Diving deep into Phantom Siita’s world of retro-horror
While idols dabbling in horror concepts here and there isn’t particularly unheard of in the Asian pop music scene, it’s not every day you come across a group whose core image completely revolves around the said genre.
Now here comes Phantom Siita, a newly launched Japanese girl group formed by the popular singer-producer Ado. If “modern-day idols are butterflies,” then Mona, Miu, Rinka, Hisui, and Moka are “moths”—enigmatic and a touch eerie, but beautiful just the same.
Many girl groups today go for different permutations of cute, whimsical, fierce, and sexy. But Phantom Siita—whose members were plucked from an audition of more than 4,000 hopefuls—comes up with a “bold and unconventional” style all its own.
“Retro-horror,” they call it. And it’s an intriguing cocktail of visual and musical themes that delves into the “darker side of humans” and the sense of nostalgia evoked by the pop culture of the Shōwa era—a period in Japanese history encompassing the reign of Emperor Shōwa, or Hirohito, from 1926 to 1989.
Phantom Siita also takes inspiration from, among many others, the works of the iconic horror manga artist Junji Itō. They wear their hair straight and long, a nod to the Japanese horror trope of a female onryō (wrathful spirit) seeking vengeance—think Sadako in the cult favorite “The Ring.”
Since its debut in June 2024, the band has already released an album (“Girlhood Memories”) and six songs—the music videos of which are cinematic treats chock-full of sinister and dramatic imagery.
In the group’s biggest hit yet, “Otomodachi,” for example, the girls are depicted as mysterious students in what looks like an abandoned school. Their eyes covered with gauze, they play games in dark rooms and traipse down empty hallways.
Their music has the usual trappings of pop, but there are palpable flourishes of classical and baroque music. While the sounds can be fun and catchy, they get agitated every so often by unnervingly discordant notes. And the girls’ choreography reflects that very mood: One minute they’re smiling, the next they’re making vaguely threatening gestures, their eyes darting every which way.
And now, Filipino fans, or “Haines,” will get the chance to see those theatrical elements at play, live onstage, when Phantom Siita holds court at the Samsung Hall in SM Aura on Jan. 18. Presented by Ovation Productions, the one-night concert is part of the group’s inaugural, 15-city world tour dubbed “Moth to a Flame.” Tickets are available on SM Tickets.
“While this is a venture into the unknown, we hope to reach everyone around the world who always supports us,” said Phantom Siita, whose other releases include, “Zoku Zoku,” “Kimi to XXXX Shitai Dake,” “Mashou Shoujo,” and “Hanabami.”
“We’re excited to showcase our ‘retro horror’ style to you all.”
Get to know the group better in this email interview with Lifestyle:
How does it feel to have finally debuted?
Mona: It has been six months since, and we have released many songs, appeared on a lot of media, and received so many comments from the Haines. Your love and support give Phantom Siita so much power. There are so many new encounters every day and I’m having a lot of fun.
Can you tell us about your audition experience and how the group was formed?
Moka: The third stage of the audition was a camp. On the last day, we performed songs assigned to us. All the participants were such good dancers and singers with lots of personality, and the ability to express themselves. I knew that if I didn’t give my best, I wouldn’t make it. I was desperately trying to do my best.
What advice or lessons did you learn from Ado?
Mona: Ado is present at our recording sessions and gives us advice as we record. Before I got into the recording session, I imagined that her advice would be mainly technical. But there is so much she teaches about expression. For example, I was just focusing on my part and decided to sing with impact, but Ado sees the big picture and balance within the song so she advised me to step back and express my sorrow.
She gives us advice from both technical and emotional angles to add more depth to what we already have, and to bring out more of what’s inside us. We tackle our songs with so much energy and passion, but Ado puts in even more, which makes us very happy. I enjoy every minute of the recording sessions.
Can you tell us what retro-horror is all about? What makes it unique?
Mona: The context of horror here is not like “ghost scary.” But it’s more about the dark side of humans that you see in their nostalgia and beauty. It’s the feeling of chills going down your spine. That’s what we call retro-horror. Our retro aspect is inspired by idols of the Shōwa era. Nostalgic yet new is what we aim to express.
Can you describe the inspiration behind your music and fashion?
Hisui: When I hear the concept retro-horror, an image of a girl with long black hair comes to my mind; the typical image of a character in Japanese horror movies. Our outfits often reflect that image. Our album title also has a word “girl” (also a Japanese horror reference) in it, so I think that kind of image is definitely part of the concept.
There’s a manga titled, “Tomie,” by Junji Itō—scary but beautiful. “Beauty with a thorn” is probably the basis of Phantom Siita, and that’s incorporated in our outfits, music, and hairstyles.
It says in your bio that, “if modern idols are ‘butterflies,’ then Phantom Siita is ‘a moth.’” Can you tell us what it means to you?
Miu: A lot of present-day idols thrive for cuteness, but our concept is retro-horror.
How are you preparing for the tour?
Moka: We’re practicing hard and trying out different things to put out a performance that’s enjoyable to our international audience. Personally, I’m getting my travel gear ready and trying to stay healthy for the trip.
What kind of experience can the fans expect?
Mona: I think you can say that our shows are kind of theatrical. We dominate and take over the song as we really get into our performance. So we hope to bring you deep into the world of Phantom Siita, and immerse the entire venue in colors. I hope you let your guard down and dive in.
Is this your first time in the Philippines? Is there anything you’re looking forward to?
Rinka: It’s our first time. January is the middle of winter in Japan, but the Philippines will be warm, so it makes me feel good to be able to feel summer in wintertime.
My English teachers at my schools are from the Philippines, and they’re very kind and warm. So I’m looking forward to getting to know the people here. I also want to eat a lot of Philippine bananas.
What are your dreams for the group?
Miu: Our hopes and dreams are not like having a show at a particular venue or anything like that. But we want to spread our new genre. With this world tour, I hope a lot more people around the world will get to know Phantom Siita.
