Welcome to this exclusive written interview with Benny, the rising stars of the J-Pop scene! We had the pleasure of speaking with Kyara, Sena, Kori, Toki, Ama, and Vivi, the six members who make up this exciting “Japan Core” concept group. Since their debut on February 22, 2025, Benny has quickly captured the attention of fans, and in this interview, we delve into their musical journey, creative process, and the personalities behind their captivating performances.
Please tell us about the journey to releasing your debut single/album.
What was the most challenging part and what was your most satisfying moment?
The most difficult and happiest moments are just a fine line, and they remain in my memory. Practicing our debut song and preparing to get the world to know us was difficult, but also very happy. I got to witness with my fellow members the moment our dreams slowly became reality, and I think it was a time that remains vividly in everyone’s memory.
The group’s concept is said to be “Japan Core.” What does this term mean to you?
How is this reflected in your music, style, visuals, etc.?
For us, “Japan Core” means interpreting the essential culture and aesthetics of Japan in a modern way and expressing it freely to the world. In terms of music, we sometimes mix the distinctive sounds of Japanese into English lyrics to create a hook. We are never tied to one style, but rather we try to convey the goodness and culture of Japan from different perspectives and in different ways for each song.
In terms of style and visuals, we are reconstructing traditional Japanese culture into modern fashion and visual expression. For example, we are trying to incorporate Japanese elements and kanji in a modern way, and express vivid and energetic visuals inspired by anime and manga. Through such diverse and free expressions, we hope to convey a new form of “Japan Core” to the world.
What was your main inspiration for the concept of “Japan Core”?
What influences have you had? Are there any particular artists, historical periods, or cultural elements?
The biggest inspiration for our “Japan Core” is Japanese culture from the 1990s to the early 2000s. We are particularly influenced by the street fashion of Harajuku and Shibuya at that time, and the freedom and energy of the unique youth culture.
We also try to get a lot of inspiration from anime and game culture, which are uniquely Japanese pop culture and have a global influence. While taking into account the historical and cultural background, we try to reinterpret them with a modern sensibility and convey them as our own style.
👤 Individual questions (for each member)
[AMA]
Please tell us your role in the group and what your strengths are as a performer.
I think I’m in charge of hip-hop in the group. I’m always learning about hip-hop culture in Japan and overseas, and my strength is being able to use that knowledge and sense to honestly express my thoughts and messages through rap lyrics and dance.
What are your personal goals in your career as a member of BENNY? What do you want to achieve in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years?
One year later…Live overseas
Five years later…Successfully hold a dome tour and collaborate with overseas artists
10 years later… Live at Wembley Stadium in England
Is there anything surprising about yourself that you would like to tell your fans?
Although I’m the kind of person who loves interacting with people, I’m actually quite an introvert, and I spend most of my days off at home watching movies and cooking, so I often don’t meet up with anyone.
[SENA]
What is your role within the group, and what are your strengths as a performer?
My most apparent role within the group is the leader. Having a language barrier between members and the company can cause a lot of miscommunication, which I stand in the middle to suggest any solution as I’m the only member that can speak English, Japanese, and Korean in the entire organization.
What are your personal career goals for the next year, five years, and ten years as a member of BENNY? or even ten years?
The biggest dream I have is the contribution to world peace.
Next year → our song will be viral
Five years → world tour
10 years → donation / volunteer works
What is one thing you want fans to know about you that they might not already know?
One thing I want our fans to know is how the members are involved in running the whole BENNY project. From editing YouTube videos, providing TikTok video ideas to creating choreographies for our performance, we make sure we maintain close communication with what we are presenting to our fans to maximize the quality in various fields !
[KYARA]
Please tell us your role in the group and what your strengths are as a performer.
According to the members, the color is purple, and I am the vocalist.
What are your personal career goals for the next year, five years, and ten years as a member of BENNY?
One year later, appears on a music show as BENNY.
In 5 years, I want to perform at the Budokan as BENNY.
In 10 years, BENNY will be a Dome artist.
Is there anything surprising about yourself that you would like to tell your fans?
I have a lot of rules for myself. I have a specific place to put the remote control, I want everything to be the same size, I’m bothered by water droplets, and so on. I have quite a lot of rules 😂
[KORI]
Please tell us your role in the group and what your strengths are as a performer.
I think my charm as a performer is my high-pitched vocal performance. During vocal lessons, my trainer discovered my talent and helped me develop it, which led to me being entrusted with the high-pitched part before the chorus in our debut song, WOAH, and I remember being very happy about it.
What are your personal career goals for the next year, five years, and ten years as a member of BENNY?
What I want to achieve in a year, five years, and ten years from now is the same: “All six members will be close in our hearts, just like we are now.” Even if our activities expand and we have less time together in the future, knowing that our members are somewhere in our hearts will help us all do our best. It will make us smile. I would be happy if we can build that kind of relationship of trust.
Is there anything surprising about yourself that you would like to tell your fans?
▶Some of my fans may already know this, but my hobby is watching martial arts. I have been watching martial arts since I was a teenager, influenced by my father, to the point where I go to MMA tournaments in Japan by myself.
[TOKI]
Please tell us your role in the group and your strengths as a performer.
A. Calm. Someone who takes a step back. Vocalist.
What are your personal goals as a member of BENNY?
A. I want to be a group that is loved by many people. Number one in Japan. To put it more emotionally, I want to be an artist that can make the audience who come to our live shows feel something.
One year later, a solo concert; five years later, a Red and White + Stadium concert; ten years later, a Dome tour
What is one thing that you would like your fans to know about you that they don’t already know?
I collect all the messages of support and nice comments from tiktok.youtube , put them in a photo album called “Strength” and look at them when I’m feeling down. Thank you so much to everyone who gives me kind words.
[VIVI]
What is your role within the group, and what are your strengths as a performer?
I believe that my role within the group is someone who is able to reach more people outside of Japan. Being able to speak 3 languages, I want to communicate and bring into the light the charm of BENNY outside of Japan.
I also believe that my strength as a performer is to be able to have fun on stage and freely connect with our fans.
What are your personal goals for your career as a member of BENNY? What do you hope to achieve in the next year, five years, or even ten years?
My personal goals for my career is to go out on television and make more people get to know VIVI as a person. In five years, I hope that we can go on a world tour and have my family have fun in our concert.
What is one thing you want fans to know about you that they might not already know?
One thing I want our fans to know is how much we appreciate the love they show us and that we are always in touch with what they post and all of their supportive words are all seen and felt by BENNY.
How would you describe BENNY’s group dynamic and standout strengths?
I think our team is like the anime “One Piece“. Although each member has a different personality and values, we complement each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and even if we clash at times, deep down we trust each other deeply. The shared feeling that “we need these six people” is BENNY’s greatest strength.
What is the most fun thing about working in a group?
On the other hand, please tell us if there are any challenges you face while working in a team.
▶ I get to spend every day with five other members who share the same aspirations as me. And the appeal of being in a group is that we can complement each other’s weaknesses. However, getting everyone to work together is still difficult and often becomes an obstacle.
What have you learned from each other while spending time together as a band member?
▶ Even though we are all Japanese, we all have different personalities and values. Having members from outside of Japan is another strength of BENNY, and we are able to come into contact with knowledge, ways of thinking, and sensibilities that cannot be found in Japan (we live together), which inspires me every day.
What is your favourite moment during a live performance?
▶ Seeing GUMY (fans) with sparkling eyes and happiness. When I see GUMY having fun, I think, “This is what I’ve been practicing for.”
What is your favorite song to sing at karaoke?
Each member has a different favorite song, but the song we all love and can sing is Vaundy’s “Kaiju no Uta.”
We often go on drives with just the members, and this is the song we always play first. It makes me feel like I’m a college student again, and it’s so much fun!
Which artist would you like to collaborate with? Please let us know the reason.
XG, I think that BENNY have similar goals, thoughts, and vibes, and I think we could create a great chemistry together and get Japan excited.
Please tell us an interesting or unexpected side of each member!
SENA, the leader, is known for his vast knowledge and gives off the impression of being a hero who brings everyone together, but in reality he is the loneliest and most clingy of all.
The rapper AMA is usually a spoiled and clingy person, but when it comes to performing, he’s a monster who stays up all night practicing and researching, and does everything perfectly.
TOKI gives off a strong impression of being calm and cool, but he actually loves funny things. He usually watches funny videos and laughs by himself. He also has a cute side to him, like a child, showing us everything, saying “Look, look!”
At first glance, KYARA gives off an image of being cold and unattainable, but in reality, she is actually the kind eldest sister who speaks slowly like a sloth, sleeps all the time, and is able to sense the members’ feelings and respond to them more quickly than anyone else.
KORI likes Hanma Baki, so people tend to think he watches a lot of anime, but he doesn’t watch any anime or dramas at all. If anything, he reads a lot of books.
The youngest member, VIVI, is fluffy and soothing like a fairy, but she is actually stricter on herself than anyone else. If she can’t do something during practice, she will cry in frustration. She also studies Japanese on her own. Her hard work is what makes her so charming.
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