Discover Saba Sister
Saba Sister (also known as SABASISTER) is on the fast track to stardom. In less than two years after forming, the Japanese girl band has already secured a major record label deal and is well on its way to becoming the nation’s next big girl band.
This article answers commonly asked questions about the Japanese band Saba Sister.
Table of Contents
Who is Saba Sister?
Saba Sister is a three-member girls’ band based in Tokyo, Japan. Formed in March 2022, the group quickly gained recognition just five months after their formation, when they were selected to perform at one of Japan’s major music festivals, Summer Sonic.
Their music captures the feelings in our hearts, including excitement, frustration, and gratitude–all through nostalgia-inducing melodies.
Who are the members of Saba Sister?
Saba Sister consists of Nachi (vocals/guitar), GK (drums/chorus), and Rumina (guitar/chorus). More information on each member is available below.
Nachi (なち)
Vocals/Guitar
Nachi is the vocalist and guitarist of Saba Sister. She is also the songwriter for the trio. Born in Niigata prefecture, Nachi became a part of Saba Sister shortly after moving to Tokyo.
Nachi grew up with a deep love of music, learning piano since elementary school. Her interest in bands came later, sparked by seeing the Hi-Standard’s guitarist, Ken Yokoyama, perform on TV. From there, Nachi began playing guitar and formed a band with a childhood friend who played bass.
Nachi has a strong love of songs used in commercials. In an interview, she shares, “I could sing almost all CM songs when I was in kindergarten.” The simplicity and sense of familiarity of these songs have shaped Nachi’s musical roots, influencing the songs she creates for Saba Sister.
Fun fact: Nachi has a black belt in karate, spotted in their music video for “Prepare Yourself!”
GK
Drums/Chorus
GK (ごうけ), pronounced “Gōke” in English, is the drummer and provides the chorus for the band. She is responsible for bringing Saba Sister together by recruiting Nachi and Rumina.
GK grew up with music from a young age, starting piano and violin when she was three. She later got into the drums in elementary school, after playing the popular drumming game Taiko no Tatsujin. She is originally from Sendai, the capital city of Miyagi Prefecture.
Fun Fact: GK owns a stuffed animal named “Shige-chan.” (More info on Shige-chan and its impact on the band is below.)
Rumina (るみなす)
Guitar/Chorus
Rumina is the band’s guitarist and also provides the chorus for the band.
Rumina has been a big anime fan since junior high, influencing her musical taste in anime songs and game music. She began playing electric guitar in the second year of junior high, inspired by the anime K-ON!—a story of a group of high school girls who join their school’s music club. GK recruited her to join the group, whom she had previously known as they are both from Sendai.
Fun Fact: On her Instagram bio, she shares she enjoys alcohol (even writing a column about it!), Miffy, and baseball.
How was Saba Sister formed?
Saba Sister formed in March 2022 when GK, began recruiting members to start a girls’ band.
Initially, GK posted a call for band members through the app JIMOTY. Nachi, who had recently moved to Tokyo, responded to the post. Impressed by a video of Nachi singing, GK arranged to meet her at a café in Shinjuku. The two quickly hit it off and formed the band on the spot.
To complete the band, GK reached out to Rumina, a childhood acquaintance and guitarist. In her initial phone call with GK, Rumina proclaimed herself “the best guitarist,” immediately hanging up afterward. (They later got her full consent). From there, the trio was formed.
What is the origin of the band’s name?
Nachi explained that the name Saba Sister doesn’t have a specific meaning or significance. While thinking of a playful band name, the name randomly came to mind when she opened the refrigerator one day.
”It was just a random thought,” she shared in an interview. (She also clarified that there was no mackerel (or in Japanese, “saba”) in the fridge.)
Does Saba Sister make their music?
All of Saba Sister’s music is created by Nachi—who, interestingly, had no prior songwriting experience before joining the band. Her songwriting experience began when she and GK entered a studio together for the first time.
Initially, Saba Sister had yet to decide on the kind of music their band would create. Rather, Nachi crafted ten original songs for the group. As they added drums and guitar, the direction of their band began to take shape.
While a newcomer to songwriting, Saba Sister’s distinct sound shines through Nachi’s unique music. GK expressed in an interview, “I’ve listened to many songs that felt generic, but Nachi’s lyrics are different. They come from her daily life and personal experiences, making the songs very interesting.” She also noted how Nachi’s childhood love for commercial songs and nursery rhymes influenced her music.
Nachi elaborated on her creative process, sharing, “I often get ideas for songs when I’m feeling down or dealing with difficult emotions. I want to affirm those feelings and encourage myself.” She keeps notes of these thoughts to use as inspiration for their songs.
How did Saba Sister get recognized?
In August 2022, just five months after their formation, Saba Sister gained significant recognition by performing at SUMMER SONIC, one of Japan’s major music festivals.
Summer Sonic holds an annual audition process for emerging bands to have the opportunity to perform at the festival. The competitive process begins with an application, followed by a performance in front of a panel of judges, and ends with a live house performance. From thousands of applicants, only a select few are chosen to perform at the festival.
Performing at Summer Sonic was a major milestone, dramatically increasing their visibility and opening the door to new opportunities. Following this massive opportunity, Saba Sister was invited to play at various festivals around the country. They also held their live shows and went on tour, with repeatedly sold-out performances.
Their rapid rise to fame helped pave the way for their major record label debut.
When was Saba Sister’s major debut?
In 2024, only two years after their formation, Saba Sister made their major debut with Pony Canyon. They released their first album, “Prepare Yourself!” on March 8th, known as “Saba Day”. Check out the music video of the title song above.
Who is Saba Sister’s management company?
A few months before their major debut, Saba Sister announced their management contract with PIZZA OF DEATH.
PIZZA OF DEATH is a Japanese record label founded in Tokyo in 1994 by Hi-Standard guitarist Ken Yokoyama–the same person who Nachi watched on TV and inspired her to begin playing guitar.
When speaking about the group’s decision, Nachi explained, “Rather than numbers like social media followers or concert attendees, PIZZA OF DEATH values doing things in a cool manner,” expressing that this philosophy also aligned with her musical roots.
Who is Shige-chan?
Shige-chan is a cherished stuffed animal that GK received from her grandmother during childhood and is like family to her. The band regards Shige-chan as almost a band member, always present at their live shows and often in their band photos. They even have a song titled “Shige-chan,” which holds a special place in their performances.
Where do I follow Saba Sister?
Saba Sister is going to big places; follow the next big Japanese girl band through the links below.
Official Website:
Social Media
Saba Sister
Nachi
GK
Rumina
