Prize-winning Japanese comic, Netflix star and all-around entertainer YURIYAN RETRIEVER can now add major-label solo artist to her illustrious record of titles, dropping her debut single “YURIYAN TIME” on Wednesday (July 16).
The versatile humorous lady, now based mostly within the U.S., labored with sought-after music producer yonkey — producer of ATARASHII GAKKO! — on the brand new track, an earwormy quantity that naturally conjures up braveness after repeated listening regardless of its comical nature. YURIYAN, whose stage title as a singer is stylized in all caps, says that’s the core of what she aimed to convey by way of the observe that showcases yonkey’s experience. The 34-year-old multi-hyphenate and 28-year-old music producer opened up concerning the inventive strategy of “YURIYAN TIME” on this dialog for Billboard Japan.
Inform us about your first impressions of one another.
yonkey: We met in a type of convention room and talked about a number of issues. She mentioned, “May you take heed to this track I wrote?” This usually occurs at any time when I’m assembly with different musicians I produce, however they normally simply play it on their iPhone. However YURIYAN was like, “I don’t have a recording, so do you thoughts if I do it right here?” and carried out it for me proper there in full with simply the beat. I used to be floored. My first impression of her was that she was extra enthusiastic than another artist.
YURIYAN: He says I used to be enthusiastic, however I simply didn’t have the abilities to make sounds or to file them, so I needed to do it instantly.
yonkey: I imply, normally it’s embarrassing to sing in entrance of somebody at a distance of a desk between you. However I had this intestine feeling that if she may carry out even below such circumstances, the undertaking would undoubtedly work out. It was such an electrifying second.
YURIYAN: He requested me, “What sort of vibes do you want in a track?” I usually assume songs which have catchy intros are cool, so I advised him, “I like songs that begin off in a singular approach.” And after I advised him that I usually put my ideas and emotions into my comedy routines, he mentioned… was it a scribble? A scrawl?
“Itemize them,” perhaps?
YURIYAN: Sure! “An itemized record is okay, so write your ideas down.”
Did you will have an concept of what you needed it to sound like?
yonkey: I used to be invited to go see YURIYAN’s comedy present as soon as, and certainly one of her segments had a form of horror story really feel to it. I needed so as to add some scary sounds paying homage to Japan and Japanese youngsters’s songs. I believed I may reproduce that horror-tinged taste that YURIYAN had written into her comedy routine through the use of delay on crows cawing within the intro to evoke the picture of nightfall.
YURIYAN: I heard from yonkey that he added that Japanese taste to the observe to counsel I used to be going global from Japan. You recognize what, although, a fortune teller as soon as advised me way back that my guardian spirit is a crow. A yatagarasu, the three-legged crow used because the image of the Japanese nationwide soccer group, is outwardly watching over me. Additionally, my hometown is NYC… Oh, Nara Yoshino-cho, I imply. I believed perhaps my guardian yatagarasu possessed yonkey and made him add these caws.
How did you two work out the lyrics?
yonkey: I solely knew YURIYAN from what I’d seen within the media, so I needed to know what she normally thinks about. She wrote about her love life and concerning the pent-up resentment she feels from each day life within the pocket book she used to record her concepts, so I took her phrases and designed them into music. YURIYAN impressed the fundamental concepts and phrases of the lyrics, whereas I did the designing to make them sound pleasing.
YURIYAN: I despatched him the record I jotted down, and he wrote lyrics concerning the core a part of me that I hadn’t even realized I had, and it made me actually completely happy. It was additionally catchy and cute on high of that, so I used to be impressed.
May you elaborate on that “core half” that you just didn’t understand you had?
YURIYAN: At first I wrote about feeling disenchanted as a result of my love life wasn’t figuring out, however once you learn yonkey’s lyrics, you’ll be able to see that it’s not simply restricted to romantic relationships. It’s about not catering to anybody and being like, I’m positive the best way I’m, you realize? It’s mainly about discovering worth in who you’re and saying, “I’m OK with this!”
yonkey: However she additionally has delicate and weak sides to her, and I used to be actually impressed by the best way she’s like, “I’m the very best” although she has such traits. Within the first verse, YURIYAN deliberately says she feels faint-hearted generally, however follows up instantly, “No I don’t, dumbass!” and flexes her robust self. I needed to precise that duality within the track.
There are many different key phrases pulled out of your record within the lyrics.
YURIYAN: Stuff about my comedy routines and private life. And about taking part in the function of (skilled wrestler) Dump Matsumoto in Netflix’s The Queen of Villains, and about my health coach Tomo Okabe, who I’ve been coaching with for a very long time.
yonkey: All of the components that present her each day life I took from her notes. In hip-hop, it’s generally laborious to get a message throughout when the lyrics solely cowl common subjects. I believe it’s greatest to actually categorical that individual’s way of life, so I used to be assured that it could work out if she advised me about such issues.
And now YURIYAN has made her debut as a solo artist with the track.
yonkey: I at all times had the concept of constructing it an introduction to YURIYAN since that is her debut quantity. And since she’s based mostly within the U.S., I used to be meticulous concerning the observe, aiming to make music that might be included in Spotify playlists everywhere in the world. I additionally needed to verify to incorporate Japanese id within the music, so I requested her to sing the track in Japanese.
I produce ATARASHII GAKKO! and I’m specific about utilizing the Japanese language with them as properly. You understand how Japanese folks have a tough time announcing English? I’ve been advised by producers from different international locations that they discover our pronunciation to be distinctive, and I believe that’s one thing we will use as a weapon. Translation options can be found in every single place these days and we will perceive what persons are saying, so I figured Japanese was the one language that would draw out YURIYAN’s uniqueness much more. That’s one other factor I centered on after I wrote this track.
YURIYAN: I speak about this as if it have been regular, like, “Yeah I obtained to make my debut,” however I’m really like, “Can this actually be taking place?” and nonetheless discover it laborious to imagine. I actually wish to do what I can to make it a success. I began TikTok a couple of days in the past in a rush as a result of I need “YURIYAN TIME” to create a buzz. [Laughs] It’s a track that introduces me, and I need folks to get to know me, however I believe it’s additionally a track that can increase the vitality of anybody who listens to it. So I hope folks will take pleasure in it by changing it with their very own names, like “AKIKO TIME” or no matter. I need folks from everywhere in the world to take heed to it, grown-ups and children alike.
This interview by Atsuo Nagahori first appeared on Billboard Japan.