Kumonoito.net

[interview] Natalie.mu "ALWAYS" PART II

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:08:38 +0100

PART II : "no one regrets a ballad"

-- ALWAYS is a song about ... Is love of a man and a woman the theme of this song?

It's the theme song for the movie "Sayonara Itsuka", when I first read the lyrics, I loved that strong picture of love.
However, I didn't limit those feelings of love while reading it, I read them a few times and came accross the idea that those lyrics are expressing feelings to an important person.
For example, family. When you pilled up people in lyrics, you tend to tell yourself "ah, I overlaped".
I noticed it was like singing for my own important people.
Even when I was recording, I entered with my cellphone in the studio, and I sang while seeing pictures of my important people.
DIO and Hazure (cats) are part of my important people too.

-- Your singing voice is like a small light (lamp), waveringly swinging, it is very impressive. Your ballads tends to gradually slowly swing, vocal wise.

This time, the way the flow of feelings gradually change was concidered.
I wanted to express well the flow of emotions here.
That's why I prefer recording the whole song from the beginning to the end directly. Said like that, it kind of sounds like a live recording.
Even if I missed a note during the singing, I will sing till the last minute of the song. During a typical recording, I would normaly stop and sing again when I make a mistake, but this time everything was sung in one single time.

-- Was it the first time you used such a recording method?

Until now, it was the first time I was being so persistant.
When I entered in the studio, I said to the director "I'll keep on singing even if I make some mistakes, I could try to sing it directly in one recording when the timing is good.".
"Your throat will decide, when you think that it is unreasonable to keep singing, please stop, even if you want to sing and finish in one shot" he said.
It might be a little bit selfish, but I only thought about the recording, let's just say it was decided in an instant, a bit selfishly.
I want to praise myself, but there are not a lot of things that I can compliment about myself. I can say I was able to sing one of my best songs. Since I know more about myself than anyone else, I see more in my songs than others will see.
But "ALWAYS" does not have that feeling of regret in it.

-- "Mika Nakashima's new ballad" listeners' high expectation increased because of this particular line. Did you feel any additional pressure in regard to this?

Not really. In other words, everyone is requesting a ballad from me, but I also seek for ballads myself. But, I think Mika Nakashima would not exist without any ballad.
When I sang the tune "Koe" live, somehow, I was showing my feelings proudly because I thought I renewed myself with this song.
At that time, I thought it felt like a classic Mika Nakashima ballad.
I wanted to use my pride and express it while recording. It also gives sense to the title "ALWAYS".
I often heard "If you don't see Mika Nakashima perform live, you can't understand her." It was touching, and I was glad and I always tried to honor that.
"If you don't see Mika Nakashima perform live, you can't understand her", I think you get that feeling in 'ALWAYS' pretty much.

Translation by Utena

[interview] Natalie.mu "ALWAYS" PART I

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:36:39 +0100

Mika Nakashima's first 2010 single "ALWAYS", was aiming to share the same feeling of a ballad as "STARS" "WILL" and "ORION" did.
This so pure and painful song, has been decided to be the theme song of the blockbuster movie "Sayonara Itsuka", starring Miho Nakayama after a break of 12 years.
This time, "ALWAYS" will be the center of our interview.

PART I : "Ugly persons do not exist in this world"

-- Did you watch the movie "Sayonara Itsuka" yet?

Yes. All the good things the medias said were nothing compared to the movie, it's really good. I cried a lot during the whole film, till the very end.
However the supervision and the actors were really good of course, the big surprise for me was also the clothing style.
In my case, since I like clothes, I tend to naturally show a particular interest to the costumes when I'm watching a movie.
There's a scene where she wears a beautiful dress, this dress was made to look the best on this actress.
Even from the perspective view was the best way.
There's a scene where the actress is wearing a nice dress, the person who designed it knew exactly how to make this dress looks beautiful on this actress
It was what I thought when I saw it.

-- As well as you did during the film, do you, in an everyday life, tend to think "this person's clothes fits him" as well?

It happens to me very often. I usually like to watch people.
For example, when I see a member of the staff even wearing a suit, I would stare at him completely.
Because my manager is a woman, I tend to say if her outfit is suitable or not, and coordinate it immediatly.
In this society even if I don't really know how to fashion myself, I still like to do the styling and the make-up myself.

-- Can everyone become beautiful if Mika Nakashima does the styling?

I mean, ugly people does not really exist in this world. This is my opinion.
When there is a person who says "watashi wa muri" "boku wa muri" (I'm impossible), it's more about a lack of confidence or that person already gave up at this point.
Therefore, I only put on clothes that really suit me, a woman would choose a makeup that suits her, even if men can only change their hairstyle, confidence is also a key to success.
When you get confident enough, you absolutely become a beautiful person.
I don't think anyone should give up on that.

Translation by Utena.

Nouvelle version!

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:58:08 +0100

I hope you like pink lol!
Here comes the brand new 10th version for kumonoito.net featuring ALWAYS promo pictures!

After a dark CANDY GIRL version, it's time to go back to something lighter and bright :)
It's the first time I use so much pink for a layout, I hope it's not too much >_<
All parts have been revamped as well.
Note also that you can now follow Kumonoito's updates on twitter and Facebook.

In a little less than one month, it'll be Kumonoito's 4th anniversary, and I wanted to thank you all for your support and contributions over the last 4 years! This fansite wouldn't be what it is now without you.

Gold pour ALWAYS

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 11:26:50 +0100

A little update to notice that ALWAYS was certified GOLD for full song downloads (500 000 downloads)

Une petite update pour vous informer que ALWAYS a ete certifie GOLD en telechargement de la chanson entiere (500 000 telechargements)

Good job Mika!

Mika fait construire sa maison

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:13:09 +0100

Another gossip?

It's all over the newspapers today, in Japan.
It seems Mika decided to buy a new house.
She's probably tired of living in a flat (not enough place for her closet?).
It seems that house would cost her not less but 200 million yens and it should be ready next year.
She decided then to live with her parents in her new huge house.

Source : http://jisin.jp/weeklyarticle

Mika au concert de BIGBANG

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:57:10 +0100

I know you love gossip and useless news, so here we go~~

Mika attended BIGBANG's (a korean boysband, which debuted in Japan last year) live concert on February 17th, as well as other well known artists such as Thelma Aoyama, SPEED, Koji Imada (comedian)..
The concert took place at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo for the first time.

Take note also that RESIDENT EVIL 4, which was supposed to be released this year, is postponed to a 2011 release. So we will need to wait a little bit longer to have any updates on Mika's possible cast in the movie :)

Happy 27th birthday

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:25:56 +0100

HAPPY 27th BIRTHDAY MIKA!

SPACE SHOWER MUSIC VIDEO AWARDS

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:24:11 +0100

I finally have some free time to post this news.
CANDY GIRL is nominated for the BEST FEMALE VIDEO of the year.
We all hope Mika will win this award :) Good Luck Mika!

Gallery update

- Anan February 2010
- Pretty Style March 2010

Schedule update

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:43:39 +0100

1/09 "Morino LOVE LETTER 2"

1/22 "MUSIC STATION" - !!NEW!!

　　　　"MUSIC FIGHTER" - !!NEW!!

1/23 "CDTV" - !!NEW!!

1/25 "HEY!HEY!HEY!" - !!NEW!!

1/31 "MUSIC JAPAN"- !!NEW!!

MAGAZINES

12/26 Pretty Style

1/07 Nadesico

1/15 CD&DL data

　　　　WHAT'S IN?

1/16 KERA

1/19 CUT

1/22 ONLY★STAR

1/27 GOOD ROCKS! - !!NEW!!

2/01 Pretty Style - !!NEW!!

2/10 Anan - !!NEW!!

3/28 RICH magazine Vol. 1

WEB

Excite Music

BARKS

recochoku

so-net

Yahoo Music

VIBE

CD Journal

Natalie.mu

Cinema Cafe

Hot Express

WHAT'S IN WEB

Digimonostation !!NEW!!

Live MUSIC JAPAN "ALWAYS" + talk

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:42:18 +0100