HALLEY, which seeks new forms of music within the scene with R&B and SOUL at its core, was formed by five people who met in a club at Waseda University, and has been steadily increasing its listenership, mainly through live performances. We spoke to vocalist Jang Tae-hyun about their musical roots, their approach to production, their commitment to live performances and their future prospects.
Self-introduction
Q: First of all, please give us a brief self-introduction.
My name is Jang Tae-hyun, vocalist of HALLEY. In addition to my activities as a vocalist, I also work on music as a producer, and recently I was in charge of the background music for a fashion show.
The band was formed by five people who hit it off in a club called NALEO at Waseda. We write songs that incorporate elements of R&B and soul while respecting the musical roots of each member.
Thoughts on the music scene
Q: What do you want to see happen to the music scene in the future?
I don’t particularly want to change the scene. I would rather have an environment where new music is not consumed and remains as a universal thing for a long time.
As HALLEY, we have talked about wanting to be trend-setters, but rather than that, it would be ideal if we could express our personal side in our music and, as a result, be the ones to throw something new at the scene. I think it’s important for us not to grow taller, but rather to push ourselves creatively.’
Influences from non-music in production
Q: Are there any non-musical influences in your production?
‘I get a lot of inspiration from conversations with people. There are novels and travel, but I’m mostly influenced by the feedback and words given to me by other people when I’m in dialogue with them.
I am the type of person who writes music from lyrics, so there is a sense that the world of a single word, combined with my thoughts and external factors at the time, naturally becomes a song.’
If you could organise a fictional event, what would it be?
Q: If you could organise a fictional event, who would you like to perform with?
‘I’d love to do a two-man world tour with The Bagpipes.
When I heard that wave to earth were touring Africa, I was impressed by the way they put together a tour that I never would have imagined. When thinking about where to take our music, we reaffirmed that the music that makes a scene is not something we take in from the outside, but something that comes from within us.’
What hobbies have you been into recently?
Q: Do you have any hobbies that you’re into these days?
Film cameras. I take photos of the members and everyday scenery.
When I was studying abroad in Canada, a good friend of mine there was a film camera user, and that’s how I got interested in it.
Memorable moments at live shows
Q: What were some of the most memorable moments at your live shows?
‘There were several, but the most memorable was when I performed as OA in a Bandmerch event with NIKO NIKO TAN TAN and Divorce Legend as a two-man band. I feel that many people fell in love with HALLEY after that gig.
Most recently, we played the Tokyo finals of our one-man show at Shibuya WWW. The venue is sloped, so we could see the audience’s faces clearly. I was very happy to see the faces of both known fans and newcomers, as well as friends and family.
Impressive communication with fans
Q: What were some of the most memorable episodes of communication with fans?
When we performed in Hokkaido, a fan who spoke to me after the show said, ‘I have an exam tomorrow’ (laughs). (Laughs) I felt that we should study harder, but I also realised that our music could support people like that.’
What they care about in live performance.
Q: What are your innovations in your live performances?
We try to be aware of who we are performing for at each live performance.
We change the setlist depending on whether the event is for people who listen to music on a regular basis or if it’s a festival, where many people are new to the music. At open-air festivals, most people have never seen HALLEY live before, so we rethink the setlist structure and make some adjustments to the song selection.’
interaction with New Action
Q: Tell us about your involvement with New Action!
‘The first time we performed was at an event at Shinjuku MARZ on 29 December 2023.
The most impressive event was the release party of Simmer pine (Enoshima OPPA-LA). The organiser, Mr Hoshihara, told me that ‘Sugary is a great song’ and I felt loved by NEW ACTION!
I think this event is positioned as a so-called gateway to success. Many of our seniors have performed in the past, and when we performed for the first time, Hoshihara-san introduced us to many people. It has a stronger sense of festival than any other event, and I get inspired every time we perform.’
You can also see HALLEY perform at the next New Action! event, which will be held at Shinjuku MARZ on 19 March 2025 as part of the Yasashii Mirai [complex] EP Release Party.
Future prospects
Q: What are your future prospects as HALLEY?
‘We are still in the process of growing as a band, but we want to move forward at our own pace, not in a hurry but firmly.
We’d like to keep challenging ourselves musically, add more songs and explore the possibilities of R&B in the HALLEY style.’
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HALLEY is not chasing changes in the scene, but rather creating new values while pursuing his own creativity, and his music will transcend trends and resonate deeply with listeners as a universal presence. It is essential to keep an eye on their future development