#(side note two: of course everyone can interprent things as they want it's just me being grumpy)

[tenok]

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[putschki1969]

Wakana ~ B-PASS 2019 March Issue

Note: I finally got my copy of the newest B-Pass issue and my single (how come everyone received their CD ages before me? T_T)! Anyways, there is only a two-page interview with Wakana in this but I think it’s a GREAT interview, very nice and insightful (especially when it comes to the lyrics). You could probably read a lot into it if you wanted. It was money well spent. Please keep in mind that my Japanese is not perfect, all mistakes are mine.

■ After your time in Kalafina what did you think, what did you feel when you started singing all by yourself? 「It felt like I was going with the flow, like I was surrendering myself to the course of events. I was presented with lots of great opportunities, I got the chance to face many new challenges by going solo. It was a smooth and quick transition. Thanks to that I wasn’t forced to take a long break and I was able to continue singing in 2018」

■ So you went straight into your solo career without really getting the time to think about what you want to sing or what kind of singer you want to be...? 「Shusui, the composer of my song “Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni” asked me at the beginning, "what kind of songs would you like to sing?” But truth is, at that point the only important thing for me was to continue singing so I just wanted him to use my voice in whichever way he liked.」

■ You are happiest when you are singing. You wanted to become a singer ever since you were a child? 「I also really like drawing so back in elementary school I wanted to become a manga drawing opera singer *laughs*. Now the most important thing for me is singing and using my voice. When it comes to drawing it’s like there is a switch, sometimes I am into it, other times not so much. But it’s different with singing, my love for singing never changes, it’s always there and I am always having fun with it. Therefore I want to have confidence in my voice. Of course I am hitting walls sometimes and there are moments when I am wondering why I can’t sing the way I want to sing... but that’s just life, even if I have doubts like that, it can’t be helped *laughs* 」

■ When you overcome your troubles, when you cross those walls you will feel a sense of accomplishment, the songs born out of that feeling will surely convey a lof of power and strength to your audience. Also, by having a great time while singing you will nourish your singing voice. 「When I attend a live I am always seeking out voices that make me feel good, that cleanse my heart. Speaking of which, I attended some great lives by amazing people in the latter half of last year. They were all awesome! I was incredibly moved by those performance which made my wish to continue singing even stronger. I attended a Yumi Matsutōya live show for the very first time in my life, I was super surprised to see her dancing. Yuming-san’s performance was beyond anything I could have ever imagined, I couldn’t help but cry! 」 ■ I think your music also has this kind of quality to it. Your first single is about to be released soon. It was decided that “Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni” would be your solo debut? 「Actually, I have known Shusui-san ever since I was 19 and went to my first audition in Tokyo. We really transcended time, didn’t we *laughs*?  Now after all these years have passed we are reunited again through this song, it sounds like the story of a TV-drama. This was also the first time in my life to write lyrics for a song.」 ■ What did you think of the song when you first listened to it? 「It seemed like the kind of song that would be played at the end of a movie. It's a collaboration between Swedish composer Anders Dannvik and Shusui so it has a sort of Northern European vibe to it. It’s not at all influenced by anything that’s trendy right now. There is a lot of weight to it but it builds up and it might not be noticeable at at first listen, at its core it is a quiet and relaxing song.」

■ So you wrote the lyrics? Did you have any experience or practice writing lyrics? 「I had written some short novels and poems in the past but never lyrics. I always wanted to try it but I didn’t think I would ever get the chance, it didn’t seem like something I was meant to do. When I received the opportunity to write these lyrics I was very happy but at the same time I also felt an enormous weight of responsibility. I worried about all the people that would eventually see my lyrics...,but no matter how much I worried, it couldn’t be helped, I had to write these lyrics, "I have to put my feelings into words!” “Ughh, it’s so hard to find words that fit the melody!” “I can’t write anymore!!!” Having all these things constantly going through my mind I got incredibly invested on an emotional level and eventually managed to come up with something.  By the third draft I decided my lyrics would be ready for pre-production. Feeling relieved I pretty much collapsed and fell asleep on the spot. My neck was sore for days after that *laughs*. I really put my entire body into those lyrics.」 ■ The main theme of the lyrics is “separation”, I think depending on age the song will resonate differently with people. We experience partings in all kinds of life situations...people will be separated through death, there might be a farewell between lovers or we are saying goodbye at the day of graduation... I think this song can make people feel many different emotions and it can be interpreted in various ways. 「I had a lot of things on my mind when I wrote the lyrics. Parts of the lyrics are based on personal experience I guess. But I performed this song back in August together with an orchestra and then I sang it multiple times during my autumn tour. During these performances I read lots of different impressions from fans which also changed my interpretation of it. I am always curious to hear interprations by others. But there is one thing I definitely wanted to convey with this song, it’s something I firmly believe in...It is okay to say goodbye to lovers, to friends, to precious people, it is okay to face yourself and realise that you have left your old self behind. Farewells are inevitable but I am sure that one day we will all be able to meet again - once we have achieved everything we set out to do.」

■ I think there is a strong sense of separation and loneliness in the first and second chorus, especially with phrases like “over and over again” you can feel the wish to be reunited again.  But then during the bridge there is this line here, “within this incomplete heart of mine you are there with arms wide open smiling at me” and you realise that your loved one has always been nearby, close to your heart. 「Memories fade away, each and every moment becomes the past. Even if you are merely living life away, your life ends up transcending time. That is why I think it is the most important thing to always look straight ahead and face life head-on. Within the grand scheme of things we are but a tiny root, just a little thing. I wanted to express this sense of loneliness.」 ■ There is a strong sense of hope and light throughout your song. The final chorus in particular feels very grand. 「The lyrics carry a lot of weight I suppose so I guess that’s why. There is this hope that even when your life ends, you know that you will be able to meet again. I put a lot of emotion into that particular part. I wanted it to sound as passionate as possible without making it turn into a scream. These lines were very difficult to sing.」   ■ There is heat and passion in this song but also a sense of translucency. I think that is also very reflective of your voice; your voice is like a weapon, unique and effective, hitting you right in the heart. During the final line “kokoro wa soba ni iru/my heart will be by your side”  there is a pause between “soba ni” and “iru”. I thought that was quite lovely. 「After pre-production I came up with this idea, I thought it might sound nice. I tried singing it like that during my autumn tour and I really liked this moment of silence. That nuance of relief, of finally getting to rest, I wanted to include it in the recording and I think it turned out well.」

■ Speaking of your tour, the coupling song “Tsubasa” is a live recording from your Minabi BLITZ Akasaka concert, isn’t it? 「Since the A-Side is a studio song I chose a live recording for my B-Side. I thought it would be interesting to hear the differences, it will surely be lots of fun to experience that sort of contrast *laughs*」 ■ The melody and tempo are completely different, it is certainly a good contrast. 「 "Tsubasa” has a very courageous vibe so it feels quite different. 」 ■ Once again you wrote the lyrics? 「At its core the song is about being brave. It is very motivating and it can cheer you up. Takebe-san wrote this song for me, while listening to his piano demo on repeat I got this kind of vibe so I was able to write lyrics that did justice to the melody. 」  

■ Within all this courage there is talk about a “town dyed in greyish colours” but you also write of “turning your face away from the dazzling lights”. 「Truth is, I don’t like having my picture taken and I don’t like being filmed. I do like the idea of preserving memories through photography and film and I am happy that we are able to do that sort of thing but I sometimes think that I will never be able to get used to this world of frenzied and blinding flashes of photo cameras. So the idea was to try and escape that grey world. If everything is black and white, you might miss out on many parts of this precious world. Imagine you love the sky for its beautiful colour, if the world were monochrome it would be a total waste. It’s this kind of feeling that I had in mind while writing these lines, looking at a world dyed in grey can be lovely of course but it is also nice to look at it in all its dazzling radiance. I thought everyone should get a proper look at this bright world.」 ■ So one has to spread their wings and fly towards it? 「By surrendering yourself to the stream you may be able to see a completely new world. It’s a similar feeling to always looking straight ahead at tomorrow and to make decisions that you won’t regret. Give it your best shot, spread your wings wide and fly as far as you can, this is what I wanted to convey.」 ■ We are faced with so many things on a daily basis and we have to overcome those things by relying on our own instincts. 「That’s right.  Sometimes you may wonder why something is happening to you but truth is, it’s up to ourselves to decide how to handle the cards we are dealt. So much is going to happen to you but life and fate are nothing to be afraid of. Don’t be scared! Enjoy yourself!! It’s important to remember that because during our long life we will experience these kind of situations over and over again. From the point of view of an elderly person you realise that no matter what happens to you your experiences seem insignificant in comparison to the grand scheme of things. Keeping that in mind I was able to sing this song. In the lyrics there is an angel whispering, “At the moment of birth - Was it not decided that you would keep on living?” This angel is talking in a light tone... The words “keep on living” may seem a bit exaggerated but I wrote that line thinking, “as long as we keep on moving forward we are alive”. 」

■ It’s a song for everyday life I think, you are singing about ordinary change, about things that happen on a daily basis. Since it is a live version the wish to hear you live again grows stronger I suppose,  you answered these wishes by announcing a spring tour that’s going to start in April. 「I was very nervous when I did my very first solo live tour last autumn but I also enjoyed it a lot!  Now with the new album on its way the number of songs I can sing for my audience has increased considerably. I think it will be possible for the audience to experience a live that’s very reflective of who I am, it will be very Wakana-like.」 ■ Lots of things have been put into motion, where do you want to go from here? 「First and foremost I am grateful to be in an environment where I am able to sing. Therefore I would like to be a singer that can continue to sing.  I would like to continue singing the songs that have been made for me recently but there are also lots of things that have been there before and that will continue to be there in the future. It may always be a bit troublesome but I think that’s fine. On top of that I would just like to be myself, I think there is a special coolness to just being natural. Even if things get troublesome from time to time, I would like to be a singer that enjoys singing.」 ■ When you are having a great time singing that feeling of joy will also be conveyed to your audience. 「Yes, I would like to have lots of fun with singing. That’s how I have always felt. I want people to look at me and think, “oh yes, this woman really loves singing!”」

Toki wo Koeru Yoru ni ~ English lyrics Tsubasa ~ Englisch lyrics

My Sweet Valentine’s Memory

While thinking of a childhood anecdote that “transcends time” and is related to Valentine’s Day Wakana ended up introducing her favourite chocolate "I remember handing out chocolates to the boys I liked back in primary school...*laughs* I was obsessed with pretty wrappings and other stuff. I would go to fancy shops to buy my wrapping kits. In primary school I was really into accessories like that." Did you make the chocolate yourself? "No, I usually bought it at the store *laughs*. I always wanted to do the chocolate myself but when I asked my mother about it she told me, “that’s way too troublesome!!” So I gave up on that idea *laughs*. This has nothing to do with Valentine’s Day but my friends and I would often gather at one of our homes to make sweets together. We made cookies and pralines." Do you like chocolate in general? "Truth is, I have never really liked chocolate all that much but there is one exception, Lindt chocolate, I love it so much! Long ago while I was in New York for a work trip I came across this awesome chocolate by chance, they were handing out Lindors at a store. These balls are so rich and delicious, even if you just have one you will be completely satisfied. It’s a beeline to happiness. What exactly do you recommend about Lindt? "There is a different taste to the milk! There are also lots of different limited flavours such as caramel, sea salt or strawberry.  I think white-chocolate-chip might be my favourite, it’s so good~!! During the Valentine's Day season you will find lots of cute and pink chocolates. If you get the chance please be sure to try some of them (even if it’s not for Valentine’s Day) *laughs*”