The Guest List’s Japan Interview: The Hunger for “Something Real”

Last Updated on 2026-08-29 by a-indie

The Growth Behind Their Debut Album

Wakiki: What you just said might actually tie into my next question. I’d like to ask about your debut album, 『Something Real』.

Musical Growth Leading to『Something Real』

The Guest List / Debut Album『Something Real』

Wakiki: Listening to your earlier songs alongside this album, I felt that while the dynamic, energetic rock sound and a certain shadowy, unsettled quality from your earlier work is still there, this album brings much catchier, more memorable melodies to the front. As you mentioned, working with Matias Tellez in Bergen brought in some dream pop elements. What kind of changes do you feel between your earlier songs and the songs on this album?

The Guest List「If Ever Your Devil Is Kind」 (Official Video)
from The Debut Album『Something Real』

Cai: I think we’ve grown musically. I think that will happen to any band who does it professionally, because you play so much. You play live in front of audiences and you hear new music, listen to new music.
All of that has grown us as a band. And then I think just growing up as well. The early stuff that we put out, I wrote when I was 15, 16.
This album has been written maybe between 18 and 20, so I think you’re quite a different person between 18 and 20 years old compared to 15 or 16. I think there’s probably a maturity in the writing and an experience in the arranging and recording, which has probably led to the album sounding more convincing, I guess, than some of the earlier stuff.

Exploring New Sounds

Wakiki: Like the dream pop element you mentioned, is bringing new elements into your sound something you’d like to keep pursuing going forward?

Cai: I think so. I think we’ll see where we end up on the next album. But I think for any young band, it’s important to keep working with new people, keep experimenting with new instruments and sounds. So looking towards the second album, I think that’s definitely something we would continue to push for, maybe push harder on, even on the second album. So yeah, I’m looking forward to being able to do that in a studio setting on the second album.
I think we’re still writing songs for the sake of bringing out the song rather than maybe pushing for more of an experimentation sonically. So I would never want the sonics to get in the way of the songs that we’re making, but I think there’s definitely room for that.

The Song That Represents The Guest List Today

Wakiki: If you had to pick one song from this debut album that represents The Guest List right now — a song that acts as your calling card — which would it be? Please tell us the reason as well.

Cai: My favourite song on the album is 「Sick Animal」. I really love that song. I think it shows off what we can do and why we think we’re different to other bands in the scene right now, and why we think people should listen to us.
And then 「Slow Down Sally」 (included on this debut album, 『Something Real』), which we’ve not released yet. I think it’s one of our best songs, and I’m very excited to see that out in the world because we’ve been playing it now for three years.