[Yamamoto Sayaka interview] I'd be glad if people acknowledged my new side that I developed after going solo
Source: 【山本彩 インタビュー】 ソロになってからの新しい一面を 認めてもらえたら嬉しい
She's released her first album after graduating from being an idol and starting as a solo artist. We asked not only about this piece of work, which includes her three 2019 singles, but also about what for, for whom she sings.
Eh?!
It's a fairly known fact that you're a self-declared BL fan since you were in junior high school.
It's true. I think I own more than 1000 volumes of BL manga.
What kind of BL manga have you been reading recently?
It's a genre called omegaverse... There are various subgenres in BL. There are for example the school student genre, the office worker genre, and omegaverse is one of these subgenres that have been established. Just like we have the male and female genders, in this subgenre there are genders called omega, alpha, beta, and men can birth babies. So there's that fantasy subgenre, and I've been into it lately... What am I even talking about during a music interview? (laugh)
Apparently, from a psychological perspective, people who appear tough on the outside but tend to be childish emotionally and get lonely are easy to get hooked on BL.
Eh?! Though I don't think that's necessarily untrue.
Previously, when I interviewed Takahashi Juri-san and Yoshida Akari-san, Takahashi-san said you act like the youngest sibling, and Yoshida-san said you're someone who really just wants to be spoiled.
That's embarrassing. (laugh) But it's true. I'm the youngest among my 4 siblings, and so I was always cut slack, so I think I might have that kind of personality.
In your essay book, which you wrote at 23, you said that when you're hanging out with people you feel happy, but the moment you're left alone, you feel like you're going to be crushed by loneliness.
That's true, I wrote that.
People see you as tough and strong, but actually you have this dual nature. I believe that's how you were able to create an album as varied as Alpha.
That's right. Up until recently, I had this ideal of how I wanted the world to see me, and people did actually view me the way I wished. I thought the people closest to me also had that impression of me, but they gradually realized my untidiness, like the fact that I often drop food when I eat and fall asleep anywhere, and it made me think, 'Ah, screw this.'
I think those are good values though.
Indeed, I think I've been able to chill. I don't feel like I have to constantly be bracing myself.
After all, you had dedicated your life since your late 10s to a group in which you were required to be bracing yourself. I believe that's why you're able to make music that combines the positive with the negative?
That's exactly right. I'm only able to think the way I do now thanks to my past. I think writing Toge was the biggest deal to me. When I were in the group, I thought I had to watch my words and behavior carefully, so there were many things I couldn't say, and many issues I couldn't address. I was scared of exposing myself when I went solo, but Toge is a song I wrote in spite of that fear, so I think it made me break out of my shell a little.
How did you feel when you finished writing Toge?
I knew the things I wanted to sing about for a long time, but I couldn't decide when to release this song. Accordingly to my will, I asked the people around for an opinion and I was able to release it as the title track of my 2nd single. Even if I like a song personally, if other people don't, I can't really think of it as a good piece. I think there are more singer/song-writers who think 'No matter what others say, this is a good song' of their music, but I don't have that kind of confidence myself yet, so I admire people like that.
There are things I have to speak up about, but I don't want to deny my past or act like it never happened. It's true for the fact that I was an idol too, I don't want to betray people who have supported me as an idol. I'll protect the people who have been supporting me up until now, but I'd be glad if people acknowledged my new side that I developed after going solo.
Actually, I have proposed the theory that Yamamoto Sayaka is a boxer.
Hahaha! Why?!
There's nothing fun in watching someone who fights just because they like to beat up other people, but seeing someone enter the boxing rink carrying a mission to fight for someone, or for the struggles one has faced, is moving.
Yeah.
I think you're a boxer in that sense.
I'm not really someone that amazing. Speaking of which, my dad used to box, so when I was little I'd often watch combat sports or boxing. Now I'm able to look at the mental aspects and the human nature of things I used to see as just sports. Those are the elements that I now find fascinating and that salvage me. Recently I watched a documentary show about Inoue Naoya-san. (laugh)
Be it sports or music, after all, standing in front of people and doing something is showing your way of life.
Yeah, that's right. I think so too.
What do you think is an inseparable theme in your songs?
Akimoto Yasushi-sensei once told me, 'Love songs aren't bad, but to you Yamamoto, songs that help other people, that give them support, are the most suitable. I think so myself too, and it's easier for me to write songs of that kind. Rather than for myself, I sing for others. Creating music that can give its listeners strength, become their support, is at the heart of my activities.
Speaking of which, I feel like the word 'expose' comes up in many of your interviews and essays.
Ah, that might be true.
Listening to you talk now, I felt that you expose the 'you' other people need.
That's true. I think of myself as a proxy for those who can't say their truths. Having people listen to the songs I make as a proxy and feel at peace, or feel relieved, I think it's my duty to create such kind of music.
Your lyrics are great too, but I think you're a melody maker in terms of song composition. Before I was drawn to your lyrics, I was captivated by the melody of your songs.
That's the best compliment you could give me! I was originally that kind of a listener, and as embarrassing as it is, it was only when I started making my own music that I began to pay attention to lyrics and delve into their deeper meaning. I was the type to be more impressed by a song's melody rather than its lyrics. That's why when I create my own songs, I work on the melody first, and only think of the lyrics later. Above all I really want to make songs that sound good, so being complimented on my composition makes me really happy.
You create quite a variety. feel the night incorporates elements of African-American music, while the verses of unreachable have a feeling of 70-80s' folk to them. I've covered Kassai before and I felt that it had the feeling of that era to it to.
I completely don't notice that myself. I think you called me a 'melody maker' because I draw inspiration from the J-pop and popular music I used to listen to in my youth.
What artists did you listen to?
In J-pop I really liked Every Little Thing and GARNET CROW. As for rock, thanks to my parents, I often listened to Ozaki Yutaka and L'Arc~en~Ciel. Through my brother's influence I listened to Avril Lavigne, and thanks to my sister I liked visual-kei bands.
You listen to many genres.
That's right. I've been listening to different music genres since I was in elementary school, so my tastes often varied from my peers'.
When I heard stay free on the radio show SCHOOL OF LOCK I was surprised. I thought, wow, she can do this too!
Thank you very much! Having put out Alpha, next I want to try making more city pop-ish songs like stay free.
She's released her first album after graduating from being an idol and starting as a solo artist. We asked not only about this piece of work, which includes her three 2019 singles, but also about what for, for whom she sings.
Writing Toge made me break out of my shell
Let's start by talking about manga.Eh?!
It's a fairly known fact that you're a self-declared BL fan since you were in junior high school.
It's true. I think I own more than 1000 volumes of BL manga.
What kind of BL manga have you been reading recently?
It's a genre called omegaverse... There are various subgenres in BL. There are for example the school student genre, the office worker genre, and omegaverse is one of these subgenres that have been established. Just like we have the male and female genders, in this subgenre there are genders called omega, alpha, beta, and men can birth babies. So there's that fantasy subgenre, and I've been into it lately... What am I even talking about during a music interview? (laugh)
Apparently, from a psychological perspective, people who appear tough on the outside but tend to be childish emotionally and get lonely are easy to get hooked on BL.
Eh?! Though I don't think that's necessarily untrue.
Previously, when I interviewed Takahashi Juri-san and Yoshida Akari-san, Takahashi-san said you act like the youngest sibling, and Yoshida-san said you're someone who really just wants to be spoiled.
That's embarrassing. (laugh) But it's true. I'm the youngest among my 4 siblings, and so I was always cut slack, so I think I might have that kind of personality.
In your essay book, which you wrote at 23, you said that when you're hanging out with people you feel happy, but the moment you're left alone, you feel like you're going to be crushed by loneliness.
That's true, I wrote that.
People see you as tough and strong, but actually you have this dual nature. I believe that's how you were able to create an album as varied as Alpha.
That's right. Up until recently, I had this ideal of how I wanted the world to see me, and people did actually view me the way I wished. I thought the people closest to me also had that impression of me, but they gradually realized my untidiness, like the fact that I often drop food when I eat and fall asleep anywhere, and it made me think, 'Ah, screw this.'
I think those are good values though.
Indeed, I think I've been able to chill. I don't feel like I have to constantly be bracing myself.
After all, you had dedicated your life since your late 10s to a group in which you were required to be bracing yourself. I believe that's why you're able to make music that combines the positive with the negative?
That's exactly right. I'm only able to think the way I do now thanks to my past. I think writing Toge was the biggest deal to me. When I were in the group, I thought I had to watch my words and behavior carefully, so there were many things I couldn't say, and many issues I couldn't address. I was scared of exposing myself when I went solo, but Toge is a song I wrote in spite of that fear, so I think it made me break out of my shell a little.
How did you feel when you finished writing Toge?
I knew the things I wanted to sing about for a long time, but I couldn't decide when to release this song. Accordingly to my will, I asked the people around for an opinion and I was able to release it as the title track of my 2nd single. Even if I like a song personally, if other people don't, I can't really think of it as a good piece. I think there are more singer/song-writers who think 'No matter what others say, this is a good song' of their music, but I don't have that kind of confidence myself yet, so I admire people like that.
Rather than for myself, I sing for others
I saw you say in one interview, asked if you expose yourself in your songs, reply that for now there is more fiction than confession in them. You said you don't expose yourself because you don't want to betray the people who have supported you so far. I think it's amazing that you value your own image of yourself and the image people have of you equally.There are things I have to speak up about, but I don't want to deny my past or act like it never happened. It's true for the fact that I was an idol too, I don't want to betray people who have supported me as an idol. I'll protect the people who have been supporting me up until now, but I'd be glad if people acknowledged my new side that I developed after going solo.
Actually, I have proposed the theory that Yamamoto Sayaka is a boxer.
Hahaha! Why?!
There's nothing fun in watching someone who fights just because they like to beat up other people, but seeing someone enter the boxing rink carrying a mission to fight for someone, or for the struggles one has faced, is moving.
Yeah.
I think you're a boxer in that sense.
I'm not really someone that amazing. Speaking of which, my dad used to box, so when I was little I'd often watch combat sports or boxing. Now I'm able to look at the mental aspects and the human nature of things I used to see as just sports. Those are the elements that I now find fascinating and that salvage me. Recently I watched a documentary show about Inoue Naoya-san. (laugh)
Be it sports or music, after all, standing in front of people and doing something is showing your way of life.
Yeah, that's right. I think so too.
What do you think is an inseparable theme in your songs?
Akimoto Yasushi-sensei once told me, 'Love songs aren't bad, but to you Yamamoto, songs that help other people, that give them support, are the most suitable. I think so myself too, and it's easier for me to write songs of that kind. Rather than for myself, I sing for others. Creating music that can give its listeners strength, become their support, is at the heart of my activities.
Speaking of which, I feel like the word 'expose' comes up in many of your interviews and essays.
Ah, that might be true.
Listening to you talk now, I felt that you expose the 'you' other people need.
That's true. I think of myself as a proxy for those who can't say their truths. Having people listen to the songs I make as a proxy and feel at peace, or feel relieved, I think it's my duty to create such kind of music.
Your lyrics are great too, but I think you're a melody maker in terms of song composition. Before I was drawn to your lyrics, I was captivated by the melody of your songs.
That's the best compliment you could give me! I was originally that kind of a listener, and as embarrassing as it is, it was only when I started making my own music that I began to pay attention to lyrics and delve into their deeper meaning. I was the type to be more impressed by a song's melody rather than its lyrics. That's why when I create my own songs, I work on the melody first, and only think of the lyrics later. Above all I really want to make songs that sound good, so being complimented on my composition makes me really happy.
You create quite a variety. feel the night incorporates elements of African-American music, while the verses of unreachable have a feeling of 70-80s' folk to them. I've covered Kassai before and I felt that it had the feeling of that era to it to.
I completely don't notice that myself. I think you called me a 'melody maker' because I draw inspiration from the J-pop and popular music I used to listen to in my youth.
What artists did you listen to?
In J-pop I really liked Every Little Thing and GARNET CROW. As for rock, thanks to my parents, I often listened to Ozaki Yutaka and L'Arc~en~Ciel. Through my brother's influence I listened to Avril Lavigne, and thanks to my sister I liked visual-kei bands.
You listen to many genres.
That's right. I've been listening to different music genres since I was in elementary school, so my tastes often varied from my peers'.
When I heard stay free on the radio show SCHOOL OF LOCK I was surprised. I thought, wow, she can do this too!
Thank you very much! Having put out Alpha, next I want to try making more city pop-ish songs like stay free.
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