Cent Chihiro Chicchi and Aini the End - Solo Debut Interview Part 3

"I had to face what I made on my own" - Aina

--Please tell me how you feel listening to each other's songs.

Aina: My Father really likes Ging Nang Boyz "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime", so it's really exciting to hear how it turned out. After listening to it, I told Chicchi that the beautiful part of the song has become even more beautiful. Only Chicchi can create this kind of atmosphere. Does the color change so much from the original song in the cover? I think so.

--For sure, there is the feeling of a unique atmosphere with Chicchi-san.

Aina: Lately, Chicchi isn't just cool. She isn't beautiful or ethereal either. She just feels like "Chicchi" (laughs). While collaborating with Legal Lilly, I felt like they were on the same wavelength. It was like Chicchi was no longer 1 person. I've listened to the song over and over imagining various things.

--Chicchi-san, what did you think after listening to Aina-san's "Kienaide"?

Chicchi: I knew the original song. However, I think it's different with this sound source. This kind of instrumentation changes it so much. But more than anything, I see a side of Aina I've never seen before in BiSH. It was thrilling to feel Ainia as she truly is, like she's naked.

Aina: I've seen it many times when I'm in the bath (laughs).

Chicchi: I haven't seen it for a while (laughs).

Aina: That's right. It's been about 3 yrs. since I was completely naked.

(*When Chicchi is talking about Aina in the earlier sentence, the literal translation is "naked". I thought "bare her soul" would sound better, but then Aina makes the joke and I decided it made sense to go with the literal version, lol)

--In that sense, Chicchi has also become naked with this release, and revealing the most important part of herself. Did you resist that urge?

Chicchi: I had no hesitation. I decided to put all of my love into it. It would have been useless to be cautious. For people who like Ging Nang Boyz, they're very special to them, so I would die if I did it half way. I put so much emotion into this.

--Aina-san, you also mentioned you had no hesitation when you began this project.

Aina: None at all. From the time I started this, I felt I wanted to do it from the bottom of my heart.

I had to face what I made all on my own. I listened to everyone's opinion, and decided I had to do it myself. Because it was the first time, it was really fun.

(*The second sentence was a bit difficult. The word Aina uses is "Mukiau" which means "Face, confront, approach" I'm still not sure the best way to phrase it, so I went with this. Maybe because she had the help of a producer, but the entire paragraph keeps talking about her doing it on her own)

"The balance between these 2 people is miraculous" - Chicchi

--In conclusion, regarding the activities in BiSH, I would like to ask your opinion of each others roles.

Chicchi: I think I see Aina as someone who isn't affected by her surroundings. She follows her own path, and feels like she doesn things naturally without forcing it.

Aina: When you put it that way, I think I can be Aina the End because Chicchi is there. Of course, since Chicchi is the Axis of BiSH's songs, every member can do whatever they like. However, even thought Chicchi is the axis of BiSH, I think that she has changed allot.

--What do you mean?

Aina: Early on, the image of a clear, transparent voice was strong. Then there was an astonishing change. Now, she has a cool voice that comes from her core. She works very hard towards whatever goal is in front of her.

(*The world Aina uses to describe Chicchi's voice in the first sentence is "Tomei". It means transparent, clear, etc. Something that isn't hidden. I couldn't really think of a better option, so I just when with both clear and transparent. In addition, Aina uses "Gamushyara" in the second sentence. It refers to somewhat of a single minded approach to pursuing ones goals, but I wasn't sure the best way to phrase it since saying Chicchi is single minded could have a negative connotation)

Chicchi: I'd say I think I've definitely changed.

Aina: It depends on the day as well. The tone and feeling of her voice changes based on the tension of the day.

Chicchi: That's right. Sato-san from the Live Production said something like "If you're not feeling well, BiSH's morale falls" and "When your tone is good, everyone else's gets better" (laughs).

--Is it a burden for Chicchi-san to bear the responsibility of being the axis of the group?

Chicchi: I haven't felt any pressure at all. I just want to sing, so when I'm singing, I always enjoy it.

--How do you see each other as Vocalists? I think you have different personalities.

Chicchi: Ever since I met Aina, I've thought her voice is wonderful. I don't have a unique voice, so I think Aina's is great. Was it strong from birth?

--I think Chicchi-san's singing voice is also very strong.

Aina: I think so too. It feels really good when I sing after Chicchi. I absorb her singing into my body, and I feel like I can capture her flow when I follow her. That's why it's impossible without her (laughs). There was a time when Chicchi was away from BiSH, and I cried everyday. I can't even think of losing her. She's the most important person.

--You have a good influence on each other.

Chicchi: I can't imagine Aina not being here. I hear "The contrast of these 2 voices is good" said allot, so I think there's a miraculous balance between us. I'm scared to think about not having this (laughs).

--I think we've seen new charms from the two of you with these solo releases. Do you have plans for your next work?

Chicchi: It hasn't been decided at the moment. You can listen to the songs by Aina and myself, but there are 6 members in BiSH, and I think each one is different from the other. This was allot of fun, so if there's an opportunity to do it again, I think I'll take it!

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/bish07/page/3

Cent Chihiro Chicchi and Aina the End - Solo Debut Interview Part 2

"It feels like 1 Band" - Chicchi

--Members of Legal Lilly participated in Chicchi's recording of "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime".

Did you have a chance to talk with them?

Chicchi: Yes. I'm good friends with the Vocalist, Honoka-chan. I'm a fan of Legal Lilly, and like them allot, so when I decided to record "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime", I met with Honoka-chan and asked for her help. She said it would be her pleasure to help with the recording.

--Are Legal Lilly also fans of Ging Nang Boyz?

Chicchi: Not at all. No one in Legal Lilly follows Ging Nang Boyz. However, I thought I really wanted to work on the song with those people. I thought it would be better to record it through Legal's point of view, rather than imitating the style of the original song. We got together during pre-production, and talked about what to do with the Key (*As in what key the song should be in). We recorded it with the feeling that we were 1 band. I shared all the things I liked, and the members of Legal expressed how they wanted to approach the recording.

--So you feel like you made it together instead of a vocalist with a backing band?

Chicchi: It was amazing! We spent over 10 hrs. on pre-production alone, and then I worked on the arrangement for the entire song, which was a first for me. It was thrilling.

"My dream has come true that allot of instruments have entered" - Aina

--Aina-san, "Kienai de" was produced by Kameda Seiji. When did you meet him?

Aina: I've always really like Ringo Shiina, and I've seen videos of Kameda performing with her. I had the chance to meet him at the Viva La Rock in May. I admired the way the music and his live performance come together in a cool way. Now that we're both on Avex, I asked him "how would you feel about doing the arrangement?". He immediately replied, "Am I dreaming?" and accepted my request.

--Kameda-san's sound has allot of depth.

Aina: I wrote this song when I was 18, so I didn't know anything about Songwriting, the A melody, the B melody, or how to utilize Sabi (*Low Japanese vocals). I don't understand the meaning in this messy song (laughs). I only considered whether "the bass should enter here" or "is it better if the drums come in here". Because of that, this is a dream come, and I'm glad to have Kameda-san add bass and drums to the song (laughs).

--So did the final version turn out the way you imagined?

Aina: While staying true to the original composition, it was given the "Kameda treatment", and now the bass sounds amazing. It's actually become a cool song (laughs). After I received the instrumental, I danced the whole time while listening to it at home. That's why I want everyone to listen to it. It's filled with the sound of so many instruments.

--What was your impression during the recording?

Aina: I wrote "Kienai de" on a piece of paper after every Chu.

(*I wrote "Chu" since it's an onomatopoeia. I don't think I need to explain it since it's well known, but I don't understand the context for it. There's no kissing or mouse-like sound in the song, unless Aina means the "La, La, La" part. I don't know if there's a new context for it)

--Why did you do that?

Aina: Because it was a song I couldn't attempt without doing so. At the beginning, since I was singing each part separately, I thought it was something different, so I had to remind myself I was singing 1 song.

(*There is another meaning for "Chu". It can refer to spaces for Street Parking. Because the parts were divided up in the song, maybe that's why she used Chu)

"There was no shouting in the original song, so I wanted to shout." - Chicchi

--Both songs are different from BiSH is releasng these days. Were there any pionts in the song that you careful about singing?

Chicchi: In BiSH, I do my best to listen to the advice of Matuskuma (Kenta)-san, and I think that makes the best use of my essence. However, this time, I sang just for myself. I listened to Honoka-san's opinon, but I tried not to think about it too much.

--Your straight forward singing voice is impressive.

Chicchi: Yes. I only focused on the Sabi and singing straight. I didn't think too deeply when I approached the song. More than singing well, I wanted to put all of myself into it.

(*I'm never quite sure how to translate "Massugu" when it's used in this context. It means "straight", "not bending", etc. In this context, they probably just mean singing simply)

--I see what you mean. Chicchi-san is said to be "very skilled at singing", but with this song, there's a feeling of simplicity with the way you sang it.

Chicchi: Especially during the first acapella part. I wanted to sing with the feeling like I was just walking around. I thought it would be good if it sounded natural. However, when the lyrics "Kimi ga hoshi koso kanashikere" come in, that's the saddest part to me. There's no shouting in the original song, but I wanted to shout those lyrics. So, in the end, the feeling of BiSH's Cent Chihiro Chicchi makes an appearance.

--Has Mineta-san already heard it?

Chicchi: It seems he has listened to it, but I haven't talked with Mineta-san himself about it.

However, the Engineer who recorded it was also in charge of Going Steady and Ging Nang Boyz. They said "This is the 3rd time I've recorded 'Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime'". They went on to say "You have a good head voice. I think it's really suited for 'Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime'", so I was really glad. Now I feel like I'm part of some sort of history (laughs).

--Aina-san's singing also feels like it has more of a private atmosphere than usual.

Aina: I agree. I don't know if I sang well. I didn't care much about pitch, and focused more on giving an impression of my private life. I wonder if that's good.

--The 2 of you are always singing to your fullest in BiSH, but it's interesting in your solos that you're thinking "I shouldn't sing too well".

Aina: I said earlier that I sang this song for my best friend. However, even though I'm singing with such strong feelings to one person, I believe they will reach anyone who listens to it. I think it's a song that will have a deep impact on absolutely everyone who hears it.

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/bish07/page/2

Cent Chihiro Chicchi and Aina the End - Solo Debut Interview Part 1

BiSH's Ania the End and Cent Chihiro Chicchi released their solo debut Single with the Double A Side "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime/Kienai de" on 9/19. Chicchi's is a cover of the famous Ging Nang Boyz song "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime". Aina sings an original song "Kienai de" that was composed before joining BiSH. It's Produced by Kameda Seiji.

Music Natalie interviewed the two of them about their Solo debuts, the production of the songs, and their standing positions and activities in BiSH.

"I wanted to sing a song that was close to someone's life" - Chicchi

--Aina-san, the solo song you're releasing this time is one you wrote yourself.

Aina: Yes, when I decided to make a solo release, I wanted it to be a song I'd written myself.

--You had the opportunity to sing as a Featuring Vocal with other Artists. How does this differ from that?

Aina: Whenever I sang as a Featuring Vocal, BiSH was always added to it. BiSH was something I always carried with me. It was my identity. However, this time, I wanted to forget BiSH, forget Aina the End, and tried to sing as one woman.

(*Aina doesn't exactly say Identity, but that sounded better than the literal translation of "Everything went back to BiSH")

--And Chicchi is covering the Ging Nang Boys song "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime".

Chicchi: I don't have any songs that I've written myself, so I wanted to record something that was filled with everything I like.

--Were there any other songs that you thought of?

Cicchi: No, that was one I wanted to do the most. When I said, "what song do I want to sing?", Mineta-san's (Kazunobu Mineta/Ging Nang Boyz) was the only one that came to mind.

--Out of all the Ging Nang Boyz songs, why did you choose this one?

Chicchi: When I was a Senior in High School, I was getting into Punk and became addicted to Going Steady. The song that meant the most to me at that time was "Yoru Ouji to Tsuki no Hime".

--But Chicchi-san is a generation later than Going Steady, right?

Chicchi: Yes. When I became familiar with them, they had become Ging Nang Boyz, but Going Steady name was still lingering. Even so, that was the one song that saved me from loneliness back then. The song itself became like a "Night Price" to me, so covering it at this time, maybe other people will feel the same way I did back then. I felt like I wanted to sing that kind of song on my own.

"I decided to sing this song for my best friend" - Aina

--"Kienai de" is a song that Aina-san wrote when she was 18, right?

Aina: That's right. It's the first song I wrote in my life.

--Were you active as a Singer at the time you wrote it?

Aina: I was singing on the street back then. However, I thought it would be nice to have an original song (laughs). So I decided to try and write one.

--Do you remember when you wrote this song?

Aina: I remember everything. I thought about the lyrics while lying in bed. I asked a fried to help me, and we made sort of a demo tape.

However, I didn't have proper equipment, so I plugged my Ear Phone into my Computer and sang into it (laughs). I recorded it properly at another friend's studio later.

--Why did you decide to release such an early song?

Aina: I have a very close female friend, and about 3 years ago her Mother died. She called me in the evening, and in a rather carefree way said "My Mother has died. Isn't that worrisome?". Even though she was talking casually, she was crying terribly. I began to tremble and didn't know what to say. Then, after being silent for a while, my friend said "sing Keinai de".

--So did you sing it over the phone?

Aina: No. I was trembling. My face turned white and I couldn't sing. Later, I really regretted not being able to sing for her over the phone, so when we discussed what I was going to sing for this solo, I chose "Kienai de" without hesitation. I want to sing for that girl. Now I have the confidence in myself that I can sing at any time.

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/bish07