Travis Japan aims for stardom with US tour, ‘VIIsual’ album

Name: Travis Japan aims for global stardom with US tour, ‘VIIsual’ album
Uploaded: 2024-10-18T16:01:54-07:00
Description: Travis Japan is a J-pop group looking to make their mark on an American audience after selling out a limited U.S. run, including in Seattle.

Travis Japan aims for global stardom with US tour, ‘VIIsual’ album

Travis Japan is a J-pop group looking to make their mark on an American audience after selling out a limited U.S. run, including in Seattle.

SEATTLE - Travis Japan is a J-pop group looking to make their mark on an American audience.

The 7-member group under Starto Entertainment made their official group debut together in 2022 with the single, "JUST DANCE!" after a long training period which began between 2007 and 2011.

The name, Travis Japan, was born in 2012 when they were brought together as dancers for numerous live showcases.

The group started with the dream of becoming a globally recognized group, and they took a leap into the U.S. market by competing on America’s Got Talent in 2022.

Travis Japan Performs "My Dreamy Hollywood" and Dazzles the Crowd | AGT 2022

"Being able to appear on AGT was amazing, and the response has been incredible. Of course, our fans have been supportive, but even people on the street recognize us.

When we were in America, even teachers from Japanese schools would say, 'I saw you!' and cheer us on. That made me really happy, and to have so many people learn the name 'Travis Japan' for the first time was a really great experience," says member Shizu in an in-studio interview with FOX 13.

While their journey ended in the semifinals round, the members took that experience to push themselves during practice to become even better artists.

In 2023, they released their album "Road to A", a 19-track album that included numerous genres and styles.

The album produced some of their most popular tracks, like "My Dreamy Hollywood," "Level Up," and "Candy Kiss."

In 2024, they did something not a lot of groups do. They re-released the album, but this time they did it all in English, opening up their music to a whole new audience.

"It was a very challenging thing. English is not our first language. It’s so difficult, but we can reach the whole world," says leader Chaka.

In June, the group released their latest single, "Sweetest Tune."

Travis Japan - 'Sweetest Tune' Music Video

While it was just a single, the group was preparing even more for fans.

On top of their world tour, which included three U.S. stops, starting in Seattle on October 10, they also prepared another full-length album.

"We will release our second album, ‘VIIsual’…and of course we will release a global version," says Umi, who had a hand in creating the album, as well as the other members who produced songs as well.

"'VIIsual' gives us a great opportunity to showcase our dancing and singing. True to its title, we aimed to create an album that really highlights our visuals. But it’s not just about that; I also wanted to emphasize each member's individuality, which is why each has produced his own song for this album," he says.

Included in the album will be the song "Fly Higher," which is also the opening theme for the latest season of the anime, "TASUKETSU: Fate of the Majority," in which member Noel has a voice acting role.

The group took the stage at Neptune in Seattle on October 10 to a packed house of fans joining in on the group's chants as they showed their various musical styles and performances.

The group’s unique style has gotten inspiration from artists like Justin Bieber, Bruno Mars, and Michael Jackson, but they like to add their own flair as well.

"While we’re influenced by so many artists, we’re always discussing how to bring out our own unique style. We want to take those influences and turn them into something that only we can create," explains Shime.

And with that unique style, they have their own dreams for how they want to be seen by fans.

"It might sound bold to say, but we’re a group that teaches people how to enjoy music in different ways. Even when I watch the other members dancing with such joy, I think, ‘Ah, that’s great’ and ‘This is fun.’ I hope the fans will feel that same joy when they watch us," says Shizu.

Wrapping up their interview with FOX 13, leader Chaka had a message to fans, both old and new.

"Our goal is to convey our love through our performances, songs, and words to make the audience members who have come to see us happy. While fulfilling this purpose, we also think about how Travis Japan can become known to more people here in America.

I want to absorb the hints we gather from these experiences and use them to continue our activities in a way that reflects who we are. I believe that by doing so, we can not only bring happiness to others, but also to ourselves.

We think this will allow us to give back to everyone who has supported us all along. With that in mind, we want to cherish each performance on this world tour and deliver it with the intention of growing even larger. We sincerely want to perform with all our hearts," he says.

The group sold out all three stops of their U.S. tour in Seattle, Los Angeles, and New York.

Their album, "VIIsual," will be released on December 4.