Interview] Yuri Komagata makes her artist debut! Tomare no Susume" is filled with her current thoughts.

Voice actress Yuri Komagata, who has long had a reputation for her singing ability, sang the opening theme "SHINE! Kira Kira Kira Pretty Cure A La Mode" and became a hot topic of conversation.
She is now making her long-awaited solo debut. Her debut song is "Tomare no Susume," the opening theme for the TV anime "Treading Time. The lyrics are said to reflect not only the world of the work, but also her current state of mind as she begins her path as an artist.

I think I was able to sing "Tomare no Susume" because I am the person I am today.

─ ─ Congratulations on your solo debut. First of all, please tell us how you feel about it.

Komagata: Thank you very much. After I first heard that plans were underway for my debut, it took me a while before I was informed of the decision, so I was not so much overjoyed as "Yay! I was more relieved and gradually happy than overjoyed.

───This was your debut as the opening theme for the anime "Level Crossing Time. Did you participate in the song selection process?

Komagata: Yes. The staff gave me three candidate songs for the opening, and I actually sang them and decided on them. The first choice that the producer had in mind at the time and the first choice that I felt when I sang the song were the same, and the song was decided smoothly.

─ That was "Tomare no Susume"?

Komagata: Yes. It was the 1st choice of the producer and myself. When I first heard it, I thought the strings in the prelude were very beautiful. I like acoustic arrangements, so I thought I wanted to sing this song.

(Staff) I recorded a tentative song and sent it to the animation production committee, and they replied, "Great! I received a reply, "Great!" and we immediately decided on "Tomare no Susume".

Komagata: They are so kind (laughs). Everyone in the production committee is really friendly. They said, "Your song is really good. It's a divine song! I was genuinely happy to hear such praise directly from them at the event. It fits perfectly with the world of the anime, is a charming song, and I thought it was a good debut song.

─ What did you think of the lyrics of "Tomare no Susume"?

Komagata: The lyrics were written by Ryuji Sakai, and I thought they were amazing! I thought it was great. It starts out with the words, "In order to move on, you have to stop your footsteps. The lyrics are filled with the message that in order to move on, it is necessary to stop for a moment. I was also moved by the connection to the story of "Level Crossing Time," which is a drama about the time spent waiting for a railroad crossing to open.

─ ─ I felt that the lyrics of the first chorus, in particular, depicted an everyday scene and seemed to be in line with the work.

Komagata: Mr. Sakai told me that if I had any requests for the lyrics, I could tell him, and I asked him to make the lyrics closer to the heart, with someone facing someone else one-on-one. I think this led to lyrics that are easy to empathize with, singing about everyday scenes.

─ ─ In the second verse, the theme of moving on becomes clear, and it sounds like a statement of determination.

Komagata: I have been a voice actor for six years, and I have always wanted to work in singing, and I thought I had done my best. When I saw voice actors around me who were also active in singing, I sometimes wondered when my turn would come, but when I sang this song, I realized that the time I spent feeling frustrated like that was also necessary for me. I felt as if the lyrics affirmed my way of life, and I thought that I could sing "Tomare no Susume" only because I am the person I am today.

───The lyrics are in sync with your own feelings, aren't they?

Komagata: Yes. There is a part in the latter half of the song that begins with the lyric, "When I'm ready, I have to move forward. I have prepared for my debut through all the things I have done so far, and the staff has created a good environment for me, so all I have to do now is to move forward with all my strength. I sang this part of the song as if I was saying to myself, "If I move forward, the world will change.

─ The lyrics are like a send-off for Mr. Komagata, who is making his debut.

Komagata: I think about a lot of things before something starts, but I have experienced firsthand that a very simple trigger can completely change the world. I wanted to reflect that experience in the song.

─ How was the recording?

Komagata: The song has a fast tempo and high pitch, so it required a lot of concentration. I was entrusted with all the details and nuances of the song, so I was able to put my emotions into the song while thinking about how I sang this take and how I would do it next time. The staff was very kind, and no matter how I sang, they always said, "That's good," so I had to be hard on myself (laughs). (Laughs.) Since this is an important debut song, I recorded it with a passionate feeling of "I'm going to sing it harder and harder and get to the bottom of it.