Inside YAO's First Music Video Shoot: Awich, CHICO CARLITO, ONE OK ROCK and Paledusk on Building a Genre-Crossing Unit

A Riot Scene and a Crowd of Extras

Awich opens the video by introducing the day. From July, she explains, she, ONE OK ROCK, Paledusk and CHICO CARLITO will act "as one unit: YAO," and today they are shooting the supergroup's music video. On set, the other members introduce themselves one by one: CHICO, then Kaito, Paledusk's vocalist, and then Taka of ONE OK ROCK.

The central scene, according to Awich, shows the members starting "a riot in the name of freedom." The set is loud and crowded, and one member remarks on the "crazy number of extras." Kaito says the atmosphere is much more lively than his usual solo shoots. As the day goes on, the narration notes that everyone's nerves began to loosen. The members describe the vibe as "insane" and say they want to keep pushing hard.

Four Vocalists, Healthy Rivalry

Several members talk about what the project means to them personally. One calls it an honor to join a band they believe "will leave its mark on the Japanese music scene's history." Having four vocalists in one group, they say, creates "a healthy sense of rivalry." Each pushes the others to write better songs, and they believe listeners can hear that in the music.

Another member acknowledges how different their backgrounds are: "He's from hip-hop, I'm from a band." Even so, they realized the members share the same "explosive energy." They say they are excited to see hip-hop and band music collide in this group. They describe the goal as "something unprecedented with an insane lineup."

How the Members See Each Other

In a lighter segment, the members talk about one another. Awich is described as "like a cute older cousin." The speaker says they respect her especially on stage, calling her "incredibly unfazed," in a good way, and praising her "really broad perspective." ONE OK ROCK is called "Japan's biggest rock band" without question. The speaker adds that the closer they get to the band members, the more they seem like "a couple of kind older friends." They say they look up to the band and simply love it, and they predict the unit's impact on Japan and the world will be "incredible."

One member stresses a point they consider essential. The group may shout, thrash their heads and deliver strong messages, "but none of that ever comes from hate." They expect that part not to change, and they say they want to keep it going forward "in friendship, with fun, and with strength."

School Uniforms and the Name Stitched Into Them

The styling theme for the day is a "dressed-down school uniform." One member explains that their sailor uniform was tailored for the shoot and then shortened. It carries embroidery reading "Yaoyorozu," and the same word appears on the other members' uniforms. Even the buttons are engraved with the unit name, YAO; in this member's case, the button hangs from a necklace. The member says the team wanted a school theme and visuals that "symbolize Japan," and discussed many ideas before choosing this one.

The member also says they are glad that specialists in each field are giving the shoot their all and working with passion. The shoot, they say, is "all about working in harmony." If they tried to stand out and look cool on their own, the project as a whole would fail, and they add that thinking about it this way is fun.

It Started With a Trip

Asked how YAO began, the members point to a trip they took together. According to the other members, Taka genuinely wanted to pass on everything he had built over the years, and they say this came "from a place of kindness." The others, for their part, wanted to learn from him and follow his path. Those two feelings merged, they say, "and here we are."

Taka gives his own account. He had known of Awich for some time, and ONE OK ROCK once invited her as a guest at one of their concerts. As an artist, she made a strong impression on him. He mentions the production value at Belluna Dome and the way she carries herself as an artist. He says, while calling it perhaps presumptuous, that seeing her on stage made him feel they had a lot in common. Since that concert, he has been thinking about ways to collaborate as "pure music-based entertainment, without being limited by genre." He adds that this kind of project only works if the people involved get along, which is why the trip mattered.

What "YAO" Means

The members describe "777" as their calling card: if someone asks who they are, the answer will be "YAO." The name comes from Yaoyorozu no Kami, which they gloss as the myriad gods, or the souls that reside in all things.

They lay out the philosophy behind it. If you simply believe gods live in everything, you naturally want to treasure all things. If everyone lived that way, people would truly value each other, take care of things and nature, and live in harmony. That, the member says, is the message YAO intends to convey as a band.

Dividing the Work on "777"

The members say they defined their roles clearly from the start. Awich handled all the lyrics. DAIDAI from Paledusk took on the overall production. Taka describes his own role as "a bit bossy, if I'm being honest": he gives notes such as "this part should be changed, this part is good." The others confirm that once Taka approves something, it is final. Before that point, they try out many patterns, and a member says this work is basically done by either DAIDAI or themselves.

Awich says she wrote lyrics Taka would not normally write, and the others agree it feels fresh. The song also uses what they call "self-sampling." Lyrics and spoken parts from Taka's past work are mixed in, and Awich chose them. As she explains, doing this himself might have embarrassed Taka, but from a fan's perspective, they included the things fans want to hear. She tells fans to be happy about it, because "you wanted this."

Taka admits it was embarrassing at first. He then came to see it as a valid perspective. When trusted collaborators pick up things he would not have noticed himself, he says, it gives him renewed confidence, and it made him happy.

Rock, Hip-Hop, and a Message for Today

Reflecting on the wider context, a member notes that rock and hip-hop have come together many times as cultures over the years. Even so, they call this lineup of Awich, CHICO CARLITO and Paledusk "truly unique and eclectic, yet somehow it feels strangely right." By sharing ideas with these artists, the speaker says they want to send a strong message to today's world about what it means to be an artist and what it means to be human.

Wrapping the Shoot

The day ends with the final takes. Crew and members say they are pleased with the footage, and one says "the visuals leave you speechless." After the last "cut," the members thank everyone for a long day. They close by asking viewers to look forward to the finished "777" video and to YAO's future activities.