“I’m not sure what I’m about to see,” said Stephen Colbert right before introducing BABYMETAL for their U.S. television debut. While Colbert may not have been sure quite how to explain BABYMETAL to the world, one thing was clear as soon as their performance was over: Nothing would ever be the same.
For those who don’t have the fortune to know what BABYMETAL is, it’s pretty simple. They are a band that combines J-Pop with death metal. A trio of teenage Japanese girls do their traditional bubblegum pop stuff, while a backing band shreds through heavy-metal instrumentation. The song they played on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is called “Gimme Chocolate.”
Now, on paper, this might sound silly. It may sound like a goofy gimmick that’s funny on paper, but the novelty would wear out fast. Is there a novelty component to BABYMETAL? Sure, but, the thing is, it actually works. You probably need the video to truly appreciate the band. The visual component is vital here. However, there is really something here that’s magical. The music is far better than you would expect, and the overall experience of watching BABYMETAL on Colbert was truly a rare delight. It may be hard to put into words just what BABYMETAL is, but fortunately you can just let their performance do the talking.
