After the release of her album
HEAT in March,
May'n embarked on a world tour which will take her across Japan, Europe, America and China. While in Los Angeles, the artist was able to answer a few questions for JaME.
In 2010, you performed in the USA for the first time at Anime Expo. What did you enjoy about the American fans that made you want to return?
May'n: I enjoyed seeing my fans dancing and singing whenever they wanted to. In Japan, the reaction from my fans is different. There’s a lot of coordination. But fans in America do whatever they want, whenever they want. So it’s always surprising. I also really enjoyed when they whistled! It really cheered me up.
Now that you are performing your own shows abroad instead of performing at conventions, what are your expectations for the rest of your shows? How do you think the audience will react?
May'n: Of course I want to see everyone’s smiles. The smiling faces give me a lot of energy. I want to see the fans enjoying the concert, and I want to see the same smiles all over the world.
Many people in America and Europe don’t speak Japanese, and they can’t understand the lyrics of your songs. What can you do during this Rock Your Beats
tour to help more people understand and appreciate music from Japan, even if it’s not in their own language?
May'n: At Anime Expo, I was very surprised that people in America knew me, and that they recognized my music. I believe that music is without borders, and that it can bring the world together. This world tour is called
Rock Your Beats, and it’s my first world tour with my own band from Japan. It will be the same show, the same musicians, in every city and country we visit. We want to “rock” this tour, and each country has their own "beat," their own style. So those beats together with our Japanese band will make the sound of the tour.
You became a professional performer at a very young age due to being discovered by HoriPro’s Talent Scout Caravan. Do you feel like you missed out on things that normal teenage girls experience?
May'n: Not really. I was training, but I was still going to high school with everybody else, and I made friends that I’m still in touch with today. They still support me and come to my concerts. Actually, a lot of my friends are involved in show business, too, so we understand each others' busy schedule. We try to hang out whenever we get a few hours. We inspire each other.
You held two sold-out concerts at the Nippon Budokan in 2010 and 2011. How have those experiences changed you?
May'n: When I performed at Budokan the first time, I was very, very nervous because Budokan is such a traditional location. There is so much history there, and I felt very honored to be on the stage. But now, I feel my fans’ support, so I am ready for new challenges. Recently, I performed at the Yokohama Arena, which is much bigger, and I realized that the live experience can change a lot depending on the size of the venue. So I’m looking forward to performing at these places again.
When you sing anime songs during your live shows, do you want the fans to see May'n or see the anime character?
May'n: I’m happy either way. Whatever lets my fans enjoy the concert, that’s what I want for them. Because anime characters are only on TV, only in a virtual world, maybe seeing a live performance makes the character feel more real. I’m happy as long as someone gets a good feeling watching the live.
You’ve written lyrics for some of your songs. What sort of themes/ideas do you like writing about?
May'n: Most of my inspiration comes from my life experiences, the things that are affecting me in the present day. But I also get a lot of inspiration from the live shows. So many feelings come out of me in a live performance that I have to find new ways to express them.
What is your personal favorite song on the new album HEAT? Which song would you recommend to someone who has never heard
May'n before?
May'n: The whole album came together from the central concept of "heat," and the goal to create a rock sound. I really want to show the world that I can rock out! If I had to choose one song for someone who’s never heard my music before, it would be
HEAT of the moment, because it really takes that concept to the highest level. Also, there’s a song called
We Are, which I wrote, and it contains my feelings about performing live shows. I made that song as a love song to my fans.
You recently started to use Twitter to communicate with your fans. What do you like most about communicating with your fans this way?
May'n: In Japan, I normally write in my blog online, but
Twitter is so different because I can update anytime and I get instant replies. Also
Twitter is used by many people in different countries all over the world, so I feel closer to the fans from far away places. I get a lot of comments that say "Ganbatte!" or "Please come to my country!" and that makes me feel so great.
You’ve stated before that you’re currently watching the anime "Accel World" which is connected to your theme song Chase the world
. What would your Brain Burst power be?
May'n: Personally, I think my avatar’s color would be red because it’s the most passionate color. Red symbolizes "heat." In "Accel World," the skills come from your inner desires, so my skill would be the ability to eat forever. My favorite food is taiyaki, but usually I can only eat just one. I get full right away. If I could eat forever, I’d like to see how many I could eat. There are so many flavors!
Translation provided by RESONANCE Media and Risa Takeda. JaME would like to thank May'n for the interview.
