After having a brief
interview with Piko in Italy, JaME caught up with
Piko again for a more in-depth interview about his experience in Europe as well as his music and newest single
Wasuneragusa.
First of all, thank you very much for this interview.
Piko: Thank you for giving us such a great opportunity to have an interview.
You have just performed at the Japan Anime Live, an event that brought you to many of the largest halls throughout Europe. How was this experience?
Piko: All the venues were so huge that they made me very stressed. Having gigs and so on overseas was so new to me that it took a while to get used to, but everyone was so nice that in the end, things seemed to look really great and the tour was so much fun.
Is there something you will remember about it in particular, something that stood out to you?
Piko: It’s that Japanese anime was very popular overseas. I’ve been hearing about it but I was very amazed seeing it first-hand. And I just want to emphasize that the Italian gelato was so yummy!
What were your thoughts when you were informed that you were chosen to perform at the Japan Anime Live
in Europe?
Piko: I was excited, but since it was my first gig at overseas, I was kind of nervous.
Have you been to Europe before? Other than the concerts, were there some other things in the European countries you were looking forward to? If so, what were they?
Piko: This tour was actually my first time going overseas. Apart from lives, one thing I’m interested to do when I go next time is to milk the cows.
How did you feel when you met your support band members for the first time? Were you able to get along right away?
Piko: Each member is different, so I was kind of nervous in the beginning but everybody was so nice that I got along with them.
When did you decide that you wanted to start a career as a musician? Was it something that you consciously made a decision about, or did it just happen to you naturally?
Piko: While I was posting music through the Internet, I made my decision to get into music seriously.
You’re nicknamed a “ryouseirui” artist because your vocal range is extremely high. What sort of training have you had?
Piko: I haven’t done anything special to be a “ryouseirui.” I just wanted to sing the song of the artist that I respect when I realized that I was called “ryouseirui.”
This peculiarity about your voice made you famous on the Internet, especially on Nico-Nico Douga, where your videos were watched by millions of people. With this unique background, do you feel somehow different from other artists?
Piko: Everyone has many special things to offer. Being different from others is something very natural. Voice, looks, the way you sing, all of us have infinite specialties. I just fit into one of the categories called “ryoseirui.” I’m not the only one who's special.
Do you have any special advice for young musicians who want to follow your path?
Piko: Whatever you think, whatever you feel, I hope that you do as you want, because I did so. There will be someone who supports you and paves the way for you. The most important thing is to be thankful to people who are around you always.
Five years ago, how did you expect your music career to look like? Had you expected to be where you are now, signed with a major label and having toured Europe?
Piko: I never thought of it. I was just a student in a small village thinking that I would just complete my studies and then work for a company. Well, even though I thought that way, I was making music. (laughs)
Which artists, both Japanese and Western, inspire you?
Piko: A Japanese artist would be
Janne Da Arc and an international artist would be
Mr.Big.
Your single Wasurenagusa
came out on December 8th. Can you tell us a little about the creation of the songs? What inspired you and how did the recording process go?
Piko: Since it is an ending theme for the anime “TEGAMIBACHI REVERSE,” it was quite difficult to maintain a balance between the anime world and putting my feelings into the song. It was very difficult to put both sadness and kindness at the same time during recording.
Can we expect the release of a full Piko album soon?
Piko: That's a se~c~re~t!
Your songs are listened to all over the world. Can you please explain the lyrics for the people who are not familiar with Japanese?
Piko: For
Wasurenagusa, if you could imagine something like “why you are sad and what happened if you couldn’t meet him/her,” you may be able to understand this song.
And what about your name? What does it mean and why have you chosen it for your musical career?
Piko: “Piko” is my dog’s name. I have been using
Piko ever since I first used it as my Nico-Nico Douga name.
Your voice has been released as a Vocaloid software. How was this software created and how does it make you feel knowing that people can make their songs with your voice?
Piko: I recorded 100 different words in five pitches and those voices are used as sampling. It was very nice to make music with my Vocaloid, it’s just great to hear it.
Your music and your image is strongly connected with the anime world. Is there an anime you particularly like?
Piko: My first favorite anime was “Dragon Ball Z.” Now, I love “K-ON!!”
If you were to choose an anime to write a song for, which would it be?
Piko: It would be great if I could sing for the “YU-GI-OH!” anime series. I would sing in a very passionate way. (laughs)
What are your future projects and what can fans expect from you next?
Piko: I will be releasing my third single this spring. Please check out
my official home page for other information.
Lastly, please leave a message for our readers.
Piko: I am always thankful to all of you for supporting me! I will be going on with my pace, so please follow me forever. Thank you for reading all of this! Byenie! (pronounced as "buy-knee")
JaME would like to thank Sony Music Japan for making this interview possible.
