Based in Shibuya Tokyo, ALI is a boundary-pushing band that takes inspiration from several cultural roots, including Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the Philippines. They first made waves in 2019 with their single “Wild Side,” which was featured as the opening theme for Beastars. They enjoyed more mainstream success with the release of “LOST IN PARADISE feat. AKLO,” the ending theme for Jujutsu Kaisen.
At this year’s San Diego Comic Con—taking place from July 24th to July 27th—we spoke to ALI’s lead vocalist, LEO, about the band and the work that goes into each and every performance and song. Having visited the States before, he was honored to bring his band to such a huge event.
LEO Talks About Preparing For a Show
LEO reveals that there was a bit of trouble getting to the States, with some members unable to join because of their Visas. Instead of dwelling, he focused on communicating with other members and taking the time to relax.
One of the main things that I do to prepare are breathing exercises. And with the breathing exercises, I really try to look within and kind of separate the peace and love that I want to portray to my audiences.
So Much Inspiration
Because ALI takes inspiration from many different cultures, LEO finds joy in the challenge of creating new sounds. As a fan of record culture, it’s important to have the right amount of variation to keep people entertained. He likes going the extra mile to bring a unique touch to each and every song. By finding inspiration in many different cultures—rather than doing what is easy—he can add variety and diversity that will appeal to a large range of audiences.
New Countries = New Experiences
Having performed in many different countries, ALI has been able to enjoy unforgettable adventures. Leo tells us that he had a lot of fun performing in Brazil and Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia was a really unique experience. To be able to see how the audience reacted in the culture, because, you know, for religious differences as well. You didn’t know what to expect coming in. But the crowd reacted as almost as they’ve seen Michael Jackson live for the first time. And a lot of people in Saudi Arabia, for example, have never seen foreign artists come. To be able to see those expressions and how they reacted to it, I felt like I had to live up to those expectations. But, I had a lot of fun with it.
He highly commended their cultural garb, likening it to the conservative outfits that many people in Japan wear. He also says he enjoyed the way they were able to appreciate the music, despite the cultural differences.
LEO and Ali took the Crunchyroll stage on third day of the convention and sang for hundreds of screaming fans. No doubt performing at San Diego Comic Con has become another unique experience for LEO to look back on.
