SANTA Discusses the Spirit of His Explosive New Song ‘Rough Or,’ Future After INTO1 & More: Interview

On June 19, Japanese artist SANTA, who also has an established career in China, released “Rough Or,” which marks his first solo single after leaving the group INTO1. In stark contrast to his previous release “I’m from…,” SANTA’s new song has a heavy rock sound with a crunchy guitar. It’s an expression of his resolve to forge a new path forward.

Billboard Japan spoke to him about the decisions that went into the creation of this song, which overflows with his passion as a solo artist, such as the choice to use one of the characters from his own name as the song’s title or to rap in Chinese for the first time.

What has the fan reaction been like to the digital release of your previous song, “I’m from…” which came out in November 2022?

SANTA: I’m so grateful that people have listened to the song so many times. In “I’m from…,” I sang about where I came from and what my life has been like. Following the release, I’ve performed the song on-stage several times, and I feel like I’ve been able to share the message of the song, both with fans and with people who were previously unfamiliar with me.

In “I’m from…,” you expressed your gratitude to the people around you. Did your family or friends say anything to you after they heard the song?

SANTA: I talked to people a lot while I was writing the lyrics, so I don’t think anyone said anything really after the song was finished (laughs). I felt really awkward with my friends. During the Chinese New Year, I came back home and went for a drive with a friend for the first time in a long time. During the drive, my friend played “I’m from…” I got embarrassed and was like “come on, turn that off,” but at the same time I was happy that everyone was listening to it. There are some things that it’s embarrassing to talk to your guy friends about, but those feelings can be expressed through song. I owe what I am to my family and my friends, and that’s going to be true for the rest of my life, so I think that through the song, I’ve really been able to communicate my feelings of thankfulness.

You released “Rough Or” on June 19. The Japanese title is a single kanji character. Could you tell us the meaning behind it, and how to read it?

SANTA: My last name is “Uno,” so the Japanese title is the second character in my name, “No.” I chose it as the title because it means wild or rough. In Chinese, it’s pronounced “Yě,” but because it can be read in two different ways in Japanese, people are free to read it as “Ya” or “No,” whichever they prefer (laughs). As long as it has that image of being rough.

It sounds totally different from “I’m from…,” which caught me by surprise. Why did you go with a more aggressive sound?

SANTA: I wanted to make a really rock-influenced song. I wrote “I’m from…” when I was still a member of a team, but “Rough Or” is my first real solo song, and I had always wanted to start with a song that had a sense of speed that matched the launch of my solo career. I also thought that my attitude could best be expressed through rock, which is why I went with it. I’ve always like rock, and it feels like rock is picking up steam again.

What is the song’s theme?

SANTA: Broadly speaking, the theme of “Rough Or” is “fireworks.” I’ve always loved fireworks, and I have so many memories related to them. I remember going with friends and family to see fireworks, and there’s just so much nostalgic appeal to them. When I was writing this song, I thought “If I were a firework, I’d be launched into the night sky. Would I just arc up through the sky, through the pitch black darkness, on a path that none had taken before?”

I’d never imagined that, but I guess that’s what it would be like.

SANTA: For a firework, it would be an incredibly dangerous path — blazing hot and impossible to see anything in front of you. However, you’ve made up your mind to go up into the sky, so there’s no turning back. I feel like that situation, only being able to charge straight forward without stopping, is a lot like the situation I’m in now. That’s why I didn’t want to look at fireworks as something nostalgic, but instead as something stiflingly hot. For example, when I lived in Tokyo, I thought Tokyo’s night skyline was beautiful, but that’s because I was looking at the light spilling from rooms where people were working overtime late into the night. For fireworks, the situation might be the same. I want to blaze forward like a firework, and I want the people around me to think “that’s beautiful” and “SANTA’s really working hard.” So that image of fireworks is the theme of the song.

So that was the message of the fireworks video you posted on Twitter the other day?

SANTA: “Rough Or” is a song comparing me to fireworks, so I used part of my own last name in the Japanese title. I’ve thought about and created a lot of different ways to express that connection in the teaser video, the music video, and the lyrics.

The teaser video has photos of you as a child.

SANTA: I had my mom look for cute pictures of me (laughs). I don’t think I looked all that different than I do now… Even back then, I was really living my life with passion, and I want to keep forging forward, no matter how old I am, so that’s what I expressed through the teaser.

Were you the main lyricist this time, too?

SANTA: I’d decided what the theme of the song would be, so I wrote down what I wanted to convey, and what kind of story I wanted to tell through the song. Every day, I met with lyrical experts, staff members, people on the music team, and all kinds of other people, consulting with them about the song and hammering out the lyrics.

The song could be seen as a bit egotistical, with lyrics like “I’m SANTA I’m ME!” and (translated into English) “All that cheering is for me”. You must have really resolved to sing lyrics like those.

SANTA: I’d always wanted to write a song with lyrics like this, and the time when I was writing the song overlapped with the time when I’d left the team to strike out on my own and was preparing for my solo career. I thought about a lot of things during that time. I knew that forging a solo career would be no easy matter, so hitting the ground running required strong resolve and involved a lot of responsibility. The song helped me remind myself of that. But the thing I concentrated on most with the lyrics was showing my fans the path I was going to be taking. You have to really know yourself to sing lyrics like “I’m SANTA I’m ME!” As an artist, I want there to be a consistent vision running through what I say, what I sing, my songs, and my stage performances. When I wrote the lyrics to “Rough Or,” I wanted them to convey a clear picture that “this is who I am, and this is the path I’m going to take.”

Another thing that stands out about the song is that it’s your first time rapping in Chinese.

SANTA: Before the intro, I say the line “I’m going to live my own life, unfettered and free” in Chinese. In the rap section, I put that powerful conviction front-and-center. I wanted to hit the listener with the message that I’m going to stay true to myself, no matter what anybody else says, and I wanted to do that through energetic rap.

Did you find anything difficult when you actually tried your hand at rapping?

SANTA: I’ve always liked rap and I listen to it a lot. I also love singing, but I just can’t get this rap out of my head, day-in, day-out. Even when I’m asleep, I keep rapping through my dreams (laughs). Partly because of that, the rap part of the song is now the easiest part for me to perform. It’s like it’s become part of me.

In your previous Billboard Japan interview, you said that Chinese was hard and you were still studying. It’s been about half a year since then. What’s the situation now?

SANTA: I’m studying even harder than I was back then (laughs). I’d always been highly focused, but now there’s the matter of the rapping, and there are things I want to express. When I go on TV variety shows, there’s more that I want to share. And I want to focus on improving my accent. I’ve changed my study approach and also the amount of time I spend studying.

It seems like “Rough Or” would be a good demonstration of that growth. You’re planning to release a music video for it, right? What’s the video going to be like?

SANTA: Actually, we were just doing filming yesterday (this interview was conducted in mid-June), surrounded by the nature of Inner Mongolia. All I can say for now is, “When the video is finished, go check it out.” “Rough Or” is my first true solo song, so it’s an extremely important one. I consulted with all kinds of people about the lyrics, refining them over and over again before finally perfecting them. For the music video, as well, I talked with the director many times, and my ideas and desires are reflected in each and every scene, so every single thing in the music video is meaningful. I’ve poured my spirit into the lyrics, the music video, and the teaser video, and I hope that they’ll give listeners and viewers a better sense of the course I’m taking.

So it’s not just a music video for the here and now, but one that links to the future.

SANTA: Right. For example, in the “I’m from…” music video, the focus was on dance, but this new music video isn’t a dance video. That was a challenge for me, and a demonstration of my vision. Of course, dance is still incredibly important to me, but I also want to focus on the parts of my craft other than dance. That can be seen in the new video. There’s meaning to every part of it, so I’m sure it will live up to everyone’s expectations.

Another meaningful element must be the jacket, which creates quite an impact.

SANTA: I wanted the jacket to be an expression of how I see myself, too, so I talked with a lot of people about it before settling on this design.

Through this interview, I’ve gotten the sense that you’re even more stoic than before. Where does your motivation come from?

SANTA: In “I’m from…,” I expressed my sense of gratitude, but I believe that I have to demonstrate that gratitude through my actions, too. The heart of the two songs is the same, but “Rough Or” is a new start. I hope to continue to enjoy everyone’s support, and I want to convey what’s important to me, and my solid convictions as an artist. That feeling is what energizes me.

Could you share anything about new songs you’re writing, upcoming releases, future shows, or other activity plans?

SANTA: I’m working on lots of new songs, so I hope everyone’s looking forward to them. At the same time, I’m putting pressure on myself, and I want my future releases to always have some surprise to them. With each song, I want to show a new direction or perspective, and I want each and every song to feel fresh. That’s why I stay true to myself as I write a variety of different songs. When it comes to live shows, I love being on stage, so I create spaces where I can meet directly with my audience. I hope to perform at a lot of music festivals, too. That’s why I’m currently working on polishing my performance abilities.

Do you have any last words about “Rough Or” for the readers of this interview?

SANTA: This is my first solo song, and I think it’s a really important one, both for me and for listeners, as I start out my solo career at breakneck speed. I hope that through the song, listeners will discover what I’m about as an artist, and the stance I’ll be taking as I push forward.

—This interview by Takayuki Okamoto first appeared on Billboard Japan