Hello! Project (Hello! Pro) idol group Tsubaki Factory's 14th single, "FireWorks/Mappira Datteba!", will be released on June 3rd. It's a double A-side single, and both songs showcase Tsubaki Factory's unique blend of delicacy and inner strength. We spoke with sub-leader Mizuho Ono, Runo Yofu, and youngest member Itsuki Nishimura about their thoughts on the songs and behind-the-scenes stories from the recording.
◇Tsubaki Factory's "The Night Before Dawn" - A song entrusted to them by SHOCK EYE of "Shonan no Kaze"
-- "FireWorks" is a song with lyrics written by SHOCK EYE of Shonan no Kaze, who has previously provided songs for Tsubaki Factory, and music composed in collaboration with Masashi Kusano. What was your first impression when you heard it?
Ono-san , we had the opportunity to see Shonan no Kaze perform live before when we were in Tsubaki Factory. Until then, we only knew them as artists who provided us with songs, but after actually seeing their live performance, we ourselves became fans, so we were very happy to be able to sing SHOCK EYE's songs again. We could really feel that he created the song with Tsubaki Factory in mind, and we were moved to think that it was a song that he entrusted to us, believing in the moment when Tsubaki will bloom.
--SHOCK EYE wrote in the liner notes, expressing his feelings for Tsubaki Factory, "I would be happy if this song could become a spark that illuminates the light of their journey so far and the future that will unfold from here."
Ono-san , I tried to read the liner notes on my way home from work, but I thought, "Oh no, I might start crying," so I read them after I got home. The words you used were truly wonderful. I could tell that you had high expectations for Tsubaki when you gave us the song, but reading the liner notes made that even clearer, and I was so happy.
Every song we receive from Yofu-san and SHOCK EYE-san includes rap, and it feels like they're getting progressively more difficult each time. With the rap in "FireWorks," we were worried, wondering, "Can we really do this?" Our leader, Tanimoto Ami-san, received rap advice from SHOCK EYE-san, who told her to "be mindful of the consonants." I think that thanks to SHOCK EYE-san's involvement, Tsubaki's level has really improved. I was so happy to have this opportunity to challenge ourselves with such a difficult song.
Even during the recording session with Ono-san , the most difficult part was definitely the rap. My recording video is available on Hello! Project's YouTube channel, and watching it made me reflect on my performance. I realized how poor my articulation is. I'm sure the director chose this part with high expectations, so I'll deliver it with confidence, but I want to work hard to sing it more stylishly. I hope you'll keep an eye on my progress from here on out.
--The lyrics, which seem to convey the expectation that "today is the night before dawn," are also impressive.
Yofu-san wrote "The Night Before Dawn" with the meaning that we, who are still not fully grown, can bloom like fireworks from now on, and that really touched my heart. It's an encouraging song for us, but I'm so happy that we received a song that will be an encouraging song for everyone.
--This will be Nishimura's first single since returning from illness, as she was recuperating until March.
Nishimura-san, when I first heard the song, the dance was already complete, but it was my first time hearing the song before its release, and I was so happy about that. SHOCK EYE's passion was so evident, and I felt that the lyrics were necessary for us, and important for people in today's world. I wondered if I could sing it with enough passion, but I also remember feeling nervous, thinking, "I have to live up to expectations."
-- "FireWorks" has already been performed at live shows and such, but is it infused with passion?
I'm sure Mr. Nishimura put a lot of thought into it!
◇A not-so-sweet love song, "No way!" Runo Yofu pre-records with her own new microphone.
--While "FireWorks" is an uplifting song, "I Absolutely Not!" is a love song that expresses a more intense love for a lover.
It's something new for Ono-san , but it still feels like Tsubaki Factory. That's because I don't think there have been many songs before that require this much technique to sing. When I received the demo, I thought, "How am I supposed to sing this part?" It's incredibly difficult, but it's a really cool song. However, when you look at the lyrics, you can see glimpses of Tsubaki Factory's unique style.
I thought Yofu-san's "No way!" was a song that stripped away all the sweet parts of a love song. There's absolutely no lovey-dovey talk. Everyone in "No way!" is filled with anger, like, "Enough already...!" I think it's because of these lyrics, and because of the anger, that I used my voice in ways I don't normally use, and sang in a way I rarely do. The recording was quite a struggle.
--Were you given any direction on how to sing during the recording? Or did you change your singing style yourself to match the lyrics?
Yufu-san, I think this is just me, but I recently bought a pretty good microphone and audio interface, and before recording, I did some recordings at home myself. I listened to them and thought, "Maybe this is a better way to sing this part," and tried it out.
Ono-san is amazing!
Yofu-san, I'm the type of person who tends to imitate others, so when I listen to demo vocals, I end up singing like the demo vocalist. That's been a problem for me for a long time. Demo vocals are just temporary recordings, so I think you're supposed to add your own touch to them, but I just imitate the demo vocals exactly, and I end up releasing a bland version without adding my own touch. So recently, I've been listening to instrumental versions, and I still listen to demo vocals, but I try not to think about it, and instead listen to what I've recorded myself. I've always recorded my own vocals with an earphone microphone, but this single is the first time I've bought a new microphone and recorded with it.
--Mr. Nishimura, what did you think when you heard "No way!"?
Nishimura's song has a jazzy feel to it, and I thought it was a style that was unlike anything Tsubaki Factory had done before, and something I hadn't really heard in Hello! Project either. When I listened to the music, I felt like she was really angry, and when I looked closely at the lyrics, I realized they were the kind of lyrics that are common in Tsubaki Factory's songs, like "You should stay away from a guy like that," and it made me think that now that she's in Tsubaki Factory, she's able to sing the kind of song she's always wanted to sing. It's also a song where you can hear her sing in various ways, so I think it's a luxurious song.
To be continued in Interview (2).
