Maaya Sakamoto 15th Anniversary Live “Gift” Interview

A quick translation for you guys while I'm busying myself with job-hunting (don't worry, I haven't forgotten the I.D essay) to wet your appetites for the Budokan live in March.

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Maaya Sakamoto 15th Anniversary Live “Gift” Interview
Lawson Ticket Website Interview

A birthday live to top off a 15th Anniversary!

‘The tour in’09 changed my values in regards to concerts’

Maaya Sakamoto is satisfied with her single ‘Magic Number’, released in November 2009. 2010 will be a big turning point, with this year being the 15th anniversary of her CD debut, and a special concert at the Japanese Budokan hall has been scheduled on Maaya’s birthday, the 31st of March.

Well, first of all, let’s look back on 2009. This was a year which began with the release of your album ‘Kazeyomi’ in January, wasn’t it.

That’s right. I think that ‘Kazeyomi’, was a summary of everything that I’ve learned and felt over the past 10 years through my relationship with music. Because it was an album with this significance, I’m really glad that I got to start the 2009 with this CD.

And after that was your first hall tour.

Until that point, from a personal point of view, I’d never been able to do a concert in a positive way. I like singing but there was part of me that really didn't like going in front of people. I was holding a resolve that if I couldn’t do a concert like the one I pictured in my head then I was not going to do concerts anymore. I spoke about this in the concert MC. Because the fans took in my words straight on, I even surprised myself when my sense of values regarding concerts changed. I thought ‘Concerts are fun!’

Then there was the release of your single ‘Magic Number’ in November.

It had been a while since I’d released a happy song as a single. My own personality isn’t actually as all-out cheerful as this but it’s a song that is sort of a ‘magic spell’; when you listen to it you are suddenly filled with strength. I want people who listen to it to be revitalised.

2010 is your 15th anniversary. A concert will take place on your birthday (31/3) at the Budokan Hall, what’s going to be included?

It really is extravagant that I’ll be able to have my 30th birthday not just together with fans but at the Budokan Hall, isn’t it? (laugh) There won’t be just my singles there. Out of over 100 songs I think I want to chose songs that will make people think about the meaning behind me singing at 30.

A Quick Word ~a story that came out of the interview~

After the tour in 2009, Maaya Sakamoto went on a tour of Europe. A solo trip!

“I really wanted to visit Portugal and the Czech Republic for a bit, but the two countries were really far apart. I crossed the distance by train and in total I passed through 10 different countries. Even though I was traveling alone, I never thought ‘I’m lonely’. I’m surprised that I didn’t even think it once (laugh) Even though I didn’t actively speak to anyone, there was no day when I didn’t speak to at someone. That and, ‘I’ve got to find a place to sleep’, ‘What time is tomorrow’s train?’, there were so many things that I threw myself into, or rather, was frantic with, I wasn’t really in a situation where I could say ‘I’m lonely’.

It seems like she was mentally disciplined on her travel, doesn’t it. “The Czech Republic and Portugal were both wonderful. Even though it was the first time I’d been they felt very nostalgic to me. I got to see a lot of different things and it was a journey where I found out what I wanted to do next.”