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!
