In May this year, pop vocalist AMATSUKI made his debut UK live performance at MCM London Comic Con. Fresh from his weekend performances at the convention, the rising international star sat down with JaME on Sunday afternoon for a candid and revealing interview.
Welcome to the UK! Have you enjoyed this weekend?
AMATSUKI: Yes! I haven't been able to go into central London, but despite it being my first time here, you’ve made me feel at home. I've had some truly lovely experiences and it has been so much fun.
As this is your first JaME interview, please introduce yourself to our readers and tell us one funny fact about yourself.
AMATSUKI: I'm a singer, but I've also been on stage (for a play), and also provided narrations (in dramas).
We learned that you first posted your videos on Nico Nico Douga without thinking about being a professional singer ...
AMATSUKI: No, it never crossed my mind. Since I was young, I liked listening to music. I came across many singers online (like on Nico Nico Douga) and simply aspired to be like them.
What would your regular job be? What did you want to do before you became famous as a Nico Nico Douga singer?
AMATSUKI: (without hesitation) Nursery school teacher!
At which point did you decide to become a singer? Because you are, now, a professional singer. Was there a particular event which helped you make your decision?
AMATSUKI: When I was uploading songs, there was no point where I thought, “right, I'm going to be a professional singer”. As I continued to make songs, more and more people started to listen to my music, and here I am now. I've never considered singing to be a "job"; I have so much fun.
You're also a member of the vocal group Circle of Friends. Please tell us how Circle of Friends came together, and what kind of music you produce.
AMATSUKI: As you know, I use the internet as a platform, which means so many people around Japan — and overseas — watch my videos. I wanted the chance to meet these people, and this is how Circle of Friends came about.
What style of music is it?
AMATSUKI: Music changed my view of the world, and I wanted to do something similar. I make music to give people strength, to move someone and bring a smile to one's face. This goes for the group as well.
In your Nico Nico Douga music videos, you frequently have illustrations as visuals. Why did you choose illustrations instead of videos of yourself?
AMATSUKI: When I started, I never had the urge to be in front of an audience. I mean I'm doing it now, but I have a "complex" where I don't want people to see my face. When I was young, I used to get bullied and stuff. Music changed this, but still to this day, I would prefer to use illustrations rather than myself.
You love to sing, so it seems you want to just present your music ...
AMATSUKI: I want to sing, but I don't always want to be the focus. I want the music to be the message.
Will you use more styles of visual presentation? Will you add more styles of different animation in future?
AMATSUKI: So now I've got a few MVs which I'm in, but I would like to re-create them and really express my world to the full. This goes for the illustrated MVs as well.
So you'll release your second album Hakoniwa Dramatic on July 27th. What kind of songs can we find on this album? Is there a particular theme for it?
AMATSUKI: Well, the title of this album Hakoniwa Dramatic is derived from the image of having clips of my life being crammed into a "hakoniwa1". I believe we can only see the world from our own interpretation of the world; although we may not realise it, there is always something dramatic happening in the actual world.
One's "hakoniwa" can come together with another's "hakoniwa", which then widens our perception of the world. I wanted to catch the sparkle, but also the sadness that comes with living in this world. For me, Hakoniwa Dramatic really expresses "life".
1: A "hakoniwa" is a miniature model of a landscape in an open-top box. In this answer, AMATSUKI uses the term to refer to a person's personal perspective of an experience or the world at one point in time.
Each song has a different message, but altogether …
AMATSUKI: Yes yes, there is a story behind every song. This usually relates to something in my life, but also things I've never experienced — I believe music has the power to make people feel as if they've experienced it themselves. I wanted to include this sort of element into the album.
Examples of this are things such as relationships, thinking about that special someone, but not just that; about heartbreak as well. Unlike the last album, which was more about going out on an adventure, and had some fantasy world elements to it, this album is centered around the "real". It's aimed so that people will be able to keep walking forward in life.
You also sang the opening theme for the anime "Masamune Date", an anime about the childhood days of Sengoku period warrior Masamune Date. How did this opportunity come about?
AMATSUKI: The animation studio contacted me. They had already heard some of my other recordings so they offered me the opportunity. It was also five years since the Tohoku earthquake, and they wanted to do something. They knew that I make songs that give people hope and get through hard times, and they asked me to make a song of that nature.
Is there anyone you'd like to collaborate with in future?
AMATSUKI: I really love SEKAI NO OWARI, and also Porno Graffitti. The first CD I ever bought was a Porno Graffitti CD. I'd love to collaborate with these guys.
What's next for AMATSUKI?
AMATSUKI: Well I’m releasing my second album, and I’ll also be doing a headline tour in Japan from July till the end of August.
Thank you AMATSUKI. To conclude, please say a few words to our readers.
AMATSUKI: First of all, thank you very much for reading the article. I think some of you know me already, some of you don't, but I will continue to make music. In doing so, I really hope I will get the chance to meet you in person at some point. Please invite me to London again!
JaME would like to thank AMATSUKI and JPU Records for this interview opportunity.
Watch the MV for Nagareboshi, a track on Hakoniwa Dramatic, below:
