2012.02 - Rolling Stone Japan | Translated by Anna

JAF:

Credit to Anna for translating this.

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Through Jin Akanishi’s Facebook, Youtube and Twitter account, one can easily tell what he’s been up to last year in Los Angeles. Discussing and exchanging ideas with the engineer seated in front of the audio mixer, recording his vocals, and above anything, his expressions and actions while communicating naturally with the local staff and artistes there shows his professionalism. The fact that Japan can produce such an entertainer, isn’t this something that we have been looking forward to? His debut album “Japonicana” is finally going to be on sale soon. In December last year, (the writer) had listened to 4 songs in the upcoming album, and have talked to Jin himself about them.

Having listened to the four songs, the song “Like you” is especially fresh. It is your first time challenging a song in that genre right?

“It is Ghetto R&B. According to the album’s concept, I wanted to have a mixture of many different styles, and so I really wanted a song with a slow tempo too.” 

In the song lyrics, Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” appeared.

“It’s a love song actually. The message (I’m) trying to convey is that it doesn’t matter what people around say. It won’t affect us. We should just concentrate on letting our love grow, that’s good enough.” 

Your vocal immersed in this sweet atmosphere (in the song) left a deep impression.

“Stereotypes were the producers, but when I was actually recording the song, they were not present at the studio, it was just the vocal engineer and I during the recording. For this song, the engineer said to me “Let’s not do this song with normal English, let’s try doing it with an African American accent”. He talked to me in detail about it. Including this song, in general, it is pretty obvious that the album is rather concentrated on accents. Coincidentally, I have a song that is about to be completed, it’s a Latin-styled dance number, but I sang that song with a Jamaican English accent. “Set Love Free” is one song sung in an accent such that when Americans listen to it, they would realize “this is definitely not an American.” Sun Burns Down is the only song that is not sung with any special accent.” 

“Set Love~” “Sun Burns~” are new songs too, just like the other songs in the album, you paid special attention in the English accents?

“Japanese accents and English accents are different, aren’t they? For example, if there was a song being sung in Kansai-ben*, there wouldn’t be much differences to pay attention to. But English is a common language in the world, there are many many different songs in different accents. That’s why I tried to imagine I was transformed into a Jamaican. Well, but actually that was just to satisfy myself.(Lol)” 

Have you considered Japanese English pronunciation?

“Nope, even if they listen to my song, I think people wouldn’t know it is a Japanese accent. Though I have tried searching for an English accent that (exclusively) belongs to Japanese people, I couldn’t find any. And if I spend too much effort on this, I wouldn’t be able to convey my messages through my songs properly which is why it was difficult to materialize the songs this time round. For example the “r” in Spanish is similar to American English, so there is not so much difference, but for Japanese pronunciation, there is no such similar feeling etc.” 

So was the Japanese feeling part avoided intentionally?

“I didn’t think much into that.” 

You were just focused on the production of the song?

“Yeah, something like that. Gathering the images I get from the song etc.” 

In what kind of situations do you write songs?

“When I’m home. I begin when I think “Yoshhhh, let’s do it!” 

Like at night?

“Well, I do make more songs in the night.” 

Your new song “California Rock” is an aggressive dance tune.

“This song already had basic beats to it from the beginning, my arrangements were then added on top of the original beats. The melody and lyrics were done by me. It sounds like it’s a dupstep** genre kinda song, but I wanted to create a pop element in it too, so I did some adjustments to the vocals. 

So it is dupstep! Indeed, the bass line completely shows that genre.

“I wanted to just layer the melody over the beat at first, but as I thought, I couldn’t sing that. That sort of aggressive track would be better off without any singing involved. Then, I repeated the hook portion, and that became the main part of the song. Maa, these are the sort of things that are always on my mind which I have to consider while making the song.” 

By the way, how many songs would be recorded in the album?

“For now, it’s about 8-10 songs. I’m thinking of putting in about 1-2 songs from my previous America tour. Other than those, the other songs were only written after I went to America.”

We talked about the album being a mixture just now, but basically it would be good to think of this album as a dance album right?

“The songs are ones that would raise the atmosphere even when it is played in clubs. This is what I kinda noticed.” 

I see. Talking about this genre, are there any producers or artists whom are really cool to you?

“Dr. Dre. He is too awesome. And also Dr. Luke. Stereotypes too, and also like the Young Money artistes. I like Lil Wayne’s lyrics.” 

How about like David Guetta?

“Hmmmm, if I have to choose, I would prefer the songs from West Coast, such as 2Pac etc.” 

If these are your preferences, you must have been really delighted that you received the chance to record in Los Angeles?

“Yeah that’s true if I think about it now. But when I was busy writing songs, I didn’t think about it at all (lol)” 

Did you have time to go to concerts?

“No…..I only went for Kanye West’s when I went to New York during my America tour. Lyor Cohen (Chairman and CEO of Recorded Music for Warner Music Group) invited me there. It only housed about 200 people as it was sort of a special party, Nicki Minaj also guested in the party. I was actually more excited for Nicki’s performance than Kanye’s (lol).” 

Though you also had movie filming in the year 2011, it was still very much of a music year for you. Leaving for LA, a foreign land all by yourself, did you feel your growth/improvements in any areas?

“Yes. Compared to the past, my song-writing horizons have expanded, and I have met many people. I have also written songs for people. Such as an offer came from a Canadian singer. It is interesting to have this sort of experience.” 

Your contacts are slowly expanding?

“Talking about this, I was wrongly mistaken for a dancer when I was in one of the rehearsal studios there, it became a situation where I was almost going to get hired (lol). There was a female artiste in the studio next door, she was talking to the people around, saying “There’s a Japanese who is really good at dancing! Which agency is he from?”. She was a African American girl, when I said “I’m a singer too”, she went like “Eh?” (lol). Then, we listened to each others songs. When I went to the studio with Stereotypes, Ne-yo, Justin Bieber, Sean Kingston etc were in the same studio.” 

These happenings are due to your long-term stay in LA. It is different from when you have to return to Japan after just one month in LA right?

“Yes. In “California Rock” a rapper, Prophet would be featuring in it, I get along really well with him in private, and we started writing songs together, then I asked if he wanted to take up the offer and he agreed to rap in my song. There are loads of stuff that would occur from daily casual conversations and while having fun together outside.”