LiSA, who is the lead vocalist for the theme songs of "Kimetsu no Yaiba" (Demon Slayer), is arguably the most popular singer in Japan today. "Kimetsu no Yabia," which gained popularity as an anime, has become even more popular since the release of its first feature film titled "Gekijoban 'Kimetsu no Yaiba' Mugenressha-hen" (Demon Slayer -- Kimetsu no Yaiba -- The Movie: Mugen Train) on Oct. 16.
I recently interviewed LiSA to talk about how she became involved with the anime as well as her career.
LiSA simultaneously released her album "LEO-NiNE" and her single "Homura" (Flame). The album includes the anime's opening theme song titled "Gurenge" (Crimson flower), and the single includes the movie's theme song titled "Homura."
"I'm happy that I've been asked to sing for the anime as well as the movie, and it makes me feel like I've gained the trust of the 'Kimetsu no Yaiba' work itself," LiSA said. "When I was singing the song [for the movie], I really wanted to give the fans hope that the story will continue."
"Kimetsu no Yaiba" is about a boy whose family was killed and whose sister becomes a demon. His goal is to find a way to help his sister become human again, and he learns to fight demons. The anime is based on the manga with the same name.
LiSA's powerful vocals in "Gurenge," which was released in 2019, successfully brought to life the "Kimetsu no Yaiba" universe, and it was well-received. The song has been played more than 100 million times, according to Billboard Japan. With the song becoming more well-known, she made an appearance on NHK's Red & White Year-end Song Festival in 2019 for the first time, solidifying her popularity.
LiSA teamed up with Yuki Kajiura, who was in charge of the music for the movie, to write the lyrics for "Homura." She said that she felt a lot of pressure to make the song as good as "Gurenge."
"Ms. Kajiura writes music for a story, she tries to understand the emotional depth of it. While I was working on it, I felt I would be OK as long as she said, 'that's cool,'" LiSA said, looking back.
The lyrics for "Homura" contain positive messages such as, "future," "determination," and "moving on."
"These expressions depict someone overcoming the greatest sorrow of losing someone they love and starting to move forward with dignity," LiSA said. "I hope the audience will leave the movie with good memories of the main character and those around him fighting together valiantly, along with the music.
By including "Gurenge" in the album, it influenced how the album was produced, such as the decision to name it LEO-NiNE, which is associated with the word "bravery." The name is from "leonine," which means "like a lion."
"I wanted to incorporate the strength and bravery represented in 'Gurenge,'" LiSA said. "I think many songs on this album will make people feel powerful and give them the strength to move forward as a result."
The album includes a variety of songs, such as the upbeat and powerful "Makotoshiyaka" (As if it were) and the ballad "Aijo" (Locked by love), which communicates the meaning of love.
Another song called "play the world! feat.PABLO," has the phrase, "Keep living, no matter what, for sure!" in Japanese. This line in the song makes it seem like it is trying to encourage people, who live in fear of the coronavirus, to keep going.
"Especially in times like these, we should look ahead and move forward," LiSA said. "I want everyone to get through this together, so after, we can thoroughly have fun."
-- An admirer of Avril
LiSA was born in Gifu Prefecture and has been playing the piano, singing and dancing since she was very young. In junior high school, she became more interested in music by listening to Avril Lavigne, a famous singer from Canada. In high school, LiSA started playing in a band and she especially liked punk rock. When she was around 20, her band broke up and she decided to become a professional musician.
"When I looked back at my life up to that point, I realized I hadn't done anything except music," LiSA said. "I thought it would be my last chance."
Despite her parents' disapproval, she left home and moved to Tokyo.
She tried to audition, but there were very few auditions for people in their 20s. LiSA then realized that she had to do whatever she could, such as modeling or acting, even if it was different from what she originally wanted to do, so she tried singing a song in an anime.
"I hadn't had a lot of experience with anime," she said. "When I did it for the first time, I was surprised by how passionate the people working on the anime were and how much the fans loved the anime."
She was recognized for her singing ability in the anime "Angel Beats!" which started in 2010. She provided the singing voice for the band in the anime. Then, she debuted as a solo artist and began her singing career in 2011. Since then, she has sung songs for a lot of popular anime, especially theme songs.
-- Looking forward to the future
LiSA said that singing songs for an anime is like being in a jam session with many different artists.
"I feel like I'm creating the song as a part of a team," she said. "I try to put a lot of love into my work and express myself. It's all very collaborative."
"Until now, I've been working with my mind only on the task in front of me, thinking that I would have no regrets if I died at that moment, or if everything ended, " she said.
However, after seeing such a wide range of people, from children to adults, enjoying her songs last year, her mindset has changed.
"I realized my potential, so now, I'm really looking forward to what the future holds for me," she said. "I want to keep going with everyone while we look for ways to have fun."
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
