Kotone: Now that I'm 19, it's meaningful for me to sing Masashi Sada's song.

■ Profile

Born in Nagaoka City, Niigata Prefecture on January 7, 2002, this 19-year-old singer-songwriter is currently a singer-songwriter.
On March 6, 2019, they made their major debut with the EP "Tomorrow."
On January 13, 2021, he released a cover of Masashi Sada's famous song "Poem of the Defender."
Due to the current situation in Japan caused by the spread of COVID-3, the dates for his third nationwide tour, "3rd note TOUR 2020 -Kyousoka-," are currently being rescheduled.

Singer Kotone says, "I'm happy when my singing makes someone smile." Her latest project is a cover of Masashi Sada's classic "Poem of the Defender." She shares her true feelings about music as a 19-year-old, and the meaning behind sharing this song with the younger generation. We explored her true feelings about music as she takes the music scene by storm.

I spoke to everyone I made eye contact with.

I'm also a student. I graduated from high school in Niigata and am now attending a music vocational school. All of my friends at school have a strong desire to enter the music industry, and they're ambitious and highly motivated. I feel like I can't lose to them, but in a good way, they inspire me as rivals. I may have the most friends out of all the students at the vocational school. This is the first time I've ever experienced such an environment.

That's because when I first enrolled, I worked really hard (laughs). I thought, "Maybe we'll work together in the music industry in the future!" and started talking to everyone I saw, becoming friends with them. I was quite shy as a child and had almost no friends...! If our current relationship continues, I think we'll become friends who will keep in touch for a long time to come.

■"If you have a dream, speak it out and it will come true"

I grew up with parents who loved music, with my mother having experience playing classical piano and my father having been a street musician. There was always music playing in the house, so my younger brother would dance along to the music, and before I knew it, I was singing along as well. When I entered a local singing competition, I won a travel voucher as a prize. We were able to go on a family trip, but what made me happier than the trip itself was seeing my family happy. I thought it was great to make someone smile because of something I accomplished through singing. I began to think that this was what made me happy.

My parents often told me, "If you have a dream, say it out loud, because it will come true." So I kept telling people around me, "I'm going to be a singer," and my own feelings gradually grew stronger. The power of words is amazing, isn't it?

■Singing can connect you with many people

A small child who heard me sing drew a portrait of me and gave it to me. When I experience the warmth of people firsthand, I feel glad that I became a singer.
Sometimes people write to me and tell me about their situation. People who are worried because the atmosphere in their family has become bad, people whose lovers have been in an accident and lost their memories, people whose relatives have become seriously ill... People like that write to me and say that listening to my songs has softened their hearts.

The other day, I received a comment from a fan who said, "I'm getting married to another fan I met at a live concert!" It makes me happy to think that by sharing the music I want to convey, I might be changing someone's life in even the slightest way for the better. Hearing the voices of my fans makes me feel like I'm being recognized. There's a chemical reaction happening between me and the people who listen to my music, and it's a strange feeling.

■ The harshness of the professional world can sometimes make you feel discouraged

I entered the professional music world and experienced the harshness and hardships.
As a project gets bigger and more people get involved, it's not always possible to do exactly what you want. But because it's my song, I have to express my feelings clearly. Sometimes I can't express those feelings well, and I feel frustrated, even though I'm working on the music I love. It can sometimes be mentally exhausting...

Even at times like these, the connection I have with my fans is what keeps me going.
Due to the current coronavirus pandemic, I am unable to sing in front of large crowds, but that is precisely why I feel so supported by my audience.

At regular live shows, applause marks the end of songs, gives us time to take a breather, and can serve as a catalyst for the next performance. Since you can't hear the applause during a live stream, it reminded me that a live show is only possible because of the audience's breathing and presence. Now, during live streams, they chat with us to liven things up and send us messages, so I feel like my fans are supporting me through trial and error.

■It's worth singing now that I'm 19 years old

We have just released a digital cover of Masashi Sada's famous song "Poem of the Defenders."

The lyrics are philosophical, deep, and difficult to understand, but I feel they are relevant to the current COVID-19 situation. Pop music has been popular recently, so I thought this might be a good opportunity to get young people interested, and I felt it was meaningful for me, a 19-year-old, to share this message, so I decided to take on the challenge of covering this song.
It may not be as good as Masashi Sada's original version. But I think I can convey Masashi Sada's power and passion in my own unique way. I tried to create a Japanese atmosphere with the arrangement, and added doubling, chorus, and recitation. I thought about how I could keep the younger generation listening and not get bored, and what I could convey that only I could. So I would love for university students of my generation to listen to it too.

I believe my musicality is still incomplete. I want to continue experiencing music that interests me, just like this challenge. This year, I want to be "diverse" and try out different kinds of music and performances. In my personal life, I want to absorb as much as I can from my experiences moving to Tokyo from Niigata and from my friends at vocational school. From these experiences, I want to explore what kind of music I want to convey.

■Message

I think there are many people who are worried about what to do from now on. I'm only 19 years old, but I think it's important to find something you like and are interested in. Regardless of whether it will lead to a future career, the pure feeling of liking something, the energy that wells up inside you, is stronger than you might think. So I hope you will go for it.

Student Newspaper WEB February 3, 2021 Interview by Oguma Yuina, 2rd year student at Yokohama City University

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