This time we would like to introduce warumono.kurenai from Montevideo, Uruguay. A young woman of 19, she discovered Dir en grey online and has never turned back ever since. For her, Dir en grey has helped her get through several challenges and even one major turning point in her young life. Their music has been a constant companion, giving her solace through breakups and inspiring her to find her real self and to fight for it.

You can check out some of her writing that she posts in her own Facebook account!

Dir en grey has given me the strength to live since the day I tried to kill myself and I'm still waiting for the day when I can thank them for it.

1. Please tell us something about yourself.

Well, I'm 19 years old, I live in Montevideo, Uruguay, I love music, reading, writing, thinking (yes, thinking) and listening to people's life stories and problems. I'm really interested in psychology and the human mind... and... I also like to dye my hair XD I do it all the time.

2. How and when did you find out about Dir en grey?

Just linking stuff in the internet, I found a website with a video, I played it and just... it caught me right the way. It was Cage, and under the video box the lyrics were translated to English.  I started learning English from a very young age so I could fully understand the lyrics and I was simply fascinated by them. I tried to find out a little bit about them, found some pictures, an mp3 site that had 9 songs from them available for download (luckily someone thought of us, people with no access to their material) and as soon as I saw them I printed the pictures and went back home and asked my mother if I could get Kyo's hair color.

Her answer was "NO!" Since there, I couldn't stop loving them, I had a CD burnt by myself with their songs and used to play it in a Discman that my dad brought me from a trip to the USA during the school break. The other kids often asked me if they were clowns, superheros, girls, monsters, cartoons or even if they were real people hahaha! My parents and teachers used to think I was just... insane. (My parents still think that)

My teachers used to get scared at my drawings and later my writings, so Dir en grey was simply amazing for me, "just what I was looking for"

3. What was your first impression of Dir en grey?

I really liked Kyo's and Kaoru's hair, I definitely thought Kaoru was a woman hahaha but I loved them instantly, I downloaded a few songs and listened to them, and I was just... hypnotized. I've always liked the uncommon, the original, the freaky, the weird, from a very young age; my teachers used to get scared at my drawings and later my writings, so Dir en grey was simply amazing for me, "just what I was looking for" hahaha!

4. What do you think of the members of Dir en grey?

Oh, that's hard... Well, I think they are all very talented, extremely creative, and a truly life-changing experience. Now, individually, I think:

Die: I think he is fun, energetic, easy to talk to and I used to think he had a great taste in hairstyling but those times are over... Remember when he used to bother Shinya in the backstage on the dvds? I miss that a lot, he was like, soul of the party XD. I like him when he plays the acoustic guitar, he gives a little "something" to the strings while playing.

Kaoru: He reminds me of that serious, quiet teacher we all have feared in a certain point of our school life. He can be a little intimidating sometimes, at least for me. He has that deep voice and the way he talks is slow and soft but strong and confident at the same time. He is always so centered, so professional... Truly, a leader.

Kyo: How could I describe this little demon? He has been my source of strength to get up every day. His voice, his lyrics, his poems, his strength in every song, his passion. I'm extremely thankful for everything he did for me, and hope I can tell him that some day. I could be writing for days so... next!

Toshiya: I've always thought of him as the child of the group, don't ask me why but I do. I love the way he plays the bass, I know he is kinda egocentric, and if I get to meet him, I would tell him that half head gone bald wasn't the greatest idea, neither that horrible woodman's shirt with that... whatever he put in his head... Hahaha maybe I wouldn't tell him that, but I really didn't like it. Other from that, I think he is a very good bassist.

Shinya: Hahaha there's something that I've always asked myself: Wasn't it a little uncomfortable to play the drums with the outfit from Child Prey? I mean, that man is A REAL MAN! Not everyone can play like that being such a little person (he weights 20 kilos LESS than me and I'm not fat)!! I love the fact that he has his pets and takes so much care of them, he seems like a great person.

When I think of other countries and look at the Street Teams or Unofficial Fanclubs, I feel kind of sad, because I will never be able to support Dir en grey like that, or feel proud when I say "Love from your fans in Uruguay" cause the truth is that they don't really have many.

5. What was the very first Dir en grey album or single that you bought?

Last year my ex-boyfriend gave me Uroboros for Christmas... And...
Ok, this is kinda embarrassing: the first album that I myself bought was Gauze, but unfortunately I bought it THIS year, 2009, for my birthday. Actually, I got Gauze, Macabre, Kisou, Six Ugly, Vulgar and Withering to Death all in the same day. I never had the chance to get them earlier, they were just too expensive for my teenage pocket, plus the shipping, it was a killer combo!

6. Please rank Dir en grey's albums from your most favorite to least favorite. What are your favorite songs out of the bunch?

Well, that would be:
-Gauze
-Macabre
-Vulgar
-Withering to Death
-Kisou
-Missa
-Six Ugly
-Uroboros

And the one I totally dislike except for 2 songs:
- The Marrow of a Bone.

My favorite songs would be: Riyuu/Wake, Ain't Afraid to Die, Cage, 304 Goushitsu, Hakushi no Sakura, 24ko Cylinders, Merciless Cult, Mazohyst of Decadence, Byou[]Shin, Obscure, Shokubeni, Kasumi, Glass Skin (Japanese ver.) and Vinushka.

7. Have you ever seen a Dir en grey live?

Not yet, I'll answer "yes" to that in about 2 weeks.

8. Dir en grey still hasn't ever done a live in South America. But I know that they are scheduled to do lives in Brazil and Chile. Do you plan on seeing them there?

At first I planned a trip to Brazil, a horribly expensive one, alone, in a country where another language is spoken and just 2 days hotel, no idea on nothing, and better of all... Sao Paulo is said to be very dangerous if you are not used to it, and the place where they are playing is relatively near "Fabelas" zone, no need to say more... So it was not an easy trip for me, besides I would need like, tons of money and I sincerely, didn't have them. But it was my lifetime dream, and couldn't let it go, so I convinced my parents. They would pay in fees, and everyone happy.

But later, I saw on Twitter they were performing in Chile too, and that was a totally different story. The plane was a little cheaper (by the way, the prince has raised double yesterday, so I accept any kind of object that brings good luck or something XD), the hotel was cheaper and closer to the concert, they speak Spanish, and it's a little more safe than Sao Paulo. Anyways I spent a lot of money already on the plane, the ticket, the hotel, and some other stuff like cellphone credit;, for that I sold my guitar, a computer, a cellphone and some clothing,  I've been working 6-7 hours a day NO WEEKENDS OFF for 3 weeks and still haven't reached the huge amount of money needed to go :(

So yeah, the plan is seeing them live in Chile; though I will be paying for that trip for a couple years, Dir en grey is worth EVERY single penny, don't care how much I have to work for it.

9. What is the Dir en grey fandom like in Uruguay? Is there a large following of fans from Uruguay?

Actually no, I think their fan base here reaches to 20 people, maybe 25, and only 2 of us own at least one CD. It's very embarrassing for me to say that but it's the way it is. When I think of other countries and look at the Street Teams or Unofficial Fanclubs, I feel kind of sad, because I will never be able to support Dir en grey like that, or feel proud when I say "Love from your fans in Uruguay" cause the truth is that they don't really have many. People here listen to "Cumbia" and "Reggaeton", if you talk about something else, it's really not understood, people have no idea that bands like Dir en grey and Dir en grey in their Visual Kei times exist, and if they do, they hate them or think they are gay. People don't even know that Japan has rock musicians. Sad but true.

10. What is it about Dir en grey that got your attention? Why follow Dir en grey?

The lyrics, above anything; the looks, the attitude, even the music itself! I follow them 'cause of Kyo's lyrics. I can't really explain how many times I have been portrayed in his lyrics, even in songs like "Mazohyst of Decadence", which is a very extreme portrait. I have a pretty twisted mind, and I think Kyo has thought the same things I have at least once in his life. Besides we have many things in common, so I really feel like I can identify with him and his writing. He is my role model and my muse.

11. How did you find out about Orchestrated-Chaos.com? What would you like to see more in Orchestrated-Chaos.com?

I really don't remember how I found you guys XD I just know that when I saw this website I automatically joined in, and I think it would be too much to ask for more, you are already giving everything possible!! But maybe, JUST MAYBE you could put some old songs translations, what do you think?

12. Do you have any plans for the future?

Mmmmh... I don't really think much about it...

13. Do you believe that Dir en grey has touched or greatly changed your life? If so, in what way has Dir en grey touched or changed your life?

Yes. They have changed my life, indeed. First time was when I found out who I wanted to be, it was thanks to them I chose not to be ordinary, to be part of the crowd, to think just like everyone else. I wanted different, I wanted something extreme and special, and they were. Then, when one of my boyfriends left me. We had been together for 2 years, I was 16 then. When I felt sad, I listened to songs like Taiyou no Ao, Zakuro, and Wake, and thought "oh, well, I'm not totally alone in this world...." But one day it wasn't enough and I tried to commit suicide. When I woke up,I was in "room 304" (room 30 actually, 4th floor). I started crying, and asked a nurse to call my mother and ask her to bring me my mp3 player and something to write. Dir en grey has given me strength to go on since that day, and I'm still waiting for the day I can thank them.   

14. A message to other Dir en grey fans.

Keep supporting them, they really deserve it!! They are one of the greatest bands in the world and they should know that!!

Make some noise in the concerts too ;) And remember to avoid fangirly acts please ;).

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