Exclusive Interview with Pop-Rock Band Seasons for Change

Hong Kong-based melodic rockers Seasons for Change are starting to take the American music scene by storm after successful headline tours across Asia and sets at Heartown and Wake Up Festivals.

I got the chance to talk to vocalist Kenta Mitsuhashi about how the band got started, what the music scene is like in Hong Kong, trying to build a fanbase in the US, their new single “Anchor” and so much more! Keep reading to see what he had to say!

For those who might not have ever heard of you, can you give us a brief history of the band and how it culminated into what it is now?

After Kenta (vocal) came back to Hong Kong from Sydney in 2014, he convinced Kulo (drummer) to start a new band with him. Kulo introduced Kenta to the local indie scene, as well as Dennis (guitar) and Wan (bass) who had interest joining the band. After forming and playing some shows together, the band decided to add another guitarist, Don, to complete the lineup. 

Where did the name Seasons for Change come from?

Kenta was insistent in making that the band name. He had that name in mind since graduating secondary school. It refers to the memories and feelings associated with each season. 

I’m always genuinely curious about what artists want to convey to listeners with their music. You classify your sound as pop-rock, but if you had to describe it without using genre names, how would you describe it?

Catchy, loud and full of metaphors. 

You guys are based in Hong Kong. What’s the music scene like there? Have you found it hard trying to build an audience in the US?

The music scene for this type of music is small and it struggles to get serious attention from the mainstream. However, those who do support the local indie bands are incredibly passionate and we’re extremely grateful to them. Building an audience in the US has been a huge challenge but recently we’ve had some opportunities that has opened us up to a new audience. 

Let’s talk about your new single, “Anchor”. What’s the story behind this song?

“Anchor” was a song written way back in 2014 but was only recently brought to life by the band for the new album. Lyrically, it paints this surreal, dream-like image of getting pulled down by the weight of all the bad in your life. However, as the song progresses, you learn to become stronger using the anchor, to the point that eventually your ‘anchor’ becomes your ‘sword’ that you use to guide you upwards. 

I always love hearing about the songwriting process so I was wondering if you could give me a glimpse into what it was like specifically for this song?

Kenta wrote and recorded a demo of the song before the full lineup of the band was formed. It was very different to the other songs but we polished it shortly after our EP was released. 

Do you tend to write by yourselves or do you like collaborating with other writers and artists in co-writes?

We write all our songs. For most songs it starts with a demo then the rest of the band pitches their ideas on ways to improve the song then we polish and finalize it. 

Was there any major changes to “Anchor” that happened once you got into the recording studio, whether it be in the lyrics or something sonically?

Yes! Originally, the song didn’t have a pre-chorus or chorus, meaning most of the song was instrumental. It was only when it came to recording vocals, Kenta tried some new ideas over those parts and lyrically it made sense, those new lines helped push the message of the song further. 

Your album, Petals of Tomorrow, is coming out in a few weeks. What can fans expect from it when it comes out?

The album has some songs that are similar stylistically with the songs from our EP. However, we did a experiment more and there are some tracks that will really surprise people. 

You guys are still relatively new to the music game. What are some music industry-related goals or benchmarks that you’re aiming to reach in the next couple of years?

We’re going to start working on our next full length album in the end of the year. As for benchmark, we’re aiming to tour to different South East Asian countries. We’re already planning a tour to China and maybe Taiwan. It’d be really cool if we could places like Thailand and Philippines where the music scene is thriving. 

Last question — we’re called Talk Nerdy With Us because we all have an inner nerd so what is something that you’re currently nerding out about?

Rewatching Rick and Morty because they just announced a new season. And I just watched the season 2 trailer for Final Space and that’s got me nerding out!

Make sure you follow the band on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more information!