Artist and voice actor Erii Yamazaki

Think outside the box and make your precious fans swoon over and over again.

Artist and voice actor　山崎エリイ(Yamazaki Eri)

■ Profile

She was a finalist in the 36th Horipro Talent Scout Caravan "Next Generation Voice Actor Artist Audition." As a voice actress, she has appeared in groups such as "Tokyo 7th Sisters." Currently, she is primarily focused on her activities as an artist, releasing music and performing live. For her new song "Tokimekism," released on August 9th, she cut her hair short for the first time in her life, completely changing her visual image. 2023 will mark the 10th anniversary of her debut.

"I want to do my best to make this person happy." Yamazaki, who used to be a shy person, took on the challenge of taking to the stage, and over the years her feelings for her fans have blossomed. This year marks the 10th anniversary of her debut, and what is her 5th single "Tokimekism," which pursues "cuteness" as her challenge for 2023? We asked her about the feelings she wants to convey, especially since she used to be afraid to show herself, and her ideal image for the future.

When I was a student, I was the complete opposite of who I am now. I was really shy and avoided being in front of people as much as possible. On the other hand, when I studied classical ballet as a hobby, I found that I enjoyed expressing myself on stage. Given this gap, I wanted to change my shyness, and this was what prompted me to apply for the audition.
I was originally a fan of Seiko Matsuda, and loved singing and performing. Looking through audition magazines and information, I came across the "Next Generation Voice Actor Audition: Horipro Talent Scout Caravan." At first, I thought I'd just give it a go once, and I didn't think I'd make it to the finals. The Atami training camp after the third round of auditions was "absolutely impossible" (laughs). I was 13 at the time, and up until then I'd barely experienced being away from my parents, so I was nervous and anxious the whole time, wondering if I could handle it. They caught my interest, and I ended up joining Horipro.
I went to the audition with the mindset of "I'll give it a try once," with the intention of taking on the challenge regardless of whether I passed or failed, but I was so nervous that I ended up singing only the first verse of Seiko Matsuda's song for my self-introduction. I hadn't even calculated the 30 seconds, and couldn't even get to the chorus before the audition was over. "Ah, it's over! I'm definitely going to fail!" I thought. Just when I was fully prepared to go home, my number was called! I think I got in because it was a novelty. (laughs)

■A challenging single filled with "cutes"

Everything about "Tokimekism" is an exciting piece! As we celebrate our 10th anniversary since our debut, we pursued something new and unprecedented. First of all, the theme of the song is all about "cuteness"! Up until now, we've had a fixed worldview and theme, but this time, no matter what you ask me, it's a song where I can say, "Because it's cute!" To me, cuteness is something that makes my heart flutter. In the music video, we make eye contact across the camera, delivering a heart-pounding moment.
For this work, I wanted my fans who have been supporting me for many years to look at me with a fresh feeling once again, and give them a comfortable, thrilling feeling, so I cut my hair from long to short and completely changed my visual image!　
After two months of wearing a wig due to the music video shoot, the day finally arrived for the live broadcast. The music video started playing and fans were confused, asking, "Is that a wig? Or not?", when I appeared from the wings announcing, "I've cut it!", which elicited cheers of "Wow!" That moment was the most exciting I've felt in a while!
And what I want you to pay attention to are the positive lyrics. While cuteness is the base, the song also incorporates expressions such as "Be positive and be yourself." The lyric that particularly resonated with me was the line, "I've packed everything I want into my selfishness. Because that's the magic that makes me the cutest." I feel like a lot of people these days are afraid to show who they are. When you become an adult, you can't even be selfish. "Tokimekism" is a song that encourages those people and leads them to take on small challenges, making them think, "Maybe I'll give it a try too."

■ Become an artist who moves the hearts of fans and is supported by them

In my teens, I learned how to create a work, and in my twenties, I was on the production side, figuring out what kind of work I wanted to create. Over time, I discovered the joy of shaping the opinions of myself, my fans, and my staff one by one. What I value most is my feelings toward my fans. To gain their attention, I have to sing on a stage where no one knows me. In other words, I'm starting from scratch. There were times when I was scared of the songs and the stage performances I love. But gradually, my fan base grew, and I began to think, "I want to do my best to make these people happy." Then, when I performed the worldview I'd created at my first live show, my fans enjoyed it just as much, empathized, and even cried. At that moment, I realized, "I can move people's emotions, too; I've made an emotional connection!" I want to continue doing activities that make my fans think, "I'm glad I supported this girl."
To achieve this, I aim to be a "multi-faceted artist who is not bound by any framework." People's passion always fluctuates, and I think it's difficult to support someone with the same level of enthusiasm all the time. That's why my work motto is "to make people feel excited again and again." I want to hit people's emotional waves periodically, but in a pinpoint manner. In fact, musically, I try my hand at a variety of genres, including rock, gothic, and pop, depending on the work. I want to be an artist who doesn't get caught up in frameworks, not labeling my voice or music, but believing in my own potential and trying new things.

■Message to university students

I want you to work on something single-mindedly and with integrity. When I was asked, "What is the thing you have been most committed to so far?", I couldn't answer. It's important to do many things broadly and shallowly, but I think that pursuing one thing will give you unique strengths. One of my favorite sayings is, "Raindrops wear away the stone." It means that if you work on even the smallest things one by one, the results of your small efforts will move something forward. I think having one thing that you can say is your strength will help you in times of trouble!

Student Newspaper Online, August 8, 2023, Interview by Yui Takemura, 4th year student at Senshu University