Aki Toyosaki releases her first best album, a compilation of her solo works. It is one that brings me back to myself.

In October 2009, Aio Toyosaki released her first single "love your life" and began her career as a solo artist. About eight years later, her first best album was released. It is called "love your Best" and contains 15 songs selected by Toyosaki herself and one new song. In addition, an analog version of the album will be released with a different song structure than the CD. We asked her to talk about the contents of the best album and her thoughts on her solo works!

I was able to release my best album in the year that marked a milestone in my life!

─ ─ It has been about eight years since your solo debut. This is your first best album.

ToyosakiI never thought I would be able to release my best album, so I was very happy when I heard about it. I realized that I had been singing for such a long time. I finally started to realize how long I have been singing recently.

─ ─ Why did you decide to release the album at this time?

Toyosaki: I don't know why (laughs). I realize that I have released three albums and 15 singles, and perhaps it is the fact that I have more songs. It has been exactly 10 years since I started my current work, and I myself have turned 30. My solo works started because the timing of the "love your life" CD could be released on my birthday, so I think it is meaningful to be able to release my best album in a year that marks a milestone in my life.

─ Wasn't it difficult to choose the songs to be included from among so many?

TOYOSAKI: We crammed in as many songs as we could until we had just enough time to record the CD, and then we chose 15 songs. At first, there was a proposal to make a 2-disc set. But I wanted to put them all on one disc. The staff and I discussed the song selection with everyone, and I chose the songs myself. I was equally attached to all the songs I had sung so far, regardless of whether they were singles, couplings, or album songs, so I had the luxury of wanting to include this song and that song as well.

I had the luxury of wanting to include this song or that song.

Toyosaki: I didn't want it to be a singles collection. I wanted to include songs from albums and couplings so that the audience could get a sense of the range of songs we have sung.

───What were you particular about the order of the songs?

TOYOSAKI: After I had a very hard time choosing the songs, the next obstacle was the song order (laughs). (Laughs) In making a best-of album that would serve as my name card, I was conscious of the order of the songs that would explain who I am. Of course, you can shuffle the songs and listen to them in any order, but my suggestion was that you should listen to them in this order.

─ ─ For example, the first song, "One Thousand Year Walking Around," is not a single song, so there must have been a reason why you started with this song.

Toyosaki: "Ichinennen no Strolling" was written by Yuko Ando, and it is the last song on our third album "all time lovin'," but it was also the last song in the order of recording for the album. I felt that by singing this song, I could give it my all and take the next step forward with a clean slate, and since it was the last song of the encore during the 3rd concert tour, it has a strong image of a closing song for fans, but at the same time, it also has the impression of "Here we go again. I thought it would also give the impression of "Here we go again," so I put it at the beginning of the tour.

─ So it is both the closing song for the past and the beginning of the future.

Toyosaki That's right. I thought the gentle, soft tune and the lyrics about being able to take a step forward because of the bouquet of flowers we have collected so far were both appropriate for the first song.

─ I think that this kind of gentle and soft song is one of Ms. Toyosaki's greatest charms. In that sense, too, I think it is an appropriate song for the top of a best-of album.

TOYOSAKI: There are many gentle songs in my solo works. Sometimes I wanted to express my negative emotions in the songs I wrote, but no matter what type of song it was, I wanted it to resonate warmly with the listeners from the very beginning. I think this best-of album has a wide range of songs, but the overall impression is gentle. I like the color green, which is the color of nature and healing. I think we will be able to deliver to you a piece of music that is filled with such healing.