Last Updated on 2026-02-09 by a-indie
Incredible Production Speed
—Maririn: You released it right after recording.
Mayu Baby: “Tonight” was like that. Recording finished in about three days. We entered mastering, and about a week later, it was in distribution processing.
Ido Kyo: Hitomi and Miguel are the type who work efficiently. So when we said the vocalist should be someone who can keep up with this pace, it turned out Mayu was the fastest person.
Mayu Baby: Especially with music, I think faster is more fun. I want to record the moment I hear a demo.
The Date Disaster
Ido Kyo: As I mentioned briefly at the beginning, the day the final mix of “Tonight” was completed, Mayu was on a date, but she apparently thought, “Now’s not the time for a date” (laughs).
Mayu Baby: I don’t remember the details exactly, but the final mix of “Tonight” was sent from Miguel at midnight. Like, “It’s done, just waiting for Mayu’s recording.” While on a date (laughs). I thought, “Seriously?” I’m the type who really hates when a project is stopped while I’m holding the ball, so I wanted to go home and record. So while on the date, I listened to it and thought, “I want to go home,” but we were in a super remote location, so I said, “I’m taking the first train home.” I never saw that person again. I recorded “Tonight” while completely sleep-deprived.
Ido Kyo: At 6 AM, I got a message saying, “I just got home,” and I thought she was going to sleep, but she said, “I’m recording now.” It was a one-take recording, but Mayu is a good singer, after all. The recorded track was sent immediately. Plus, coming home in the morning and recording a song—that’s super punk, I thought.
Mayu Baby: I love singing, but when I was solo, I had to do everything else too. I did zero promotion, so nobody knew me. But with this band, everyone can divide tasks according to their strengths, so I’m happy to have lots of time for singing.
Don’t Do What You Don’t Want To Do
Ido Kyo: Our rule is “don’t do what you don’t want to do.” This person likes talking to people, I like creating visuals, this person handles money management and administration.
—Maririn: The members mesh well together.
Ido Kyo: I think we’re a super team—everyone is solid in their own domain.
Miguel’s Lyrics
—Maririn: Does Miguel handle almost all of the music production?
Ido Kyo: Miguel does about 95 percent. He writes not just the music but the lyrics too, and I really love the lyrics he writes.
Mayu Baby: Yeah, I like them too.
Lyrics That Can Only Be Written Now
Ido Kyo: Honestly, I thought Miguel was “someone who writes lyrics you’ve heard somewhere before,” so I thought the interest of this band would be determined by how much we could break that. But one day Mayu told me to listen while reading Miguel’s lyrics because they were really good. Until then, I hadn’t paid much attention to the lyrics, but when I listened while reading properly, I cried hard. With other songs too, I wondered, “How can he write lyrics like this?” I feel like a lot of people want to write lyrics that feel timeless. But Miguel isn’t like that—he writes lyrics that could only exist right now. He brings in things like dating apps, everyday life, fashion, and then layers in real emotion. It’s just really impressive.
Mayu Baby: And yet, they’re fun to sing. He’s really good with rhymes. The way he brings in proper nouns is also amazing. For example, in our soon-to-be-released 3rd single, he uses Hinge — a serious dating app from the U.S., known for being more intentional than other apps and for rejecting the usual swipe feature. He realistically depicts everyday emotions that everyone can relate to, keeps it life-sized, and uses words that are easy for everyone to understand.
Ido Kyo: The lyrical theme revolves around Netflix, which evokes the idea of a “guilty pleasure.” We’re aiming to create songs that stay true to that vibe.
Songs You Want to Sing at Karaoke
—Maririn: I think the lyrics for all three songs are amazing too.
Mayu Baby: I really love Miguel’s lyrics too. I listen to a lot of Western music, but when I heard “Feel Young,” I thought, “This is definitely a song I’d sing at karaoke if I heard it.” I’m happy to be part of something like that. I’m also looking forward to imagining who in Japan will actually listen to it, since it’s hard to predict.
Ido Kyo: Yeah, that’s very exciting. We plan to release one song per month. I hope we can keep putting out songs that are cute with an indie vibe, yet still pure pop.
Future Prospects
—Maririn: How many songs do you have in stock now?
Ido Kyo: We have about six songs. For longer live shows, we might occasionally throw in acoustic covers of pop songs.
Mayu Baby: I think it’d be interesting if our own songs were refreshing and polished for releases, but a bit punkier for live shows.
What We’re Looking Forward To
—Maririn: I’m looking forward to hearing what your current songs will be like live! What are you most excited about as GIRLFRIENDZ?
Mayu Baby: First, the Okinawa show. I’ve lived by the sea for a long time, and I’ve noticed that people in seaside towns are warm and friendly, so I’m nervous but really looking forward to it. I hope everyone enjoys it.
Ido Kyo: For me, it’s all about the music. Songs by Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande often credit multiple producers. Miguel is our main producer and songwriter, but personally, I’d love for all of us to spend some time in Los Angeles—even if just briefly—where there are lots of such producers, and collaborate with various people. That’s my dream for now.
The Listeners We Want to Reach
—Maririn: Of course you want lots of people to listen to GIRLFRIENDZ’s music, but are there particular people you especially want to listen?
Mayu Baby: Let’s see… I want our music to feel like the first song you play on a Friday night after work. I personally think our second single, “D.M.I.S.”, is the perfect start to Friday night. I don’t just want music lovers to hear it—I want everyday people to listen too. I want it to feel like a song that would play while cheerleaders are dancing. And of course, adults too (laughs)!
Ido Kyo: I don’t just want core indie fans to listen—I want people who enjoy Ariana Grande as well.
Mayu Baby: Same here. I want to reach that audience too.
Ido Kyo: Holly Humberstone strikes a really good balance, so we’re using her as a reference. We definitely want people who enjoy that kind of pop to hear our music.
GIRLFRIENDZ Release Information
2nd Single “D.M.I.S.”
Release Date: 2026.2.4
Format: Digital
Label: Independent / DIY
Release Link: https://linkco.re/6AxTFFxH
1st Single “Tonight”
Release Date: 2026.1.21
Format: Digital
Label: Independent / DIY
Release Link: https://linkco.re/ZpQyMYT3
GIRLFRIENDZ Event Information
“Diary” By GIRLFRIENDZ
Date: February 13, 2026 (Friday)
Doors / Show: 18:30 / 19:00
Venue: Shimokitazawa THREE
Lineup: GIRLFRIENDZ / Emma Aibara @emmaaibara / Yüksen Buyers House @yuksen_buyers_house
Admission:
– Advance ¥3,000 (+1D)
– Door ¥3,500 (+1D)
Ticket reservations:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScjBUl9_E6vS1JDcEAHDSonpzaWK5N7qQcsErjV92-c2933dA/viewform
Maririn (@Igor_Bilic)
A music enthusiast who handles event planning, management, and media interviews.
After working at DaisyBar, she founded the independent project “SECOND SUMMER OF LOVE.”
As a writer, she has published interviews with Suchmos, Ykiki Beat, Never Young Beach and others for BELONG Media.
Drawing on experience in new artist discovery at record labels and work at major labels, she continues to follow the music scene from multiple perspectives.
Articles written for BELONG can be found here
- is a music media platform run by BELONG, a Japanese music organization. We publish music articles with a focus on indie music.