Dressed in maid uniforms but shredding on guitars with high-octane energy, BAND-MAID has carved out a distinct space in the global rock scene. Behind the frills and fierce riffs is Miku Kobato. She is the band’s rhythm guitarist and one of its vocalists. Miku is known for her powerful stage presence and whimsical “po!” catchphrase. Fans across the world have come to love it.
“This is Miku Kobato, vocalist and [guitarist] of BAND-MAID, po!” she cheerfully introduces herself to readers of HypnoticAsia. This sets the tone for a conversation that is as thoughtful as it is delightfully eccentric.
Miku Kobato talks BAND-MAID concept!
While the band’s concept may be visually striking, Miku emphasizes that there’s much more beneath the surface than meets the eye. “Of course, we believe that this gap between our music and our appearance is one of our charms,” she explains. “So we want people to know that there are ways to enjoy music that are not limited by the way we look or concept, po.”
For Kobato and her bandmates, fun is at the heart of everything they do. It is even as they navigate the serious business of being a professional rock band with international acclaim. “BAND-MAID is all about having fun, po,” she says. “I believe that, because we place the most importance on having fun, we are able to deliver our unique sound to everyone, po.”
This playful-yet-introspective spirit carries into how the band sees its place in the ever-changing world. “Because we live in a fluid world where our identity changes daily depending on our relationships with others, the era, and the environment we are in, we want BAND-MAID to search for a solid path, not forgetting that we are free, and continue moving steadily forward, po.”
Rocking the World—One Surprise at a Time
BAND-MAID’s live performances—referred to as OKYUJI (“to serve”)—have taken them around the globe. Yet, the surprises never get old. One that stood out to Kobato happened in Mexico.
“What surprised me was the OKYUJI in Mexico,” she recalls. “About an hour before the OKYUJI started, the chant, ‘BAND-MAID!! BAND-MAID!!’ started and would not stop, po. We thought, ‘What? Someone is on stage already?’ I was surprised and very happy to see everyone so excited, po.”
Every country reacts differently, she notes, adding, “It’s very exciting for us too, because the way people react to the songs and the songs that get them hyped are completely different depending on the country, po.”
Inspiration Beyond Genres
When it comes to her own listening habits, Kobato is open-minded and constantly exploring. “I try to listen to as many types of music as possible, po,” she says. “Japanese music, K-pop, anime songs, rock, as well as other western music, po. It doesn’t matter what genre it is, but I always listen to music that is popular at the moment, as well as that are used in different social media platforms, po.”
This cross-genre awareness helps feed the band’s creative output. This is especially true when they’re working on theme songs for anime like Sense, Zen, and Ready to Rock. According to Kobato, the band puts serious thought into aligning their signature sound with each series.
“KANAMI, who writes the songs, and SAIKI and I, who write the lyrics, always read the script and the original manga to get inspired,” she explains. “When I write the lyrics, I am conscious of the way the words are phrased and used in the original work, po.”
The process is a collaborative effort with producers and creative teams. “When KANAMI receives requests for the songs, she incorporates those requests, po. These requests and inspiration lead us to establish new ideas and styles, so she says it’s always a good stimulation, po.”
Looking to the Future
As BAND-MAID continues to evolve and attract new fans, collaborations are always on the radar. One dream partnership? “We would love to collaborate with Incubus, po!” Kobato says. “We collaborated with the guitarist, Mikey (Mike Einziger), but we have yet to collaborate with the band, so would definitely like to, po.”
Whether it’s re-imagining what a rock band can look like, or performing for ecstatic fans around the world, Miku Kobato and BAND-MAID are redefining rock with flair, creativity, and an unshakable joy in what they do.
And they’ll keep doing it—one “po!” at a time.
What is justice?
BAND-MAID is back with a new track! “What is justice?”, a new song featured in this season’s hit anime, TOUGEN ANKI. You can check out the song now.
*Note: BAND-MAID refers to their concerts as “OKYUJI,” meaning “to serve” in Japanese.
