Yumi Hara's last album "YOU&ME", filled with smiling messages

Voice actress and artist Yumi Hara will release her third album "YOU&ME". This is her last album as an artist. She has already announced that she will take a break from her career, so this album will be a memorial one for both her and her fans.
The album contains 12 songs of rich variety, and is a fitting conclusion to her 5-year and 7-month career as an artist. New songs include a tie-up song with the TV anime "Ken Dynasty" and the live-action movie "Piece of Mad City.
The title track, "YOU&ME," is the culmination of all the songs on the album, with lyrics written by their close friend, Asami Imai. It is a bright song with a sense of the future.

I was thrilled when I announced my hiatus on Nico Live.

─ With the album "YOU&ME," you announced that you would be taking a break from your artistic activities. First of all, please tell us about your feelings that led you to this decision.

Hara: I had been thinking for over a year that this album would be my last. I had experienced many things as both a voice actor and an artist, and I wanted to further master my skills as a voice actor. There are many people who are able to do both, but I felt that maybe I wasn't suited for it. I have been active for 5 years and 7 months, and I think now is a good time for me to make a break.

─ You had a long time to think about it before deciding to take a break, didn't you?

HaraWe released our ninth single "If you..." in January of last year, and I consulted with the producer a little before that. So the time when I was thinking about it was before that. I had been wondering about the timing of the hiatus for about two years.

──What do you think of your five years and seven months as an artist?

HaraI think I have learned many things that I could not have experienced just by being a voice actor. I was able to go to many places in Japan for live performances and release events, which was a big part of it. I held a joint acoustic concert with Mami Imai in Okinawa, and sang on a stage built in the middle of the street in Midosuji, my hometown in Osaka. Then there are the encounters with people. Not only with fans, but also with ani-song artists on the radio and at festivals, and I think I was able to grow as a person through these experiences.

──You say that the experiences you had at various sites left a lasting impression on you.

Hara: Yes. I was able to take on various challenges in my own live performances. For example, I have been playing the guitar. At first I played the guitar, then the piano, drums, bass, and various other instruments.

─ So it sounds like you have challenged all the instruments in the band (laughs).

Hara That's right (laughs). (laughs) I think this was also a very rare experience. I was extremely nervous. Especially when it came to piano, I found a piano teacher and went to learn by myself. Because I had practiced so much, I felt pressure not to make any mistakes, and my hands were shaking during the performance. I think the audience could see it, and the whole venue was tense. But when I thought that everyone was watching over me, I gradually became more relaxed. I felt the whole venue was filled with love.

──Your last album was a wonderful present for your fans, wasn't it?

Hara: I am happy that I was able to release an album at the end of my career after saying from my own mouth that I was quitting. The first time I announced that I was going on hiatus was on Nico Live. I was nervous because I knew the reaction would be direct, but I am so glad that I was able to receive everyone's voice properly. For "YOU&ME," I wanted to express my gratitude and give everything I can as an artist right now.