"The Conversation Turned into Excitement": NANO x MADKID Discuss Their Upcoming "Unprecedented North American Tour" Just Before Departure

Bilingual singer NANO, from New York, and MADKID, a five-member dance-vocal group known for their work on the TV anime The Rising of the Shield Hero, will embark on a North American tour together starting in January 2025. The two-week-long overseas tour, which neither group has experienced before, is being viewed as a "challenge" and an invaluable period for growth. Ahead of their departure, they shared their honest thoughts on their upcoming overseas tour. (Note: MADKID's YUKI was absent due to other commitments).

"We Want to Make the Best Tour as One Team"

Interviewer： First, NANO, I’d like to ask about the relationship between you and MADKID. What were your initial impressions of one another before this collaboration?

KAƵUKI： For us, NANO was someone we truly respected.

SHIN： When you watch NANO perform live, it's like "rock 'n' roll!"—she’s so powerful. But off-stage, she’s really down to earth, and that contrast is what makes her so appealing.

YOU-TA： I remember when NANO performed at our hosted event, there was a sound issue, and the music stopped. But how she handled the situation was incredible—keeping the audience calm and continuing the performance flawlessly. It was impressive to see her professionalism and skill in dealing with live situations. You can really see the depth of experience in her performances.

NANO： I’m really happy to hear that. I always think MADKID is incredibly cool, especially when I watch their live performances.

KAƵUKI： You always say that (laughs). It’s an honor.

Interviewer： Now, on to the main topic. The North American tour, featuring 11 stops, has been set to start on January 24th as a two-man show.

NANO： (small applause)

Interviewer： MADKID has experience with overseas live performances, but this will be their first long-term tour.

KAƵUKI： We’ve never even done a tour with 11 stops in Japan, so this will be new for us (laughs).

LIN： I really can’t predict how it will go. I know it will be dry and the air will be different, so we’ll have to be careful about our throats and stay on top of our health.

YOU-TA： We’ve talked about wanting to do a North American tour for a while now. But when it was just MADKID, there was a little bit of uncertainty. But having NANO on board has really given us strength. I’m really excited for this collaboration.

Interviewer： NANO, you’ve had plenty of overseas live experience, but this will be your longest tour yet.

NANO： I did a U.S. tour a year ago, which was my first overseas tour. Even though I grew up in America, it was a completely new experience for me. I was learning and gaining strength as I performed. This time, the tour will be on a much larger scale, so while there’s a bit of anxiety, I hope we can give each other advice and support one another to make this tour the best it can be, as one team.