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"Music is the only way I can get so absorbed in my troubles and pain that I can enjoy them."

Haru Toyama, 4th year, School of Fundamental Science and Engineering

At the student club room in Waseda University Student Center on Toyama Campus

"HALLEY" is an up-and-coming 5-member college R&B band formed after meeting at ` `The Nareo" (an official student club). Although it is pop music, it is characterized by songs that give a sense of the context of black music, and the soulful sound that is not student-like is impressive. Since May 2023, they have been actively working on their activities, releasing digital singles "Set Free", "Whim", and "Breeze" for three consecutive months, and digital EP (mini album) "Daze" in September.

This time, we interview Mr. Toyama, who plays guitar in HALLEY. Mr. Toyama, who wanted to study music with an engineering approach and wanted to enter the Department of Expressive Engineering in School of Fundamental Science and Engineering and Engineering since he was a junior high school student, talked about HALLEY's approach to music, his future prospects, and Waseda University's light music culture. I heard about things like that.

HALLEY “Sugary” MV

--Please tell us how you started playing guitar.

The guitar was originally my father's hobby, and I was surrounded by musical instruments from an early age. When I was at a Japanese school in Hong Kong, I was influenced by a classmate from the United States and started listening to a lot of 80's heavy metal. I wanted to practice guitar with him, so I asked my father to buy me a guitar, and that was the beginning of my guitar career.

As a child, at home in Hong Kong with his music-loving father and older sister (Tokai on the right)

--Please tell us about the history of forming HALLEY.

It was formed by Waseda University official student club "The Nareo". During my second year at university, when restrictions due to the spread of the novel coronavirus were loosened, I decided to try out student club activities, so I went to a welcome session at The Nareo with my junior from high school.

In "The Nareo," we search for band members from among the people we meet at the session, and the first five people we meet are (Vo.Mr. Zhang  (4th year, Sophia University, Faculty of Global Studies), Gt. Mr.Toyama, Bas. Mr.Takahashi (4th year School of International Liberal Studies, Waseda University), Dr. Mr.Shimizu (Department of Arts and Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, International Christian University), key. Mr.Nishiyama (3rd year School of Education Waseda University) are now members of HALLEY. Yes. As I practiced, I started to think that I wanted to try composing more. After the first copy live, even though everyone around us was going to the show, we got into a groove and thought, "We should write more songs," so we went straight to the members' houses and wrote songs until the morning. (laughs) That became the basis for our third single, "Breeze."

From there,we asked a photographer who was a current Waseda University student to take the jacket photo, created a demo sound source, andlittle by little we began to take shape in preparation for dissemination.

Creating a demo sound source for HALLEY in the club room of "The Nareo"

――Are there any reactions or feelings you have received from your recent activities such as the release of “Daze” and the self-produced live performance “in His Daze” to commemorate the release of “Daze”?

When we perform live with other bands, the number of new listeners increases when the customers who were looking for the other bands buy our goods or come to the next HALLEY concert. It makes me happy to experience this.

Lately, I've been receiving many invitations to perform live, and I'm working very hard, but I'm trying to deliver something different to each show so that I can give a performance that satisfies the fans who come every time. I am struggling to. The arrangement was different from yesterday's live and it was amazing! When I hear such reactions, I feel happy because I can feel that what we were aiming for has been properly delivered.

Scene from the self-produced live performance “in His Daze” to commemorate the distribution

--As a member, please tell us what you think is good about HALLEY.

Of course, there are times when we disagree in various situations, but as a band we feel like we somehow share a common image of the "correct" answer, and I think that's a good thing. For example, during a live performance, all five of us are conscious of creating a better live performance, such as by restraining our playing a little to bring out someone else's performance, or improvising and ad-libbing when someone makes a move.

I also think that one of the strengths of HALLEY is that we are able to divide administrative tasks other than performances according to each person's personality. For example, I'm a bit of a shy person, so I ask other members to take care of communicating with live houses and updating social media, while I feel comfortable taking on the accounting duties that others don't want to do. I believe that management is also important in order to continue creating work as a team over the long term.

Composing the 3rd single "Breeze"

--Please tell us your future goals as HALLEY.

I hope to establish a genre similar to Japanese/Asian R&B. To put it simply, I think R&B is ``dance music that you can dance to both body and soul.'' I would like to pursue a unique path by combining my backgrounds, such as having lived in Hong Kong and vocalist Zhang Tai-hyun's roots in South Korea.

The other members also like music such as gospel, funk, and neo-soul, and not all of them grew up listening to so-called "Japanese music," so I think that can be part of their individuality. In fact, we have been told that it is rare for a band of the young generation like us to incorporate R&B elements, so we would like to successfully establish this as our distinctive feature.

Production in progress at recording studio

――Mr. Toyama, who has a strong love for music, please tell us why you chose Waseda University over a music university.

I've loved music to the point where I've lost track of time since I was in junior high school, so I was interested in a career related to music from then on. When I thought about this, I realized that in the future, if we just do music alone, we will be lost. I wanted to learn about music from a different perspective than performing, so I researched career options and found the Department of Expressive Engineering at Waseda University's School of Fundamental Science and Engineering. I thought it would be interesting to learn about expression from an engineering approach, so I aimed to enter Waseda University Senior High School where you can enter internally. After entering the school, I joined the folk song club, and under the enthusiastic guidance of my advisor, I became even more obsessed with the guitar.

Live performance by the Folk Song Club Waseda University Senior High School (Tozan in the center). The session guidance provided by his advisor has influenced his current play style.

――I get the impression that Waseda has a very active light music student club, including ``The Nareo.'' How is it actually?

I think the level is very high. It's very motivating to see our seniors who are professional musicians, and the student band practicing right next to us who are preparing to perform at the Fuji Rock Festival, Japan's largest summer music festival. . We sometimes interact with other student club through joint concerts between light music student club, and even beyond our university, we become musical friends with students from Keio and Sophia. I think it's a good environment where we can work hard together.

At the big event "12 student club Joint Live" held during the welcome period. Performed with a group of 10 members from student club.

--Have you ever had an experience in your career where you felt that what you learned at university was useful?

In this day and age, you can write, record, and present a song all by yourself. In times like these, I think knowing a wide range of things, not just music, is a strength. When it comes to composing and recording, I feel like I'm able to come up with ideas like trying new methods that I've never tried before because I'm learning from the Department of Expressive Engineering. I feel that the learnings from the Department of Expressive Engineering are being put to use in a variety of detailed situations, such as thinking about the balance between songs, engineering, and what is novel.

With my colleagues from the Hashida laboratory. Although each of them makes different things, such as robots and pottery, the laboratory's method of ``challenging fixed notions about objects'' is the core of the members.

--Please tell us about your future plans.

We want to deliver our music to more people. As I dedicate myself to music, I realize that I really love music. Of course, when it comes to work, there are parts that aren't just fun, but I can enjoy even those worries because I love music. First of all, I would like to do my best with the goal of releasing an album and touring around the country.

With HALLEY friends in the club room

854th

Interview/text/photography: Waseda Weekly Reporter (SJC student staff)
Saya Tanabe third year School of Culture, Media and Society