oritsu_luv | Koda Kumi interview (Reply)

'Taboo' is a song that really feel like definitive Koda Kumi again.

Lately I've been releasing alot of "Kuu-chan" type songs for some reason. My fans were really wanting a song like this, and I was really ready to do a song that really pushed the sexy and cool side of Koda Kumi to the fore again.

What kind of feelings did you put into this song?

The short answer is 'break down taboos!' I think that different people have different values, so what they view as taboo may be different. If you have ten people you're going to have ten different rules about what you shouldn't do. I think we build those rules as we get older and make mistakes and have different experiences. I think rules like that are important to have to protect yourself, but I also think that sometimes they can hold us down. If you never leave your comfort zone, you'll be safe, but nothing will ever change. Sometimes you have to be the aggressor and break down taboos. It may open up a whole new world for you.

Do you have a taboo that you'd like to break yourself?

I do! As the artist 'Koda Kumi', I want to continue breaking taboos.

Was there anything that finally made you put those thoughts into lyrics?

I feel as though I'm at a new starting point. On my tour this year, I really understood how many fans are supporting me, and I became painfully aware of just how thankful I am to all those fans. Looking at all those fans who had waited for me and come to see me made me feel really strongly about wanting to create entertainment that will make them happy and bring them joy.

I'm sure the stage is a very special place for you. What were your feelings going into your tour this year?

Every year I want to make something the audience can enjoy like an attraction at an amusement park. I want to make a world that will really draw them in and make them forget reality. This year, I created a story line in three parts based on the theme of 'Vampires'. I oversee all the details, down to the acting, and everything but this time the biggest thing for me was to do it without a full band, to really just put everything onto my singing.

Why was that so important?

I wanted my voice to reach every single person who came to see me. I wanted them to feel as if my voice was right next to them. So I put slopes all over the venues, and made a stage in the middle of the arena seating...I tried my hand at acoustic numbers with a simple set up of keyboards, a guitar and a chorus.

And od you think your voice reached everyone?

For the show this time I built the performance so that the audience could feel my voice close to them, but during the actual shows, I ended up feeling that I was really close to the audience. On the stage in the arena seating I was so close that I felt like I could reach out and touch everyone. When I was walking over the slopes people were leaning out of their seats holding out candy to me. (LOL) I could see everyone's smiling faces so closely and I felt like instead of giving people power, they gave it to me.

I can't wait to see what Koda Kumi will do in the future, hearing about how you want to bring new entertainment to people who listen to your songs.

That makes me happy to hear! I've got a lot of events planned for this fall. First up is a fan club event in cities all around the county! I think of my concerts as a show, as entertainment, and that means that I usually end up doing them in large venues. And I guess that has a lot of people who've been following me since the beginning are feeling like I'm really far away now. So I want to show them that I'm still by their side the same way I always was. So I want to have concerts at smaller venues, and really chose good songs and good things to talk about.

So it's like a thank you tour for everyone who supports you.

Right. But I have a feeling that I'll end up getting power from everyone again. (LOL)
I've always got a lot of other things planned htta i can't talk about yet...But I think I'll be seeign a lot of people this fall, so please look forward to it!

By the way, you turn 26 in a month. Do you have anything you want to do before that?

I didn't really keep up on my English lessons this year. (LOL) I feel bad about it every time I look at the DVD player in my house, because my mother's English lesson DVDs are sitting on top of it. Then I realize I have to step it up because my mom actually came to Tokyo to learn English, but I'm not doing anything!

What kind of year do you want your 26th year to be?

I want to keep on trying new things! I want to plan something that will shock everyone. Please look forward to it!