catch immediate attention when they released their debut single "Dokubana" in 2017. Also helping them turn heads was their decision to do all of this while wearing seifuku, Japanese for the sailor-suit uniforms kids wear to school. "The uniform is the signature of young people in Japan...and it's a metaphor for the rules you can't break," Rin says. "We express our uniqueness in these clothes to show how you can push the boundaries of those rules." That extends to their socks, which boast different messages visible in every music video and live performance.
The visual and musical strengths have settled just right in the last four years to produce one of the most unpredictable and entertaining pop groups going in Japan. Over the course of two full-length albums -- 2018's Maenarawanai and 2019's Wakage Gaitaru -- ATARASHII GAKKO! have brought a wide range of genres together into dizzying pop cuts concealing lyrics full of depth, including experiments in haiku. Their words transform daily teenage experiences running from being assigned a new seat in class to being caught in a love triangle to simply procrastinating into supercharged snapshots of youth.
They've also shined on social media, both thanks to their anarchic YouTube uploads and bringing their wild dancing skills to TikTok.
ATARASHII GAKKO! joined 88rising in late 2020 to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, while aiming to teach the globe about what makes Japan special through their The Seishun Academy YouTube series. "We want to show the charm of Japan via our own weird emotion and style," Suzuka says. That also powers their first global single, "NAINAINAI," a mission statement soundtracked by a retro-inspired hip-hop beat and their tag-team approach to singing.
In late 2021, the group released their first EP under the 88rising label, SNACKTIME. Like "Pineapple Kryptonite," the EP is produced by legendary producer Money Mark, who is known for his works with the Beastie Boys and other iconic musicians.
The EP explores a variety of musical genres and demonstrates the group's versatility through songs like the free-spirited punk anthem "Free Your Mind," the instant dancefloor earworm "CANDY," the eccentric Italo-disco tune "Fantasico," and the glee inspired "Happy Hormones." With Money Mark acting as their mentor and coach, ATARASHII GAKKO! learned how to take control of their creative output and artistic destiny. The "SNACKTIME" EP is testimony to this as it is a story of empowerment and evolution while alerting the global audience that ATARASHII GAKKO! is an immensely talented force to be reckoned with.
Recently, they partnered with Nike Japan for a fitness campaign around their track "WOO! GO!" - a track meant to motivate the youth to get active. They also just played a sold-out show at the ZEPP Diver City in Tokyo, which was able to be live streamed to fans globally.
ATARASHII GAKKO! continues to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, fueled entirely by the power of youth. They refuse to stop pushing the creative envelope and evolve, and will keep doing so in 2022.
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"We want to prove that young people's energy is unlimited," Suzuka says. "We want to be leaders for young people. Through our performance, we want to express to them that you can do anything if you put your mind to it."
The outfit brought four teenage girls from across Japan to Tokyo. Their personalities balance one another out, and after meeting they quickly developed a tight bond as ATARASHII GAKKO! Each member's personal music preferences hint at the diversity they'd meld together in their own songs -- Rin comes from a rap background highlighted by a love for Lauryn Hill, Suzuka points to Beyoncé as an idol, Mizyu cites J-pop ambassador Kyary Pamyu Pamyu while Kanon came up on the kinetic sounds of K-pop.
Just as vital to ATARASHII GAKKO! and their goal of connecting with a new era of youth is their visual flair. They say they're dedicated kumitaisou enthusiasts, referring to a type of group acrobatics practiced in every school in Japan, usually involving students standing on one another's shoulders to construct wobbly human pyramids. ATARASHII GAKKO! transform this curriculum staple into a tool for their own self expression, constructing intricate dance moves built around teamwork.
"First, we listen to the song and then we have a lot of meetings amongst ourselves to figure out what to do about the choreography," Suzuka says. "We then finally start training for the physical execution of it."
Their moves, unfolding like a chaotic cartoon but requiring a lot of precision and unity to pull off, helped ATARASHII GAKKO! stand out in their early years, and made the group catch immediate attention when they released their debut single "Dokubana" in 2017. Also helping them turn heads was their decision to do all of this while wearing seifuku, Japanese for the sailor-suit uniforms kids wear to school. "The uniform is the signature of young people in Japan...and it's a metaphor for the rules you can't break," Rin says. "We express our uniqueness in these clothes to show how you can push the boundaries of those rules." That extends to their socks, which boast different messages visible in every music video and live performance.
The visual and musical strengths have settled just right in the last four years to produce one of the most unpredictable and entertaining pop groups going in Japan. Over the course of two full-length albums -- 2018's Maenarawanai and 2019's Wakage Gaitaru -- ATARASHII GAKKO! have brought a wide range of genres together into dizzying pop cuts concealing lyrics full of depth, including experiments in haiku. Their words transform daily teenage experiences running from being assigned a new seat in class to being caught in a love triangle to simply procrastinating into supercharged snapshots of youth.
They've also shined on social media, both thanks to their anarchic YouTube uploads and bringing their wild dancing skills to TikTok.
ATARASHII GAKKO! joined 88rising in late 2020 to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, while aiming to teach the globe about what makes Japan special through their The Seishun Academy YouTube series. "We want to show the charm of Japan via our own weird emotion and style," Suzuka says. That also powers their first global single, "NAINAINAI," a mission statement soundtracked by a retro-inspired hip-hop beat and their tag-team approach to singing.
In late 2021, the group released their first EP under the 88rising label, SNACKTIME. Like "Pineapple Kryptonite," the EP is produced by legendary producer Money Mark, who is known for his works with the Beastie Boys and other iconic musicians.
The EP explores a variety of musical genres and demonstrates the group's versatility through songs like the free-spirited punk anthem "Free Your Mind," the instant dancefloor earworm "CANDY," the eccentric Italo-disco tune "Fantasico," and the glee inspired "Happy Hormones." With Money Mark acting as their mentor and coach, ATARASHII GAKKO! learned how to take control of their creative output and artistic destiny. The "SNACKTIME" EP is testimony to this as it is a story of empowerment and evolution while alerting the global audience that ATARASHII GAKKO! is an immensely talented force to be reckoned with.
Recently, they partnered with Nike Japan for a fitness campaign around their track "WOO! GO!" - a track meant to motivate the youth to get active. They also just played a sold-out show at the ZEPP Diver City in Tokyo, which was able to be live streamed to fans globally.
ATARASHII GAKKO! continues to bring their resistance against conformity to the world, fueled entirely by the power of youth. They refuse to stop pushing the creative envelope and evolve, and will keep doing so in 2022.
show less
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