Interview (part 2)

So it was as a result of that then? Your voices gradually improved and you became more talented?

Y Only at rap though. I enjoy other genres like R'n'B but I don't think I can sing like that.
H Besides, there's already a lot of singers around like that, and no-one thats really like us.
Y I felt like I wanted to try something new. Take the photoshoot we did today for example, I don't think theres anyone around with their hair like that, in that kind of make-up in a kimono or whatever.

You wanted to try to do things that people had never seen before, and that had never been done before. How do you feel about the people who are composing for you?

H I just really want to thank them. My family is always telling me how this great stuff is just wasted on me. Like they'd say "why did they choose you?"
Y Maybe it would've been better if real singers would've performed them. They really are great songs. At the stage when we were getting the demos I kept thinking "God, we've got another good one". I was really happy.

So from that you started to try harder too?

Y Yeah. When we were recording this album we had nothing but geniuses all around us though, so it was kind of a problem.

What about Halcali though?

Y Of course we arn't geniuses. Totally the opposite, we're just normal.

But to take those things that were created for you and to turn them into something uniquely your own could be described as a kind of 'genius' in itself. Do you enjoy the music you play?

H I think it's great that we were able to create something. If I wasn't doing this I suppose that i'd still be going to dance classes and taking auditions and appearing in the occasional show like before.
Y We really caught hold of good luck. But I often wonder what would have happened if other people had got through that audition instead of us. I suppose it wouldn't be called Halcali for a start.

How did the name come about?

H It's too hard to say isn't it? 'Haruka and Yukari'
Y Then it was just like, "so let's shorten it to Halcali". Before we made our debut, we were in one of Rip Slyme's gigs and on the dressing room door was a sign that said 'Halcali (tentative)'*1 (laughs)

You two really look like you're enjoying yourselves, and the song that you contributed your first lyrics to (Wakusa Dance) is a really fun song too.

H I'm happy you think that. That was really the point of the song.

So does it make you happy to think that you're making other people happy?

Y It's more like we'll have a good time, and if other people do too then that's great. It's not like we're intentionally going out of out way to put on happy faces or anything.

During photoshoots you always seem to intentionally pull strange faces, you never smile like the typical Idol.*2

H We can't do that, we aren't Idols.
Y Nobody decides what we should do for us, so if we don't feel like smiling we won't.

You often say that don't you.

Y Well that's because it's true! There's a lot of other cute girls out there, we want to do our own thing and not let people decide for us.

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1. In Japanese the word 'tentative' (or 'temporary' or whatever) is 'cali'. So the sign on the door would have read 'Halcali-cali'

2. In this context I think the word deserves a nice capital letter. For those not in the know, there is a whole mass of celebrities, including a bunch of mayfly pop starlets collectively referred to as Idols. As a general rule they are cloying, vacuous, light, bland, boring and very UN-HALCALI, who are wise to distance themselves.

Apologies for the poor quality of the pictures.