Q&A: Travis Japan on Global Love, “Say I Do,” and “Tokyo Crazy Night”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY NTHATILE MAVUSO ☆
TRAVIS JAPAN ALWAYS COMMANDS A STAGE WITH CLASS, PRECISION, AND CHARISMA. The Tokyo-based seven-member dance-pop star group has made a name for itself with their razor-sharp choreography, high-energy performances, and genre-blending sound rooted in jazz, hip-hop, and pop. Formed under the mentorship of award-winning choreographer Travis Payne (Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga), the group has grown from domestic headliners into a global sensation.
Their international breakthrough came in 2022 with standout appearances on World of Dance and America’s Got Talent, leading to a record deal with Capitol Records / Universal Music Japan. Since then, the group has only ascended further. With the release of their sophomore album VIIsual in 2024, followed by a nationwide arena tour and a sold-out world tour, Travis Japan proved they were no longer just rising stars but solidified icons in the global J-pop movement. Travis Japan is now embarking on a world tour in July, venturing into a highly anticipated world tour across the globe from cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Taipei, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. Fans can look forward to high-energy, precise, choreography-filled performances, and infectious music can be expected if the trailer is anything to go by.
This past March, they kicked off 2025 with a bang and released two new singles, “Say I Do” and “Tokyo Crazy Night.” Each track accompanied by a vibrant visual immersion, “Say I Do” offers a heartwarming twist on young love and self-confidence, while “Tokyo Crazy Night” delivers sleek city-pop vibes anchored by a minimalist, choreography-focused performance. With multiple chart-topping hits and 1.2M dedicated followers cheering them on, Travis Japan shows no signs of slowing down. True to that sentiment, the band has recently released the electrifying single “Would You Like One”, a song cleverly incorporating Japanese mealtime greetings that encapsulates the group’s dynamic creativity.
Luna caught up with the group to chat about their creative process, their international journey, and what keeps them moving forward.
LUNA: Your new singles, "Say I Do" and "Tokyo Crazy Night," show two very different sides of Travis Japan. Can you tell us what each song means to you and how they fit into your journey as a group?
CHAKA: We always like to keep a diverse approach when it comes to our music. “Say I Do“ is a sweet love song, while ”Tokyo Crazy Night" is a new kind of city pop, and other tracks we’ve released so far have their own distinct styles as well. By performing a variety of songs in this way, we hope to become an artist that many kinds of people can be exposed to and find interesting as we continue to grow and evolve.
LUNA: Filming music videos is always an exciting experience! Were there any fun or unexpected moments on set while shooting these two videos?
SHIZU: For “Say I Do,” we all had special outfits planned in advance, but as soon as we were ready to start, I looked over at Chaka and saw that he was the only one not wearing what had been agreed to! In the end, we decided to go in another direction entirely, but it was surreal and funny given how meticulously planned everything usually is. I thought it was great that Travis Japan could enjoy such unpredictable events behind the scenes. As for “Tokyo Crazy Night,” we were dancing like crazy, and the staff was sort of making up the video as we were going along in reaction to our movements. So, we had to keep checking in to make sure that the final cut would have something worthy of a music video, but ultimately, the process was so much fun!
LUNA: Both songs are theme tracks for TV dramas starring Travis Japan members. How does it feel to have your music connected to these stories, and did it change the way you approached performing them?
CHAKA: You can of course, listen to “Say I Do” as a piece of music, but I feel that by watching the drama, your interpretation of the song or the image of the song will become a lot clearer. This is an interesting aspect of our complementary work, and I am very grateful for the opportunity to sing the theme song for a drama in which I act. I certainly will do my best to keep getting such opportunities. As for how I approach the performance, I think that the story makes the acting easy to understand, and it’s pleasant to watch with the entire cast working in harmony for the viewers’ enjoyment!
MACHU: “Tokyo Crazy Night” wasn’t originally written specifically for my drama, but it fits so perfectly together that it really might as well have been! It is in the retro city pop genre, and if you listen to the lyrics carefully, you can hear a hint of “Tokyo Camouflage Hour” in some of the expressions, so by watching the drama while enjoying the song, you end up getting a lot more deeply involved in both. As for the choreography, we tried to pick up elements of the general busy and crowded vibe of life in Tokyo, so watch the music video on our YouTube channel to see what parts you can spot!
LUNA: Your choreography is always a highlight of your performances. What was the most challenging or exciting part of creating the dance for "Tokyo Crazy Night?”
GENTA: We always try to keep our choreography cool, sexy, and unique, but this time we felt we had to spend a lot more time getting into the nuances of the choreography to fit the stories they were thematically linked to. Learning new moves is always exciting, and each new dance experience helps us grow for the next.
LUNA: Since your international breakthrough in 2022, you’ve performed in many different places. Is there a performance or moment from your world tour that stands out as the most special? And where do you plan to go next?
UMI: When we visited various places and met with overseas fans for the first time, they were so happy to see us and when we sang encores featuring our debut song “JUST DANCE!” they even sang and danced along, so we were very happy. We would love to grow and be able to visit even more places and have fun with even more people all around the world through the power of shared music.
LUNA: You‘ve worked with incredible producers and choreographers. How do you think your sound and style have evolved from your debut single “JUST DANCE!” to your new releases?
SHIME: In terms of technical skills, I think we have grown in many ways, but we always intentionally try to challenge ourselves in various genres without deciding on any single one. In the case of VIIsual, each member produced one song, and imbued it with their own unique characteristics as a sum of the parts that make up the whole of Travis Japan. At first listen, it may seem a bit disjointed compared to what people might expect, but every element is just as much a part of Travis Japan as any other, and I would like to continue to do the same in the future. I hope one day these unique aspects can come together to become a new genre called Travis Japan.
LUNA: If you could describe Travis Japan’s music in just three words, what would they be?
MACHU: Euphoria, genreless, and neo. Fans often write in to say how Travis Japan gives them a sense of happiness, not only from the music we share but everything else we do to provide our fans with a sense of joy and delight in the midst of a busy day. We also intentionally try to overcome any set barriers of definition when it comes to assigning our style, including paying homage to classic styles from the generation above us that were so formative to our current worldview.
LUNA: 2025 is shaping up to be a big year for you! What are your goals as a group, and is there anything exciting fans can look forward to next?
UMI: We have a big surprise announcement! We are going on another world tour—“Travis Japan World Tour 2025 VIIsual”—and we can’t wait to meet our overseas fans once again. We hope to be able to repay everyone’s patience and excitement with a suitably exciting performance!
