RiESiNFONiA", the second album filled with Rieshon's thoughts and inspirations, is truly a miracle! Interview with Rie Murakawa on the occasion of the release

Popular voice actress Rie Murakawa will release her second album "RiESiNFONiA" on February 28, a year and a month after her last album. This album contains 12 songs in total, including singles such as "Tiny Tiny," "Aqua Fantasy," and "Night terror," the popular song "Requiem -Requiem-," which is already well-known at her live performances, and a lot of her best new songs. This is a disc where you can enjoy the "RiEMUSiC" that Mr. Murakawa advocates to the fullest extent.

We asked Mr. Murakawa to tell us about the secret story behind the production of this album and his thoughts on it.

───This is your second album after a year's absence, but first of all, could you tell us about the concept of this album?

Murakawa: Actually, there is no particular concept for ......, it just came about as we were writing the songs. There is no concept, and the title has no meaning, and since it is ......, it has no deep meaning whatsoever. I also decided on the name of this album, but it was really just an inspired decision, so it still doesn't have any particular meaning (laughs).

─ ─ Yes (laughs)! It starts with a colorful image, like a continuation of the previous album, then quickly takes on a dramatic worldview, and ends with a refreshing conclusion. I was impressed by how narrative it is, and how this is "RiEMUSiC" (laughs).

Murakawa: Mm-hmm (laughs). I'm sorry, but there is no particular storyline. It's like we got lucky as a result. I have not decided exactly what "RiEMUSiC" is, either. It is more like "what I made and sang is RiEMUSiC.

─ How were the songs for the album decided?

Murakawa: There was what is commonly referred to as a "Riesshon audition," but there were surprisingly few audition songs for this album, and many of them were songs that the director asked me to write, stock songs, or songs that I told him to write with this image in mind. I think most of the songs were written by the director, or stock songs, or songs that I told him to write with this image. So I feel that the songs were almost complete from the beginning. Then there are songs like "Requiem," which we have been singing live for a long time.

I am always sensual!

─ ─ I would like to ask about the contents of the album one song at a time. The first song, "Graceful," has an impressive violin sound.

Murakawa: I think the violin sound was included from the demo stage, but I made it stand out even more. It was a while ago, so I am not sure if my memory is correct.

───That means the production period was quite long, wasn't it?

Murakawa: Yes, it was. The previous work also took quite a long time to make, but I think this one took just a little longer.

─ ─ "Light Blue Fantasy" is a pop song with a sparkling image.

Murakawa: This song was the third single that came out as a double A-side. It is quite a cute song both in terms of sound and lyrical content.

─ ─ After the opening lineup of cute songs, the cool-looking "Re:Emotion" comes in as the third song. Do you feel that the title is a reference to "Riiki"?

Murakawa: Probably so, but I didn't say anything in particular, and Hiroaki Suzuki, who wrote the lyrics and composed the music, came up with the title as well. Mr. Suzuki is a person with a strong love for artists, and he loves each artist beyond his works, so he listens to me on the radio.

─ So he also listens to the radio!

Murakawa: Going back a long way, I was asked to write the theme song for a radio show (that I was on), and Mr. Suzuki wrote the lyrics by applying elements of the radio show to the song. I am not sure if it was an extension of that, but he still listens to the radio. I think he wrote the lyrics from the perspective of the image of Murakawa that Mr. Suzuki had in mind, or from a deformed or more objective point of view.

─ ─ Overall, the songs and vocals have a cool image, but there are also cute singing styles in some parts, and I think the songs are very enjoyable to listen to. I get the impression that there are a lot of cool songs on this album. How did you think about changing the way you sing?

Murakawa: I always sing from inspiration, so I just sing according to the song, and I don't really think about "how to sing". So I don't have a particular "way" of singing. I just sing along with the song, and that's how it goes.

─ So there were no instructions from the director?

Murakawa: No, nothing like that. To a certain extent, I was left to my own devices, but I didn't have to re-sing the song that much, and it was recorded after two or three times, so I think the staff probably respected my inspiration. I think the staff probably respects my inspirations. They have also told me that it is okay because I have recorded good songs, so I think I am singing songs that fit the worldview.

The quality of this time is "Tanakara Bohtamochi"!

─ ─ "Night terror" is a single song that was released without a tie-up, which must have given you confidence as an artist?

Murakawa: First of all, the fact that it was a non-tie-up song gave me a lot of freedom. With tie-up songs, there are inevitably restrictions that prevent me from fully reflecting my own opinions, and I have to leave some things to others.

─ The next song, "Requiem," has been performed live since last year, so it has been in the works for quite some time, hasn't it?

Murakawa: That's right. It is a song that was first performed at our first live concert.

─ You mentioned earlier about the length of the production period, and this album can be said to be the trajectory of a year's worth of activities.

Murakawa: I feel that the foundation for "Requiem" had already been laid since we had already performed it at our live performances. People have been waiting for this song for a long time, so I think they will be pleased with it.

─ "Glass Door" is a gothic rock song, isn't it?

Murakawa: The director brought this song to me, and it was almost finished from the demo stage, so it had a high degree of perfection. I made some requests on top of that, and I was impressed once again by (composer) Tsuyoshi Sakabe.

─ The jacket photo this time was taken at a church, but was it not inspired by this song?

Murakawa: Not really. It was more of a coincidence (laughs). It was just a coincidence (laughs). The song was created independently as a song, and the jacket was created by everyone on the team. There were a lot of coincidences this time, and there were a lot of situations where we were lucky enough to get a chance to open the cover (laughs). Even the title "RiESiNFONiA" was inspired, but when I opened the jacket, I found myself thinking, "Hey, doesn't that match the content? It matches the content, doesn't it? I thought, "Well, it fits with the content. People would say things like, "The title is appropriate for the content," or "The structure has a wonderful flow," but it was all like "a piece of cake from the shelf.

─ ─ Wahahaha (laughs). (laughs) It is a miracle that your inspiration came to you.

Murakawa: Maybe I am amazing. I wonder if I am artistic. I hope so (laughs).

─ ─ How did you decide on the composition and the order of the songs?

Murakawa: I decided the order of the songs. I decided on the order of the songs by inspiration, without any intention. ......I wonder if I am artistic. ...... I can't help but think so. ...... (laughs).