FromA Interview
Meeting the meaningful song that led to the next
From starting it off with a tour, to finishing it off with a mini album release, 2017 has been an exciting year for you hasn’t it.
A lot really has happened. After we released the album “IKI” last year, I feel like we finally set foot on firm ground, or we finished the foundations of our bodies or some sensation. And then after we took that feeling in and finished our tour this year, we were sort of pushed off towards our next production.
So that led to this mini album “ai/SOlate”.
Yes. Right after the tour ended, I had happened to get a request for Hatsune Miku’stenth anniversary compilation. At first I was filled with wonder as to what kind of song I could make with Miku as I am now, but when I started to unravel everything I’ve done, I realized that if I didn’t make it now, I might never make it for the rest of my life, and so I started production on “Unknown Mother Goose”. Then after we finished that song, we were just in the mode, so it did lead to our mini album “ai/SOlate”.
In that way “Unknown Mother Goose” has a lot of meaning as a song, doesn’t it.
That’s right. To Hatsune Miku, to wowaka, and even to Hitorie, this song is quite important to our lives. I think that even the fact that we were able to put this song in our album as a self-cover, is meaningful.
Using the word “Love” as an album theme for the first time
Your new album “ai/SOlate”. What are the feelings behind the title?
Inside the 6 songs lies what I’ve done for the past 5 years, and based on that, how I poured what I want to say about “Now” into them. I had never used the word “Love” in my songs ever before but, in making “Unknown Mother Goose” I noticed that I was using “Love” in a positive way, and that, ahh I’ve finally become someone who’s able to incorporate this word into my lyrics.
It wasn’t as if I was consciously trying to preach of “Love” as a theme either, it’s just that when I was putting what I wanted to say into words, “Love” was what popped out. Here is where I reached, sort of feeling but, also, that I was too late, sort of that I finally got this out, yet at the same time, that here is the start of everything to come. With that one of the meanings behind “ai/SOlate” is “Love that came out at last.”
Ai (Love) /SOlate.
Yep. And, at the same time, I have this feeling that I need to fulfill myself, that I’m always fighting a battle completely alone and unaided, that’s the concept ofHitorie too but, I have this sense that I need to rely on the thing called aloneness.
That’s why it’s Isolate = standing alone or separated. It’s that sort of strength in nuance, that beauty, overlapping with the word “Love”, that lead to this title. “Connections with others” is a “love” that opposes “isolation”. It’s as if they’re antonyms but, I think they’re more like, the front and back of one.
After listening to the album and now looking back at the title, it really makes sense.
I get the impression that the people who listen to Hitorie probably react the most to that sort of thing, so I wanted to convey the message, to each and everyone of you who listen to Hitorie, that you guys should never sacrifice your feelings.
Remembering about yourself through interactions with teenagers
So, I would like to ask about your past experiences with part-time jobs but, according to the story you had been a private tutor?
More like a cram school teacher, than a private tutor. At the college I went to, my friends were all talking about how the jobs with good pay were private tutors or cram school teachers, so I wasn’t an exception of the trend. My friend introduced me to a cram school and I started working there part-time.
Yet that was a private tutoring cram school so, I used to teach middle-high schoolers one-on-one, in this space that was full by the time two people got in it.
What subjects did you teach?
I did every subject, for college and high school acceptance exams.
That said though, with teenagers distressed by the exams ahead of them, aren’t their personalities all over the place. Did you struggle?
Ahh, there was a rambunctious brat (laughing). They would always come 30 or 40 minutes late to the lesson, and they would look away from me while we were talking, and they wouldn’t focus. I had really struggled but, in the end we became friendly. I was so happy when they got accepted into the high school of their choice, and came running telling me “I passed!”
That is a happy event.
I had become a cram school teacher, for the reasons I had said before but, because I heard that the pay was good, and that it relatively easy. Yet when I actually did it, and I had to prepare all the lessons, reviews and such, the return for all my time and effort wasn’t exactly good (laughing).
There was a lot of difficulties. That’s only natural, when I think about it now but. I think the reason I sucked it up for three years, was because I had so much fun talking to so many people.
Forgotten meaningful experiences
Was that the only part-time job you’ve done?
Yes. I’ve never done any other. I don’t actually have much real-world experience.
Is there any part-time job that you sort of wish you did, looking back now?
Maybe, a waiter at an izakaya. Bars like that seem so hectic.There’s people from generations older and younger, there’s people who are drunk as hell. Yet, in being able to come into contact with those sort of people, thinking about what those sort of people are capable of, taking in interesting parts from them. Then how you yourself react to all that, it all isn’t quite different from how I make music now. Or I think.
You interact with others no matter what your job is but, as a place I think that bars have the most diversity and chaos, or I would say (laughing). The people who do it surely have a crazily difficult time but, I bet it’s a good experience.
Was that the only part-time job you’ve done?
Yes. I’ve never done any other. I don’t actually have much real-world experience.
Is there any part-time job that you sort of wish you did, looking back now?
Maybe, a waiter at an izakaya. Bars like that seem so hectic.There’s people from generations older and younger, there’s people who are drunk as hell. Yet, in being able to come into contact with those sort of people, thinking about what those sort of people are capable of, taking in interesting parts from them. Then how you yourself react to all that, it all isn’t quite different from how I make music now. Or I think.
You interact with others no matter what your job is but, as a place I think that bars have the most diversity and chaos, or I would say (laughing). The people who do it surely have a crazily difficult time but, I bet it’s a good experience.
Though, judging by your story, your experiences as a cram school teacher seem to still be alive in your current self as well.
I do really think so. Honestly, before this interview, I had completely forgotten the fact that had done that part-time job (nervous laughing). Because it’s not at the core of my activities. Yet still, in remembering about it like this, I think there’s parts that reflect what I do now.
That which is born from human relations… I think that is something that converges with music production. Besides, by coming in contact with middle schoolers and high schoolers, now I think that’s absolutely a part of what made me want to start my life with Vocaloid. There’s no way I’m wrong with when I say that my interactions with the younger generations are connected to my productions. Everything is connected.
So it’s an important experience when you think about it.
It’s important, isn’t it. It definitely had an impact on my life afterwards. I hadn’t talked about it up until now but, after this I might try not to forget about my part-time job when I talk about myself (laughing).