I don't want to end with just two songs if it's such a fun live show" - Interview with Takehito Kajiwara, part 2, commemorating the release of his mini-album "Road Movie," which was released after his first Anisama performance.

Takehito Kajiwara will release his 2nd Mini Album "Road Movie" on September 28, 2022.

This album, which strongly reflects his own musicality, will be released in three forms: a regular edition, a music video edition, and a LIVE edition (first production limited edition).

In the second part of the interview, Mr. Kajiwara, who has a strong attachment to live performances, shares his own memories of the LIVE disc and his impressions of "Animelo Summer Live 2022 -Sparkle-," which he attended after the previous interview when "Color Meets Color" was released.

She also talked about her enthusiasm for her 2nd solo LIVE scheduled to be held after the release of this album.

⇒She also challenged herself to write lyrics and compose music! The album is like a road map of my life - Interview with Takehito Kajiwara on the occasion of the release of his mini-album "Road Movie" Part 1

The album includes acoustic versions of some of the songs, and the second solo live will be an acoustic live performance. Please tell us about your enthusiasm for the live performance.

Kajiwara Compared to the first live concert, the second live concert has more songs, including the ones I wrote, and I think I can present the direction I want to take to some extent to the audience. In that sense, I feel that it is becoming easier for me to perform. This will be my second one-man live concert at a time when fans are beginning to understand my colors through participating in live performances and listening to my albums and singles.

Live performance is something you do together with the audience, so it is very important to share the same space with them. Since we now have a common image of the groove and the direction of the music, I think it will be different from the last time and easier to perform.

As I felt when I participated in "Animelo Summer Live 2022 -Sparkle-," people enjoy live performances in different ways, but what I expect is a synergy between me and the audience. I want the audience to be excited as well as I am.

Do you have anything you would like the audience to do?　I think it would be fun to find out together with you as we go through more and more live performances. ......

Kajiwara: Yes, that's right. I am sure that we can share the same image more than last time, but this is only the second live performance, so I hope that we can gradually find out what we can do.

Kajiwara Could you tell us about your own memories of acoustic live performances?

Kajiwara: In a band, we often perform an acoustic version of a song using only an acoustic guitar during a live performance. It adds an accent to the show, and since most of the shows I go to are standing-room-only, I like to take a breather during acoustic performances. Above all, acoustic music changes the color of the song, makes it easier to hear the vocals, and allows each instrument to stand out and be heard in detail. This is one of the points that I like about acoustic music, because it is different from a band.

T : This mini-album comes in three forms: a regular edition, a music video edition, and a LIVE edition. Since the acoustic guitar version is included in the LIVE version, I would like to ask you about your own memories of the live version. Do you usually listen to live recordings often?

Kajiwara: Whenever there is a new version of a song, I tend to buy the one with the video. I tend to choose the ones with gorgeous extras (laughs). (Laughs.) The reason is that I simply want to see the video rather than the gorgeous packaging. There are often videos that have not been released to the public. I like to hear songs that I usually hear on CDs played with different arrangements at live concerts.

That is why at the last live concert, I tried to change the arrangement and structure of the same song, and I started from the chorus. I like artists who do live performances, so I tend to do the same thing.

I think I tend to do that, too.

Kajiwara That's right.

By the way, how do you like the live CDs?

Kajiwara I often listen to them. I often listen to Official Bearded Man-dism. I also listen to Mr. Children's studio live CDs a lot. I often listen to studio live CDs. I enjoy live performances with video, but when I am driving, I prefer to listen to live CDs.

I can sing along in unison with everyone on the live CDs of Mr. Children.

Kajiwara I understand. I often imitate the way they sing the live version.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about us in the next interview. This time, I would like to ask you about your impressions and memories of Anisama. Before "Anisama 2022," you appeared in a special program with Kis-My-Ft2's Toshiya Miyata as the MC.

Kajiwara: To be honest, at first I was afraid of appearing at "Animelo Summer Live 2022 -Sparkle-". The reason was that it was an unknown stage. There would be many people in the audience who didn't know me, and many of the performers I had never met before, so I couldn't imagine what the atmosphere would be like. Right up to the moment I stepped on stage, I was thinking "What should I do?" and "What if I am overwhelmed by this atmosphere?

When I got on stage, I was overwhelmed by the tremendous number of people in the audience. But the moment we started singing our first song, "A Walk," the color of the venue turned red and ....... The audience was completely excited as if they were at home....

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Kajiwara: I didn't know it felt like home!

Kajiwara I felt it. I thought it was very warm, and I didn't want to end after just two songs if it was such an enjoyable live.

Tatsuya: In our previous interview, you said that you had already been in the audience of Saitama Super Arena at your favorite Mithil concert, so you could imagine what the view from the stage would be like.

Kajiwara When I was in the audience, I thought it was very far from the stage, but it was surprisingly close from the stage.

Kajiwara Many artists say they can see quite well from the stage.

Kajiwara That's right. You could see all the way to the edge of the stage. I was able to see pretty far, so I felt like I was able to focus on my fans. I would definitely like to do it again. I'm getting addicted to it (laughs).

Tatsuya: Lastly, I'd like to say a few words. Are there any ideas for the next songwriting project or things you would like to do in the future that came to your mind while working on this album?

Kajiwara What I felt while making music is that I know best what I want to do. That is why I thought that the easiest path for me would be to create the songs myself. Of course, there are some things that I can't produce on my own, so I have to incorporate what other people have created, but basically, I thought that what I create is important, and that's what I want to do.

Taken together, it seems that the number of songs you write and compose will naturally increase in the future.

Kajiwara: I will do my best to make that happen!

(Reporting and writing by Shinobu Tanaka; Photography by Shohei Kanazawa)

Product Information

2nd mini-album "Road Movie" / Takehito Kajiwara

Release date: September 28, 2022 (Wednesday)

◆Manufacturer: Avex Pictures, Inc.

◆LIVE disc (Limited First Edition)

Mini album + Blu-ray 7,460 yen (tax included)

CD]

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