INTERVIEW with Tomoyuki EN’YA from “Quiss”

Quiss began as a session called “Quiss the 12012,” covering songs from the band 12012, and evolved into “Quiss” through original song creation. The name is a coined term derived from “Kiss” and “Quality,” it emphasizes “connection” and “exchange of emotions.” Together with 12012’s string players, Quiss pursues a new musicality and aims to connect with their listeners.

■ ■ ■ SELF INTRODUCTION ■ ■ ■

■ Please introduce yourself

Tomoyuki: I am bassist Tomoyuki EN’YA (塩谷朋之). 

■ I really would like to hear the story behind why you decided your current part. 

Tomoyuki: I originally started out as a guitar player, but the band I joined didn’t have a bassist. So, when I tried to play the bass, it just felt much more natural and comfortable for me, so I switched to bass. I really enjoy supporting the band’s sound with low tones and building its base, which also totally suits me. The bass is a profound instrument that lets you shape and control the band’s overall groove.

■ Which Kanji resembles your personality the most? 

Tomoyuki:„静 – Sei“ (Calm/Stillness)

I usually take a supportive role rather than being in the spotlight, which aligns with the role of the bass. I’m generally calm, but I hold a deep, inner passion for music. This ties into the catchphrase of our current work: ‘Blooming in silence, shaking the world‘. I’m calm on the outside, but quite stubborn at times (laugh)

■ What is your own personal motto?

Tomoyuki: “Sky is the limit.”
I feel that possibilities are endless, like the sky itself, which is why I continue to push myself.

■ What kind of struggles do you face in the music industry and how do you deal with them?

Tomoyuki: I think the biggest challenge is the battle with myself. When I can’t express what I want or fail to produce the sound I’m satisfied with, it’s frustrating. But in the end, the only way is to face it head-on. I’ve been truly fortunate to have such amazing bandmates by my side and together I’ve been able to overcome these struggles step by step.

■ What do you enjoy the most as a musician?

Tomoyuki: What I enjoy most is the moment when music takes shape from zero. As the ideas in my head start to turn into sound together with the band, there’s this kind of chemical reaction and when it clicks, when it feels like “this is it!.” It gives me goosebumps.

■ What do you think is most difficult as a musician?

Tomoyuki: Since developing dystonia, it’s been tough not being able to play the way I want to.

*A neurological movement disorder.
For musicians, it’s often called focal dystonia, where certain muscles (like in the hand or fingers) contract involuntarily, making it very difficult to play an instrument as intended.

■ ■ ■ QUISS INTRODUCTION ■ ■ ■

■ Please introduce Quiss in more detail, including its formation background, the origin, and the meaning of the name.

Tomoyuki: Quiss originally started under the name ‘Quiss the 12012’, covering songs from my band 12012 together with the members and a guest vocalist. The name was meant to show respect, literally, ‘A kiss to 12012’. From there, it was decided on creating an original song, which led to the simple name ‘Quiss‘.

The name “Quiss” is a coined term derived from “Kiss” and “Quality”.
Both words merged together it conveys and carries the important meaning of valuing connections and the communion of emotions. It also symbolizes the connection through music, reflecting our wish to build a relationship with our listeners.

The “electric string players” are the members from 12012, and they are my long-time musical companions. And by bringing in new influences, we’ve been able to create a sound that’s different from anything we’ve done before”.

■ Quiss First single “Wild Flower” will be released at [Tomoyuki EN’YA Birthday “FIRST QUISS”] event.  Please tell us some points to pay attention to when listening to this single.

Tomoyuki:  This song represents the “first flare” for Quiss, carrying the theme of ‘blooming the future strongly and quietly’ within its sense of speed and drive.

The speed of the song… is very fast! During the recording, guitarist Saitou even asked ‘Are we really going to play this live?’ (laugh)

■ Thank you very much, that I could listen to Wild Flower in advance. I guess it is a more calm and happy vibe song, with still a great wilder rock beat compared to the original sound of 12012. Please tell me an episode on how this song was composed and turned into its final form.

Tomoyuki: Thank you. “Wild Flower” is Quiss’s first original song, so I wanted it to symbolize the very beginning. The music of 12012 was intense and dark, but with this new step, I wanted to express a “forward-looking strength” that includes calmness and brightness as well.

With its sense of speed, the lyrics convey blooming strongly while accepting loneliness and pain, which I think expresses a “powerful hope”.

We also discovered a new synergy between Juri and Chiba’s^_[1] voices, adding depth and vividness to the song. 

I believe it has become a track that truly represents Quiss.

^_[1] Chiba is also known as Jun from TAKE NO BREAK or YOMI from NIGHTMARE. 

■ The lyrics of the song also have a positive vibe, which surprises me, because usually visual kei have more “darker” lyrics. Why did you decide for a positive lyric instead of a “darker” lyric?

Tomoyuki: Even when carrying loneliness and pain, the lyrics don’t deny those feelings, they embrace them, showing a spirit that ‘stands up anyway’ and ‘blooms proudly’. I deliberately chose positive words because that’s the kind of sound I want to create now and I want to give listeners the strength to move on.

When people think of visual kei, many imagine dark worldviews but as our catchphrase says, “Blooming in silence, shaking the world”, Quiss aims to express music that balances “stillness and motion” and “darkness and light”, while moving toward the future.

■ Also what was the inspiration behind the lyric? 

Tomoyuki: This song comes from my own experiences. After developing dystonia, I wasn’t able to perform the way I wanted to. At that time, I often felt frustrated and lonely. But my strong desire to “continue to keep making music” and to “stand up again” grew much stronger. 

I compared this feeling to an image of flowers that bloom quietly, “flowers even bloom unnoticed by nobody”. So our pain and doubts remain, but we can still move forward while carrying on those feelings. And those feelings became naturally the core of the lyrics. 

At the same time, the presence of fans and bandmates was also a huge inspiration. Their support allowed me to sing “don’t break, won’t end” even in tough times. Ultimately, the theme of facing forward while carrying loneliness and pain became the core of this song.

■ Will “Wild Flower” be available on subscription as well? 

Tomoyuki: For now, I want people to experience it firsthand at our live shows.
For the future we’re considering ways to make it available to more people.

■ This year’s “Quiss the 12012” lineup is Vo:Juri Gt:Sakai Hiroaki Gt.Saitou Shinichirou Ba:Enya Tomoyuki and Drs:shinpei. Please tell a gentle word about each member.

Vo. Juri:
Not only is his singing powerful, but he’s always thinking about how to convey it. A truly reliable frontman. He showed a new side of himself this time as well and I was genuinely inspired.

Gt. Sakai Hiroaki (酒井 洋明)
It’s cool how he plays so emotionally. I wonder if he’s been playing guitar recently. (laugh)

Gt. Saitou Shinichirou (齋藤 紳一郎)
Because he takes everything seriously, I can trust him completely. His guitar intensity always pushes and inspires me.

Dr. Shinpei: 
Not only is his rhythm rock-solid, but he also drives the whole band forward. Both his playing and his personality make him a fantastic drummer.

■ What kind of setlist can fans expect this year?

Tomoyuki: One of our charms of ‘Quiss the 12012’ is that we play songs you rarely hear at a regular 12012 live, right? (laugh)
We’ll draw you in at the start, immerse you in a deep worldview in the middle, and by the end, we hope you’ll feel a story that connects the past, present, and future.

■ This year Tomoyuki-san other band “ Sakashimana Haguruma wo Kamen ga Warau. (逆しまな歯車を仮面が嗤う。)” is performing again. Even if it’s a related band, please tell us why you love to perform with this band at your birthday event!

Tomoyuki: It’s a band with a completely different worldview. Even though I play bass in both, the sound and the way we express ourselves are totally different. Experiencing both in a single night is something unique to a birthday event.

■ ■ ■ OVERSEAS CONNECTION ■ ■ ■

■ Is Japanese the only language you can speak? 

Tomoyuki:Unfortunately, I only speak Japanese.  (laugh)
But I believe music can connect people beyond words.
If someone overseas listens to our music and feels that something has been conveyed, that’s the greatest joy for me.

■ Have you ever been abroad? 

Tomoyuki: Yes, a few times, both on tour and in private.
Being in a foreign environment makes me wonder, “How would my music resonate if I played it here?”.
Even if the culture or language is different, I believe people’s hearts can connect through music.

■ ■ ■ FINAL MESSAGE ■ ■ ■ 

■ Please send a final message to your fans and readers. 

Tomoyuki: Thanks for reading!
I hope you get a chance to listen to ‘Wild Flower.’
I really appreciate your support!