An interview with May'n, commemorating the release of her single "Orange" on November 24!

Artist May'n has been working energetically since moving to the Digital Double label in March 2021.

On November 24, 2021 (Wednesday), May'n will release "Orange," her first single since moving to the new label.

This work is based on the TV animation "Puraore! ~PRIDE OF ORANGE~ ending theme "Orange" and "Shikizakura" ending theme of TV anime "Shikizakura" are included in this double tie-up single.

On November 23, May'n will appear in the Kobe performance of "SANKYO presents Macross F Galaxy Live 2021 [Revenge]", and from December she will play the heroine Yuria in the musical "Fist of North Star - Fist of the North Star" (co-starring Ayaka Hirahara). We were able to talk to May'n, who is extremely busy at the moment, about various topics centering on her new single "Orange.

─ Since moving to a new label, you have been working on the album "momentbook" and the single "Orange. How do you feel about the changes in the environment and the response you are getting now?

May'n The biggest change was that the producer of the Digital Double label told me that I should push May'n more and more as myself. I thought I had been showing my life-size self in my past albums and live performances, but when he said that, I realized that I did not have many opportunities to show that side of myself in my singles. So, after moving to a new label, I began to think that it would be great if I could incorporate more of my personal side into the songs I produce. For this single, I wrote the lyrics and composed the music myself, and I think that it shows a side of May'n that fans usually call "Boss" (May'n's nickname).

May'n──You wrote the lyrics and music for "Orange", didn't you?

May'n I had written lyrics and music for my own albums before, but this was the first time for me to do it for a tie-up song. I have had a strong desire to use my creative side in anime tie-up songs for several years. So it was a big change and a challenge for me to be asked to write both lyrics and music for the tie-up song. It was a big change and a challenge for me to be asked to write both lyrics and music for the tie-in song. I felt like I was deeply involved in the anime team.

May'n: When you were writing the lyrics and music, were there any parts of the work that inspired you?

May'n I didn't have a specific song in mind, so I read the materials, script, and script that I received, and I wanted it to be a coming-of-age song about junior high school students who are devoted to ice hockey. I also wanted to depict the bonds of team play that are unique to group sports, and that cannot be achieved by a single person.

──What did you think when you saw "Orange" with the anime footage?

May'n Depending on the episode, the images may be tailored to other characters, but when I was writing the song, the image I had in mind most was that of (one of the characters in "Puraore! ) was Yuu Kiyose (one of the characters in "Puraore!"). Yuu was a star athlete who worked hard on her own, but at some point she realized the importance of team play. When I saw the video with Yuu's cut and the song together, I was happy that we were able to link them properly.

─ Riho Masuda, who played Aika Mizusawa, and Yoshinoh Aoyama, who played Mami Ono, also said they were even more moved by "Orange" during their farewell scene.

May'n The music video using "Orange" that was produced before the broadcast depicted their parting scene. I was also happy that the song reflected Mami's feelings. The song depicts the importance of the fact that we can't do it without everyone, so I think it is also applicable to Mami and the other characters, and it also goes along with the overall theme of "Puraore! I feel that I was able to create a song that also goes along with the overall theme of "PLAORE!

─ ─ "Orange" was arranged and sound-produced by Ryosuke Imai.

May'n Mr. Imai has been someone I have admired since I was in junior high school. This song is about "Puraore! I was very happy to be able to write such a song with someone I have admired since I was in junior high school. Mr. Imai and I worked together in the studio, brushing up on the demo I had created. When I was wondering what to do with the melody, Mr. Imai would help me out. I would start worrying about what to do with the melody, and Mr. Imai would come up with more and more melodies. I am the type of person who has a hard time coming up with melodies when I start worrying, so I thought that Imai-san was really great as a melody maker, and he was a great inspiration to me.

─ How was the recording of "Orange" for you as a singer?

May'n Imai-san was like, "It's wonderful! He is the kind of person who praises and raises the tension (laughs). (Laughs.) I don't feel that he gave me detailed direction, but rather, I wrote the lyrics and music for the song, so I have the impression that he directed the song while listening to what I myself wanted it to be like.

──Do you have any particular points in your own singing that left an impression on me or that you were particular about?

May 'n Until now, I think May'n had a strong image of singing aggressively in intense rock numbers. Even in medium or ballad songs, he would sing of despair. I think that intensity was a part of May'n's character. But this time, it is a coming-of-age song for teenage girls, so I was conscious of singing in a life-size way, and Ms. Imai also talked about that a lot. In a sense, it was difficult not to sing in a too strong style and not to show too much of the technique that I had accumulated. I think our efforts were worth it, and we were able to record a natural take.

───"Orange" is the ending theme song for the TV anime "Puraore! ～What did you think when you saw the TV anime "PRIDE OF ORANGE" in which "Orange" is the ending theme song?

May'n I think it is a very interesting work and I hope it will be exciting!　Since it is an original work, I think everyone starts from a place where they know nothing, but I think the highlight of the work is that it shows the girls growing up. Also, watching the work, I became very interested in ice hockey. I think that people who like sports and sports anime, as well as people who like to watch cute girls grow up, will both enjoy this work. As a fan myself, I am very excited about it.

─ ─ At the live event "Anipachi - Anime Carnival-," May'n, Konomi Suzuki, and SMILE PRINCESS performed together as the "Puraore! It was like we were a team. Do you have any memories or episodes from the event?

May'n It was the first time for SMILE PRINCESS members to perform on stage, and I think it was very difficult for them to perform their songs for the first time. I guess I am just a fan, but this must have been the beginning of the history of "Puraore! I was very happy to be able to witness the history of "PLAORE! The first song we performed on stage, "Hare, chi doremingu! was played in the first episode, and I was sure that the song would become even more exciting. I'm sure the song and the excitement will change along with the anime, so I'm looking forward to working with you again.

You and Yoshinoh Aoyama of SMILE PRINCESS are good friends, having released a CD under the name "Wake Up, May'n! It was a little bit strange to see Mr. Aoyama, who had been a bit reserved, but when he was approached by May'n, he became his usual self.

May'n Yoppi (Ms. Aoyama's nickname) has always been a strong and solid girl since her Wake Up, Girls! I was a little surprised when I saw her in SMILE PRINCESS. It was fun to see Yoppi acting like an older sister (laughs).

─ Going back to the single, the coupling song "Shikizakura" is the ending theme song for the TV anime "Shikizakura. I would like to ask you about your participation in the work from Nagoya (Tokai area) as well.

May'n "Shiki Zakura" is a work that is very particular about being from Nagoya (Tokai area), so the cast is from Nagoya and the recording is done in Nagoya. Entertainment is usually from Tokyo, but in Nagoya, where love for one's hometown is strong, we want to deliver our products from our hometown!　That is why we launched this project. As a Nagoyaite, I am very happy to be able to participate in such a big project.

─ ─ Please tell us about the concept of the song "Shikizakura".

May'n "Shikizakura" is a robot anime, so there are many scenes that are worth watching, but this time, as the ending theme, I wanted to depict the characters' daily lives and changes in their feelings. I think the song is a coming-of-age song that shows the struggles of ordinary boys and girls.

─ The lyrics, music, and arrangement of "Shikizakura" were written by Kujira, a Vocaloid P artist.

May'n I personally pay attention to up-and-coming Vocaloid Ps, and I thought Kujira-san was a person who sings about life-size feelings. This time, the theme was to sing about the life-size feelings of boys and girls, so I asked him if he would like to work with me, and he agreed. I think that when you are a student, there is a strong feeling of wanting things to stay the same, of not wanting to be apart, and of wanting to be together forever. When graduation comes to an end, there is a strong feeling of confirming that we want to be together because we know that we will not be together forever. That is why I had the song "Shikizakura" written with such feelings in mind, and I also put those feelings into the song.

─ How was the recording of "Shikizakura"?

May'n Of all the songs on this single, "Shikizakura" was probably the most difficult to record. Since the number of notes is simple, I tried to sing it with gentleness and as if I was talking to the person next to me.

─ ─ The circumstances surrounding music and live performances have changed with the Corona Disaster.

May'n I used to think about live performances a lot. I used to think about how to make a live performance exciting, and how I could make sure that everyone would sing along with me. Of course, I still value that part of the music, but now I really think about how people can enjoy the music at home. I think it is necessary to sing in a way that is in tune with everyday life, and I am thinking about how to sing in a way that is appropriate for home time, and "Shikizakura" is a strong reflection of that.

─ In that sense, the third song, "B.H.U.," makes me want to shout out a lot.

May'n If we can all speak up, we can say "BUCHO Hands Up! I want to shout "BUCHO Hands Up!" as loudly as I can, but at the same time, I also feel that if I can't raise my voice, I have no choice but to jump up and down with my hands in the air. When I was thinking about "If you can't raise your voice, you have to raise your hands and jump ......," I thought, "Isn't this the same as "If you can't cry, then you must be a hot-tailed cuckoo"?　I thought to myself. Nagoya is a place associated with three great warlords, Nobunaga Oda, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, and Ieyasu Tokugawa. That's how the image of the lyrics kept expanding.

─ Did you have the concept of a Nagoya song from the beginning?

May'n When I depicted my youth in "Orange," the first thing that came to mind was Nagoya, where I spent my youth. Then, with "Shikizakura," the Nagoya mode was heightened, and I felt that my youth and Nagoya had come together, so I wanted to keep the momentum going and write another Nagoya song that was right in the middle of it.

─ ─ "B.H.U." is also a very fun play on words in the rap style.

May'n I like to search for strange words. For example, in the lyrics of this song, "tebasaki kisabaki" and "BUCHO!!!! Hands Up! Put Your Hands Up" sounds like "Hands Up! I was able to put these words that I had been taking notes on from time to time into this song. I think I was able to use my private excitement in the songwriting process.

May'n TeddyLoid wrote and arranged the music.

May'n TeddyLoid is an artist I have always admired and loved. I wanted to play around with the lyrics, but I thought that if the music was also pop, it would just be a fun song. So I wanted the music to be really cool, and I wanted to make it so that if a foreigner who didn't understand the lyrics heard it, he or she would think it was really cool. So I asked TeddyLoid, who is capable of making intense and cool dance music, to write the song. I was a bit hesitant about asking him to write such a goofy song (with lyrics) when we first met, but he is the same age as me, and he had a lot of fun working on it.

I think this is a song that I would love to sing live and that my fans would love to experience.

May'n Everyone praised me and said, "Boss! Director! It's a great sight to see everyone praising me and saying, "Boss! I think that this song has the power to encourage people who are not yet familiar with the name "Boss" to join the "Rai Club" (May'n's live performances).

─ ─ Let's talk about May'n's recent and future activities. I heard that you started rehearsals for the musical "Fist of North Star - Fist of the North Star" shortly before this interview.

May'n I've been trying my hand at musicals since 2018, and I was recently in a production of "Jack the Ripper". I started rehearsals for "Fist of the North Star - Fist of the North Star" the day after the performance of "Jack the Ripper" ended. I thought musicals would be a new challenge for me, but thankfully the connections I have received have continued to lead me to perform in a third production. I am very grateful.

─ ─ How do you feel about "Fist of the North Star"?

May 'n It is a wonderful work with fans all over the world, and I think Yuria is a very popular character, so I am keenly aware of the difficulty of playing Yuria as May'n, while not destroying the image of Yuria that everyone has in their minds. I am feeling a lot of pressure, but I will keep working hard in the rehearsals.

─ ─ From the former prostitute Gloria in "Jack the Ripper" to Yuria in "Fist of the North Star - Fist of the North Star. What is it like to play a completely different life in a short span of time on stage?

May'n The role I played in "Ikiru," my first attempt at a musical, was rather close to myself. So when I was unsure of how to play the role, I tried to think about how May'n (myself) would think and say while performing. But the role of Gloria in "Jack the Ripper" had a historical background, and I was looking for a woman who would stand up to the men and keep a low profile, a woman who would be the complete opposite of me.

Yuria in "Fist of North Star" is also a role that requires a lot of work, so I couldn't play it the way May'n would have played it. But that is what acting is supposed to be about. But I think that's what acting is all about, so I think this will be a challenge that will allow me to feel the meaning of continuing to perform.

─ ─ On November 23, 2021, Sheryl Nome's birthday, the Kobe performance of "SANKYO presents Macross F Galaxy Live 2021 [Revenge]" was held at World Memorial Hall. What kind of existence does "Macross F" and Sheryl Nome have from the perspective of today's May'n?

May'n "Macross" is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and I feel that it is a work that we have always been connected to. The current theatrical version ("Macross F the Movie: Labyrinth of Time" / "Macross Delta the Movie: Absolute LIVE!!!!!!") I can't say too many spoilers about ...... (laugh), but I feel a great connection. Even if "Macross F" comes to an end in the future, I think that the works that were created "because of F" will continue. I still feel that kind of history and the joy of being a part of it. I feel that Cheryl is my own starting point, and at the same time, even after 13 years or so, I still feel that I am able to walk with her.

So, this time I recorded as Cheryl for the first time in a long time, but it was not so much a long time, but more like I brought out more strongly the Cheryl that has stayed in my body. I would like to continue to walk with Cheryl for a long time to come.

I always sing Cheryl's songs in my live performances, and the scenery and memories that May'n sees when I sing her songs are also becoming more and more embedded in me. That's why songs like "Diamond Crevasse" and "Sagittarius: 9 PM Don't be Late" started out as 100% Cheryl songs, but then I added my memories of May'n's live performances to them. That's the past 10 years. I would like to continue to sing with Cheryl's feelings in mind.

─ ─ The era of the Corona disaster lasted for a long time, but finally there are more bright topics around live performances.

May'n There are more and more gigs that we can do with a paying audience, and I have the feeling that our daily life has finally returned. However, it is still difficult for us to speak out with all our might, and as artists, we are conscious of how we can satisfy the audience and make them feel the same way as before.
However, no matter how things change in the future, I feel that I have found the online presence to be very significant. I think it's really great that people who can't get to places other than where they live or are busy with work can see live performances online, so I will definitely continue my online efforts.
I believe that nothing can beat a live space, but I think that online has the advantage of allowing people to watch live performances as many times as they want without missing any of the expressions. So I think the possibilities for live performances, including online performances, have expanded.

─ ─ Finally, do you have a message for your fans?

May'n I am pleased to present to you the single "Orange," and I think that it is a work that I have been able to treasure for my career and experience. I hope that you will receive this single, which is filled with my honest feelings and natural May'n, and that you will look forward to my continued live performances in the future.

(Interview and text by Kiri Nakazato)

CD Information

Orange / May'n

Release date: November 24, 2021 (Wednesday)

Price: [CD+BD] 2,640 yen (including tax), [CD] 1,540 yen (including tax)

Publisher: Digital Double

Distributed by: avex pictures

＜Songs on the CD

M1: Orange

Words and music by May'n Arranged by Ryosuke Imai Sound produced by Ryosuke Imai

Tie-up: TV animation "Puraore! ~PRIDE OF ORANGE~ ending theme song

M2: Shikizakura