柿原 徹也

Makoto Miyazaki, YouthK Saeki, and Kohei from SIMONSAYZ are providing the music for the 6^th single. Kakihara: This time, we had three people write a song at the same time. it’s music that sounds like it’s going to be played in a club, and everyone seems to have an image of me playing in private, so I thought it would be interesting if I could express that in a video. We aimed to create a “celebrity-free and playful” atmosphere that is different from the previous single “Tokonatsu Wave.” The theme of the song is “What is the essence?”, and the outfits in the music video also include the meaning that you don’t need to dress up because everyone is a diamond. For that reason, I wore a long pullover, denim, and sneakers. We rented out the club for the shoot, and it went smoothly… until the middle (laughs).

Did something go wrong? Kakihara: No, I shot a scene where I used it, but that’s when the obsession of me and the staff exploded (laughs). In the actual driving scene, I went around the city in high spirits, saying, “I have free time, so now is the time!” It took about twice as long as the original shooting schedule, so we were able to shoot a cool video! But they knew me very well, and they put in a lot of effort for me. I think that kind of connection is also present in this wonderful MV.

What is your impression of the coupling song? Kakihara: The second song, “Gomenne, Arigatou,” was originally a wonderful ballad that YouthK-san could relax and listen to, but I thought it might not be suitable for me to sing now. I asked for a retake. And he finished a song with a medium tempo on the subject of “past love.” YouthK-san’s songs make me feel like I’ve experienced things that I’ve never experienced before. As an actor I am immersed like I’m reading a script. I was able to do it, and I felt sad singing that much… “MOVING” was written by Kohei-san, and it’s a song with a strong digital sound. We started working on it at the same time without deciding which one would be the title song, so it’s a wonderful song that would be a waste to include as a single coupling. But I don’t like being stingy, and I’m the type of person who wants to do everything I can right now. For this single as well, I challenged myself with everything I had.

A live DVD “DRUNKER” will be released on the same day as the single. How would you like to look back on the performance? Kakihara: I feel that the final performance at Makuhari Messe has taken me to another new stage. I was strongly aware that it was not easy to stand alone on a big stage, and I went up on stage thinking that I would have to reflect on various things when it was over. The fun far outweighed the fear (laughs). I felt apologetic towards Nings, saying, “I have to stand behind you…” but even with that negative feeling, I thought, “If I do it anyway, I’ll be surrounded by strings. Let’s sing like this.” I was able to change myself in a positive direction. In fact, this single release came true when I selfishly said, “I want to release a single.” It’s because the tour was so much fun that I wanted to sing and express myself even more!

What are your ambitions for future activities? Kakihara: I think it would be great if we could do things for male fans in the future. A lot of men come to my concerts, but I think it takes courage and energy to mix with women and listen to the songs and get excited. That’s why I want to respond to the feelings of male fans, and even though I’ve made songs for my friends that can be listened to regardless of gender or age, I’ve never sung songs for men… I think there are some male fans who like me as a voice actor and come to my live performances, but I would be happy if you liked the artist Tetsuya Kakihara as well.

In March, “Kirefesu 2018” will be held at Yokohama Arena. Kakihara: For me, this event is like New Year’s Eve and New Year’s, and without it I don’t feel like the year has ended or even begun. But as I often say on stage, I just want to remember the feeling that it’s not a given that it happens every year. And this year we have new guests Yuto Uemura-san, Shoya Chiba-san, Yuya Hozumi-san, Shun Horie-san, and Takuto Yoshinaga-san. I feel happy for you! I want you to complete a stage that only the five of you can do without fear of failure. If you’re afraid of failure or shy about performing, you’ll still have regrets five years later. I’m looking forward to seeing the new members play an active role, and I want to give it my all.