YUTO’s journey began with a simple dream: to write his own songs. But his career quickly expanded far beyond that initial vision. As the vocalist and guitarist of the trailblazing metalcore band Earthists., he has stood on stages across Asia and Europe, earning fans worldwide with the band's intense performances. At the same time, he has built a reputation as a songwriter and producer, shaping music across genres and collaborating with diverse artists to bring their creative visions to life. In this interview, we explore the origins of his career, his approach to songwriting and production, and what creativity truly means to him.
ー Let’s start from the very beginning! What first got you into music and how was your process to becoming a musician and playing in a band? Are there any artists that inspired you on your journey?
Ever since I was little, there was always music playing in our house. My parents often listened to L’Arc~en~Ciel, Eric Clapton and Guns N’ Roses. So in middle school I started to play bass, as I wanted to become like Tetsuya from L’Arc~en~Ciel. That said, “I started playing” really just meant I was casually plucking at it at home (laughs). But just doing that wasn’t very exciting, so I soon began thinking, “I want to write my own songs!”. About a year after starting bass, I got a guitar so I could write songs using chords. That’s when I started seriously aspiring to become a musician.
Later, in university, I joined a club where we did covers of other bands. At the same time, I was also writing my own songs and posting them on social media. One day, out of the blue, I got a DM on Twitter inviting me to join the band Earthists.. I immediately replied, “I’d love to!” And that’s how my career as a member of Earthists. officially began.
ー Becoming a musician, were there things that were unexpected for you? What was your view of the music industry before, and after you became part of it?
I naively thought it was a glamorous world where everything goes smoothly, but in reality, it’s much more complex than that...For a single performance, so many people are involved, and before releasing a song, there’s an incredible amount of preparation that needs to be done. It’s truly an industry fueled by the passion and dedication of countless people. That being said, as is true in any industry, I’ve come to realize that it’s the love and respect people have that make it possible to share something as amazing as music with the world. It might not be entirely accurate to describe it as simply “complex,” but through music, I’ve gained invaluable experiences that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve also met people I never would have encountered otherwise, and I believe music is an incredible field where you can pour your heart into something you truly love.
ー You’re not only vocalist and guitarist of your band, but you are also involved in many aspects of song production. How did you transition from being a musician to also producing, mixing, and mastering? Was there a specific moment or project that made you realize you wanted to explore the technical side of music production?
I initially didn’t start my music journey by playing in a band and I began composing songs almost immediately after I picked up an instrument. So while I thought it would be nice to play in a band, my wish to succeed as a composer was stronger right from the beginning. That said, it wasn’t until I started playing in a band that I began receiving actual songwriting requests. In that sense, my work with Earthists. became the starting point for my career as a composer.
ー Earthists. are a metalcore/hypermetal band, but you also do production for artists in quite different genres. Can you tell us about the differences and maybe challenges of working on different genres? And does working on other genres impact or influence your band’s music in return?
When it comes to heavy music, the focus is on how to make the intense guitar sound best and how to balance the band sound with other elements. On the other hand, in pop music, the vocals are the main focus, so I prioritize figuring out what kind of arrangements and developments will best complement the singing. That said, even in heavy music, the aggression and emotional intensity of the vocals are essential, so when you look at the bigger picture, maybe the approach isn’t all that different. Regardless of the genre, there’s always a centerpiece, and figuring out how to make that stand out is the most challenging part.
Working across different genres has a huge mutual influence on my creative process. It allows me to mix in approaches that aren’t typically used in one genre, which leads to creating my own unique sound. Also, I feel like it made my attention to detail when it comes to vocals expand significantly.
ー Can you describe the moment when you know a song is “complete”? Is there even such a thing as "completion" in music?
When I write for others, a song feels complete when the client’s requests and my sound align, and we both agree it’s good to go. For the band, it’s finished once we create a song that matches our vision without any disagreements among the members. That said… from a philosophical standpoint, I don’t think there’s such a thing as “completion” (laughs). It might sound strange, but I don’t think that even until the day I die, I’ll ever be able to say, “It’s complete! I have no regrets!”. It might be a bit misleading to phrase it this way, but there’s no end to exploration in music production. Even after releasing a song, I often find myself reflecting and thinking, “Maybe I could have approached this differently…”
But I don’t think this is necessarily a bad thing. In fact, it’s probably what allows me to keep creating and sharing music with the world. If I ever felt a song was truly “complete,” it would almost feel like the end of my journey as a musician.
ー What the most memorable moment in your career so far?
It was when the music I created was first distributed nationwide as a CD. Our 1st album, “Dreamscape”, was available in record shops across the country, and I still vividly remember being deeply moved seeing our CDs lined up at Tower Records. On top of that, we had signed with an American label after the release of the first album, so our CDs were also sold overseas. I saw pictures of our CDs displayed at the label's booth during the Vans Warped Tour, and that made me incredibly happy.
Another memorable experience were our overseas tours. The first country we visited was China, and later we went to Taiwan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, and Europe. It may sound obvious, but I really felt the cultural differences and the varied responses from the audiences at each tour stop. It was also moving to realize how many people abroad love our music. The good moments and the challenges of touring have all become invaluable life experiences for me.
ー Every creative person must experience some kind of creative blocks or self-doubt. How do you push through creative blocks and cope with moments of self-doubt, whether for your own band or during production work?
I actually never experienced so-called slumps—I’ve never felt like I hit a creative wall or been insecure. I enjoy every step of the process, so maybe I’ve unconsciously overcome those things without realizing it. Sorry for the brief answer (laughs). That said, if I were to give advice to someone who’s struggling with it, I’d suggest refreshing your mind by doing something else for a while. Take a bath, or if you’re a coffee lover, start by grinding the beans yourself and enjoying the aroma. I think the most important thing is to shift your focus to something that helps you relax, no matter how trivial it is.
For me, making music is just as essential as eating or sleeping. I feel that being creative is an indispensable part of living.
ー What are the moments where you feel that you have grown as a person through your music activities?
When I started receiving more and more song production work requests, and also when I began to feel that our band, Earthists. was gradually becoming bigger. Thankfully I am able to feel that I am growing through those both things day by day.
ー What has been the most challenging period in your career so far, and how did you overcome it?
The toughest period was when I had just joined the band. Until then, I hadn't really done anything like it seriously, and the idea of standing in front of an audience and performing on stage was something I had never even considered. When I was in a cover band at the university club, it was all about having fun with friends, so naturally, I struggled a lot with how to approach it mentally. But there was no other way than to gain experience, and I think I gradually developed the know-how of being a professional musician and member of a band. Though, I’m still on that journey.
ー What is your process of achieving your dreams?
Just keep going. I think you have to continuously work on your skills and broaden your network, after that all you can do is wait. Even if you produce great stuff, very often it doesn’t result in feedback you anticipated. But if you stop, that is the end right there, so you have to trust yourself and keep going. I think there will be a moment where “the right timing” will come.
ー Speaking of dreams, do you currently have one?
As a composer, it's to create at least one masterpiece that will be remembered for generations. As for the band, it's to sell out a solo show at a large hall-size venue! But I think that once I achieve those, new ambitions will arise, so these are my dreams for now.
ー What’s the most important message or feeling you hope to convey through your music?
Life is shorter than we think, so I want to experience both the bitter and the sweet moments to the fullest, live life to the fullest, and look back thinking, "That was the best life ever". That's the main message I want to share. Putting it into words feels a bit embarrassing, though (laughs), but that's the feeling I always carry within me.
ー And last but not least, what is your “why”? Why do you do, what you do?
For me, making music is just as essential as eating or sleeping. I feel that being creative is an indispensable part of living. Also, the respect I have for those who enjoy my music, support me, and offer me work, as well as creating something through music, gives me a strong sense of being "alive." These are the reasons why I stay creative.
Interview & Translation: Olga Mazlina
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT YUTO AND Earthists.:
INSTAGRAM
X
EARTHISTS. OFFICIAL WEBSITE
SPOTIFY
APPLE MUSIC