The emotions that went into the word "Thank you."
This is Kagrra, releasing their mini-album "Ouka Ranman" on September 24, after the oneman live "Hisai" on August 27th. For this album which has 5 songs + a bonus track, we did an interview about topics from recording, to favourite songs, to anecdotes, and the state of mind of the members now!
Following "Yotogi Banashi" that was announced on July 30th, on September 24 your 5-track mini-album "Ouka Ranman" is being released, right?
Isshi: Yes. Everyone might be thinking, "Why this title for this season?" but the truth is, there's a proper meaning behind it. But that's a secret.
Eh, you won't tell us?
Isshi: That's something I want the people listening to think about. Because I think surely they'll understand sooner or later...
The title track "Ouka Ranman" is a refreshing pop tune that seems like it could be a single.
Isshi: The truth is, in this song's lyrics it's the first time I use the word "I". I think about Kagrra's lyrics as mostly legends and stories, but with this song I'm singing about our own selves personally.
Akiya: I was surprised the first time I heard the word "thank you" come up in the lyrics.
Isshi: I think this album is like a compilation work of Kagrra's present point, so I want to honestly make the things we think about now into lyrics. The word "thank you" is a word that came up naturally for all of the people who support us, for instance, so I have a deep feeling about that.
There are 5 tracks, but actually there's a secret bonus included. The melodies are rich in variety aren't they?
Isshi: That's right. There are various types of songs.
Izumi: There are songs that follow the predictable pattern of Kagrra, and songs with a pattern we've challenged for the first time, and I think it's a work that'll make you understand various sides of us.
Shin: It's a mini-album, but I think it has the listening response of a regular album, doesn't it?
"Jajauma Kiden" is a song with energy, using the motif of Anmitsu-hime.
Shin: This song really feels like saying "Go!" right? For my part, I intended to play the guitar with a little bit of Wa-like feel, but I wonder if the people who listened would get that...
Izumi: It's a straightforward song isn't it?
The same guitar phrase is on loop in "Oumaga Toki", carrying the bewitching vocals, so it's a song with a mysterious atmosphere.
Isshi: Since the initial image is "a wedding of kitsune"*(1) it has that kind of atmosphere. The song feels like it's a story told by a Rakugo story teller*(2), so in truth the melody is mostly different but I sang it plainly. It might sound simple, but despite the waves within it, it was, well, troublesome.
"Haha e..." is a medium ballad with a main acoustic guitar.
Akiya: When I heard the title of this song, too, I thought, "Huh?" I thought I'd play guitar while imagining my mother at home, but my mother is completely different from the image in these lyrics, so it was difficult with the image coming to mind. (laughs) But, in the end I still had the feeling of "Ah, I want to meet with my mother!"
Nao: At first I thought "I really gotta go home." (laughs) At first, all throughout this song, I was playing with criticism. From the first time I heard it, I imagined criticism. But, since I practiced in my own style, I was getting blisters on my fingertips and it was difficult. It was troubling, but I don't think it was a particularly good feeling.
"Nanagatsu Nanoka" is a contemporary main pop tune.
Izumi: My method was a four minute strike pattern, but it was difficult.
Nao: We considered it would be good to have the kind of atmosphere that's sounds just like great pop, and idol music. But it was practically just a reference. (laughs)
Isshi: In Japanese, "wa" and "ga" are written differently, but the meaning doesn't change much does it? I was fussing over particulars like that while writing the lyrics of this song.
Well, if there are any anecdotes from when you were recording...
Shin: Pre-production is always before recording, and the songs are almost complete, but this time there wasn't enough time and at the recording studio we were saying things like "Can we do it like this here?"
Isshi: I was also completely at my limit. I was feeling sick and that I didn't have the true strength for the things I want to express, so I went to practice in the studio alone. Like karaoke.
Izumi: Speaking of anecdotes during recording, as you'd expect we ate sushi on the last day. We always eat the same meals in the studio, so every day it's bento or curry. But I said "I want to eat sushi!" and we saved on our food expenses to eat sushi on the last day. But, I don't think it was enough, and when we ordered curry together too, it was an enormous amount...
Isshi: Ahh, just as I recalled, we felt that if we were to eat sushi after eating curry, we'd already be full. But, it's not good to overeat just because you hate leaving food behind. Since it was just as we were finished our work, we could go home earlier.
Izumi: There were a lot of sushi rolls on the table, and otherwise it was full of curry. The people who were in the other studio were looking coldly at us, like "What's up with those guys?"(laughs)
Well, eating sushi on the last day means that you were trying to finish recording with a happy mood...
Isshi: It was a massive failure!! (laughs)
Isshi: Yes. Everyone might be thinking, "Why this title for this season?" but the truth is, there's a proper meaning behind it. But that's a secret.
Eh, you won't tell us?
Isshi: That's something I want the people listening to think about. Because I think surely they'll understand sooner or later...
The title track "Ouka Ranman" is a refreshing pop tune that seems like it could be a single.
Isshi: The truth is, in this song's lyrics it's the first time I use the word "I". I think about Kagrra's lyrics as mostly legends and stories, but with this song I'm singing about our own selves personally.
Akiya: I was surprised the first time I heard the word "thank you" come up in the lyrics.
Isshi: I think this album is like a compilation work of Kagrra's present point, so I want to honestly make the things we think about now into lyrics. The word "thank you" is a word that came up naturally for all of the people who support us, for instance, so I have a deep feeling about that.
There are 5 tracks, but actually there's a secret bonus included. The melodies are rich in variety aren't they?
Isshi: That's right. There are various types of songs.
Izumi: There are songs that follow the predictable pattern of Kagrra, and songs with a pattern we've challenged for the first time, and I think it's a work that'll make you understand various sides of us.
Shin: It's a mini-album, but I think it has the listening response of a regular album, doesn't it?
"Jajauma Kiden" is a song with energy, using the motif of Anmitsu-hime.
Shin: This song really feels like saying "Go!" right? For my part, I intended to play the guitar with a little bit of Wa-like feel, but I wonder if the people who listened would get that...
Izumi: It's a straightforward song isn't it?
The same guitar phrase is on loop in "Oumaga Toki", carrying the bewitching vocals, so it's a song with a mysterious atmosphere.
Isshi: Since the initial image is "a wedding of kitsune"*(1) it has that kind of atmosphere. The song feels like it's a story told by a Rakugo story teller*(2), so in truth the melody is mostly different but I sang it plainly. It might sound simple, but despite the waves within it, it was, well, troublesome.
"Haha e..." is a medium ballad with a main acoustic guitar.
Akiya: When I heard the title of this song, too, I thought, "Huh?" I thought I'd play guitar while imagining my mother at home, but my mother is completely different from the image in these lyrics, so it was difficult with the image coming to mind. (laughs) But, in the end I still had the feeling of "Ah, I want to meet with my mother!"
Nao: At first I thought "I really gotta go home." (laughs) At first, all throughout this song, I was playing with criticism. From the first time I heard it, I imagined criticism. But, since I practiced in my own style, I was getting blisters on my fingertips and it was difficult. It was troubling, but I don't think it was a particularly good feeling.
"Nanagatsu Nanoka" is a contemporary main pop tune.
Izumi: My method was a four minute strike pattern, but it was difficult.
Nao: We considered it would be good to have the kind of atmosphere that's sounds just like great pop, and idol music. But it was practically just a reference. (laughs)
Isshi: In Japanese, "wa" and "ga" are written differently, but the meaning doesn't change much does it? I was fussing over particulars like that while writing the lyrics of this song.
Well, if there are any anecdotes from when you were recording...
Shin: Pre-production is always before recording, and the songs are almost complete, but this time there wasn't enough time and at the recording studio we were saying things like "Can we do it like this here?"
Isshi: I was also completely at my limit. I was feeling sick and that I didn't have the true strength for the things I want to express, so I went to practice in the studio alone. Like karaoke.
Izumi: Speaking of anecdotes during recording, as you'd expect we ate sushi on the last day. We always eat the same meals in the studio, so every day it's bento or curry. But I said "I want to eat sushi!" and we saved on our food expenses to eat sushi on the last day. But, I don't think it was enough, and when we ordered curry together too, it was an enormous amount...
Isshi: Ahh, just as I recalled, we felt that if we were to eat sushi after eating curry, we'd already be full. But, it's not good to overeat just because you hate leaving food behind. Since it was just as we were finished our work, we could go home earlier.
Izumi: There were a lot of sushi rolls on the table, and otherwise it was full of curry. The people who were in the other studio were looking coldly at us, like "What's up with those guys?"(laughs)
Well, eating sushi on the last day means that you were trying to finish recording with a happy mood...
Isshi: It was a massive failure!! (laughs)
Notes:
1 - 狐の嫁入り, wedding of Kitsune, is an expression that also refers to sunshowers.
2 - Rakugo is traditional comic story telling.
All of the song titles link back to their lyrics pages on this site.
Also there is a picture with this interview but I don't currently have a scanner, so I'll update with the picture at a later time.
1 - 狐の嫁入り, wedding of Kitsune, is an expression that also refers to sunshowers.
2 - Rakugo is traditional comic story telling.
All of the song titles link back to their lyrics pages on this site.
Also there is a picture with this interview but I don't currently have a scanner, so I'll update with the picture at a later time.