Cover Japanese duo Creepy Nuts, made of R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga, performing at Clockenflap (Photo: courtesy of Clockenflap)
Japanese duo Creepy Nuts, made of R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga, performing at Clockenflap (Photo: courtesy of Clockenflap)
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In town for Clockenflap, Japanese duo Creepy Nuts sits down with Tatler to reflect on Tiktok fame and the pressure that comes with virality
Billboard Japan unveiled its 2024 year-end charts, and it’s no surprise that hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts—made of rapper R-Shitei and DJ Matsunaga—landed the number one song of the year with their mega-hit Bling-Bang-Bang-Born (2024).
The track, which serves as the opening theme for the second season of the anime series Mashle: Magic and Muscles that premiered in January, has captivated audiences with its catchy beat and viral dance choreography featured in the anime’s opening sequence. The song’s virality has since transcended borders and arrived in Hong Kong’s beloved music festival Clockenflap in November.
Creepy Nuts sat down with Tatler at Clockenflap to talk about TikTok trends, their relationship with touring and what’s next for them.
Read more: Clockenflap 2024: Tatler’s interviews with Serrini, Air, Deca Joins and more
Above Creepy Nuts’ viral song Bling-Bang-Bang-Born
What are your thoughts on performing at Clockenflap?
R-Shitei (RS): I am looking forward to the show. I can’t help but look forward to seeing what kind of space it will be, how the audience will react to our presence there, and all of that.
With Bling-Bang-Bang-Born becoming a viral hit, has there been any change in your relationship with fame and celebrity?
DJ Matsunaga (DJ M): It’s been huge. The most gratifying for us is to be able to perform overseas.
RS: This interview, performing at Clockenflap, is exactly how we are feeling about the change right now.
Do you feel pressure to write songs for your new fans?
RS: I’m quite excited about the pressure. [We’ve been masking music since 2013] and now that our fanbase is growing and diversifying itself, I’m getting a lot of new ideas.
As musicians, what are your thoughts on TikTok and reels influencing the way we encounter new music and the way we listen to music?
DJ M: The way music is listened to differs depending on [the age one lives in], so we’re trying to not think about it too much. We’re lucky that we benefited from it, but I think the best we can do is to continue to write songs and make music.
What do you find interesting about writing songs for anime? Is there anything unusual about the creative process?
RS: One thing that I think is different in my creative process is that I get inspired by the characters. I usually read the manga or previous seasons of the anime before making a theme song, and I can’t help but identify with certain characters. This identification inspires me to write a song—the more personal the connection is the more interesting the song becomes.
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Salomé Grouard was Digital Editor and Front & Female Content Lead at Tatler Hong Kong. Primarily focused on managing Tatler Hong Kong’s digital platform and content, she also covers gender equality, the music scene and sports through interviews with industry leaders, experts and trendsetters.
Interview highlights include renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall, Korean actor Park Seo Jun, singer Jorja Smith, Chinese TV host Yue-Sai Kan, YouTuber Kimono Mom, Japanese rapper Awich, and Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Mikey Musumeci.
She has also produced stories on revolutionising sexual wellness in Asia, activism within the surfing community, Asian trans musicians reclaiming their narratives through music and looked at the toxicity of gym culture through the lens of the plus-size community. She also covers music festivals, such as Hong Kong’s Clockenflap and Bali’s Suara.
