Namidairo/Excite interview

Interview (February 2008)

Translated by depyon

Excite: You're going to release the first single for this year. So you did the recording for it last year, didn't you?
YUI: That's right. After the concert at Budokan ended, I rested for a while, before starting to write the song and record it.

Excite: The new song is going to be the main theme song for the drama "4 Shimai Tanteidan", right?
YUI: Yes, I started writing the song after knowing about the story. Actually, the melody of the chorus was gotten from my 2nd single "Tomorrow's Way" demo tape. I wrote it halfway previously, so I decided to add in new A and B melodies, as I included the lyrics and wrote this song.

Excite: What was your impression when you heard that it's going to be the theme song for the drama?
YUI: At first, I saw the main theme was "love". But I was told that I can write it as I wish, so I did not put too much emphasis onto the theme.

Excite: There are many ways to look at "love". Moreover, the original story was taken from Akagawa Jiro's "Mystery", wasnt' it hard to make the connection?
YUI: I tried to capture the theme of "mystery" through the introduction of the song. I thought the inclusion of strings could make up the atmosphere. With regards to the lyrics, I did not put all my emphasis on "love" itself, but also to the relationships between people.

Excite: As the title, "Namidairo" is indeed impactful, isn't it?
YUI: It does not refer to the literal colour of the tears, but the crying of the heart. I tried to express this feeling by using the phrase "Namidairo". I did not think of this word intentionally. It just happened to appear in the chorus. I guess the listeners will develop different views on this word, so I decided to make it the title.

Excite: When the heart turns into "Namidairo", what does it actually mean to you?
YUI: Umm, I can't express it well, but the closest word is "delicate/ intricate". For example, when the heart turns into "namidairo", when you walk along a normal street, you start to take note of the things you don't normally do. For example, as seen in the lyrics, when you see a puddle of water on the ground, you start to see your own reflection in it.

Excite: So as seen in your lyrics, "you look up to the lights in the house; you look at the sad faces reflected in the puddle of water". These little actions by the character (in the song) actually gives the idea of the whole story (to the listener), that is difficult to express in words.
YUI: Also in the lyrics, "I tried saying I'll be fine. But that's not possible." The word "fine" (daijyoubu) is the key word. When someone asks you whether you're fine, the natural reply will be "Yes I'm fine", but when you cool down and think about it, you'll realize that you are actually not. (How can it be possible?) This is what the main character in the story feels. As a detective (the main character in the drama), it's inevitable to feel afraid or uneasy at times, but one always tries to deceive himself by saying he's fine. But the truth is otherwise, isn't it?

“	I don't want to be bothered by rankings. So I wouldn't change my songs just for it. I want to sing as my heart tells me to. It's that simple.	”
—YUI

Excite: How about you yourself?
YUI: Of course I feel the same way, like everyone else. Taking a couple/ lover as an example, when both of them are parting for one month (say, for work), when the guy asks the girl whether she'll be fine. Her natural reply would be "Yes I'll be fine. Go for your work." Isn't it so?

Excite: Yes, indeed. She'll try to act tough. (to assure her husband/ boyfriend)
YUI: Yes, a phrase that we always use "I'll be fine", "Don't worry about me". It's something that's said too easily.

Excite: Let's talk about the sound of your new song. You tried to create a mystifying mood by using strings in the introduction; and to express the feelings of the main character, the use of your accostic guitar was perfect, wasn't it?
YUI: I tried to make it simple. I had liked the sound of strings since young. Also, when I'm writing certain songs, the melody just comes out naturally in my head sometimes. When writing this song, the rock feeling of "Love and Truth" came out in my head, but I thought a milder version of it would fit.

Excite: Talking about Love & Truth, the accostic version of it will be recorded in this single, right?
YUI: Yes. I always want my listeners to get the feeling of me playing on the streets (like in the past), so I always try to include accoustic versions of my songs. And I always discover new things, so it's more interesting.

Excite: Comparing a song with strings, and one in accoustic version, the way you sing it will vary too, right?
YUI: Yes. Singing the accoustic version allows me to sing it in a more relaxed manner, compared to one with orchestra. And in a song with the use of electric guitar, I have to put in more strength in my singing.

Excite: Can you now share with us your impression of "I wanna be", a song that brings out your own feelings?
YUI: As the song is between "Namidairo" and "Love & Truth", I thought a more upbeat song would fit, so I made it that way. As the work year comes to an end, I went to buy a new schedule book. As I looked at the empty schedule book, I started thinking about the upcoming events in the next year, and I felt a bit apprehensive.

Excite: The lyrics in the song (I wanna be) actually spell out everything (how you feel), right?
YUI: Yes, exactly. I always concentrate hard on playing my guitar, and writing new songs. And during those times, I always wished I could carry on my music career forever. With this motivation, I wrote this song. I'm happy that people are listening to my songs. I sincerely hope I could carry on this, without minding too much about ranking or positions.

Excite: Are you trying to tell this to those who actually care about it (rankings)?
YUI: Well, it's up to the individual. For me, I don't want to be bothered by rankings. So I wouldn't change my songs just for it. I want to sing as my heart tells me to. It's that simple.

Excite: By the way, have you come up with any plans for the new year?
YUI: Not anything concrete yet, but I hope to carry on as I would like it to be. I want to produce something that I can be comfortable with, and be proud of. I returned to my hometown Fukuoka this new year, it's like returning to the place where everything began. I thought, "This was where I started, and how far have I come (since then)?" It's not anything special, it's just something that I feel everytime I return to my hometown.

Excite: To sing live, was how you started too, right? You performed live concerts at various places last year, including the one at Budokan. The news for your next concert tour is out. How would you like to do it this time?
YUI: In terms of venues, I'd like to go to those places I haven't been to. I want to produce something better this time. Basically, I just hope that everyone can enjoy my concerts. I hope that I will be able to produce satisfactory live concerts this time round, too.

Ranking of the New In-things! (What YUI likes most at the moment)

1st. Noni Juice I was recommended by my friends that the juice is good for the body, so I started drinking it. Although some of them have strong tastes, I got used to drinking them recently, because they are good for the body.

2nd. Manga Whenever I have spare time in the studio, I'd read manga. The one that I'm reading now is "Dragon Head".

3rd. LIVE (concerts) This is not exactly according to the ranking, but I like going for live concerts, because I always gain motivation and strength, and learn new things too. Recently, I went to Yamazaki Masayoshi's concert. Of course I liked his original songs, but there were many cover songs that he sang, which I liked a lot too. Also, I've been to the concerts of my seniors from my hometown.

Source

http://www.excite.co.jp/music/close_up/0802_yui?c=interview
http://www.excite.co.jp/music/close_up/0802_yui?c=my