Interview with Mochimi Nishida, "Girls are Dejlig" Self-discovery in the making of her solo debut mini-album

Voice actress Mochimi Nishida, known for her role as Makina Nakajima of Valkyrie, the music unit of "Macross Delta," has released her debut mini-album as a solo artist. How did she take on the challenge of creating a new field of expression through music as a solo artist? This mini-album contains the intense collaboration with the participating creators and her own feelings. We interviewed her about her heart to her solo debut.

Her debut mini-album was the result of her search for a way of singing that is unique to her as an actor

─ How did you feel when you heard about your debut as an artist?

Mochimi Nishida: I was genuinely surprised. I had never thought that I would be singing as a solo artist, so the first thing that came to my mind was "no way. I love expressing myself as a voice actor, and as an artist, I was hoping to express something through singing, so I said, "I would be very happy to do so.

─ With all the Valkyries making their debut as solo artists, did you have a feeling that you would be next?

Nishida: I didn't have that feeling. Whenever a member made his or her debut, I would look at it with a sense of "congratulations," so I didn't think that I would be the next to make my debut. I had only studied acting, so it is no exaggeration to say that I learned to sing in Valkyrie.

─ ─ What was the major lesson you learned from your activities in Valkyrie?

Nishida: I feel that singing and expressing myself in the process of singing was a big lesson for me. Up until now, I have only wanted to sing well or to get excited by the sound, but during the recording of "Absolute Zero θ Novatik," I felt that I was not putting enough emotion into my singing compared to the other members. After that, I started to reevaluate my singing style. I think I realized this only because I was in Valkyrie. Since I am an actor, I thought that there must be a way to sing in my own way. When I thought about what that might be, I realized that I could express myself in my singing, and I sang the song with the hope of expressing those feelings.

─ ─ Now, please tell us about the production process of your debut mini-album "Girls are Dejlig".

Nishida: Since this was our debut mini-album, we started by discussing what kind of songs we liked and what kind of songs we wanted to sing. As we came up with ideas, I wondered if I could express my favorite stories and those with a story in one CD, so we decided to include readings. I really like Grimm's Fairy Tales and Andersen, and I even studied abroad in Denmark when I was in high school because of that. The word "Dejlig" in the title of the mini-album also means "cute," "nice," or "nice" in Danish, like the English word "nice.

─ ─ The album is composed not only of music, but also a monologue that is related to the content in the track that precedes it. Did you create the music based on the motif of the monologue?

Nishida: We started by creating the music. Then, during the recording of the fourth song, Ameko Kodama wrote the story, and after all the songs were recorded, we recorded the monologue.

Nishida─As a voice actor, the storytelling part must be a challenging part to express, how was it?

Nishida: Yes. I genuinely enjoyed it. I tried to imagine how to express myself in the absence of a clear character, and the play became more like a dialogue with myself rather than a dialogue with someone else. At first, it was darker than the recorded take, but after talking with the director and Kodama, I feel that the current narrative was created. In that sense, I feel that we all worked together to create this piece.

─ ─ Mr. Kodama is not only a narrator, but he also wrote the lyrics for "Lonely Lonely Singularity" and "Imaginary Guardian God Kimekitoia" and co-wrote the lyrics for "Madoromi wa Dejlig" with Mr. Nishida, so he seems to be a central figure in this work. What kind of person are you?

Nishida: I was first introduced to him by the director when I was working on "Lonely Lonely Singularity. I saw the lyrics I received and thought they were wonderful. When he came to see me for the recording, he was very friendly and we had a casual chat as if we were friends. I gave him a rough idea of the overall flow of the reading, and he gave me exactly what I was expecting, which was very impressive.

─ What was the first song you recorded when you were working on the music?

Nishida: "Let's go full throttle! It was "Full Throttle! At the first meeting for the mini-album production, I told Shiggy Jr. that I wanted to sing a song like his favorite song, and I was really surprised when I was contacted by Shiggy Jr. I was really surprised (laughs).

(Laughs) ─ What kind of requests did you have for the music?

Nishida: I told him that I wanted a song that would cheer everyone up, and he gave me exactly what I ordered, a bright song that was filled with the world of Shiggy Jr. that I love so much. I was filled with a sense of excitement and thrill, as if I had heard a song that had never been released to the public.


(Laughs) ─ While it is a pleasure to work with people you love and respect, it is also necessary to express your own personality in your activities as an artist.

Nishida: Of course, I had my own image in mind for the song, but since I was being directed by someone I admire, I thought I would follow his path, so I didn't make too many decisions on my own. I was very nervous at first, but he gave me plenty of time to carefully and deliberately work on the recording. Mr. Harada was also very encouraging, saying, "Just have fun singing. This song is a cheerful song that says, "Even if you're going through a tough time, let's work hard toward tomorrow," and I realized once again that fun is the foundation of singing.

─ What about yourself, Nishida?

Nishida: Actually, I am not that cheerful (laughs). (laugh) I have a friend who is very positive, and when I am not sure what to do, I ask her, "What should I do? I would ask her for advice, and she would give me positive advice that I would never have thought of myself, so I was reminded of that in the song.

─ ─ Every part of the lyrics is positive. What particularly resonated with you, Nishida-san?

Nishida: I have loved the line "Let's be serious to the point of burning" since the first time I heard it. The coolness of not just burning, but being so serious that you get burned, really stuck in my mind.

─ How did you feel when you finished recording this song and took your first step as a solo artist?

Nishida: "I'm done singing! That was my feeling. I was nervous about how I should sing the song, but I was also relieved when I finished it. I am very grateful for the direction you gave me so that I could start my first step cheerfully.