01Profile
A Aria Polkey Photo
Aria Polkey
Model — Tokyo
03Interview
Name
Aria Polkey
What do you do?
Model.
Where are you from?
Tokyo.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I’ll choose a live film because I haven’t been to any music gigs. It’s Queen’s Live Aid show at Wembley Stadium — I watched it after seeing the film ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. I know most of Queen’s music because my dad would play them a lot, but one of my favourite tracks is ‘Somebody To Love’. It’s very moving. I like songs where the audience seems to go wild in a single wave of humanity, but the atmosphere of this song is different; it’s so calm and reflective that it almost makes me cry.
Which sub-cultures have influenced you?
I’m not super knowledgeable about it, but UK fashion always catches my eye. I recently watched the gangster drama ‘Top Boy’, and I got it in my head that London is a gangster city (laughs). They wear masks to protect themselves and go around in mainly black anoraks and trousers; I’ve no idea if this is London style, but when I see that style in Japan, it always turns my head.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favorite?
It’s a tiny DJ bar in Shibuya called KOARA. I went to a techno event there and felt very at home — I loved it.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
Queen would be my top pick; I’d love to sing with Freddie Mercury. Or joining The Beatles to sing ‘Don’t Let Me Down’. I haven’t been abroad much, but I’d like to perform somewhere outside of Japan. In my head, it would be a secret show in a small place.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to hang out with Amy Winehouse when she was around the same age as I am now and experience a new kind of lifestyle. I’m not sure exactly what that would look like, but it would be cool to have Amy take care of me on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure (laughs).
Your greatest unsung hero (or heroine) in music?
Lily Allen. I only know a few of her songs, but most of my friends don’t know her music at all.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
What is the concept of the playlist?
I wanted a playlist I could listen to all day without getting tired of, so most of the songs are tracks I used to listen to when I was a little girl. My dad would play these songs when he sat in his little corner of the room, enjoying a drink.
The first track you played on repeat?
Amy Winehouse’s track, ‘Rehab’. It came out when I was in the early years of primary school. At the time, I tried hard to be like the rest of the kids listening to J-pop groups like AKB48 and Arashi, so I only started getting into Amy's music when I was in secondary school.
A song that defines the teenage you?
The song that comes to mind is The Smith's track, 'How Soon Is Now?' It was another one my dad would play a lot. This is the only song I know of The Smiths, and I don't think it overly defines my teenage years, but I had this song in my head a lot.
One record you would keep forever?
That would probably be Queen. It’s not an album I have on all the time, but I like to play ‘Queen II’ when it comes to mind.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
The Beatles’ track, ‘Hello Goodbye’. The lyrics are straightforward, but they have two sides to them, and the more you think about them, the more the meaning tends to expand.
Best song to turn up loud?
I’ve already mentioned it, but ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen. I'm a pretty negative person, so I sing this when I have to speak up about something (laughs).
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Lily Allen’s songs ‘Littlest Things’ and ‘Smile’. They are very girly tracks, but I can’t help listening to them.
What new bands you are listening to now?
The band Parcels. They’re an Australian band rather than from the UK, but if you watch some of their many live videos on YouTube or something, you’ll notice how their performances and everything else are perfect. It makes me wonder how much they must practice.
03Interview
Name
Aria Polkey
What do you do?
Model.
Where are you from?
Tokyo.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
I’ll choose a live film because I haven’t been to any music gigs. It’s Queen’s Live Aid show at Wembley Stadium — I watched it after seeing the film ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. I know most of Queen’s music because my dad would play them a lot, but one of my favourite tracks is ‘Somebody To Love’. It’s very moving. I like songs where the audience seems to go wild in a single wave of humanity, but the atmosphere of this song is different; it’s so calm and reflective that it almost makes me cry.
Which sub-cultures have influenced you?
I’m not super knowledgeable about it, but UK fashion always catches my eye. I recently watched the gangster drama ‘Top Boy’, and I got it in my head that London is a gangster city (laughs). They wear masks to protect themselves and go around in mainly black anoraks and trousers; I’ve no idea if this is London style, but when I see that style in Japan, it always turns my head.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favorite?
It’s a tiny DJ bar in Shibuya called KOARA. I went to a techno event there and felt very at home — I loved it.
If you could be on the line up with any bands in history?
Queen would be my top pick; I’d love to sing with Freddie Mercury. Or joining The Beatles to sing ‘Don’t Let Me Down’. I haven’t been abroad much, but I’d like to perform somewhere outside of Japan. In my head, it would be a secret show in a small place.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
I’d like to hang out with Amy Winehouse when she was around the same age as I am now and experience a new kind of lifestyle. I’m not sure exactly what that would look like, but it would be cool to have Amy take care of me on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure (laughs).
Your greatest unsung hero (or heroine) in music?
Lily Allen. I only know a few of her songs, but most of my friends don’t know her music at all.
04Playlist Notes
What is the concept of the playlist?
I wanted a playlist I could listen to all day without getting tired of, so most of the songs are tracks I used to listen to when I was a little girl. My dad would play these songs when he sat in his little corner of the room, enjoying a drink.
The first track you played on repeat?
Amy Winehouse’s track, ‘Rehab’. It came out when I was in the early years of primary school. At the time, I tried hard to be like the rest of the kids listening to J-pop groups like AKB48 and Arashi, so I only started getting into Amy's music when I was in secondary school.
A song that defines the teenage you?
The song that comes to mind is The Smith's track, 'How Soon Is Now?' It was another one my dad would play a lot. This is the only song I know of The Smiths, and I don't think it overly defines my teenage years, but I had this song in my head a lot.
One record you would keep forever?
That would probably be Queen. It’s not an album I have on all the time, but I like to play ‘Queen II’ when it comes to mind.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
The Beatles’ track, ‘Hello Goodbye’. The lyrics are straightforward, but they have two sides to them, and the more you think about them, the more the meaning tends to expand.
Best song to turn up loud?
I’ve already mentioned it, but ‘We Are The Champions’ by Queen. I'm a pretty negative person, so I sing this when I have to speak up about something (laughs).
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
Lily Allen’s songs ‘Littlest Things’ and ‘Smile’. They are very girly tracks, but I can’t help listening to them.
What new bands you are listening to now?
The band Parcels. They’re an Australian band rather than from the UK, but if you watch some of their many live videos on YouTube or something, you’ll notice how their performances and everything else are perfect. It makes me wonder how much they must practice.