軽快にリスタートを謳うニュー・シングル!
「GALETTe*での卒業までの出来事、その間のソロ活動での思いなどが、自然に頭に浮かびました。これからのソロとしての夢への実現、希望を考えていると、素直に表現できたような気がします」。
ニュー・シングル“一度きりのReset”をレコーディングした際の思いについて、そう語る保坂朱乃。ソロ活動と兼任する形で2013年夏の結成時から参加し、地元・福岡での活動を選んで今年頭に卒業するまで続いたグループでの日々は、彼女の名を広く世に知らしめると同時に、彼女自身が自分の歌に改めて向き合うきっかけを与えたのではないでしょうか。もちろん、アイドル激戦区と呼ばれる地において、数少ないソロ・シンガーとして真摯に歌を届けてきた短くない歩みが彼女にはあります。子役としてミュージカルなどで実績を残しつつも歌の道へ進んだ朱乃は、処女作にあたるミニ・アルバム『WHITE』を14歳になったばかりの2011年冬にリリース。当時のことを本人はこう述懐しています。
「『WHITE』の時は、歌うことだけで精一杯で、MCなども上手く話すことができず、セリフのように覚えて話していました。でもいまは、思ったことを自然に話すことができるようになったし、歌い方や伝え方も、素直にできているかな?と思います」。
そんな成長は重ねてきた楽曲からも明らか。よく考えると今年は歌手デビュー5年目にあたるわけで、サード・シングル“空をかける少女”から約1年ぶりとなる今回のリリースは、そういう意味においてこそ節目の作品と言えるのかもしれません。
前作から続投となる名匠・筑田浩志がすべての作／編曲を担当。彼女を後見するITR代表の吉田格がいつも通り手掛けた歌詞は、まぶたを開いて夢の舞台へ一歩進む姿を描いた内容で、改めてソロに専念してがんばるキリッとした決意を投影したもの。「歌詞では私の強い部分も見せています」というType-A盤のカップリング“近くて遠い100センチ”も含めて実にメロディアスで、エレガントに疾走するアレンジも爽快な佳曲に仕上がっています!
一方、Type-B盤のカップリング“glory days”では久々に朱乃自身が作詞を担当。「朝練をがんばっているソフトボール部の友達へ向けた応援歌です。高校1年生の時に書いたので、青春もテーマになっています」と、こちらはひときわグッとくる出来映えで……つまり今回もバッチリってこと!
西野カナや浜崎あゆみのような憧れの存在を目標に、「歌は私という存在のすべてです。私が保坂朱乃として成立するのは歌があるからこそです」と言い切る彼女。その力強い前途を祝福しましょう!
Ayano Hosaka
"Ichidokiri no Reset (meaning The One-time-only Reset)"
A cheerful new single singing the enthusiasm towards her fresh start!
Text by Koji Dejima
"What I experienced in the Japanese idol group GALETTe* before graduation and what I felt about my solo activities during that time spontaneously popped into my mind. I think I managed to honestly express my dreams and aspirations for the future as a solo artist."
Ayano Hosaka talks about the feelings she had when she recorded her new single "Ichidokiri no Reset (meaning The One-time-only Reset)." Her career as a member of the group, which she joined in the summer of 2013 while continuously pursuing her solo activities until when she left this spring to focus on the activities in her local Fukuoka, seems to have made her name widely known as well as to have given her a chance to take another closer look at her songs. Of course, in her not-so-short career she has sincerely delivered her songs as a solo singer, a rare case in the most fiercely competitive area for idol groups.
Despite her achievements in musicals and other productions as a child actress, Ayano decided to take a path as a singer and released her first mini album "WHITE" in the winter of 2011 just after she turned 14 years old. She reflects on the time back then as follows:"At the release of the album "WHITE", I had my hands full singing and couldn't talk well between songs. So, I had to memorize what I was going to say as if memorizing lines in a script. But now, I can express my feelings freely, and I think I can sing and deliver music to the audience in a more natural way."
Such growth is evident from the songs she has sung so far. Come to think of it, this year marks the 5th anniversary of her debut as a singer, and thus this release, first in about a year from the third single "Sorawo Kakeru Shojo (meaning The Girl Who Leapt Through the Sky)", is arguably a milestone in this respect.
As with the previous album, the great Japanese composer/arranger/remixer Hiroshi Chikuda wrote and arranged all the songs. Itaru Yoshida, representative of the Fukuoka-based talent agency ITR which she belongs to, wrote the lyrics, which depict Ayano making a step closer to her dream with her eyes set wide open, reflecting her renewed sheer determination to work hard as a solo artist. Including the coupling track on the [Type-A] disc "Chikakute Toi 100 cm (meaning 100 cm That is Close Physically but Distant Emotionally)" for which she comments, "My strengths are also shown in the lyrics," the songs are really melodious, with the elegantly sprinting arrangement making them refreshing, excellent pieces!
Meanwhile, Ayano wrote the lyrics of the coupling track on Type-B disc "glory days" for the first time in a while. "This is a cheering song for a friend of mine, a softball club member who worked hard in early morning practice. I wrote the lyrics as a freshman in high school, so youth is one of the themes," she says. They are particularly impressive, that is, they are perfect this time as well!
Wanting to be a singer like Kana Nishino (Japanese singer) or Ayumi Hamasaki (Japanese recording artist, lyricist, model, and actress), she proclaims, "Songs are my whole self. The only thing that makes me an artist Ayano Hosaka is songs." Wish her well with her future endeavors!
