Gigi Inc. CEO Ryosuke Imai

Your Happiness is My Happiness 

CEO of Gigi Inc. Ryosuke Imai (Ryosuke Imai)

■ Profile

Music producer, lyricist, composer, CEO of TinyVoice, Production
Operator of "Gochimeshi", "Sakimeshi", "Bisumeshi" and "Kodomo Gochimeshi" - CEO of Gigi Co., Ltd.

He has written and produced songs such as TEE's "Baby I Love You" and Namie Amuro's "Hero."As a music producerRyosuke Imai has worked on numerous projects. In fact, in addition to his music career, he is also the president of a food tech company. We spoke to him about the reality of producing and the food and beverage business.

Ever since I was little, I was the kind of child who would be described in the comments section of my report cards as "uncooperative." While I could get along with people who shared similar goals and hobbies, I never understood why I got along with people who had nothing in common with me, and I wasn't interested in topics like trends. That's probably why I was born to a family of musicians: my father was a horn player and my mother was a piano teacher. Both my parents trusted their instincts and valued their own opinions, so perhaps it was natural for me to live this way.

■Music is a two-sided coin of rewarding and difficult

Originally, I wanted to be an artist. Watching my parents, I knew that the music industry seemed tough, but I wanted to do something creative. However, sensing my parents' desire for me to get a job and have a stable life, I went on to university. Although I enrolled, I couldn't imagine the subjects I wanted to study or what my future held, so I decided to drop out soon after, thinking, "I want to spend my time doing what I want to do, especially at this time in my life when I'm most sensitive."
From there, I tried to make a living as an artist, but it was difficult to make a living, and I was about to give up when I met a senior colleague who had given up on music. At that time, my senior colleague lent me some music equipment, which was expensive and difficult for me to try, and I started making music myself. Then, before I knew it, I was immersed in creating music, and had become a track maker and remixer.
As music is considered intellectual property, the names of lyricists and composers can be easily searched, and in a good way, you have to carry your own name on your shoulders. As a result, you can do what you love as a job, but in reality, it can be quite difficult. For example, even if you create something that is considered lame, your name will remain, and there are times when you have to endure things you don't want to do in order to continue getting work. Also, since you are supporting the economic activities of those involved, if you don't meet the deadline, you will cause trouble for those around you, so no matter how many ideas you have, you have to somehow create a work by the deadline.
"Rewarding" and "hardship" are two sides of the same coin, but I think this job is suitable for people who can take these into consideration and enjoy creating works.
Also, because it's a job with a big impact, one of the rewarding aspects of the job is that even a single song can move the economic activity of many people. Producing can be the catalyst for an artist's continued success and can also serve as a guide for their future direction. I think it's a really interesting job because you can potentially be involved in someone's breakthrough moment like this.

■Your Happiness is My Happiness 

When I was a student, I saw the music charity "We are the world" and thought it was wonderful that they were doing good work for the world and society, so I wanted to help in some way. I have provided support to the Philippines, Ghana, and the Great East Japan Earthquake, but when you are struggling to get food, clothing, or shelter, it is difficult to be interested in entertainment such as sports, comedy, or music.
So, as a service that supports the basic necessities of life, we created "Gochimeshi," which allows you to treat someone to a meal as a gift. We also offer other services such as "Bizumeshi," which turns local restaurants into company cafeterias, and "Sakimeshi," which supports restaurants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by providing advance payments.
I believe that gifts are not originally for the receiver, but rather a system for the giver. "Your Happiness is My Happiness." A prominent example is a music subscription service. As more people listen to music, money comes in as an incentive, and as emotions are moved, the economy moves.
In the future, I would like to expand services such as "Gochimeshi" to countries outside of Japan.

■Message to university students

I want people to be conscious of "being overwhelming," "being humble," and "not feeling lonely." First, regarding "being overwhelming," professional baseball players Ichiro and Yasushi Akimoto have achieved success by accumulating an overwhelming amount of practice and a large number of works. I think people will gather around people who are overwhelming like them, and failure can also be a source of nourishment for you.
Next, I would like to talk about "being humble." If you become too self-centered and don't pay attention to what others have to say, you may miss out on important advice, so I think you need to be careful.
Finally, regarding "not feeling lonely," when you want to accomplish something, it is almost impossible for friends and supporters to conveniently gather together like in the manga protagonists. Therefore, I would like you to find the pillar of your own purpose, "what do you want to pursue," and keep challenging yourself.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on January 6, 2023 by Hayato Tane, a fourth-year student at Chuo Gakuin University