We'd like to thank our sponsor KUROHI Media for providing their photography services to us at this press conference.
Last night at your concert, a lot of people really seemed to enjoy your collaboration cover of the Madoka Magica opening song. What made you decide to pick the songs you sang last night, would you two consider doing more collaborations in the future?
Aoi
ClariS and I are from the same place in Japan, and I have a lot of respect for them as artists, so I hope we can do more collaborations like that in the future.
Haruna
I also really enjoy doing collaborations, and the difference is significant when you're singing by yourself and when you're singing with different artists. It's very stimulating and I learned a lot by being able to sing with other people, it really energizes and inspires me so yes, I would like to do more collaborations.
Each vocalist has a specific routine or idiosyncrasy during recording. What sort of things inspire and engage you before or during your recording, what sparks you?
Aoi
The abs are really important to singing, so I workout, get a lot of sleep, drink lots of water, and I try and imagine what atmosphere the song is trying to depict is like in my mind. Then, I workout, and I go to the recording.
Haruna
I think song is a really good meaning of expression, so I really read the lyrics carefully and try and imagine what the world of the lyrics are trying to create and I preserve that image. I really love anime, so I think I have a pretty good imagination and fantasies, I try and dial into that whenever I have to record a song, look at the lyrics and cherish them.
Before performing in at Sakura-Con in front of an American audience, was it stressful, scary, exciting? How were you feeling when you found out you'd be performing in America?
Aoi
Yes, I think I was was a little nervous before was my first vibe, but the people here in Seattle are really passionate fans, it allowed us to have a lot of fun. So I think more so than nervous, the fun outweighed the nervousness, which was really great.
Haruna
I was really nervous as well, it was my first overseas concert so I wasn't really sure what to expect. At the same time, I was excited to see how the different fans would welcome us here. It was very warm when I was at the concert, it almost didn't feel like it was my first overseas concert, so I'm very happy I was able to come here.
How have you evolved as a singer, since you both have been singing since a young age, and how has the increased presence in the anime world changed you?
Aoi
Before my initial debut, I always thought about the pitch and how I had to hit the notes, but after I sang more and did more live performances, I realized singing is a method of expression. Therefore, I really think it comes down to communication, I want to communicate something, there's a message that has to be delivered, so I really try and entertain the audience, I try and get closer to them, and communicate with them.
Haruna
I myself, I've always loved anime songs since a young age. The music would always give me smiles, leave a happy feeling inside of me. Whenever I sing, and I can see I'm putting smiles in other people's hearts, it makes me want to become better, just witnessing the communication with the fans, I want to improve. It also helps you realize how wonderful the meaning of song and music is, and how it gives people dreams and inspires.
For Aoi, how does it feel to have two top tens singles so early in your career?
Aoi
Quite honestly, I did not expect that to happen. It was completely beyond, and I was very surprised and it was also a very unreal, surreal feeling that my singles were up there on the top ten charts. Now, I realize that the only reason that could happen is because there are a lot of fans who support me, and I would like to just give something back to them, something back to everyone who supported me
For Haruna, what was it like working with the legendary Kajiura Yuki for your debut single?
Haruna
I'm a big fan of Gundam SEED, and Kajiura Yuki worked on a lot of the tracks in that series. I really like the kind of feel she creates through her music and again, when I was able to work with her, it was a very unreal feeling because it's someone that I had so much respect for. After listening to the track that she had created, I almost felt like I was being immersed in her world, and to be a part of that world is very very exciting.
What do you like to do to relax when you're not singing? Any hobbies that you have?
Aoi
Games! XBOX, Playstation 3, PSP, Nintendo DS, I love all the consoles. If I had to say that there's one genre that I really get into, it'd be online games.
What type of online games? Like MMOs? FPS?
(The answer to this follow-up question is better off heard than read)
Haruna
As you guys are aware, I myself am an anime otaku, so I like to watch anime in my free time. I might take a walk around Akihabara, and whenever's there's an event I'll always take the first train out to get to the event really early so I'm really kind of a stereotypical otaku. But you know, anime is everything to me, it kind of created me. I just love anime.
Now that you've worked with anime, is it something that you're eager to continue with? Is there any particular anime that you'd like to work on in the future?
Aoi
Ever since kindergarten, I've always been supported by anime. I am really happy to be able to work on these anime songs, so I think I would like to continue the pursuit of working together with anime. Additionally, I also want to work really hard to have as many people overseas hear my music.
Haruna
I really think I would like to continue the pursuit of anime, working together with anime. I feel that it's a representation of Japanese culture, and anime really synchronizes people, and the fun and intrigue all connect, so I'm really happy to be able to do this.
Are there any artists, whether Japanese or American, that you'd like to collaborate with?
Aoi
In Japan you know, it's very humbling, but I would love to be able to do a collaboration with Mizuki Nana, or Nakagawa Shouko, or Hirano Aya. I really love rock, so if I had to choose a western band to do a collaboration with, it would have to be Linkin Park.
Haruna
I would love to be able to do a collaboration with Ali Project, and another kind of collaboration I'd like to do is a gothloli collaboration. We did a more of a fashion-centered collaboration in the past, but I hope to do more of a musical collaboration in the future, because I just love the expression of gothloli, and I just hope we can express our feelings through this medium together in the future.
For the songs you performed for Fate/Zero and Sword Art Online, do you try and read as much of the source material as possible before recording, so that you'll have a better understanding of the lyrics, or do you try to go with the general feeling?
Aoi
Like you said, a lot of this is in a pre-anime phase, so it doesn't quite exist yet so I do try and read as much of the original works as possible. I try and imagine what expressions the characters would make as well as imagining the world looks like. Because I also write lyrics, so I want to really capture the feeling that these characters have, while they are going through these stories. I read it, I imagine it, and I try to use it to sort of inform my fans.
Haruna
The music that I've done, it's generally been second season, so if it's pre-existing anime, I will definitely watch those. If there's any prequels or other material, I try to look into that as well. I have a very otaku nature, so once I try and dive into something I just go for it and immerse myself. I just love the characters, I try and imagine what they are trying to tell people. Whenever I sing, I try and capture the feeling of each and every one of these characters.
Both Haruna Luna and Aoi Eir are obviously fans of anime. How has it been like to start out as a fan, and now to be able to do work that is used in anime? Has being an anime fan given you a different perspective when you are asked to perform these songs?
Aoi
When I was a fan, I really didn't think about these kinds of things, since I was on the consumer side. As I began to work more on the creation side of the spectrum, I really think about what I want to express, what kind of feedback I really want to inject into the medium as well. I really have to carefully choose every word in the lyrics because maybe sometimes the words can carry a different meaning, it will help express a certain emotion better than other words. It's a very difficult process, and again even with the song, maybe this section should be a lot softer because that's a better way to express a certain scene or emotion. A lot of times I actually talk to the director and say hey, you know maybe we should try it this way? It's been really fun and honestly I feel like anime has taught me another important lesson.
Haruna
Until now, I was more of a consumer, just watching anime. Now, moving into a position where I'm in the creation process, I think of each anime as a single world, and when people look into this world, it gives me a very happy feeling and again when I see my music and this anime footage linked together for the first time and I watch it, I feel like the gap between reality and the anime wold is being bridged. I really feel like dreams come true and people's thoughts are conveyed and expressed.
Haruna-san mentioned that she frequents Akihabara. Have the two of you ever been recognized on the street, or anywhere else? When fans see you, how do you react?
Haruna
Whenever I walk around in Akihabara, I try and choose a much plainer wardrobe so I blend in a little more! But you know, if ever someone did happen to spot me or notice me, and approach me, I think we'd have a good time talking about anime, so I almost welcome it.
Aoi
There was one time in the past where I had to go to Akihabara to purchase this brand new game that came out, and my album came out on January 30th. There's actually a very big sign that had an advertisement with my image on it, and I thought it'd be interesting if I kind of just loitered around it. No one noticed me, so I began to eat a crêpe in front of it, but still, no one found me, so I think I really need to work harder in the future to be noticed.
With both of your successes with Fate/Zero and Sword Art Online, what other series are both of you aiming for, to contribute your voices to?
Aoi
I personally love anything that has fighting in it. Whether it be games or anime, like Dragon Ball Z and Sailor Moon. They all have an element of intensity and fight to it, so I really hope that I'd be able to work on projects in the future that have more fighting in them.
If given the chance to, would you have worked on Accel World?
Aoi
I would've loved to! I'm a big fan of Altima's music as well, so whenever I listen to the music from Accel World it really excites and energizes me.
Haruna
As long as it's anime, it will make me happy! Being able to sing and contribute my voice to any anime project, it really is like a dream come true, so as long as it's anime I'm good.
Are there any American or Western artists that have influenced your works?
Aoi
Marion Raven and Evanescence. This is my father's influence, but I sang a lot of Whitney Houston at karaoke so I think there's a bit of influence there. While I was coming over here, I watched an Eminem music video. I think that sums it up.
Haruna
I generally listen to a lot of anime songs, so I can't say that I've really exposed myself that much to the music of the West. If I had to mention a couple, to get a different musical sense, I would listen to U2. A long time ago, I would listen to Britney Spears as well.
.
As updated as always! Thank you~
ReplyDelete