Kenta Maeno and a song . And the city of Ikebukuro .
René Lacoste, founder of LACOSTE, is the father of the polo shirt. Originally a professional tennis player, Lacoste was also a talented inventor who developed a variety of equipment, including a machine used for practice and a steel racket that is said to be the model for today's rackets. Like René, there are various creators today. Singer-songwriter Kenta Maeno is one such creator. What effect does the process of "writing songs" have on him? We asked him to talk about the musical play "The World is Alone," in which he participates, as well as about the relationship between Maeno and music, and fashion.
Born in 1979 in Iruma City, Saitama, Japan , he released his CD album "Romance Car" in 2007 from Romance Records, a label he founded. Since then, he has been actively involved in music, releasing his sixth album "Sakura" in 2018. He is also an actor and starred in the movie "Hentai da" (directed by Hajime Anzai, based on the novel by Jun Miura) in 2016, as well as in the stage play "Namu Hamu da Hamu" in 2017. . He is also currently composing music for the music play "The World is Alone" directed by Hideto Iwai.maenokenta.com
I wanted to find a new love.
Do you like fashion?
former fieldI usually live quietly, so I don't often show off with my clothes. The only places I go to are coffee shops, used bookstores, and parks. . I just choose what I feel good in. . But I am particular about my glasses. That's about it. Of course I love cool things. I think the most important thing is whether or not it fits me, rather than the design. Also, fashion is important during live performances.
What does that mean?
former fieldClothes are a part of the performance. I guess you could call it motivation. I think it is an important element of the performance. I often wear shirts, and when I find a good one, I get excited.
What kind of clothes make you excited?
former fieldIt's a loud patterned shirt. I look for things that other people don't wear, and when I find them, I get excited. I look for things that no one else will wear, and when I find them, I get excited. I feel like I have to collect them myself (laughs).
Is wearing patterned shirts influenced by your own favorite Bob Dylan?
former fieldDylan wears polka dots. So I would choose otherwise.
The polo shirt worn for this shoot was also chosen for its pattern.
former fieldThere was also a solid color on the list. I like red, so I thought a red polo shirt would be nice, but when I tried on that patterned item, it just felt right. I like to try on shirts that I have never worn before. I get the desire to try them on. If it fits, I get to know a new part of myself.
A piece with multi-colored borders on a light brown base. While the color scheme is casual, the presence of darker colors such as blue and black in the stripes tones down the impression and gives it a somewhat austere look. ¥14,000+TAX
During the shoot, you mentioned that you used to wear a brown polo shirt from " Lacoste ". When was that?
former fieldI think it was probably about 15 years ago. At the time, I was smooth and fresh. And that polo shirt suited me well (laughs).
He said it was smart.
former fieldYes, that's right. The same is true of my image of Lacoste. . Also, I feel that they are somewhat gentlemanly. But as I became thicker and thicker and more and more fuzzy, I gradually stopped wearing it.
How did you feel after wearing it for the first time in a while?
former fieldIt's light. . it's uplifting. It makes me want to find a new love (laughs). The sneakers are very light, too. The name "Lacoste" also has a light-hearted sound to it.
The knit upper is knitted, and a ribbed border is placed at the footwear's opening. This is a unique item from Lacoste that follows the detail work of polo shirts. ¥13,500+TAX
Breathing the air of the city of Ikebukuro is not to be mistaken.
Today we did a photo shoot in Ikebukuro. What are your impressions of this city?
former fieldThere is a complex connection to Ikebukuro . For me, this is the first city I ever lived in. My hometown is Iruma, Saitama, and my parents live along the Seibu Ikebukuro Line. It takes about 35 minutes by express train.
My father used to run a company and his office was in Ikebukuro. So I had an image of Ikebukuro as a town where my father drank a lot.
I also used to come here once a week when I was a ronin myself. So it is the town of my youth.
Ikebukuro , do you like it?
former fieldI like this obscene feeling. Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Ikebukuro used to be not so different, but now they have their own distinct colors. I don't get to come here as often anymore, but I like the chaotic atmosphere.
You also wrote a song called "In Ikebukuro.
former field. I think I made it about 10 years ago. . Since there is an evening shower in the lyrics, it was probably around summer. I saw a building with a dance school in it, and I thought it looked like Ikebukuro. . There were future actors and such in the building. It stood out in the rainy landscape, and it was very Tokyo-like.
. Also, there is an Asian aroma in Ikebukuro. When you leave an air-conditioned coffee shop, which is very cold, you can feel the Asian subtropical atmosphere. It matches the mood of Ikebukuro.
The World Alone" is also being staged at the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Space in Ikebukuro. Do you feel any connection with it?
Why is the Art Theater in Ikebukuro? . It should have been in Nihonbashi or some such place. . But I think it is nice that it is located in the midst of this obscenity.
Why is that?
former fieldAfter the day's work is done, I feel comfortable in the bustling city of Tokyo. It keeps me in a good mood. Here, I feel as if I am allowed to have a drink after work. Our role is simply to entertain the customers. There may be people who think we are great, and of course we appreciate that, but in reality, it is not that noble. It is a great honor to be allowed to perform at the Art Theater of Tokyo, and because it is such a big place, I would normally get carried away, but when I go outside and breathe the air of the city of Ikebukuro, I don't get the wrong idea.
When you are in a new environment, your cells are reborn.
In "The World Alone," you produced the music sung in the play and played it live.
former fieldYes, that's right. I am in the position of putting music to the lyrics written by Mr. Iwai, the author and director of the work, and singing the lyrics. I guess I am like a music director. Why did Mr. Iwai want to do a musical play? I think it was because he thought he could convey his thoughts and feelings more widely. I have always been a music lover, but I thought that if the lines were sung and sent flying, they would reach a deeper and deeper place in people's hearts.
Just because the melody is lighter or darker, it seems to help us better understand the meaning of the words.
former fieldYes, that's right. There is a song we wrote this time called "Sekai wa Hitori" (The World is Alone). The phrase "The world is alone" itself contains a message, and if it were just a word, it would be a bit stiff. But when it becomes a song, you can understand the world view instantly.
I understand that you wrote the lyrics for all the songs in this music play. Have you ever written music for lyrics written by someone other than yourself before?
former fieldLast year, I wrote a song based on lyrics written by YUKI . I would rather change the lyrics than keep them verbatim.
Is it a word?
former field. Yes, I have my own rhythms and melodies. I have my own rhythms and melodies, and I apply them to them. That's why I have the feeling that the lyrics are getting closer and closer to my own. But both Ms. Yuki and Mr. Iwai are able to do it because of their rich poetic sentiments, and I had no difficulty at all because I felt that they both had the same poetic sentiments. I think the people who came to this performance would not be able to tell whether Mr. Iwai wrote the lyrics or I did.
This piece is decorated with the original Lacoste name as a pattern. The blue letters floating on a black background give a somewhat modern impression. The ultra-slim fit gives it a sharp look. ¥14,000+TAX
Like synchronizing with yourself.
former field. I like to write about the kind of songwriting that people have in their hearts. In my newest album, "Sakura," there is a song called "What's Life Like," which is set in an old jazz cafe. I was having coffee at a coffee shop, and my mom asked me, "What do you think life is? She asked me, "Is it play? But she said, "I think it's a struggle, and after 70 years of living, that's what I've been thinking lately. I was deeply moved at that moment, and from that exchange, I wrote the lyrics and composed the song.
It's because of what Mom said, isn't it?
former fieldI just put it together. I resonated with Mom's spirit of singing. People's words are not that far away. That's why I can make it sound like my own song.
In this play, the songs by Maeno and Iwai are sung by a cast of actors including Takako Matsu, Eita , and Suzuki Matsuo.
former fieldThat was a new experience for me, and it was more difficult than I had imagined. Each person has a different key, and just a change in that key changes the song itself. It took a lot of time to adjust. But it was simply fun.
How did you and the performers complete the song?
former fieldI sing the first number first. I sing the first verse and say, "This is what it looks like. Then I ask the performers to sing the second number. At first, they say, "What? At first, they are like, "What? That's right, of course, because I had never heard this song before (laughs). But, as they sing the song as they see fit, a melody that is unique to that person emerges. At that moment, you are taken away by their feelings. An emotion is born that cannot be put into words.
You make it like a session.
former fieldMr. Iwai wanted to create in that way. He did not want to give them the score and ask them to memorize it, but rather to draw out what they had in common. According to Mr. Iwai, "I wanted to make the songs fit in.
Did you gain anything through the process yourself, Mr. Maeno?
former fieldOf course, it was big . . When you are with interesting people, your cell changes. For example, when I am invited to a movie, I become a movie cell. This time, too, I spent a long time with my co-stars, including rehearsals, and became a cell of "the world is one person. . I would like to give shape to something that can only be created during that time.
After all, does that change what comes out of it?
former field. there is that. Recently, a common street sign sometimes looks like a song. The words and characters on them. When I am with Mr. Iwai, I feel that it is okay to create a song from such trivial things. I don't even think about it myself, but he makes me feel like I do. He is an amazing director, isn't he?
Such flexibility in the environment may be what is making Maeno-san more and more reborn.
former fieldI would like to continue to have the flexibility to jump into something I think is interesting without thinking too deeply about it. If I do this, I am sure that new cells will be born, and I will never get tired of it until I die. I used to say, "Kohaku is my goal! I used to say, "Kohaku is my goal!
Don't you have that feeling anymore?
former fieldOf course there is. . but it's a long way off if you have your shoulders in the air. . Maybe if you are on the jury side, it might be possible (laughs). (Laughs.) Then there is the possibility that someone else will perform a song that I wrote. Wouldn't that be wonderful? When I am asked to contribute a piece of music by someone I am interested in, I don't want to turn them down. I don't want to say, "I'm sorry, I have my own thing going on! I don't want to say, "I'm sorry! . So I want to be as flexible as possible and be able to jump into all kinds of places.
