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Excite Music Interview (february 2006)
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Conspicuous(=Outstanding), Kou's single in 2006 "Kage (shadow)"
What is the world like? that the "Performer=Kou Shibasaki" created?
Kou Shibasaki is conspicuous as an actress and a singer.
While the 2nd album "Hitori Asobi" is successful, released in the last December, a new single "Kage" has been completed this soon.
Many people must have heard this song, because it has been on air as a theme song of a TV drama "Byakuyakou (travel in the night with the midnight sun)", which has been on air since this January.
"Byakuyakou" was written by Keigo Higashino, a writer who won the 134th Naoki Prize, known as who wrote "Yougisha X no Kenshin".
The TV drama is made after this novel, and the Kou's theme song was made for this drama.
She wrote the lyrics.
She is a fan of Keigo Higashino since before, and she read the novel "Byakuyakou" after she got the offer of the theme song.
And she says, she deeply got into the world of the novel.
The lyrics of "Kage" were written from a boy's viewpoint, and the boy's feeling of "deep lost" is expressed all throughout the song.
She put some "hope to live" at some extent as far as it wouldn't spoil the world of the original novel and the drama, and she embedded her own interpretation into the work "Byakuyakou".
Although the song "Kage" was completed as a slow ballad, in order to sing the message embedded in the lyrics, it required high skill of singing.
And she sang it so well, not letting it remind of the high hurdle(technical requirement).
Her vivid voice in the combination of delicate A-melody and the core melody with width, makes the tune even dramatic.
I imagine that she widened up her skill as a performer even more, from writing lyrics for "Kage" and singing it.
It is probably so hard to be an actress and a singer at the same time.
Because, if one impression of the 2 gets stronger, another impression fades away and people often think the performer is doing the work just in her spare time.
But Shibasaki Kou has her own policy and individuality as an actress of course, and also as a singer.
She, "as an actress" and "as a singer, they stimulate each other and makes some kind of synergy effect.
I am sure she will go on amazing us as a "performer" while challenging various kinds of things, just like so far.
Written by Tanaka Takanobu
Excite :
You finished the last year with the 2nd Album "Hitori Asobi (playing alone)", released in December. As an artist, what do you expect for this year?
Kou Shibasaki :
I am happy to have been able to release the Album "Hitori Asobi" in 2005, and the single "Kage" in February this year. Although I have a movie work, I would like to find time and be concentrated on making music. I would like to make more albums and singles.
Excite :
And the first single this time "Kage" is the theme song of a drama "Byakuyakou". How was this song born?
Kou Shibasaki :
I wrote the lyrics all for the TV drama. After receiving this offer, I had been wondering "isn't there any good music for this?" And right at the moment, I was working on the 2nd album "Hitori Asobi", and I found just 1 music in the stock that matched my image, I wrote the lyrics for the music, and I brought it to the producer.
Excite:
When writing the lyrics, what sort of the image did you have for the world of "Byakuyakou"?
Kou Shibasaki :
For an image, I felt something like savage or chaos. Yet I tried to write something reminded of sympathy for humankind. I tried to express both of Yukiho's and Ryouji's feelings who are in the original novel. Maybe because I am a woman, I was more into Ryouji, and I wanted to express mainly Ryouji's feelings.
Excite :
I can see, it is practically written from a man's viewpoint. Well, in the previous single "Sweet Mom", it was womanhood in front. Now Shibasaki san, comparing to that, do you find any difference in the way of singing?
Kou Shibasaki :
I sang the lyrics comprehending them as a woman. While imaging those 2 main characters in the drama I could divide it like, in a man's viewpoint for the lyrics, and in a woman's viewpoint for the song.
Excite :
What kind of a process was it when you were working on it?
Kou Shibasaki :
I chose one music out of what I was given, grew imagination by myself, and wrote the lyrics. I think I could express both of the things and images well, that I wanted to write.
Excite :
What meaning did you put into the title "Kage(shadow)"?
Kou Shibasaki :
When I thought of the drama, I got a contrastive image of "Kage" and I decided on it. After finishing the lyrics, I still thought "Kage, yes this is it". I usually have to get bothered with giving titles, but this time, it was easy, because it was just like my image.
Excite :
The music video of "Kage" is mixed with scenes of the drama, and it makes us feel as if we are watching the drama. What do you say is the key point of this?
Kou Shibasaki :
First of all, I want them to feel the story. I acted 2 people who were total strangers to each other. Looking emotionlessly, but inside, filled with various kinds of dilemma. I expressed those things outside of the screen(Kou calls it a frame), that are invisible to people.
Excite:
How was the mood in the studio when filming it?
Kou Shibasaki :
The filming went on so smoothly. It was so fun. I acted like "I am an artist", and also, I added a move like "I wonder, maybe I am sick?". I think it would be interesting if you feel this aspect.
Excite :
Throughout the second track "interference", I felt "womanhood" that I felt in the 2nd album "Hitori Asobi". And I also thought it was filled with modern women's living feelings. I felt it was quite unusual for Shibasaki san. What kind of an image were you having when you were working on it?
Kou Shibasaki :
Somewhat heartwarming, when listening to it in cold and dry winter I wanted to sing a "smooth" song as if it is moistening. From this sort of an image, I wrote daily life lyrics.
Excite :
The 3rd track "Ano Hito, Kono Hito (that person, this person)" has beautiful lyrics that are describing landscapes, and I felt the melody line fitted you Shibasaki san so well too. How was this song born?
Kou Shibasaki :
I made this one long time ago, and I wanted to put it into this work (single), so I did.
Excite :
Now this time, "Kage" is completed. Please tell us your frank feeling about this.
Kou Shibasaki :
Every time when something is released, I usually think about the next work, so this time is the same.
Excite :
In the previous interview, you told me you were into motorbikes. Please tell us you're My-Best-interest-in-season. How is the customize of your motorbike going on by the way?
Kou Shibasaki :
I am busy and I don't even tough my motorbike. So the customize hasn't gone well (lol). I don't have time for riding my motorbike lately, but I hope I would go for a ride for the next Spring. And well, I am really into cooking these days. I made cookies the other day. I sometimes bring it to work places and deliver it to the staffs.
Excite :
Finally, please give us a message for the Excite Music readers.
Kou Shibasaki :
I would like also the drama fans to listen to this song. I made this song from the world of the original novel, so please enjoy this along with the story.
Date : 2006/02/06
Translation : Tsu
Source : Excite
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