Yui Makino's Latest Mini-Album "WILL" is a Message of "I Feel Better

Yui Makino injured her vocal cords during a live performance last July 2017. The way she sang that day, with her voice blurred but still singing stoutly, left a strong impression on all those who were there. Six months after that, she finally released her first album after devoting herself to medical treatment. It is a seven-song mini-album titled "WILL.
Featuring her own identity, "voice," the first track is an aggressive a capella song. The title "WILL" is said to express her thoughts of "strength to overcome difficulties, quiet energy overflowing from the inside, and a strong will.
We interviewed Yui Makino, who has changed her image with blonde hair and a new look.

I went blonde to "expose myself" (laughs).

─ ─ I was surprised by her sudden blonde hair.

Makino: It's like a late rebellion (laughs). The inspiration for this mini-album was the concept of "strength of will" and "exposing oneself. The staff suggested that I should lighten my hair color. Since we had just decided to shoot a photo book on the theme of "Bambi," we decided to go all out and make it gold.

─ ─ The photo book "Bambi" was also shot by photographer Ayumi Shikata, who took the jacket photo for the mini-album "WILL," wasn't it?

Makino: Yes. In the photo book, I even put Bambi's ears in my blond hair (laughs). (Laughs) I feel that my blonde hair has brightened my mood. I couldn't help but float around the voice-over scene, and my co-stars would sometimes ask me, "What's wrong? But I was relieved to hear many people say, "It's a nice color," or "It looks good on you.

─ ─ I feel that your hair color now is more subdued than in the jacket photo.

Makino: At the time of the photo shoot, I had beige ash in my hair, but now it has gray and pink in it, and it's at a level where it blends in with the world. As you can imagine, it was hard to go about my daily life with it like that, so I decided to let it settle down (laughs).

─ You mentioned that "strength of will" and "exposing yourself" were the concepts of this album.

Makino: One thing that can't be left out of the story is the incident last summer when I broke my throat during a live performance. I was forced to show my weak and uncool side, which I usually don't like to show to others.

─ The time I broke my throat was on the second day of the "Reset & Happiness" concert held on July 15 and 16 last year. We at Akiba Research Institute were at the event, and Makino-san looked like he was in a lot of pain on stage, so we thought something terrible was happening.

Makino: I am sorry, even though you came all the way here to see us (laughs).

─ ─ No, on the contrary, I was moved when Mr. Makino sang through to the end with the support of the band and staff and the cheers of the fans. That thought at that time was the beginning of "WILL," wasn't it?

Makino: Yes. After the concert, I was extremely depressed. Actually, I had planned to start preparing for the album after the concert, but I had to scrap that plan. When I made some progress with my throat treatment, I wanted to make something to tell my fans that I was feeling better. That is why I chose "WILL" as the title of this mini-album, which simply expresses the strength that comes from within, in the hope that people will know that I have regained the will to move forward again.

─ I think the title conveys that you are looking to the future.

Makino: First of all, I had to heal my throat before I could think about anything else, so I devoted myself to treatment for a time in order to stay alive. Thanks to the treatment, I am on the road to recovery, and I am now able to move forward with my feelings.

─ ─ "WILL" contains seven songs, three of which are new songs.

Makino: Three of the four existing songs have also evolved by recording new versions or adding remixes. Since this album was made right after the throat incident, I didn't want it to be a collection of songs. Only "Weekend Rendezvous" is included in its original form, but that is for the positive reason that I wanted to bring out the best of the original song.