Image Credit: Peter Lim (@ps1lim on Twitter)
Japanese rock group BAND-MAID has a pretty straightforward name. They’re a band of five maid outfit-clad women. But don’t let the maid attire fool you; behind the outfits are serious musicians who are dedicated to rock music. In fact, their goal is world domination. Throughout their 10-year career, BAND-MAID has been making a name for themselves on the rock scene and has amassed a sprawling legion of fans from all over the world. APA surveyed dozens of fans from 17 countries for their stories and thoughts about BAND-MAID, as the band hits their 10-year anniversary.
Looking back, many fans credit YouTube for bringing BAND-MAID into their lives, naming songs like “Thrill,” “Domination,” and “Real Existence” as ones that have officially turned them into devotees. As contrasting as the band’s visuals and sound may be, they’re both parts of their identity, and that authenticity to themselves and their music is what draws fans in. There are countless words for how fans would describe BAND-MAID, ranging from “uplifting” and “visionary” to “life-changing.”
BAND-MAID’s music is a salve for listeners, as fans turn to the band to help them get ready for the day or get through tough times. For many, BAND-MAID reignited their passions, whether it be for music or other interests. One fan, Holden, shared, “BAND-MAID has completely changed how I listen to music. I pay much more attention to instruments in every song I listen to now than I previously did before I discovered them. I have never cared to learn much about music but they have made me want to learn everything about how music is created and how different sounds are produced.” Another fan, Ronk, said that BAND-MAID offered a valuable lesson: “To never give up trying to do what I love.” Serving inspiration to their fans, the band has motivated fans to expand their horizons, tap into their creativity, and make connections. Some inspiration has led fans to:
- Explore new music. Kevin shared, “My music taste used to be western-centric. BAND-MAID opened the door for me to discover the J-Rock/J-Metal community. I failed to notice the amazing music coming out of Japan when I was younger. I don’t understand Japanese, but they showed me that there is no language barrier when it comes to music. All-female bands were also new to me when I found BAND-MAID. I didn’t know women can rock just as hard, if not harder, than men in the male-dominant rock/metal genre.”
- Play music. Martin said, “BAND-MAID inspired me to take up the drums again, after reminding me how fun rock music can be.”
- Lose weight. Ravi shared that he’d listen to BAND-MAID at the gym, which helped him lose 70 pounds, and Kyle was driven to shed some pounds so he could fit into BAND-MAID merch.
- Strengthen connections with others. Rob said, “It is not often that my wife and I like the same music. We both love B-M, so it has been great sharing it with her and going to concerts together.” Meanwhile, Keith shared, “BAND-MAID helped me garner a better friendship with my child, ‘Boots,’ after their mother passed.”
As a way to give back and support the band, fans have collected memorabilia and created all kinds of things like graphics, music covers and figurines.
This slideshow requires JavaScript.
The bond between BAND-MAID and their fans are strong, but there’s something to be said about the fan community the band has fostered as well. Ingrid shared, “Not only is BAND-MAID amazing, but their fans are too! Every interaction I’ve had with another fan online or in-person has been positive.” One fan, Ohrenje, has created the BAND-MAID Community Discord, where over 1,600 fans communicate and some even collaborate virtually to release BAND-MAID music covers on the BMCD YouTube channel. There are also numerous other YouTube channels, like Ohrenje, Maid News Network, and The Band of Maids, that feature fan-made BAND-MAID content from band documentaries and community interviews to silly sketches.
BAND-MAID and their impact shows that music transcends all barriers and brings people together. Glenner7 shared, “The whole world needs to discover Band-Maid, because of their energy, their positive outlook on life, their charming personalities, and their incredible always-surprising songwriting and performing talent.” With such a passionate and engaged fanbase, world domination doesn’t seem like such a lofty goal for BAND-MAID.
