–Congratulations on your artist debut! Please tell us how you felt when your debut was decided.
I was really surprised. I thought that my career as an artist, if it ever existed, was far in the future. So for a while it didn’t feel real, but as I continued to do interviews and recordings, I started to realize it little by little.
–After your debut was decided, what kind of song did you think about singing?
When I was in high school, I liked the singer-songwriter YUI, and I often listened to songs by bands. For that reason, I told the staff that I wanted to try a band sound. He also said that he likes songs that have a worldview like Koresawa and Minami.
–What did you think when you heard the song “Lavender Blue” and saw the lyrics?
“I really like it!” I thought. The lyrics of “Lavender Blue” have a lot of play on words. Yet, it is also a complete story. Also, I was really happy to hear about my favorite songs and artists, and to analyze that I might like this kind of music.
–The lyrics are about heartbreak, but the melody is pop.
That’s right. If you just listen to the song without looking at the lyrics, you can feel the brightness and cuteness. However, if you look closely at the lyrics, they are actually very sad. I liked that gap, and I thought it was amazing how words with the same sound could be expressed using different kanji, and how enjoyable it was not only to listen but also to read.
Every time I come across the lyrics, various interpretations emerge, and I think it’s worth thinking about, so I’d like everyone to listen to it as much as possible.
–What was important to you about singing during the recording?
As the song progresses to the second half, his feelings become more and more expressed and his sadness increases, so I wanted to convey that feeling into my voice as I recorded.
First, you recorded it once as a test. After that, the actual recording took place a few days later, but by listening to the song I recorded for the test over and over again, I realized that even though I thought I had sung it this way, it sounded different. There was also a discovery. I also listened to a lot of instrumental music and thought about how I could get along with the sounds of the instruments.
–What was difficult about singing?
I had sung as a character before, but I had never sung as Himena Naota, so it was all difficult (lol). I’m the only one who can send a rescue ship, and if I say OK, then things will pass. If you don’t have a clear idea of what kind of expression you want to express, you won’t be able to create a song, so this recording gave me a sense of the depth of that.
Also, the lyricist, Mayumi Kaneko, was present at the recording, and she told me that she wanted the “buru” in the second verse, “smoldering,” to be reminiscent of “blue.” But I also remember singing the word “Blue” too clearly…and having a hard time with it.
――When you actually sang it, how much did you envision the girl who is the main character of the song?
I envisioned her as a very pure and cute girl with long hair. She’s a child who can trust others and chase after them, but she’s so pure that she can’t really look at her surroundings. I guess that’s why I couldn’t even notice that the love was coming to an end until it ended.
However, since it’s not a character song, you won’t be able to completely become her, and it might have been more like narrating the movements of the main character.
–Are there any parts of you that you can sympathize with the main character?
I’m envious of the fact that you can be so single-minded. If I had known the same feelings as her, she might have had a much richer life…In that sense, I feel more jealous than empathetic.
–I heard that you also played the guitar on “Lavender Blue”.
After the recording was finished, the staff asked me if I wanted to try playing it, and I simply said, Okay,'' and decided (lol). Despite how light it was, I was extremely nervous during the recording process. I had never had my guitar playing turned into a commercial product, so I felt nervous and felt that this was a huge responsibility. What's more, I wasn't used to playing casually with headphones on, so up until the actual performance I was staring at the sheet music, wondering, What does it mean to play the guitar seriously?”
–But your official profile says playing the guitar as a hobby/special skill.
That one…I could play it a little, and I felt like I should write it down. After that, I started to get more involved with the guitar and realized how difficult it is. Once I realized that there was no goal, I no longer wanted to call it a special skill. If possible, I’d like to keep it as a hobby (lol).
–I think the guitar tone really matches the song.
I hope you felt that way. When I heard the finished sound, I could hear the sound of an acoustic guitar, and I thought it was playing properly. I was relieved to receive praise from the staff.
――What do you think is the key point behind this memorable debut song, Naota-san?
I put a lot of thought into the final chorus, so I’d like you to listen to that. Also, the lyrics are really interesting. In particular, when I realized the lines of border'' and stripes” in the second A melody, I was moved and said, “I see!” I felt a sense of freedom similar to when I successfully solved a mystery, and I would like everyone to experience that as well.
–I heard that you are recording songs other than “Lavender Blue.” Are you starting to see artist Himena Naota’s unique characteristics?
I’m still exploring. However, each song other than “Lavender Blue” has a strong individuality, and I feel that I can’t sing it properly without showing a different expression each time. Therefore, I would like to somehow open up the range of expression.
――Your first live performance has been decided on May 4th.
All of the songs I sing are original songs, but everyone only knows “Lavender Blue,” so I feel comfortable knowing that it’s okay even if I get the lyrics wrong (lol). I’m kidding, but if you watch this live show, I think you’ll understand what kind of songs I wanted to sing and what kind of music I’ll be singing from now on. It’s okay if you’re a bit taken aback as these are all songs you’ve never heard before. It’s like, “I’ll give you a ride!”
Also, if you come to our first live, you’ll become the oldest performer (lol). You can say that we decided on the color of the penlights for the song, and I would be happy if you could experience something that is hard to do and call yourself the oldest member.
■Profile
Hina Suguta/Born on April 17th. She belongs to the Haiku Association.
Her main appearances as a voice actress include the role of Kaimu Kitagawa in the TV anime The Dress-Up Doll Falls in Love'' and The Hero has Died!” ” Dorothy Eleonora in the game “BanG Dream! Girls Band Party! ” Role of Toko Kirigaya etc.
■Information
On Saturday, May 4th, “Hina Suguta 1st LIVE -Sings-” will be held at SUPERNOVA KAWASAKI in Kanagawa. There are two performances, one in the daytime and one in the evening.The daytime performance opens at 2:30pm and starts at 3pm, and the evening performance opens at 5:30pm and starts at 6pm. For details on the performance, check
the official website [ https://columbia.jp/sugutahina/ ].
■“Lavender Blue”
now available at
Nippon Columbia
Naota Himena’s debut digital single released on her birthday. “Lavender Blue” is a pop melody with the sad feelings of a girl who has lost her love. Naota’s straight singing voice makes this a song that touches her heart.
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