Ardent Parakiss fans and Rock fans must see!
Translated by Panda, Hirotana and Kikino.
From the original work of Ai Yasawa’s masterpiece. Starting from June 4th, the movie will hold a nation-wide roadshow. YUI will sing the theme song ?HELLO?Paradise Kiss??and ending ?YOU?. She talks about the splendid conversion of her beloved apeareance of the ParaKiss world into music. She talks about her own special “Rock’n roll Life”, while mentioning about “Shinsei Kamatte-chan”, “Imawano Kiyoshiro” and Japan news. Keywords are “Happy” and “Energy”!
Imawano Kiyoshiro, Shinsei Kamatte-chan, and YUI.
— In our previous interview you told us “I will be happy if someone came to my concert tells me that the coolness in the guitar sounds and performances encouraged her to start playing guitar”. Currently, the number of girls like this is increasing don’t you think? What is your opinion of this situation?
YUI: I’m really happy. I think it would be really nice if we all could have fun playing guitar together.
— YUI’s songs have messages that becomes stronger year by year. For example, “Life remains enough not to give up the hope” in “again”, and “Live Rock’n roll Life not to lose enthusiasm” in “It’s My life” show us. Do you feel that such phrases state your way of life?
YUI: “not to lose enthusiasm” expresses the feeling to motivate (not only others but also) myself. Also, I make lyrics while hoping that the words represent my minds in everyday life, for example “I wanna keep in mind to care about other people”. Also, regarding the sound, I want to challenge myself in as many ways as possible. That’s why I’m changing my style to try anything spontaneously and adopt cool sounds (genres) without thinking “I wonder if this is okay?”
— Since a time, you often went to live houses, didn’t you?
YUI: Yes I met with you once, right?
— Yes. I thought you went to live houses so often (haha). So, I’ve felt YUI’s music is becoming free, since that time.
YUI: That’s right. About 6 or 7 years have passed since my debut, and then I have continuously opened my mind with my experiences. I have come to think that I want to adopt various things really naturally.
— You went to see a concert of Shinsei Kamatte-chan too, right?
YUI: I went to that concert, because I knew Cocco would appear! And then I was blessed with the opportunity to watch the performance of Shinsei Kamatte-chan. The impression you get from listening a concert and a CD is different, right? When I watched them, I thought “Oh, these people are them. That’s why such tunes were created.” Each artist have things that you can’t understand if you don’t see them performing live. I think it’s so interesting that various bands and musics (genres) are created, because they grew up in different environments and ways of feeling.
— Have you thought sometimes “The existence of this band rushes me to create something this awesome (crazy)”?
YUI: Without losing my own style, I want to do “something good” adopting new things little by little. I prefer to be appreciated in the way: “Ah, this part made such feeling in this song” while adopting new style step by step, than to surprise everyone by making a sudden change almost completely. And recently, my general way of making songs is “Try anything”. For example, trying to write a Punk song or something. Listening to opinions of different people, but never losing my own self of sight. I hope to go ahead step by step carefully.
— Why did you consider to “Try anything”?
YUI: I have lived for 24 years, but until the time of 22, 23 years old, there were different barriers (of music life)… Well, some barriers are still in front of me (*laugh). I wonder why? I think my hiatus of music activities takes big part of this reason, maybe. I reminded the great joy of being able to play music with many people supporting me. Ah, I like the word “happy”. So I became to think strongly that I wanna enjoy to do many things..
— How is the “Rock’n roll Life” for the recent YUI?
YUI: When someone is challenging themselves in many ways without regrets or giving up, that person’s face looks good and so wonderful, don’t you think? I think this is Rock’n Roll: “Enjoy and live the present”.
— “Enjoy and live the present” reminds me what I listened on a concert. At “ROCK IN JAPAN FESTIVAL 2009” you sang a cover of “Ameagari no yozora ni (In The Night Sky After the Rain)” from Imawano Kiyoshiro (RC Successions). What made you want to sing that song?
YUI: Although I’ve played music for a long time, in the music history… Uhm, No. It’s feels sad speaking as if he’s part of the history. (*annotation: Kiyoshiro died in 2009.) I have honorable predecessors even if I’d never met them. When I heard episodes of this music legend, I thought “He did such things uh? It’s awesome, so funny” I felt glad when I found out he liked bicycles as I do too. And then I think “I wish I watched his concerts” and “I wish I had met him and talked to him”. He might have shown me hints and answers for the life I have yet to live. I sing this song with these thoughts in mind.
The reason of why YUI composes her tunes. Meanings.
— And then, while listeing you talking like this, I think you have become certainly strong. I guess you still have worries and difficulties, even so, you’re trying to go ahead aggressively, thinking “This is my own music” Is it right?
YUI: You’re right. You already said all that I wanted to say (*laugh), It’s pretty much what I feel. I want to try more and more challenges without giving in.
— Now, why are you motivated to compose the music and what are the meaning of your songs?
YUI: Simply, because it’s fun. And, I want to make people feeling sad to be encouraged by my music. Live performances make me feel very good. When I watched the bright and vivid face of a singer, I wish to become like them when I grow up, and I receive stimulus as a person.
So, in that way, I’m usually moved by the thought “Music is great” and I hope my tunes will be great too.
— I think a lot of people are encouraged and hold their dreams thanks to your tunes that express your way of life. Do you think that the desire of singing to these listeners is getting stronger?
YUI: I think I probably talked about this before. When I first started to play street lives, I’m sure I was rescued by music also. I sung because I simply fell in love with music. However, after my debut, many people sent me their messages “I was encouraged by your songs.” In concerts I could see their happy faces, so it feels like playing catch of energy as it comes and goes. I feel energetic too. So there is such connection, I think it is important to have real life encounters.
— I also felt this in a live I recently went to, you’ve become really close with your fans, right?
YUI: Ah, I’m happy to hear you say that. I’m shy with strangers, but I always think “I wish this distance was shortened” Everybody live their lives respectively as one single person. I am called “artist”, but before I used to live as a normal person too. “Now, I am living” and it is because I have overcome many things. I’m really happy to pass the time with people who have lived the same experiences. And then, I can enjoy life making the music that I love, so I would be happy if, after looking at me, someone else thinks “I wanna do the things that I love too”.
— You have composed the theme song of the movie “Paradise Kiss”. I heard that you are fan of ParaKiss. What parts were the more fascinating?
YUI?The discovery of your own answer in a conflict between dreams and love. That idea is so powerful it gives me a lot of courage. Also, I love Yukari’s message (to everyone) “I will take you to paradise”. Even though she was a weak girl until that moment and I wasn’t sure if she would succeed. She walked with a really vivid expression in her face right? I felt shocked at that moment of self resolution.
?Do you also have moments when you go into a “I will take you to paradise” mode like when you have things like a concert?
YUI: No, I’m always… really nervous.
— (Haha) Now, I think this is Ai Yazawa’s literary style, but Paradise Kiss really swings reader’s motions right? I could say the reality of human emotions are something amazing. So in the end it gives you a really positive feeling. I think YUI’s music feels close to this as well.
YUI: Thank you very much. I myself also feel like “I have to be obstinate!”. At the end I wanted to make a song with the pretension of give you courage.
Again, being a fan of the original work. What part of the movie was the most charming for you?
YUI: I don’t know if I should say this, but isn’t the final of the original work different?
— I wanted to have this talk!
YUI: (Laughs)
–Could you accept the ending about Yukari and George In the original work?
YUI: I was about to cry! I thought “Why?”. No, I understand. Maybe that is reality after all. But in the manga is like “I want you to show me your dream”. I felt a little lonesome right? …… It’s just manga with a strong message with many fictional elements. What did you think?
— Well, I think so too. I was worrying endlesly “Uwaa! why did it come to this!” (haha), but in the movie the ending is different. I don’t have a permission to talk about it, so I can only say “Please watch it”
YUI: That’s right!. I want them to watch it.
Now, Whatever I can do for Japan, I want to do it.
–Well, the opening of the movie was ornamented with the song ?HELLO?Paradise Kiss??. The moment you hear the song you’ll realise that YUI is ParaKiss fan. Obviously the lyrics, but the melody and the arrangement all seem to be from that world and turned into music, its that type of song.
YUI: I’m so glad! Yes, that is so. Like the drums in the intro too. There is this image of a model walking beautifully on the runway and the city. It is the impression of the whole song, but there is not only sweet feelings, there is also a sour part. But I thought it would be nice to make it sound pop. I also tried to include pizzicato, because it’s something I perceived from the atmosphere of the Paradise Kiss world. I made it to be felt as you just said. And then, the part “Passion is tough” became a keyword.
— The is also the phrase “If I was so, you would hate me, right?” that Para-kiss fans can’t help but grin unintentionally .
YUI: Thank you very much!
— (Haha). Deep down this phrase was a must for YUI san, right?
YUI: Yeah that’s right. I think it is a very honest expression of what they felt at that moment, it’s a real life like emotion. This kind of weakness is include in part of this song. Also, from that you decide to prepare oneself, while searching for various things you mature and continually find answers. Because it’s that type of story “If I was so, you would hate me, right?” is such an important phrase.
— Continuing on, we have the ending theme ?YOU?, what kind of image was being added to and expanded when making this song?
YUI: They told me this song will be played on the climax of the movie. So, I made it watching that scene many times, humming to myself, however it’s “I can never let go of you, i keep thinking of you” type song. “When you love someone they become your everything” it was completed to be a ballad which make you feel this kind of emotion.
— There are many parts of you which overlaps with Yukari, however, “I can’t cast my eyes down, right?” I feel such a strong sense of YUI-ness from this phrase. What thoughts and feelings were include when you thought of putting these words in?
YUI: I thought it would be nice to leave really strong and powerful words here, and included them at the end. Even when it seems you are being crushed, it turns into “you can’t cast you eyes down, right?”. I think it’s a moment to self resolution, so I wanted to express it there.
— For this new single, did you have to use a new method to compose the songs to make them fit properly in the movie?
YUI: It seems so. But It was just very natural. I share a lot of the the same emotions inside of me with Paradise kiss. It was easy to get into that atmosphere. When I was writing the song I didn’t feel uncomfortable at all. And although it really fits within the atmosphere of the movie, I firmly included my own self in it,
— Just a littte, lets delve into a serious question. Talking about the recent big earthquake, I think it is a time when the value of music is being tested in many ways. Without restricting artists. I was thinking, What should I do for those affected by the earthquake? How should I live?. What are your thoughts on this matter?
YUI: I really thought many times “Isn’t there anything that I could do?”. I think I will do anything I can. Aid products, fund-raising, conservation of energy and the like of course. I think the release of this single, and the screening of the movie will also help for the renaissance. Trying not to lose my courage, and feeling down too, I have considered many things. as I thought, I will do everything I can with all my might. As a result, I think it will bring more courage to our lives. I got a lot of courage from Chiharu Matsuyama’s words “Those who are wise, give wisdom. Those who are strong, give strength. Those who have money, give money. Those who say ‘I have nothing to give’, keep up your courage.” That’s why I will give courage. I don’t think it’s an indiscretion at all.
— As I thought you wanna continue the path of music?
YUI: Right after the earthquake I couldn’t feel that way at all. I couldn’t write music, I couldn’t write lyrics either. I was thinking “What should I do?”. But now I think If I make encouraging music it will lead to something right?
— You probably want to be once again in a concert with everybody being in high spirits right? In your last year’s return to Budokan, I got a great feeling of happiness. I want everybody throughout Japan to have a taste of that feeling again.
YUI: Thank you very much. I laughed a lot too! I want to make a concert where everybody can receive a lot of energy.
— Well, how about a final message to the readers.
YUI: Although it seems I keep repeating this but lets live with everything we’ve got!
Source: hotexpress.co.jp
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