[Interview] at Rie sessions

at Rie sessions
Interview Source
Translated from Japanese.

Disclaimer: Translations aren't perfect, weren't proofread. I try to balance between being accurate and being colloquial. Please DO NOT use my translations for uh stuff, or to double-check against. Especially not so for commercial purposes. This is a fan effort for the fans. Comments/thanks most appreciated. Enjoy!

Excite: Self-produced, and a collaboration with 23 groups of artists. The album this time 『at Rie sessions』is, exactly as Rie fu-san said before something you wished to work on long ago.

Rie fu: Yes. In the previous interview, I think I said that I'm into music software now but, from that time onwards little by little I studied arrangement by myself, and because in the previous 『URBAN ROMANTIC』(released on 8th April 2009) there was a collab song with m-flo's ☆Taku-san, I think that the album was born in such a course. As for self-produced, there was an image to confine myself in my own world but, with the addition of "collabs" with many people, I think I also received a sense of expansion.

Excite: In relation to the "collab", it seems like the activities have been ongoing for these two years or so.

Rie fu: That may be the case. At the time of my debut I was studying abroad, I had absolutely no interaction with the other artists, and when I returned (to Japan) after graduation, I become friends with a lot more artists, because I felt impatient.

Excite: After you graduated, your activities have become based in Japan, and you've set up your own atelier.

Rie fu: That's right. After returning I have a wider network of friends, making the best use of my connection with people, I would call guests over and do sessions. The title's "at Rie" is from "atelier".

The romanisation of "atelier" is "atorie".

Excite: RHTHEM's YUI-san and moumoon's YUKA-san, you became good friends with each other starting with Excite Music's event right?

Rie fu: Yes. During the event launch, I completely got along with the (other) people who were performing (Laugh).

Excite: Ganaha Mina-san and Mayumi-san, were part of Inoue Yousui-san's tour chorus vocal team Rie fu-san participated in last year.

Rie fu: That's right. Last year, I joined the chorus vocalists in Inoue Yousui-san's national tour for his 40th anniversary since his debut, I was allowed to study a lot. Yousui-san is really amazing, the level of studying about musical is a bit too different but, things like how to create the atmosphere in a live, how to create a very happy space/area during the launch, I learnt how such things form a very warm atmosphere. This time, even when I'm recording, I'll invite my guests to have tea, and try to produce that similar feeling.

Excite: Because creating the atmosphere during recording is also very important isn't it.

Rie fu: That's right. Even for the 3 people in the chorus, the individualities come apart in a good way, such as "to come together in chorus" or "to decide on the choreography", that's not how it is, in reverse, I got the order to not fit too perfectly. Taking advantage of each individuality, you can also feel that it became an extremely colourful chorus.

Excite: When I knew that Rie fu-san was joining Inoue Yousui-san's tour chorus vocalists I was shocked.

Rie fu: I also thought that I would not be able to join (Laugh). I was in the same school as Yousui-san's daughter (Ifu) Sarasa-chan from elementary school till high school. Our grades/years were different, so as a student that wasn't much interaction but, when Sarasa-chan debuted, we got to know each other through common friends. For Yousui-san's chorus vocalists too, Sarasa-chan called out to me 「Because Papa is searching for chorus vocalists」.

Excite: Ifu Sarasa-san also participated in 『at Rie sessions』didn't she.

Rie fu: I really feel like it's a work that was born from various connections.

Excite: You also used "at Rie" (atelier) in the title, for Rie fu-san, the atelier is your snuggery.

Rie fu: Yes. The goodness of an atelier is, it is easy to do work but, it probably has to be that the space where you can relax in is big. It's a space attached to the loft, the ceiling is high, the sound of music also naturally reverberates. The atmosphere in such a wide room, in such a space where there is a relaxed mood, the atmosphere of the sessions also becomes reflected in the sounds. It also dares to include the sound of life which would be cut off in a sealed studio room along with noise. The rhythm of shoe heels clomping is taken in, the sound of beating the body of the guitar as a percussion is used, some work or experiment was done. I tried to create rhythm from familiar objects in the house, I made various discoveries it was very fun. One kind is, how to create an analog sound, the sound can easily be created such as with the sound source of knocking now so, there is significance in how you create the analog sound, from there I would think isn't this the conception born if it's from Rie fu.

Excite: The lead song 「Stay with me ~Renai Nante Himatsubushi~」is a collab with Lily Franky-san, this is also a music taste which wasn't in Rie fu-san's music till now.

Rie fu: When recording together with Lily-san, the lyrics were rewritten. It's a collab of ideas I guess. The lyrics weren't written together but, if I was Lily-san what sort of lyrics would I write?　Or, if I was a guy what sort of twisted view of love would I have? By writing from different people's feelings, that is a somewhat fresh what of writing. Actually, I wrote it before reading Lily-san's book but, if I had to read it after making the song, words like "Himatsubushi" that were in the lyrics were recorded in the book as it was, that connection was actually realised. Somehow, gradually I came to feel that "I want to become the female version of Lily Franky 10 years later", that one step, was written with such considerations (Laugh).

Excite: The contents of the album you wanted to do is finished, do you feel a bit relieved now?

Rie fu: That's right. But, even while recording, the next production has begun. As opposed to continuing to do the same thing, I think that I want to try a new thing, this time, I tried producing on my own, the feeling of wanting to try other kinds of productions or to compose with more artists has grown. I think that from making one album by myself I want to step it up.

Excite: I think that based on this album you could spread to various directions can't you.

Rie fu: Yes. I myself also feel that this work has become yet another new starting point. This is the first time I've done a self-produce, there is a lot of freshness, meaning, by including primitive sounds, the sensitivity born is also blocked, I feel that this is the new start this album has become.

I obviously have problems translating her answer. TAT Any help is welcome.

Excite: I also look forward to you in the tour held in June for the first time since 2 years.

Rie fu: Guests have been called, I think that it will be good if visitors also drop by the atelier to create the space. After that, my exhibition will be held in July. Not just music alone, I think that I wish to do various activities side by side.