Finding the truth: The Japanese House national tour kicks off at Sunshine Theater on May 25
May 22—To say Amber Bain jet sets across the globe is an understatement.
Bain, who is the mastermind behind The Japanese House, has performed at Coachella Music Festival, finished up a few dates overseas and will begin a national tour in Albuquerque at Sunshine Theater on Saturday, May 25.
Not to mention that she kicked off the year with a "Tiny Desk Concert" for National Public Radio.
"I just got back from London and I'm back in Los Angeles now," Bain says. "It's a weird period right now in life because I'm in between tours. I won't be finished touring until October and then the entire cycle begins again. I'm quite busy right now and I'm just finding moments to relax."
The Japanese House released its album, "In the End It Always Does," in 2023.
The album touches on themes such as gender identity, beginnings and endings, obsession and mundanity, falling in love and falling apart, and the overall circular yet contradictory nature of life. Featured artists on the album include Dirty Hit label mates George Daniel and Matty Healy of The 1975, MUNA's Katie Gavin, and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon.
With a music catalog that continues to grow with each record release, developing a setlist can prove difficult for Bain.
"I'm so bad at set lists," Bain says. "A lot of it relies on my bandmate Kamran (Khan). He and my bassist work together on it. Kam is a set list magician and he really just smashes it out of the park. I can't even think about it. It's good to have songs that people like and I get to play with the ones from the older discography."
Bain and The Japanese House have steadily made its own path in the music industry.
She says it's because there are really no limits when writing.
"I'm too lazy to write lyrics twice," she says. "I have never once been like, 'I can't let the public not know about this.' I feel like all the emotions are channeled through me. I would never censor myself. What's the point of going through the effort of writing the song? It's to find the truth. If you take the truth out, then it negates the entire process."
Bain has also realized that her writing process happens in a cycle.
"I feel like the way I was writing five years ago is similar to that of today," she says. "The time and place in my life has changed, but it feels cyclical. I'm all about the circle and starting anew."
After touring the majority of the first five months this year, Bain is ready to slow down for a moment.
She also takes time for herself on tour.
"Usually 30 minutes before a show, I'm covering up some spot on my face," she says. "I do warm ups with my band. Cicely (Cotton) will be in another room doing some blues scales on the sax. I have a couple of drinks and go through lyrics in my head. I don't get nervous for shows anymore, though a recent show in London was intense because I left too late to get ready and I at least need a half hour before the show to get my head right. I need that time mentally to prepare."