Interview with Miura Kousuke at Anime Messe Babelsberg 2023

Miura Kousuke was one of the musical guests of honour at the German convention Anime Messe Babelsberg 2023. The singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist is actually a street musician, but proved to be equally impressive on the big stage. He naturally captivated the audience with his special way of playing and his catchy songs.

On the second day of the three-day event, Kousuke took time to answer a few questions about himself, his playing style and his music. He also revealed what his goals are for the future and where fans can see him live in the future.

Hello Kousuke! As this is your first interview with JaME, please introduce yourself.

Miura Kousuke: I'm Miura Kousuke, a singer-songwriter and fingerstyle guitarist from Yamagata prefecture in Japan. Pleased to meet you!

How is it to be in Germany? And what do you think of Anime Messe Babelsberg so far?

Miura Kousuke: It's incredibly fun! Wunderbar! ["Amazing" in German] It's really great and also, Anime Messe Babelsberg is really big. The power and energy transmitted from everyone is really reaching me. I feel so excited, and I want to make it more exciting, so I feel like I want to make that cycle happen with everyone to create an amazing atmosphere. That's absolutely fun. Actually, this is my third time in Germany and Berlin is a great place. I am enjoying it so much.

As a street musician, how did it feel to be on stage at Anime Messe Babelsberg?

Miura Kousuke: In Europe, most of my performances are usually street performances. But this time, I'm traveling around the world with the purpose of performing at various venues in each country. Among them, this year's Anime Messe is the biggest one, and there are so many visitors. I could never have such an impact in Japan, so it is a great thing to be able to do it here in Germany, in a foreign country.

By the way, when I was in elementary school, I played soccer. Before I started music, I wanted to be a professional soccer player during elementary, junior high, and high school. In junior high school, I dreamed of playing in the Bundesliga [Germany's equivalent to the Premier League].

So, even though I couldn't fulfill my dream to come to Germany for soccer, I am able to come here for music and perform my songs here. That makes me feel like it was my destiny to do so after all.

You have a very special style of guitar playing. How long have you been playing the guitar? How did you develop your current style?

Miura Kousuke: I've played the guitar for around 15 years. In the beginning, I played covers of J-pop songs. And after I started writing my own songs, I formed a band, but it didn't go well. So I became a solo musician. At first, I played guitar in the normal style for about a year. But thinking that I want to have one-man lives with only me, I realized I should play another style. So I studied many European guitarists and developed my current style.

So European artists influenced your current style of playing the guitar?

Miura Kousuke: Yes. There are many great artists in Europe. So, the fact that I'm able to play in Europe myself, makes me very happy. I'm giving my best, standing on this very ground.

In Japan, I once had no luck in making a major debut. From there, I began to challenge myself overseas, and that was five years ago. After that, there was the pandemic and so on, but now I am able to take up the challenge again.

Yesterday was the first time we saw someone play a drum solo on a guitar. That was pretty impressive!

Miura Kousuke: Yes, pretty impressive, isn't it? (laughs)

So how do you create and coordinate all these sounds?

Miura Kousuke: I use my two hands, but sometimes there are sets where I would need twenty fingers. But…no, I have only ten fingers. (laughs) So, I use my right wrist to make the sound of a kick drum...(he demonstrates this on the table)...and I use my left hand to create the sound of a snare drum...(he demonstrates this as well). My right thumb is the hi-hat...(he demonstrates again). So, if my left hand goes like this…(he starts playing a rhythm with his left hand on the table, then joins with his wrist and the thumb of his right hand and plays a short drum solo on the table)...it's like this!

So that's how it's made! Cool!

Miura Kousuke: Thank you! Ich freue mich! [“I'm happy!” in German] So, yes, I create the sounds like this. Actually, I created this sound in a hurry, but I made it so I can play the guitar strings at the same time.

In addition, I only use effect pedals made by the world-famous Japanese manufacturer Roland. I combine their particular sound with my technique to create a sound that is probably unique in the world, performed with only an acoustic guitar.

Isn't it difficult, this technique?

Miura Kousuke: Actually, I think it's difficult. (laughs) Even now, I think so. I kind of tamed it, but when I think about it more deeply, it is rather difficult. Really difficult! (laughs)

When writing new songs, do you compose them entirely or do you also improvise while you're recording them?

Miura Kousuke: Actually, for each song, everything from lyrics, melodies and arrangements is already in my head, when I start composing. The image of the song is already completed in my mind. About nine years ago, when I started as a solo musician, I tried too hard to make songs, like I tried to write one hundred songs within one year. But it was too difficult, to create songs like that, writing melodies, composing and writing lyrics. Right now, I can do all that at the same time, but nine years ago, I could just do it one by one. Maybe there was inspiration coming from God. (laughs) Some kind of music god, that is. (laughs)

Which topics are important to you when you are writing songs?

Miura Kousuke: I want to win a Grammy! Before coming to Germany, I released a new album, KAMIKAZE (from the land of the rising sun). The lead track is called Reimei, it's my new song. The song's theme is for the Grammy. I think, it still seems to be impossible for Asian people to be awarded a Grammy. Also, until recently, it was impossible or very hard for independent artists to get one. But, I recall there was an independent artist who won a Grammy in 2017. And until recently, even though it is an American award, only very few Black people ever received it. But the situation is changing at the Grammys, also for independent artists like me. So, I wrote Reimei with the theme of winning a Grammy as an independent Japanese artist.

Regarding the lyrics, how do you decide which language conveys your message best? Like, English, Japanese, or a mix.

Miura Kousuke: Sometimes I only use Japanese. This is my policy, because I am Japanese. Sometimes I'm using English or another language. I'm doing that by feel, maybe it comes from God as well. (chuckles) Most important is the rhyme. The rhyme is the most important part of my lyrics. If there is a similar rhyme in Japanese and, for example, English, I'll go for it and use a mix of languages. The base is always Japanese. And if there's a rhyme in English or also in German, I'll use that.

What are your future plans?

Miura Kousuke: Near future or in general? Because in the near future, I will play another concert here at Anime Messe Babelsberg! (laughs) Apart from that, I will continue my tour as a street musician. It will go on until December. I started in London, then went to Paris and Warsaw. Now I am in Berlin until August 17th. After that I'm going to Paris, then London and Wales. After that, I'll go to America and play in New York and Los Angeles. Following that, I will go to South Korea and finally return to Japan. That is my plan.

I think, I want to do a one-man concert in a certain venue. I come from Yamagata prefecture in Japan, from a very small town. It is very difficult to develop the entertainment there. Yamagata has one concert venue like here, but no one is using it. It's too hard. Japanese famous musicians don't use it. But I want to use it for a one-man concert. It seems like it is more difficult to play there than at the famous Budokan in Tokyo. It's very hard even for major artists to get the chance to play at the Budokan. But for independent artists, it's even more difficult. But as an independent musician, the venue in Yamagata is even more difficult. (laughs) I want to challenge myself to play a show there.

And maybe you want to bring back all the memories and experiences from traveling the world?

Miura Kousuke: Yes, next year I will be back to Yamagata and then go around Japan. Probably next year in summer, I'll return to Europe, then again Yamagata. With all that, I want to develop the entertainment around Yamagata more and more. Generally speaking, my main theme is “From Yamagata to the world!” (pauses) Well, maybe it's a simple theme. (laughs)

That's it already, thank you so much for the interview!

Miura Kousuke: Thank you! (in German) Dankeschön!

Finally, do you have a message for our readers?

Miura Kousuke: (in German) Ich liebe Deutschland. Ich freue mich hier zu sein. (“I love Germany. I'm happy to be here.) Thanks for reading! I hope to see you guys in Germany or another place. (in German) Vielen Dank, ich freue mich! (“Thank you so much, I'm looking forward to it!”)

JaME would like to thank Miura Kousuke, Anime Messe Babelsberg (especially main organizer Michael Klement), Miku and Caro Lorenz for making this interview possible.

If you'd like to listen to Kousuke's songs, check out his Spotify account and follow him on Instagram or Facebook.

Finally, you can watch the music video for his song Kotaeawase -The song for all- below.