In the Chiba atelier of artist Kazunori Hamana, a historic kominka surrounded by a serene garden and filled with the dynamic ceramic vessels the artist is known for, Raul stands before the camera, perfecting his pose.
Known as an idol, actor, and now a model, Raul is also a passionate art enthusiast. “You can see anything digitally now, but I prefer real-life experiences,” he says. “[Hamana’s] work has an incredible presence. It’s so cool! I’m a huge art fan, so I was really excited,” said Raul.
Modeling is still relatively new to the 21-year-old—he first walked the runway in 2022 at Yohji Yamamoto’s SS23 show in Paris Fashion Week. “Since I began modeling, I’ve found new ways to express myself through dance, and vice versa,” he tells Vogue. “When I first started modeling, I didn’t know what to do, so I just danced in front of the camera—and we ended up with so many great photos! Dance really helped me. That experience became a core part of who I am, and now I’m nurturing both sides. Moving forward, I want to strengthen that connection and present a world no one has seen before.”
“This isn’t just because we’re doing a Vogue interview,” he laughed, “but recently, I discovered something that really fits my vibe: voguing. I’ve done hip-hop since I was in first grade, but about a year and a half ago, I discovered voguing.” The idiosyncratic dance style gained traction from the 1990 documentary Paris is Burning, which showcased the ballroom scene of NYC in the 1980s, and in Madonna’s 1990 hit ‘Vogue’. For Raul, though, it was totally new: “When I tried it, I was surprisingly good at it! It resonated with younger audiences too, and the response was amazing,” he says. “Mixing voguing and hip-hop feels like the perfect match for me. I’m focused on developing my own style from this blend and taking my time to cultivate it.”
Raul speaks with a calm confidence, carefully choosing his words—a quality that often makes him appear as more disciplined than he really is. Any sense of seriousness, he admits, is just a façade. “Honestly, I’m kind of lazy,” he smiled. “But my agency and my fans believed in me. More than my own ambition, I want to live up to their expectations and that’s what drives me. It’s less ‘I’ll show the world how great I am!’ and more ‘Thank you everyone, I’ll do my best!’”
His journey to becoming a model in Paris began with a casual remark from a fan, who told him he looked like he should be at Paris Fashion Week. At the time Raul knew little about the fashion world, but his curiosity led him to research it──and he fell down the rabbit hole. “I didn’t resist that opportunity. I just stayed grateful and open to where it might lead,” he says.
This year marks Snow Man’s fifth anniversary, a milestone that has seen Raul transition from a teenager into his twenties. Much has changed along the way. “The biggest shift I’ve felt is in what it means to be an idol. It used to be about being produced by someone else, but now we need to create our own concepts and present them. It’s an era of self-producing,” he says.”Honestly, I’d prefer to be produced—it’s easier! But in this environment, you have to take responsibility for everything, including failures. It’s a lot, but I’m committed to leading the way and meeting those expectations.”
Raul manages his busy schedule by prioritizing sleep and healthy eating. “In the end, healthy people are the most beautiful. Especially for women, there’s often a tendency to equate beauty with being thin, but I don’t think that’s the right path,” he says. “Pushing your body through extreme diets can dull your eyes and sap your energy. I often see posts on social media like, ‘I’m dieting so I'll look good at the concert’ but the people who truly stand out are those with vibrant, healthy energy. I always tell my fans not to push themselves too hard.”
Though the idol landscape can be notoriously fickle, Raul has conviction in Snow Man’s sense of unity pulling them through. “We’ve always thought about how to make our fans happy and positive,” he says. He keeps in close contact with the rest of the group, checking in regularly to tell them what he’s been up to: “We try to celebrate each other’s successes. It keeps the atmosphere open and our bond strong.”
Looking to the future, Raul hopes to broaden Snow Man’s appeal to a wider audience in Japan while also expanding their reach on the international stage. “We want to show the world what a Japanese group can achieve,” he says. “I think this year will bring more opportunities in Asia, and if that someday turns into a tour then I want our fans to feel proud to support us.”
What about for himself? “I always write down my goals and give myself deadlines. One of those goals, which I wrote when I was 17, was ‘Someday, I want to be on the cover of Vogue.’ So honestly, today’s shoot feels like a dream come true,” he says. “Because of that, I know it might be a bit presumptuous to say this, but I’ll say it anyway—I’d love to attend the Met Gala. Right now, if I went to New York, no one would know who I am. But I want to become someone that makes people say, ‘Wow, this crazy guy from Japan just showed up.’ So for now, I think I’ll start by practicing climbing stairs—just to get ready for the iconic staircase!”
Styled by Yoko Miyake Hair: Yu Nagatomo Makeup & Manicure: Rie Shiraishi Talent & Model: Raul from Snow Man and Mona Kawasaki Produced by BABYLON Producers: Taka Arakawa, Shion Kimura and Ino Yu Interview & Text: Rieko Shibazaki Styling Assistants: Miyabi Nara and Miki Matsuda Special thanks to Kazunori Hamana and BLUM Gallery