高塚智人

Tomohito Takatsuka, who has sung character songs for roles he played, including the role of Minori Watanabe in “Idolmaster SideM”, will make his long-awaited artistic debut in January 2022. Takatsuka, who says, “I have loved music since I was little,” talked about his debut mini album “Hoshi no Oto.”

Now that you’ve made your debut as an artist, how are you feeling now? Takatsuka: I’ve always wanted to work as an artist, and I’ve never said no to the opportunity, so I’m happy. I’m finally able to deliver my own song to the fans who say they like my song. I received words of encouragement from fellow voice actors who debuted earlier, saying, “Let’s do our best together.”

Please tell us about the concept of the mini-album “Hoshi no Oto.” Takatsuka: For me, music is something that adds colour to my life. I always listen to music when I’m on the move, but the roads I walk and the scenery I see while listening to music are different, and the songs I listen to are different. The impression also changes. In that sense, music may be something that dramatically changes your life. That’s how important music is to me, so when I thought about what kind of music, I wanted to deliver to everyone, I thought it would be “beautiful music.” As a view of the world that expresses that beauty, I decided to use my favourite starry skies and nights as the theme.

What is the production of “Hoshi no Oto”? How did you start? Takatsuka: First, I wanted to tell the direction of the music I wanted to do, and then ask a producer who can handle various kinds of music. Also, I love songs that use the piano. I had a strong desire to include piano in the songs on this album. Adding the sounds of instruments such as piano and violin makes the whole song very beautiful.

Starting with the lead song “Hoshi to Eien.” How did you feel when you listened to it? Takatsuka: We were asked to put together about 9 candidate songs for the album, and among them, this was a song that blew me away. Not only the sound, but also the lyrics at the beginning, “Hey, do you remember?” I wanted to make a song that starts with a question mark. How did you know that? It’s a song that I really fell in love with just the intro. The whole song is one story, and it’s painful and mouth-watering. That’s why when I was recording, I sang with the feeling of sorrow as important. “Sadness” is my favourite emotion. That’s why I sang it so that those who listened to this song would be able to fully understand my feelings.

Since the lead song, which is packed with Takatsuka-san’s worldview and musicality, comes first, it seems that you will be drawn into the world of Takatsuka-san’s music. Please let us know your thoughts on the other recorded songs as well. Takatsuka: The second song, “Aouta”, is a song that you will want to listen to while taking a walk. When you’re feeling down, look up at the sky for a moment and cheer yourself up. Actually, I put this song on the album after receiving a message from a fan who wanted to hear a song on the radio that made them think, “I’ll do my best from tomorrow onwards.” I’m a positive person myself, and I’m the type of person who can my feelings with music and feel positive, so I’d be happy if everyone’s feelings lifted up even just a little while listening to the song. It’s also instructed as if it dawned with the song and the bright day had arrived. The next song, “est”, is a song that means “superlative”, as the lyrics say. It’s a gentle song that speaks with a tense heart, telling yourself and others that you’re alive that it’s okay, it’s okay to be pampered. “Tsuygari Hero” is a Vocaloid-like up-tempo song. When I thought about what a person’s “strong core” is, the word “hero” came to mind. My favourite is the lyric, “Laughing last is a hero.”

“Tsuyogari Hero” is the song with the brightest image in the album, and the last two songs have a slightly calmer image. Takatsuka: That’s right. “Anemone” is a ballad that brings sadness to the fore. At first it was a different song name, but I insisted that I want to name it after my favourite flower. I love “Anemone” so much that it even became the name of the band I was in when I was in high school. The language of flowers, such as “fleeting love” and “suffering of love”, fits perfectly with the image of the lyrics, and it’s a wonderful song with piano as the main element. The last song, “Walk,” has a beautiful acoustic guitar melody. It’s the type of song I like, but the taste is different from the songs I’ve sung so far. I chose it with the intention of fighting. So, for me, it’s the day of the audition, and for the fans, it’s great to hear it on the day of the big game, such as exams and competitions.

How was your first recording as an artist? Takatsuka: I’m the kind of person who sings whenever I have free time, so I was really happy that I could finally show my full potential. I’ve received a lot of emotions from music so far, so this time I sang with all my heart that I want to deliver those emotions to everyone. In addition to being able to express myself and sing freely, I also learned the technique of putting emotion into the song, so it was really fun. Of course, even though I was taught techniques, I realized that there were things that I couldn’t produce with my current self. I realized that I wasn’t there and saw a new issue. However, I think I was able to say that this is the 100% that I can do now.

How was the MV shooting for “Hoshi to Eien”? Takatsuka: I had a hard time (laughs). I like the sound source the most because I want to hear the sound cleanly. Also, when I listen to music, I choose it based on my mood and situation, with an active feeling of “I want to listen to this song right now!” But with MV and live performances, the feelings and effects of the sender, who wants people to listen to this, come into my mind visually. However, I told them that I wanted to make a “beautiful” MV like a mini album. The finish is really nice, and the video makes you feel the sadness that is found in the song.

Ahead of the release of such an album, what kind of year was 2021? Takatsuka: It was a year in which I felt that I had taken a step forward by making the most of my experience. 2022 will start with my debut as an artist, so I want to gain momentum, and I want to challenge various things without being afraid, and I hope I can return all of them to the role of an actor. I want to keep moving forward both as a voice actor and as an artist, so I would be happy if you could support me.

Column: Happy Holidays

I look forward to listening to the Christmas songs released by various artists every year and watching the townscape twinkling with illuminations. After all, music really lifts my mood. Christmas is my favourite event of the year.