Bringing blogging to a close - August 2012

I am sorry to announce that I will be ending the updates to this blog and effectively closing it down.

This blog has been running since 2008 and has been lucky to have had four successful years of posting Maaya Sakamoto news and translations. I originally started the blog because it was often difficult for English-speaking fans to find Maaya Sakamoto translations that weren't lyrics. Radio show transcripts, interview translations - I wanted to translate things which foreign fans found difficult to obtain and would offer new insight into Maaya's world. And around the time You Can't Catch Me came out I was also able to update it with news at a fairly good pace which increased the readership no end.

However, I don't have the time to post here anymore as my work and other activities keep me busy. I can only say that rather than let it continue in a half-hearted way, I would like to give this site the closure it deserves with this post and a thank you to everyone who has visited and commented until now.

By using the links to the right of this page, you can access Maaya news and translations from a variety of sources. The Maaya international community is the most warm-hearted and kind internet community I know, and the online forums where the fans gather provide more news and information than was ever posted here.You can keep updated and connected using these links. The fan community always welcomes new people and their posts so feel free to join the discussion elsewhere on the net and support Maaya Sakamoto's activities.

The translations which this site has up will be kept here as an archive, as I am sure new fans will stumble across them and find them interesting to read. However, there will be no new updates. I will also continue to moderate the site every once in a while to make sure it is not invaded by spambots.

Thank you for coming back each week, and apologies for the sudden announcement. Goodbye and good luck with everything wherever you are. I look forward to meeting you somewhere in the Maaya fan community someday.

And thank you to Maaya Sakamoto for making it all possible in the first place.

Cheers!

2012.08.27

Single Collection + Mitsubachi

Well, since someone let the cat out of the bag online Maaya's official website has confirmed the rumours and updated with news of Maaya's 3rd single collection, due to be released on November 14th 2012. The title is: Single Collection + Mitsubachi. What you may have noticed is that instead of a CD/DVD edition, the first press is coming with a Blu-Ray of all Maaya's music videos from 'Universe' up to her newest single 'More Than Words'.

Once again, this means that her old videos for 'Feel Myself', 'Loop' and 'Honey Come' still aren't available for collectors to own (at least in high quality.) I wonder if this is because Maaya herself doesn't think they would be worth putting on a release?...Or perhaps the quality is so poor that they cannot be upgraded - especially if this format is Blu-Ray only.

CD + Blu-Ray is going to be a first press edition priced at 6,300 yen while the CD only version is a fraction of the price at 2,625yen.

01. Loop
02. Kazemachi JET (Mitsubachi edition)
03. Spica
04. action!
05. Saigo no Kajitsu
06. Triangler
07. Ame ga Furu
08. Praline
09. Magic Number
10. Private Sky
11. DOWN TOWN
12. Yasashisa ni Tsutsumareta nara
13. Buddy
14. Okaerinasai
15. More Than Words
16. April Fool (Tomita Lab feat. Maaya Sakamoto)
17. Nekoze

The last song is a new track with music by Yoko Kanno and lyrics by Yuho Iwasato. So...out of 17 songs I need...five for my collection. Uggghhhh. And seven of them are already on albums. I should have just waited for this CD to come out rather than buying every single since Loop. My wallet is crying salty tears.

Also, predictably, the tour's title has been updated to reflect the single collection's title: 'Mitsubachi'. I imagine the setlist is going to be focused on the songs above, although they might tweak the order a bit.

New single collection?...

A few sources on the internet are reporting a new Maaya Sakamoto single collection to be released in November to coincide with the first date of Maaya's new tour. On Maayas.net we had speculated that instead of a new album the tour might be a theme e.g. single collection tour, it is nice to know that it might be a possibility!

At the moment Maaya's official page has not announced anything but I hope it is true! At the moment it looks like the actual information was uploaded then deleted (a mistake by someone?...) but according to Japanese fansites the single collection is called 'Single Collection + Mitsubachi' and the singles run from Loop onwards.

The only thing is, a lot of Maaya's singles from Loop are already on an album CD somewhere. Maybe a b-side collection would have been better in my opinion.

When the CD is officially announced (or if it turns out to be false) I will update again.

Toho uploads new audio from 'Daddy Long Legs' musical

We're only a few weeks away from Maaya's new stage show 'Daddy Long Legs' and to wet your appetites the production company has uploaded a duet from the musical to Youtube on their official channel here. The track is a duet with Yoshio Inoue called 'Graduation Day'.



It sounds like a lovely musical! Enjoy the song!

EDIT: speaking of which, today Oricon posted up an article which photos from the musical's press conference. Maaya looks pretty! Take a look here.

Piano Cover of 'More Than Words'

Don't usually post things like this but I was just browsing Youtube when I stumbled across this (in between my shots of Kpop boybands) and what a gem. While a little rough around the edges, what a lovely cover!! Well done to the pianist. It's the weekend, have a good one everyone!

I.D Monthly Message August 2012

August 2012.

Summer! August!
Thanks to everyone who's listening to 'More Than Words'
I'm looking forward to my national tour!
I'm now in rehearsals for my stage show in September.

Maaya

From Maaya's official site.

'More Than Words' clocks in at no.16 on Oricon Weekly

Unsurprising for a single featuring a title song which even its creators have labelled an 'unusual choice for a single', Maaya's latest CD 'More The Words' wasn't able to enter the Japanese top ten but sat at no.15 on its first day before dropping to come in at no.16 on the weekly chart. In total it sold 10,722 copies in the seven days following its release. Click here to go to the chart. However, some good news is that Maaya has announced a concert tour for the winter! Hurrah!

'Dekoboko March (Tairetsu wa kimi ni tsuzuku)' - Uneven March (The Ranks Lead to You) lyrics translation

Dekoboko March (tairetsu wa kimi ni tsuzuku)
Uneven March (The Ranks Lead to You)
Music by Yoko Kanno
Original Japanese lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto

You walk on, I walk on with all of you
Waving your arms about, crowding and jostling
The ranks march forward and onwards

First love laughs like a bird, loneliness has its eyes cast down
And the past I want to forget and the guilty lies I have told chatter behind
Justice pulled up to attention scrambles with arrogance to take the lead
Curiousity with its innocent face pays more attention to the sky

When I turned round the ranks were waiting for a signal to advance

You walk on, I walk on with all of you
Waving your arms about, crowding and jostling
The ranks march forward and onwards
You walk on, taking all of the others with you
No matter if you get lost on the road or if your back is unreliable
Everyone believes in you

The things I wanted to know were always right next to the things I didn't want to know
They told me that like twins I have to love them both

When I turned around the ranks nodded reassuringly

You walk on, I walk on with all of you
Even if cowardice stops in its tracks or jealousy turns the other way
Do you think we're going to leave anyone behind!?
You walk on, I walk on with all of you
Wipe sadness' tears and hold hands with joy, we'll continue walking together

You walk on, I walk on with all of you
Waving your arms about, crowding and jostling
The ranks march forward and onwards
You walk on, taking all of the others with you
No matter if you get lost on the road or if your back is unreliable
Everyone believes in you

I walk on, whatever happens I will walk on
Even if cowardice stops in its tracks or jealousy turns the other way
Do you think I'm going to leave any of you behind?
I walk on, I walk on with all of my different selfs
Wiping sadness' tears and holding hands with joy, we'll continue walking together

'More Than Words' - lyrics translation

More Than Words
Maaya Sakamoto
Music by Yoko Kanno
Original Japanese Lyrics by Yuho Iwasato

You as you stand there
Are not just of this moment
You live together with the joys
and sorrows you have experienced till today

There's no need for you to say out loud the things you hold most dear
This sky, the sound of leaves in the breeze - the world already knows everything

Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
You've become an adult
Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
Just a little

I have something I want to tell you, more than 100 words
I believe it will reach you, more than 100 words

Though I thought you were always
Close enough that I could wipe away your tears
I didn't notice anything
Neither your pain nor your trembling

Like small flames, the truly important things we will never lose hope in
So the wind does not vanish we raise our hands up high

Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
You're all alone now, aren't you
Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
Until the end

I have something to tell you, more than 100 words
I think only of you, more than 100 words

Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
You've become an adult, haven't you
Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
Just a little

Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
You're all alone now, aren't you
Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
Until the end

Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
You're completely alone, aren't you
Isn't 'Freedom' sad?
Until the end

You as you appear before me
You are not just of this moment, the now
You live together with the many joys
and sorrows you met along the way

B-side preview and new monthly message

Check out Maaya's official website for a preview of the coupling track to her new single as well as a new hand-written message from Maaya.

Go listen to the track!

Victor updates Maaya's profile with a new photo and updates mini-site

In the same promotional set as the 'More Than Words' CD jackets here. There's also new material up on the official single promo website, or rather they have the CD information and PV clip up. But what they have revealed is that there will be an interview, comment on the release and campaign to follow soon.

The pictures of the covers are also larger there.

Cover for 'More than Words' revealed!

The cover for Maaya's single 'More Than Words' has been revealed and it is pretty cool! The photo on the left is the limited edition and the right hand image is the normal edition cover.

I think I prefer the regular one as you can see more of Maaya's face.

'Shiawase no Himitsu' (Happy Secret) from Daddy Long Legs uploaded to Youtube

Maaya's official Youtube has uploaded an audio file from Maaya's new musical 'Daddy Long Legs' which starts in September. Enjoy!

New charity wallpaper for download June 2012

You may remember that last year for the YCCM tour and for Maaya's birthday this year, her official IDS fanclub shop offered PC desktop wallpaper for 500yen which was then donated to the Great East Japan Earthquake Red Cross fund. A lot of money was raised thanks to all the fans who bought the wallpaper.

They are offering the scheme again from today with brand new wallpaper designs and, let me just say, the photographs are beautiful. A set of two wallpapers cost 500yen and you don't have to be a member of the fanclub to buy, just have a credit card. They also have iPhone wallpapers available of the same images.

Lovely photographs and a lovely effort, once again, from IDS and Maaya. Money raised will once again be donated to the earthquake fund at Red Cross Japan.

'More Than Words' PV - preview - released on Youtube

What do you think? The full version will be included on the first press edition DVD of the single next month, by the way. I think it might be the best Maaya PV since...argghh Sayonara Santa, and then since Secret...which were all in the past twelve months or so.

Basically, I think it is awesome with the special effects. The screen scenes are wonderful and something really different to Maaya's other music videos. But I wish there was more stuff going on than just walking around a room with sheets for the rest of the video...

They could have had a video with extras and dramatic things happen and explosions and a battle scene! Like an espionage story or...or...something with explosions.

But that screen is very impressive. I wonder how they did it?

In the Silence clocks in at no.7 on Oricon

For its first week ranking on Oricon, Maaya's latest concert 'In the Silence' sold just under 3,000 copies and ranking in at seven in total.

I'm not sure if that includes Blu-Ray and DVD sales together but I imagine that splitting sales between formats might make a difference to the overall amount sold.

Maaya's official page opens mini-site for new single

Maaya's official homepage has opened up a new mini-site to promote her new single 'More Than Words' which is to be released next month.

Click here to go check it out.

Unfortunately, there's nothing up there except for the words, "Don't you think 'freedom' is sad?" which is taken from the lyrics of the song. They'll be updated it from now until the release date.

'In the Silence' enters Oricon DVD charts at no.9

Not a bad ranking for the overall DVD chart (not just music DVD's) as you can see.

In the Silence 2011 DVD Edition

To wet your appetite! Enjoy the DVD everyone!

EDIT: I managed to watch the first disc of the concert yesterday but by good fortune my 2PM Members Selection arrived so I was torn between watching the rest of the concert and enjoying the musical talents of Junho et. al. And then I had yoga...all in all, Wednesday was way too eventful and I couldn't concentrate on Maaya as much as I would have liked due to all the photos of 2PM which arrived at my doorstep, trying to cook, then posing in impossible positions.

However! Despite dividing my attention between beautiful KPop boybands, yoga, cooking dinner, getting changed and the concert, the following jumped out on first viewing (I may do a full review later):

- The camera angles are wonderful. I have noticed on all Maaya's DVDs the cameraman catch some beautiful shots of Maaya, but this time the band and backing singers also struck me as having lovely pieces of screen time.

- The full band really brings easy listening and 30 Minutes Night Flight to life, especially the strings on tracks like 'kioku' and 'afternoon repose'.

- Maaya's wearing a wedding ring (a very pretty one!)

- You cannot see where I am sitting at all! Phew. Although I saw Jerome and Roxfan from maayas.net quite often in the audience.

- Hearing the mini-albums in full, straight through, back to back, is a real pleasure. I am so, so, so happy this concert exists. The sound is full on and rich, the costumes are beautiful and the whole set up is really unique. I am very happy to have been part of it and to have it in my hands on DVD.



More costume exhibitions and 'In the Silence' on sale

Maaya's official homepage updated with a proper announcement about the costume exhibitions in Tokyo here. They have also helpfully put up photos with a note to say which outfit is displayed where. In addition to the two I noted in my post before, the 'Driving in the silence' outfit is located in Tower Records Shibuya and the encore outfit is located in Animate Shibuya.

If you're in the area, maybe you could try and collect a photo of all of them! I always wonder whether Maaya has a big wardrobe for all these costumes. Would you ever get a chance to wear them again after the concert?...The encore dress you could wear as a party outfit, I suppose!

Also, the DVD and Blu-Ray of 'In the Silence' is officially on sale!! I hope mine is waiting for me when I get back from work!!

Shinjuku Tower Records displays 'In the Silence' concert costume

This is pretty neat, Tower Records in Shinjuku is displaying the 30 Minutes Night Flight costume from Maaya's tour to celebrate the release day. Awesome! Picture here on Twitter.

EDIT: Another user on Twitter has posted up the Easy Listening costume from the concert which is on display in Animate to celebrate the release of the DVD and Blu-Ray today. Lovely costume. All the costumes were in the style of the original album artwork ^^V

One more day until the Blu-Ray and DVD of 'In the Silence' is released!

@miyaishiho one of Maaya's staff posted up a photo of the Blu-Ray and DVD 'In the Silence' concert on her twitter account here. Red is the Blu-Ray, white is the DVD edition. I am actually jealous of the Blu-Ray one, red looks so nice...

Really brings it home that the concert will be out tomorrow! Looking at the packaging, it looks so wintery! The weather here in Japan has really started to heat up in the past week so it will be nice to cool down with 'Driving in the silence' again!!

Can't wait till tomorrow!

'More Than Words' to be aired on Vitamin-M next week!

Last night's Vitamin-M broadcast was another great show and it ended with the news that Maaya would broadcast her new song 'More Than Words', theme of the new Code Geass anime, next week on Friday 1st June!

Firstly, is it already June next week? Secondly, hurray! The new song is almost upon us.

Shibuya De-chu! Post-Recording Interview - Pre-2001

This is the translation of an interview Kyoy on Maayas.net discovered through...to be honest I am not sure how he stumbled upon it as the interview and webpage are at least eleven years old. Maaya is studying for her university entrance exams which puts her at around 18 years old. She was 32 this year!


View the original interview and photos here.


To put the interview in some sort of context, it looks like this was the post-recording interview from one of Maaya's rare TV broadcasts - they do exist, mostly from her early career. It has only been more recently that she seems to have been on TV more often. So Maaya was on a TV show with a comedy duo (Manzai!) and someone called Ikezawa-san but I can't seem to find any more information about the broadcast on the original website apart from the TV show being called Shibuya De-chu.


However, I DID stumble across the Maaya Sakamoto section of the Seiyuu Collection (Voice Actor Collection) event from 1997! If you do your maths you'll realise Maaya was very, VERY young. I was still in primary school when this was happening, which is weird.


OK! So, with that, here is the translation of the interview Kyoy requested an English summary of. Enjoy!


Note: In the original interview, the interviewer's name is a short-hand version reading Dai but I don't know who this refers to so I have just turned it into 'interviewer' below.

EDIT: Thanks to roxfan, this interview can now be dated to October 17th 1997.


* * *

Interviewer: First of all, can you tell me what you thought of the program?

Sakamoto: I was nervous as this is the first time I’ve recorded a show with an audience like this.

Interviewer: How did it compare with Voice Actor Collection (Seiyuu Collection)?

Sakamoto: Well, Voice Actor Collection didn’t involve TV so I was able to just be normal but…I’m glad that there were others with me!

Interviewer: How are your university entrance exams going?

Sakamoto: I’m studying! But I have to go to bed early tonight as tomorrow’s our sports festival (laugh)

Interviewer: What did you think of Jarhythm? (the comedy duo)

Sakamoto: They were really nice people… Watanabe-san (Atsumu Watanabe) looks like Ken Morita, doesn’t he! (laugh)

Interviewer: Is there anything left you’d like to say?

Sakamoto: No, not really…oh wait, I have an announcement! I’ve been invited to my first university campus festival. On Sunday, November 22nd I will be performing for the Kyushuu Institute of Technology’s Information Technology Department. If you’re nearby please come along!

Interviewer: This is the first time you’re going to a campus festival?

Sakamoto: Yes. I’ve always daydreamed about what campus life would be like. I’m really looking forward to it, I want to have lessons in a big lecture theatre with someone talking into a microphone!

Interviewer: What is the school festival like at your school?

Sakamoto: Each homeroom does things like open coffee shops, or their drama club puts on performances, or we create a haunted house…My class made a pancake stand which was really popular (laugh).

Interviewer: Today you look very grown up with all that makeup.

Sakamoto: Usually I don’t wear make up so when it’s heavy it really stands out! The make-up artist did it for me but to be honest even I’m surprised at how I look! (Laugh)

Interviewer: OK, finally, please give us a message for your fans.

Sakamoto: When I’m talking by myself I can just go at my usual pace but when I am in front of people I get really nervous and can’t really be Maaya Sakamoto. I think I relied on Jyarhythm and Ike-zawa-san too much…

Interviewer: You don’t need to worry about it too much, your good points definitely came across!

Sakamoto: Really?

Interviewer: Definitely! We hope to see you again in future. Thank you very much!

More Than Words to be released 25th July 2012

Well, after all the waiting since this collaboration was announced, Maaya's single for Code Geass, 'More Than Words', has finally been given a release date and tracklist. Maaya's official homepage released the info today and revealed that not only is the title track in collaboration with Yoko Kanno, but also the coupling song. The third track on the album will be a 'secret track'.

Except they just told us it was on the CD. Not so secret?...I sense a flaw in the plan!

The first press edition of the single will also contain a DVD with the music video for 'More Than Words' on it.

New Code Geass Trailer - release scheduled for August

The official website for the new Code Geass film which Maaya will be both voice-acting for AND providing the theme song ('More than Words' - a collaboration with Yuho Iwasato and Yoko Kanno) has updated the official site with a promotional video for the show here.

No voice-overs or music apart from some pretty chaotic Jazz but it seems the OVA will air in August with the soundtrack CD scheduled for the autumn.

Although I would expect the song to be released as a single (hopefully!)

Maaya's official Youtube posts DVD+Blu-ray Digest for 'in the silence'

This was rather exciting! What do you guys think?

'In the Silence' first press edition goodies revealed

First up, apologies for the silence on this blog. In the silence...get it? Ah...bad joke. Unfortunately real life has been very hectic recently (work and then my parents visited Japan so was travelling with them!) so the blog as been quiet. However! Maaya's official site has been active!

Both the covers AND an image of the first press goodies have now been revealed here. The back shows the two first press slip cases, then we have the disc and photobook followed by the ear plugs and special case up front. It looks so cool! I cannot wait to have this in my hands.

Hope you are all well!

Natalie Power Push Interview 19th October 2011 - Part 2 (End)

Here is the second and final part of the Natalie.mu interview on Maaya's three releases at the end of last year. This part focuses on 'Driving in the silence' and it really gives an in depth view of some of the songs. Particularly 'homemade christmas' and 'chikai'. If you have time to comment, please do. I'd love to hear what you think about Maaya's comments and how you feel about the album and songs in general.


Interview/Text by Masaki Usuki

Original Japanese Text and Interview Natalie.mu Power Push

October 19th 2011 

* * *

I can sing a Christmas song that matches my own idea of Christmas

── Finally, let’s look at the album which brings these three releases to a close: ‘Driving in the Silence’. This is your third concept album, continuing on from 2001’s ‘easy listening’ and 2007’s ’30 minutes night flight’.

Every few years or so there will be something in me that says “it’s about time.” ‘You can’t catch me’ was an adventure, collaborating with lots of different people, so with this CD I wanted to try a different way of working. And if I was going to make a concept album next then I wanted it to be seasonal, to be something that completely fell in line with a certain time of year. And the season I like best is winter.

──So you felt the timing was right.

Yes. I really love Christmas but I’d never sung a proper Christmas song before. Somehow it seemed embarrassing, like, is it really ok for a Japanese person to be singing this happy Christmas song? (laugh) I didn’t know how it would sound because I’m not the type of person to put out a love song or party song ‘just because it’s Christmas.’

──’Fuyu desu ka?’ (from 2005’s ‘Yuunagi LOOP’ album) was a bit of a curve ball, wasn’t it?

I like Christmas albums by other artists and listen to them quite a lot but I never thought about doing one myself. But then I thought, well, I can sing a Christmas song that matches my own idea of Christmas. Just putting one song into an album would be a bit embarrassing so right from the start I liked the idea of a full album that you can only listen to in winter.

An image of a minimalist, indoor winter

──My impression of the album as a whole was that it sounded like winter: each and every note sounded like crisp, winter air.

I kept saying to the arranger Shin Kono that the whole album had to be ‘winter’ and he really expressed that wintriness. Even for a single word like winter or Christmas, everyone has slightly different ideas of what they mean. For example, my image of ‘everyone getting together’ [i.e. in ‘homemade christmas’ lyrics] is not a lot number wise, but being in a small room surrounded by the most important people in my life. It’s a very minimalist, indoor image.

──So it’s not a winter going out and having a wild time with lots of people.

No. And after I said that, the musicians were like “Oh, I see, I see” and “Being at home sounds nice”, playing spoons as percussion instruments (laugh). As everyone got into it and came up with a lot of ideas together I think the sound became really interesting.

──Do you usually have an indoor Christmas? Is that what you prefer? 

Yes, it is. It’s definitely what my image of Christmas, New Year and winter should be. Going a bit off topic now but I can’t imagine ever putting out a summer album.

──Ha, ha, ha.

After explaining that “This album is going to come out in the winter” and “This is a winter song”, when everyone played their instruments they all expressed different ideas of what winter was to them individually. And I think that thanks to that you really can’t tell we recorded it in the middle of summer as it sounds so cold (laugh). I was listening to it on my way here and right from the intro it brings winter to you - to the point where I was thinking, “I want it to get colder soon!”

──Do you have an image of the scenery it matches?

Taking a walk in the cold city on a winter night…In my head it’s Omotesando (laugh). That kind of scenery floats up. Also, there are a lot of hand claps on the album, so it sounds to me like everyone is gathered round the fire having a good time. I think it brings a lot of different things to mind.

── Personally, I think the progression of the keyboard in ‘Sayonara Santa’ really makes me feel like it is winter. This is the first time you’ve worked with Rasmus Faber, isn’t it?

Yes, it is. I originally listened to Rasmus’ cover of my song on his album and that’s how I discovered him. I thought his arrangement was really cool. As I was going to be releasing an album in winter…it was a rough image but I thought ‘Northern Europe!’(laugh). I put in a request to him with the simple thought that if I want something that sounds like Northern Europe I ought to ask someone from Northern Europe to do it. And I got the OK (laugh). When we met I was throwing out all these random things like, “It’s winter,” and “It’s indoor.” He replied with something like, “Well, I’ll make some songs then if you like them you can have them.” He sent three songs a few days later. At first I was planning to choose one but I fell in love with all three so I used all of them!

A lot will happen next year but I’m sure we’ll be OK

──I feel like with this album that your style of singing and the arrangements were quite different to your other works up till now. Did you consciously set out to challenge yourself with something new?

I often say this when I make a concept album but it’s like shooting a short film. There’s a storyline, a cohesiveness that moves in a single direction etc. The direction of the whole thing is set so it is like I am playing a character inside that world. I didn’t really set out to challenge myself with something new specifically but I think because it feels like taking on a role it is possible that I was able to show a side of myself that no one has seen before.

──To give a specific example from a sound angle, I was surprised by ‘homemade christmas’ - it has this retro, electric sound that I don’t think you’ve done before.

Even at the demo stage it was a tricky, interesting song. And Mr. Kono’s approach with it was really unexpected – that he had this side to him, to make such an all over the place arrangement! (laugh) It was really fun singing it.

──The melody and the sound both seem difficult but the lyrics are surprisingly straightforward for you, singing about Christmas.

Well, there was a thought that since I’m saying that this is a ‘winter album’ there has to be at least one Christmas song in it. And as a song coming out for Christmas 2011 I wanted to say that “next year a lot of stuff will happen too, but I am sure it we’ll be OK.” It was a song that I sang for the sake of those final two lines. 

To get married is for one of you to witness the death of the other

──This album also contains your second self-penned composition ‘Chikai’. Your first song ‘everywhere’ (contained on her 15^th anniversary best of album ‘everywhere’) was created while you were traveling alone in Europe. How about this one?

‘everywhere’ taught me the enjoyment that one can find in composing and I wanted to compose more and more but I never really consciously set about doing it and sort of left it going, “It’ll come to me when it comes.” Then my tour which started in the spring was put on hold and my other work was also put off or cancelled completely…I spent the whole time at home, anxious about the tour and about what would happen in the near future; my feelings were all over the place. After a few days I finally went outside and when I was speaking to people at the office who had gathered for the first time in a while I thought, “Why am I such a standstill?” It was replaced by the thought that “I mustn’t stop creating things.” I don’t have a stage now and I can’t go to the studio but I have to do something! It’s times like these that I have to create something! (laugh) At the time it didn’t really have any lyrics but that is how I composed the song.

──I’ve spoken to a lot of artists recently and all of them speak about the effect of the earthquake.

While winter’s fun with Christmas and everything, the nuance is that it is the season that is waiting for spring; winter is the big trial we all must go through before spring comes. I feel like winter brings something out in me. Every year winter will come to an end, seasons that won’t suit my album will come. But next year winter will come again…In that way, no matter how much I want to stop and stand still I will be swept away, as time moves forward steadily there’s no choice but to be swept along with it. In this song what I wanted to express was that there is no way that I can be left in winter forever. Spring will come and I will live in spring, summer will come and I will have to live in summer. Because no matter what happens winter will end. Someday it will be spring, someday it will be summer. I feel like I must experience all this and bring everything to a proper close with my own two hands.   

── Yes, yes.

I think that everyone sings to get across their own message. I also feel like there are things I want to leave behind in tangible form. I got married recently, and I think that it has come home to me that I will witness the death of someone, the deaths of the people closest to me. What’s someone who just got married doing talking like this? I know, I know (laugh) But I really thought about it, you know. Getting married means that one of you will have to be there at the death of the other. I know I shouldn’t be putting the two together but it’s just like when you have a pet (laugh).  

── Ha, ha , ha, it is (laugh).

Pets are very healing for us but the day will come when we realize we have to bring them into the house to nurse them and so we can be with them and send them off in death. I’m not saying marriage is exactly the same (laugh). But when I thought about it and that my parents and their parents have all lived this same cycle, it really became reality to me. No matter how sudden it is, I can’t allow it to stop me going forward; I have a responsibility that after I have seen that person off properly in death I mustn’t allow my own life to be lost. That’s how it should be, that’s what I thought after all the things that happened in this half year and I think it comes out in the lyrics.

That’s the sound of a pencil hitting the corner of the sofa…

──Did you have any problems creating the melody?

Strangely no. But the song I wrote myself ended up being the hardest to sing (laugh) When I tried singing it I was thinking ‘this is hard, where am I supposed to breath?’

──I see (laugh) But maybe that was in itself something special that wouldn’t be found in the work of a more experienced composer?

Well, when I gave the demo to Mr. Kono, as I couldn’t sing and play at the same time, and at home I don’t have anything like Pro Tools, I recorded just the vocals, then just the piano, everything was separate and I just handed it all over, like ‘here you go’. To demonstrate the tempo I hit the corner of the sofa with a pencil while singing. That sound was kept for the intro of the song (laugh).

──That’s a pencil and a sofa?!

Mr. Kono is always like that, he always takes pains to keep little things, like maybe a piano melody I was tinkering with. This time he kept the sound of me hitting the sofa (laugh). When I listened to the final version it sounded like the hands of a clock and I don’t think anyone would have ever known it was someone hitting a sofa.

──I think know I know it will sound completely different when I listen to it.

Maybe I shouldn’t have said anything (laugh).

Summer exists in my iPod

── You said that you couldn’t imagine putting out a summer album but have you really never made something with a summer concept till now?

(Straight away) No. I don’t like summer.

──So you never get into the summer mood after listening to good music?

Of course I have songs which I want to listen to in summer and there’s even a folder on my iPod labeled ‘summer’ (laugh). But my songs aren’t really included. I don’t think they suit summer. I wonder if I need to sing a summer song for all those people with their parasols up.

──2011 has been high pace for you, what with two albums and two singles. Do you have any ideas for what’s coming next?

I have a general idea of what is happening next year. I’ve actually been making a lot of music for some time, just taking my time on each track. I’m not just churning them out all at once (laugh)!

Fin.

'In the Silence 2011' DVD and Blu-Ray pre-order at CDJapan now open

You can now pre-order Maaya's new concert DVD at CDJapan on DVD disc or Blu-Ray. As I thought, Amazon.co.jp has the concert at a cheaper price but when calculating shipping CDJapan might be best for international orders.

Either way, exciting times! I've got my pre-order in, have you? (^^)

I.D Journal Entry 21.03.2012

The new I.D journal entry that I mentioned in the post about Maaya's birthday wallpaper below has been translated over at the Nostalgic lavender blog by Frecklegirl here.

Enjoy!

Natalie Power Push Interview 19th October 2011 - Part 1

It's been a while since I posted an interview translation, this one from late last year covers both singles and the concept album so I've split it into two: one for the single content and one for the 'driving in the silence' related content. You can expect the next part some time in the near future when I finish translating it. I came back to this interview after discussing 'Driving in the silence' with Frecklegirl and decided I needed Japanese practice anyway so here we are! 

Enjoy!

* * *

Maaya Sakamoto concluded the fifteenth anniversary of her debut with the release of her album ‘You can’t catch me’ in January. Just when we thought she was winding down after the completion of her largest album tour to date, we received news of a new release. Not just that, but that it would be two singles and a concept album consecutively.

This singer and voice actress has created music at a somewhat laid-back pace up to this point but with her fifteenth anniversary has been delighting her fans with a high-pace, aggressive activity schedule. Natalie interviewed her about her current state of mind and what went on behind the scenes of the these three new discs containing thirteen tracks in total.

Interview/Text by Masaki Usuki

Original Japanese Text and Interview Natalie.mu Power Push

October 19th 2011

I wanted to dive into SPF’s world

── The album that you released in January, ‘You can’t catch me’, had so much content that one could say it was like a fifteenth anniversary compilation. With that in mind, I had expected you to leave more of a gap between that album and your next move…but in less than a year we’ve got these two singles and an album – pretty energetic.

Since last year a lot of activities were compiled and pulled together with my fifteenth

anniversary: the concert at Budokan, the release of my best of album. But I didn’t like the thought that this year, this point in time would be the peak and that the next year would be quiet again. We actually decided this year’s schedule about a year in advance and while we were doing it I was thinking, “You all think this is the most exciting year but next year’s going to be even busier!” (laugh)

──Well, I think everyone is surprised (laugh). Today I’d like to talk to you about your three new releases in order. First, let’s look at your single ‘Buddy’. I tried imagining the various directions that you could go, what kind of songs might follow “You Can’t Catch Me”, but collaborating with School Food Punishment (from hereon SPF) was certainly out of the blue.

This was the first time I’d actually met them in person but I’ve always thought that their sound is really cool. I received a request to sing the opening for the anime first, and while we were in the process of talking about what kind of music would be good and how to match it with the world of the anime while expressing how I feel now and I came up with “what about collaborating with SFP, for example?”

──It’s quite an aggressive sound, was that your original image of what you wanted?

Yes, I wanted something with a bit of an impact. I don’t think SFP have done work composing for another artist before so initially I wasn’t sure if they would be interested or not but happily they agreed to take the project on.

──When they were composing the music did you tell them what image you had regarding the world of the anime?

Rather than telling them about what the anime was about, I asked them to try making music the way they normally would. At the most I asked for something up-tempo, but I wanted to dive into School Food Punishment’s world, you know? Apparently the elaborate strings section in the track was something they added based on the impression they’d got from listening to my back catalogue.

Informal, with a fine balance

── The coupling track “Something Little” was composed by Ryo Tsukamoto, who supports Ohana Youmoto., and the arranger was Ryuuji Yamamoto, who usually composes for Yuko Ando. I felt like this was another brand new chemical reaction.  

What I ordered from Mr. Tsukamoto was something with completely different nuance [to this song]. I wanted something with the feel of an Ohana Youmoto song: slow, acoustic. I got the song that I had imagined but when I thought about what I wanted in an arrangement for a coupling track to “Buddy” I decided that I wanted more of a fine balance in the sound, something relaxed and informal, not forcing itself on the listener…so I asked Mr. Yamamoto for a slightly different arrangement.

──Looking at the credits one might imagine an acoustic track but it’s very fresh. It brings to mind the soft rock approach of the 1960’s and 70’s.

I think Mr. Tsukamoto was also surprised (laugh).

──It’s a real b-side; I like it when you can enjoy the coupling track as a contrast to the main title song. This is pretty much my ideal “B-side track”.

I know exactly what you mean! I also think this is what I think a b-side should be. (laugh).

Maaya Sakamoto x Yumi Matsutoya

──And then one week later will be your second single release “Okaerinasai”. This follows on from your cover of Yumi Matsutoya’s “Yasashisa ni tsusumareta nara” which was the opening theme song of last year’s “Tamayura” anime OVA, and is a number composed by Yumin. How did this collaboration come about?

When it was decided that “Tamayura” would get a television series I was asked if I would sing the opening song and the director’s request and the image that I myself had was of something that was a continuation of “Yasashisa…”. Something sort of nostalgic, that was drawn from that anime’s world view. Something that sounded traditional, that would never age. If Yumi Matsutoya composed it I was sure that it would be the closest we could come to that ideal, and I wondered whether we could make it happen. I knew she was in the middle of a tour and while I knew she was busy I pulled myself together and asked her – and she said yes! When we met she gave me her feedback on my album and really threw herself into it. I was really, really happy.

──It really is a timeless, warm track – it makes you think ‘so this is what a collaboration between Maaya Sakamoto and Yumi Matsutoya would sound like!’ You wrote the lyrics while Ms. Matsutoya composed the song; how exactly did you go about creating the track?

Well, for this song we had a clear request from the director Junichi Sato from that start that: “I want you to make something using the theme ‘welcome home’ (okaerinasai).” And when I first spoke to Ms. Matsutoya she said that “I’m definitely going to write a melody which brings to mind the words ‘welcome home’”. I waited for the melody to arrive, imagining various possibilities about what sort of lyrics I would write and while it sounds strange to say that when I first listened to the track I thought, “this is exactly how I thought it would sound”, it was more that I’d been waiting for this song! Everything came perfectly, it fitted, it was really moving. It was just a piano demo but I wanted to keep the simple, warm arrangement and we made the track to reflect that analogue feeling.

A song I love as a Yumin fan first and foremost

──Did you feel any pressure writing lyrics for a Matsutoya song?

Of course! At the start I felt like “whatever else happens, I’ve got to write good lyrics!” but once I had found what I wanted to write inside me I was able to write the lyrics without worrying too much.

──The coupling track is another cover of Matsutoya’s, “A HAPPY NEW YEAR”.

Last year was the first time I’d challenged myself with a cover so I did want to try it again. And when I thought about what sort of song would fit as a coupling track I thought a Matsutoya song would be best. I didn’t want to ruin the original song’s beautiful vocals and atmosphere so I decided not to change the image of the song too much.

──It’s a New Year song with a unique atmosphere; it doesn’t have the hustle and bustle that’s characteristic of New Year but it’s also not making a grand gesture of the ending year and the coming year, it’s a New Year song which has a very special atmosphere. It starts with that floating melody that doesn’t die down, not progressing from A to B to the chorus. Like it’s quietly touching down. I can’t get enough of this ‘Yumin magic’.

I know, right? Yumin’s…I always called her Yumin, Yumin but now we’ve actually met in person I sort of hesitate to call her that (laugh) But first and foremost I love this song as a Yumin fan.

To be continued...

Charity goods for Maaya's birthday

Maaya updated her I.D diary for the first time in a long time yesterday on her official site. With her 32nd birthday coming up she took time to thank the many fans who have sent her birthday presents and gifts over the years.

This year, she has announced a special system on her official goods website similar to the one last year for her You Can't Catch Me tour wallpaper in that for a limited time period (March 31st to April 30th) you will be able to purchase special limited edition birthday desktop wallpaper for 500 yen. The 500 yen will be donated to a charity fund for the victims of the Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

What a lovely idea! Everyone gets something, warm feelings of donating to charity on Maaya's birthday and a limited edition desk top wallpaper!

'In the Silence' DVD and Blu-Ray Release - update

Natalie.mu has cleared up the confusion I had about there being 27 tracks on the disc by posting a list in full. It seems the last track, mystery track no.27 is a closing to the concert. They've also confirmed that they are using footage of Friday only on the DVD - so we will only get 'Rule - iro asenai hibi' from the different songs used at the end of each concert.

I really have to recommend this concert to everyone, not only because the performance was fantastic on this day but because the whole set design and concept of the concert was really unique. Seeing the songs and albums performed live and in full is a really special experience that I think everyone will really enjoy.

Pre-order on Amazon today: DVD or Blu-Ray.

The CDJapan links aren't up yet, unfortunately. It's cheaper to buy on Amazon at 4,662yen for the DVD version and 5,439yen for the Blu-Ray version but shipping costs would need to be adjusted for your country. I'll post CDJapan and Yesasia links as they come.

01. inori
02. blind summer fish
03. doreddo 39
04. afternoon repose
05. bitter sweet
06. another grey day in the big blue world
07. birds

08. 30minutes night flight
09. dreaming
10. kioku -there's no end
11. Bokutachi wa koi wo suru riyuu
12. Setsuna
13. Universe
14. 30minutes night flight〜sound of a new day

15. Driving in the silence
16. Sayonara Santa
17. Melt the snow in me
18. homemade christmas
19. Kotoshi Ichiban
20. Tatoe ringo ga ni ochiru you ni
21. Kyoku-ya
22. Chikai
23. Driving in the silence-reprise-

24. Buddy
25. Okaerinasai
26. Rule〜iro asenai hibi
27. Coda〜Driving in the silence

I.D Journal Entry 28.06.2011

Frecklegirl has kindly translated Maaya's I.D. Journal entry (from Maaya's official website) on her translation blog, you can read the entry here. The entry details Maaya's feelings regarding the end of the You Can't Catch Me tour last year.

Enjoy!

'In the Silence' DVD and Blu-Ray Contents Revealed - May 2012

It was announced last month that the December 2011 concert 'In the Silence' would be getting a DVD and Blu-Ray release at the end of May but Maaya's official site has updated with news on what we can expect to find included on the discs.

Release date: 30th May 2012
Blu-Ray price: 7,350 yen (tax included)
DVD price: 6,300 yen (tax included)

The first press edition of the concert will include:
1) Sleeve case
2) 40 page colour photobook
3) Original design earplus (thanks for the correction, homosaka!!!)

The Blu-Ray and DVD will both feature 5.1ch and 2ch sound tracks and special features include backstage and making-of footage as well as both the live version of 'Chikai' and footage of a rehearsal-only rearrangement

The disc will have 27 songs in total and, and, AND (the most exciting part to me) is that they've included 'Rule -ro asenai hibi-' which was the performance I went to. Joy! More interesting though is that with the set list and 'Rule -iro asenai hibi-' included, that means there is one more performance included...

Perhaps they will include 'Pocket wo kara ni shite' from the final concert? It seems they filmed a few days in a row so it's possible that she chose that as the 'proper' ending to the DVD?

Exciting times!

Concert set list and report (entry from December 2011)

We Believe in Music TV Special on air today and more Driving in the SIlence

Maaya will be interviewed as part of the We Believe in Music TV Special to be aired later on today (6pm March 11th) as part of a series of artists talking about the earthquake and tsunami which happened exactly one year ago today. It will be aired on the cable channel Music! On TV.

'Chikai', as Maaya has said, is a song that resulted from her thoughts after the disaster and so it is fitting that another perspective on the album lyrics in the form of Frecklegirl's translations have been uploaded today. Take a look at the lyrics here.

Goodbye Winter a.k.a Driving in the Silence full album translation summary

Firstly, we have officially reached 20,000 hits. I am slightly amazed but thank you to everyone who has visited this blog over the past four years (yes, I am surprised it has been four years as well...) and I hope you will continue to visit in future.

Back on topic.

 

Kaijyuu_M wrote a rather lovely translation of the song ‘Driving in the Silence’ a couple of months ago and I have been meaning to link to it for quite some time. I shall thus publish this post to all collect all the album lyrics together including a link to Kaijyuu_M’s translation below.

I hope he doesn’t mind too much, but I am far too much of an admirer of his work to try writing my own after reading his. Quite often I yield to other translations when they are available! Unless it is a song I really, really feel strongly about or there are no other translations available, I prefer to read the written word of others.

I hope you enjoyed the album even more after reading the English (I will post a link to Frecklegirl's translations when she's posted hers on her site too). 

It’s pretty much spring now, so I guess we should all follow Maaya’s advice to put away the CD until winter comes round again in November. Or earlier if you live in a cold country, of course.

Driving in the Silence – Album Lyrics Translation

Original Lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto

01.  Driving in the Silence (external link)

02.  Sayonara Santa

03.  Melt the snow in me (English so no translation necessary)

04.  Homemade Christmas

05.  Kotoshi Ichiban

06.  Tatoeba ringo ga te ni ochiru you ni

07.  Kyokuya

08.  Chikai

For example, like an apple falling into your hand (Tatoeba ringo ga te ni ochiru you ni) - lyrics translation

Translation note: The final two lines are actually the same in Japanese 'motto SHIMPURU ni kimi ha doushitai?' which literally translates to: more simply, what do you want to do?

This implies that the person she is talking to is so caught up in the bigger picture about what this means for the two of them (see first chourus where she tells them to stop thinking about all the other stuff they are caught up in) and simply follow their heart. They met, they are in love, why not be together? Stop over thinking! Is the message. I totally read this as the other person having a significant other already...I think I have been watching too many K-dramas! There's always something dramatic to it.

More simply (as Maaya said) it could be a song about two friends and one of them doesn't want to ruin their friendship be getting together as lovers. Or something. Sorry, I need to stop extrapolating things that are quite possible not there!

Anyway! Why did I write the last two lines like I did? I don't know, but it felt right when I wrote it down. Which is why I put the translator's note above. If you prefer your translations more literal and with less interpretation than please feel free to return the final two lines to 'more simply, what do you want to do?'. Hurray, a do it yourself translation.


For example, like an apple falling into your hand (Tatoeba ringo ga te ni ochiru you ni)
From 'Driving in the Silence'
Original lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto


For example, like spring coming after winter
Like an apple falling into your hand
Like being unsatisfied with the end of a film
Like the earth being round

It's all completely obvious
Our love has already begun
Forget about all stuff we're tangled up in
What do you think? What do you want to do?

For example, when you have a random dream
When the first snow has fallen
When you've cut your hair short
When you've just seen a blimp in the sky

Who do you want to tell first?
Who's face floats up in the back of your mind?
I want to believe in this strange rainbow coloured feeling that's burst up
I want to believe in it
What do you think? You!

I'm afraid of us changing how we are now as well but still...

Who do you want by your side?
For example, even when there's nothing exciting happening
Raising our glasses on nights when there's no anniversary
Simply side by side

It's all completely obvious
We met each other
And there's nothing more to it than that, it's everything
Think about it more simply, what do you want to do?
In the simplest form you can make it, what do you want to do?

'Homemade Christmas' - lyrics translation

Homemade Christmas
From Driving in the Silence
Original lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto

The red door marks the spot, I'm waiting for the doorbell to ring
Don't forget to put a big ribbon on the presents
Everyone choose your wines, we've been waiting for tonight
Make sure you dress up in your best
At 7 on the dot let's strike a toast

Let's spend this Christmas together
Let's gather around the fire, clap and sing

If one of our friends is alone and down
Let's invite them over
And raise our glasses again and again

Let's spend this Christmas together
And be thankful for everything we see around us

Following the sound of laughing voices, look, here he comes
Even after you've grown up he's still by your side

Let's spend this Christmas together
Let's be the happiest we've ever been
I'm sure a lot will happen next year too
But if we're together then it'll be fine, let's just be happy

'This year's most' (Kotoshi Ichiban) - lyrics translation

This song's title is literally 'number one/the most (??) this year' but...I don't know, can that be made to sound poetic in English? Any suggestions would be most welcome. In the end I've left it as 'this year's most' as it could be filled in with anything: the coldest night of the year, the best thing, the worst thing. I guess it's supposed to be open to interpretation.

Maaya commented on Vitamin-M that her friends and family who heard the song felt these lyrics were very 'adult', that this kind of situation was a very grown-up one. I guess I can see why they felt this way as the lyrics could be interpreted to mean one of them (or both of them are) is already attached to someone, or the timing isn't right due to some other circumstance.

So maybe you're walking home from the office with someone you've liked since joining the company, but that person is already married but still you can joke around and pretend to yourself on your way back to the station that this is what it would be like if you were together... OK, definitely reading too much into this!

Listen to the song, read the lyrics and interpret them how you like. Let me know what you think of this song (^^)VV it's one of my favourites from the album.



This year's most (Kotoshi Ichiban)
From Driving in the Silence
Original lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto

Let's walk a short dream in the long night
We can buy a hot can of coffee
If you don't mind, that is

The main roads are much too bright
Two people being together
Is more lonely than being alone, isn't it?

Too late, too early
Why did you have to appear before me now?
Under cover of darkness, staying clear of the light cast by the street lamps
Until we wake from this dream

The blue illuminations look like winter fireflies
On this, the coldest night yet this year
You're here, here by my side

I'm at a loss, because in truth
It seems I can't go back to who I was before I met you

Too late, too early
Why did you have to appear before me now?
As if they were dancing, those two shadows playing around
Have no names

I'll walk you back to the station
Let's walk along in this short dream

Piano sheet music release and new musical role for 2012

I’m not sure I would really call it news as I had noticed it up on CDJapan and other online retailer sites, but Maaya’s official homepage updated with the news that the piano sheet music collection for ‘Driving in the Silence’ is now available. It also contains the sheet music for both ‘Buddy’ and ‘Okaerinasai’ singles, which is a nice bonus.

 Learning to play piano is still on my to-do list. Click here for the CDJapan order page.

Regarding the Osaka fan club live, the song pulled out of the box was ‘Purachina’ which sent up a big round of applause! My friend and I had sung it earlier in the day at karaoke not really expecting to be able to hear the real thing later!

Again, the acoustic arrangements of all the songs from ‘Driving in the Silence’ were lovely. I’d like to express once again how much I admire the percussionist; the range of sounds she produced from her array of instruments was amazing. I wonder how one gets into that field? Regular drums then on to more esoteric instruments?

Secondly, it might have been picked up elsewhere but from September Maaya will be starring in the Japanese production of the musical ‘Daddy Long Legs’ and from what she said on Saturday it seems like rehearsals are starting soon. One to look forward to! It is from John Caird, of Les Miserables fame.

She will be playing Jerusha Abbot (click here for an English summary.)

For more information on both of these click here to go Maaya’s official homepage.

IDS Fanclub Tour 2012 'Winter Songs' Zepp Nagoya Report - 5/2/2012

On Sunday I had the privilege of going to one of the Nagoya IDS fanclub events at Zepp Nagoya. Like the tour in 2009, the venue was small and even sitting right at the back we were still close enough to see everything clearly and make eye-contact with Maaya, nod along to her conversation and wave when she looked our way (I dragged a friend along.)

The fanclub events are nice as not only are they intimate in the sense Maaya chats a lot with the audience and there’s more interaction than a regular concert, but the band is made up of four members: percussion, guitar, cello and piano. The acoustic arrangements of her songs are really lovely and give off a completely new vibe in some cases to the original.

As you can see from the setlist, this concert focused on the winter themed songs of Maaya’s discography (mostly ‘Driving in the Silence’ as a lot of fans didn’t get to go to the Tokyo concerts in December 2011) for the first half then from ‘Remedy’ onwards Maaya said they were just the songs she wanted to sing.

The ‘Driving in the Silence’ tracks in particular had wonderful arrangements, and the percussionist’s performance in 'Kyoku-ya’ was great; she had so many different instruments clustered around her and each sounded unique and atmospheric. I was really, really impressed.

Another track that stood out was the acoustic performance of ‘Melt the snow in me’. This isn’t a song I would have imagined being acoustic but once the guitarist started strumming the opening it was hard to go back to the original. Even ‘Mizuumi’, a song I don’t have a particular love for in it’s original form, sounded deep and gorgeous.

Audience interaction, there was a game in the middle of the setlist where we were all gradually whittled down by rock-paper-scissors and questions to one person who was invited up on stage (!!) to draw from a lottery to select the next song.　The woman pulled ‘Kiseki no Umi’ out of the box and when Maaya asked if she liked that song the woman replied in the negative and we were all duly shocked. You’re up on stage with Maaya Sakamoto, at least say you like the song you pulled out!

Still, it was a good performance of a classic, along with ‘Pocket wo kara ni shite’ it was the only other really early Maaya song.

My friend had only heard ‘Loop’ before going to the event (I was reasonably confident she would enjoy it after hearing that as I don’t think of ‘Loop’ as high-quality convert someone to Maaya fare) and thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing, especially the performances of ‘Kotoshi Ichiban’ and ‘Mizuumi’. Although we were sitting at the back but one row the seats were on a raised platform and it just so happened there was no one in the two rows in front of us so we had the perfect view.

So you can imagine how excited I was to be waving and be seen (and embarrassed, I did try and keep my dignity mostly.)

Here’s the setlist, apart from the song lottery, it’s the same as before. I’m going to Osaka next weekend with another friend so I’m looking forward to seeing what is pulled out of the box next time.

She also discussed plans for the 10^th anniversary of IDS next year, they are currently collecting ideas from members about what sorts of things they could do to mark the occasion. One bizarre idea was to put on a play about how IDS was started starring Maaya and the IDS staff, Maaya’s comment was: ‘Who on earth would come and see it?!’

By the way, when she was reading out the list of merchandise and stuff she let out this really loud goofy laugh and my friend was like ‘that was the best laugh ever!’ I’m glad she enjoyed herself.

1.Driving in the silence
2.Fuyu desu ka
3.Sayonara Santa
4.Melt the snow in me
5.Tatoeba ringo ga te ni ochiru you ni
6.Kotoshi Ichiban
7.Mizuumi
8.Kyokuya
9.Kiseki no Umi
10.Remedy
11.Chikai
12.Okaerinasai
13.Pocket wo kara ni shite

Pledge (Chikai) - lyrics translation

Since I made a big deal about 'Polar Night' supposedly being about the same thing as this song, I thought I'd better translate it and post it up so people could compare the themes and imagery. It's worth a look at, anyway. There were also some tricky phrases in this! I hope I pulled it off alright. JLPT level 1 means nothing, nothing I tell you!

So, as in Polar Night, the point of view in this song is of someone who has lost their lover (although in this case it felt to me like someone who was married but I think I am reading Maaya's own marital status into that and she wasn't even married when she wrote this song so that shows some bias on my part!!) and is still stuck in the place and time they shared. I felt like maybe Chikai was a thaw after the long Polar Night before it...I wonder if that's how the two relate. Anyway, enjoy!!

P.S. This song was written in the days and weeks after the March 11 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami last year.

Pledge (Chikai)
From 'Driving in the Silence'
Original Lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto

I want to become stronger
I want to become a kinder person
Just like you were
More and more

I always thought about it
I always asked myself
What would you say?
Always, always

Even if I lose something I'll keep on living, right?
Whatever sadness I experience I'll be able to overcome it, right?
When we pledged our love we also promised a goodbye

*And now winter is coming to an end, shaking off the sorrow
The season you loved is
Passing by and sweeping everything away
And I'm still here like this, like this

Today warm rain
Gently continued to fall
I thought I could hear your voice
Softly, softly

Different people with different ways of living
The two of us chose the same path
We promised to share the happiness between us

#And now I move forward, clutching my pride to my chest
In this world that you loved
To the destination that we looked to together
I'm still here like this, like this

*Repeat

#Repeat

Polar Night (Kyoku-ya) - lyrics translation

From 'Driving in the Silence', this song's title is in keeping with the concept album's theme of winter. If you look up polar night on Wikipedia the definition is when "the night lasts for more than 24 hours" in the arctic or antarctic circles. Apparently the prolonged darkness can trigger depression.

Maaya mentioned on her radio show that this song takes the opposite point of view of 'Chikai', the song that follows on from it on the CD, although they are both talking about the same thing. While this song is pretty...well, the first time I heard it the song brought to mind a desolate wasteland of snow and ice, 'Chikai' is much warmer.

Notes, notes. The second verse, 'frozen stars' is 'kotta hoshi' in the Japanese so I thought she meant the sun was a frozen star instead of the 'rising [normal] sun', then I looked up polar night and no, no sun BUT you can see the stars all day in some forms of polar night Thank you, Wikipedia. .

The final line was also a bit tricky as she literally says 'I will be far away, just a little' in the Japanese and so I changed that to 'slightly further away' as I interpreted her words to mean that, in the end, even though they are not together anymore they are still both in the same country and city (and on the same planet!) they were before...just...apart. Slightly further apart, so to speak.. And in Tokyo, I suppose you always have the possibility of running into your ex because practically everyone lives there....

Now enough of my translator babble.



Polar Night (kyoku-ya)
From Driving in the Silence
Original lyrics by Maaya Sakamoto

As soon as I wake up in the morning I remember you
And quickly close my eyes once more
How many more sleeps will it take before all the sad things
Melt away like ice into tears, I wonder?

It's starting, a new day
It's starting, here
As if it's going to swallow everything completely
It's starting, once more

A sun that won't rise, frozen stars
There's no such thing as time standing still
But I'm still here even though you're gone
Who should prayers be offered to and who are they meant to save?

Making noise, shivering
To the point where I feel like I'm going mad
I'm alive, living

I'm alive, right now

Right now

Until we meet again someday, someplace
I'll be slightly further away

IDS Fanclub Tour 2012 - Winter Songs Setlist

Well, I couldn't avoid the spoilers as I am committed to providing up to date and in depth news, to quote Bridget Jones. But here is the set list to the current fanclub tour which started last week (you may remember she announced the release of the 'In the Silence' DVD and Blu-Ray last week at the first tour stop.)

Because it's always nice to know what's going on. Here is the set list from Saturday's show in Fukuoka courtesy of Mixi and 100331. I'm really looking forward to going next week! Exciting times, the theme of it being winter though...there are a lot of songs missing (Mahiru ga Yuki, Rule - iro asenai hibi etc.) which I would have thought she'd include.

Perhaps some songs will be on rotation. I am happy to see the 'Driving in the Silence' songs all included though.

1.Driving in the silence
2.Fuyu desu ka
3.Sayonara Santa
4.Melt the snow in me
5.Tatoeba Ringo ga Te ni Ochiru You ni
6.Kotoshi Ichiban
7.Mizuumi
8.Kyokuya
9.Yasashisa ni tsutsumareta nara
10.Remedy
11.Chikai

Encore
12.Okaerinasai
13.Pocket wo kara ni shite
14.A HAPPY NEW YEAR

P.S. I noticed that on COMA Pride and Prejudice (the BBC drama version) was listed as having a DVD/Blu-Ray release here. And Maaya is in it. Yes. One of my favourite series ever and Maaya is in the Japanese version playing....Lydia. Possibly one of the most annoying characters in the history of literature. I suppose Maaya was younger when they dubbed it so couldn't be Elizabeth or Jane but...*tears* why Lydia, why?!

Sorry, I read Pride and Prejudice (again!) in December and every time I read it Lydia's character is so desperately awful.

Well, she is supposed to be. But still! Maaya as Lydia...sad times. I do love the BBC series though. Colin Firth!!