We always feel fortunate when given the chance to speak with a passionate musician like NANO. This time, in late 2024, we had the privilege of a deep, and extensive conversation, not only about NANO’s music and evolution, but also live performances, the state of the Japanese music industry, global perspectives, and the digital age of artists.

Notably, NANO’s journey is marked by the pain once carried, which has now transformed into strength and growth with the music we hear from NANO today.

As a bilingual singer raised in New York, NANO brings a unique and refreshing perspective to the topics covered in this interview. And the best part is, you can join the conversation too, whether by watching the video, listening to the podcast, or reading the written interview. Enjoy!

Before jumping in though, don’t forget that NANO has a new EP “aИomaly” (Anomaly) coming out soon, on July 2!

Jump to topic

1. The evolution of NANO [00:00]
2. Do or Die: Unity through live performances [14:07]
3. Utaite, VTubers, and the doujin music scene [29:39]
4. “NANO, the anison singer”? [37:10]
5. The walls shaping Japan’s music and identity [47:29]
6. The global vision of NANO [53:14]

The evolution of NANO

[00:00] Back to top

NANO, it’s great to see you! The last time we spoke, we were talking about your self-produced album “ANTHESIS”. That album had the theme of “flowering” (symbolizing personal growth), and since then, how do you feel like you have evolved as a musician?

It feels like a long time ago that I released the album already. So much has happened since then, and I feel like I’ve evolved a lot. When I look back at the time I created the album, it was actually the first time I was finally flying out into the world.

I’ve been cooped up in a place where I felt safe and protected for a really long time. My self-produced album, ANTHESIS, was really my first time stepping out on my own. I put a lot of emotion into that album, about how I wanted to be free and stand on my own feet. Since then, over the past couple of years, I feel more confident as a musician. I can choose what I like and don’t like to do, and my music and expression feel more genuinely “me”, more authentically “NANO”.

As a person, I feel like I’ve grown a lot stronger since that album, and as a musician, I’ve become more genuine. But my main goal hasn’t changed: to keep pushing outward, to keep reaching bigger horizons, connecting with more people, and seeing more of the world. That’s really what’s happened since the release of that album.

That’s awesome! You mentioned your music feels more genuine now. What do you do differently compared to before?

In terms of song creation itself, I don’t think it’s that different. What has really changed is when I sing those songs live, that’s really where I feel the difference. Since the songs, in general, are more genuine and more “me”, when I perform live on stage, I feel more confident. I feel more like I’m expressing who I really am.

Over the past few years, as I’ve been going on stage all over the world, it’s been so exciting and meaningful for me. I feel like I connect with the audience a lot more than I used to, and now I’m literally not just trying to be “NANO”, I am NANO. That part was a bit of a challenge when I was starting out; I didn’t really know who I was as a musician, or even as a person, I wasn’t as confident. I was always trying to be NANO, like some ideal version of myself.

However, I think being yourself is so important, especially in this generation. I’m really happy to be able to do that on stage now. Every single show I do now is so exciting for me. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s genuinely so fun going on stage. Every time, I’m like, “How am I allowed to have so much fun?” [laughs]. It almost feels like it shouldn’t be allowed. I feel a bit guilty, because it doesn’t feel like work for me at all.

You mentioned it sounded cheesy, but we think it’s profound.

Oh wow, thank you.

Especially considering your background—which is a lot different from that of many other artists—breaking out of that shell to become the NANO you are today is a huge step.

Thank you so much.

After haivng self-produced an album, what has been the most rewarding part of the experience for you?

I think there are different stages in an artist’s career, and of course, every musician or artist has their own motivations and goals. For me, my ultimate goal is to be genuine and authentic. Since the album, that idea has really sunk in.

Because I also write my own lyrics, that authenticity really affects it as well. Lately, when I create songs, I really feel like I connect with them.

Ever since ANTHESIS, I feel like every song I create is very much “me”, and “me at the moment I write them”. I’m not really afraid anymore to put myself into them. I used to be a little scared to show my weaknesses in my songs, but now I feel proud of the 12 years I’ve been making music. It’s all me, and I feel free to put all of myself into those songs.

Maybe somewhere in the world, someone will hear it and connect with it, and feel like it’s giving them some power, or push on their back. I think music is never-ending, it’s like a cycle of power. I just want to keep that cycle going and going and going.

When you mentioned being scared to show your true self, was that to protect the persona “NANO”, or was it more about protecting yourself?

I think it’s a little bit of both, but more so to protect myself. When we grow up, as kids and teenagers, we’re all really sensitive, and there are some things we feel when we’re younger that leave scars in us even as adults.

Of course, a lot of people do overcome those scars and traumas as they grow older, but some wounds are harder to leave behind. For me, I’m in the latter; I had a lot of pain and scars from my childhood that I carried into adulthood. Music was a huge key for me to be able to overcome those scars.

In the beginning, I was still very insecure, with a lot of traumas and scars from my past. I felt like those scars were not meant to be seen by the world; they were things I thought I had to tough out or hide within myself. When I look back on my older songs and the lyrics, they’re really about toughing it out or being strong, or about fighting. I probably felt the need to look and act strong because I was weak on the inside. But as time went on, I was healed by music and by the people I was reaching out to. My fans healed me a lot as well.

Eventually, my lyrics started changing a little bit; they were less about acting strong and more about being strong inside and feeling strong. It does take time, but it’s possible for everyone to reach those stages in their life.

So to reiterate, it was as if you’ve gone from making songs that shows that you’re strong, to making songs that empowers the listeners instead?

Yeah, definitely.

Got it. Regarding self-producing “ANTHESIS”, do you feel like that was a difficult process?

Oh yeah, it was. Now that I look back on it, I’m really proud of the album, and I don’t have any regrets or thoughts like, “I wish I had done this differently”. But at the time, that wasn’t clear to me. It’s not like mathematics where there’s a right answer. You can’t just look at the answer key and say, “Oh yeah, that was the right answer”.

The album itself was just a huge challenge and experiment. Now, it feels like the right answer as an album, but during the making process, I kept thinking, “What am I supposed to do?”. I had all the ingredients in front of me, but I didn’t know what I was trying to make, and I didn’t know how to mix these ingredients to make a good dish. I kept thinking, “How do I do this?”. There was no one to teach me, because I was self-producing it.

In the end, I listened to my instincts, to my heart, and I was led by that. With the help of many others around me, my staff, band members, songwriters, creators, and all the people who were willing to help me, I was able to create something that was really from the inside.

It was very difficult at the time, though. I kept thinking, “Wow, I have a lot on my plate. What have I gotten myself into?”. However, it was a challenge that I needed and wanted to take on.

We guess when there’s such a big opportunity like this, one might end up in decision paralysis. Despite it being a difficult process, would you take on a similar project in the future?

If I were to do something completely self-produced again, it would maybe be another 10 years from now. I wouldn’t do it immediately. The reason is that I want to be able to learn more, experience more, and change and evolve, before I have that chance again.

After ANTHESIS, I entered a stage of learning again. It’s like school—you learn, test, learn, test. You have to learn before you take the test, or else you can’t really succeed. I’m in that stage again, trying to absorb and learn as much as possible. I’ve now graduated to the next step, so I’m not doing the same learning as in my first 10 years. I feel like I’ve gone from middle school to high school. I’ve leveled up, and now there are much more difficult things to learn. The level is higher, it’s more challenging, but I need that to create something like ANTHESIS again.

Right now, I’m trying to work with as many new people as possible. It’s very important to be willing to be taught—even if you’ve been an artist for a long time. Some people might think they’re experienced enough not to take advice anymore, like, “Yeah, I can do it myself”. But I feel that no matter how long you’ve been doing this, you have to stay open to take advice and tips from others. That’s the only way to keep evolving.

I look to people I admire, like other artists, and think to myself, “Dang, I’m so envious of them”. But to me, that’s a chance to learn. If there’s something I admire about someone, it means I can learn from them, and I try to make that a positive shift. Just throw negativity out the window, because it’s only going to hold you back from moving forward.

We love that approach, as it’s very humble. We also believe it’s a method that will allow one to evolve as well.

Thank you.

Do or Die: Unity through live performances

[14:07] Back to top

It’s quite unreal that it’s been about 12 years since your debut [as of this interview in late 2024]. Going back a bit to when you released “NOIXE” (pronounced “noise”). The title suggested, “Sound that comes out of NANO”. What would you consider the most monumental thing from that 10th anniversary, if not the album itself?

The 10th year isn’t any different from, like the 9th year or the 11th year. But for me, I felt like it was just a chance to really look back at the 10 years that I’ve done music. And also, in retrospect, look to the future as well. In a good way, it’s a very jumbled, mixed album. It’s not just about something new; it’s not just about something old.

Usually, when artists release 10th anniversary albums, it’s an album looking back on the 10 years they’ve carved. But in my case, I was going to look to the future as well. The reason being, I’m the kind of person who always has to keep moving forward, or else, I feel like I’m not doing something. I don’t want to be in the same place for a really long time. The 10th anniversary album for me was not just about looking back to the past, but also looking forward to the future.

It was really difficult making the album [NOIXE], because I had running thoughts like, “What kind of songs do I put into an album that’s about my past, but also my future?”. Do I make songs that people feel like, “Oh yeah, that’s so nostalgic” or “That’s [the song] magenta all over again?”. Or do I make new songs that gets people to react like, “Wow, that’s so new; I’ve never heard something like that from NANO before?”.

It was really hard to find the right “noises”. In the end, I did a little bit of everything. I did stuff that felt very nostalgic, but at the same time, I did things I’d thought was never done before.

The new noises were really tough for me because I wasn’t experienced in those genres; I didn’t know how to express myself in the new sound, through the methods I had relied on until now. I did collaborations I hadn’t had the chance to do before, and I also did cover songs that I had been apart from for a really long time. I just did everything I wanted to do—a little bit of everything. It was like a huge French cuisine: an appetizer, the main dish, soup, salad, dessert, and some wine afterward.

What would you consider being the dessert? [Laughs]

[In a state of indecision] Oh my gosh… The dessert… I guess, for me, there’s a song that I wrote directly for my fans, and that was really just very sweet for me. It was a sweet tooth like ice cream, an expression of my love and feelings towards my fans.

I also feel like the cover songs I did were maybe… the first dessert? I love dessert, so there had to be many courses of desserts [laughs]. But maybe most of the album was dessert, I don’t know, because I like dessert.

[Everyone laughs]

Okay, so it’s a full course of dessert? [Laughs]

Yes, a full course of dessert. That’s new. [Laughs]

For me personally as an old-time fan, I felt quite happy when I heard that there were gonna be translated lyrics. That for me was the dessert.

Oh wow, that’s awesome.

That really brought me back the nostalgic part. But this time, it was a bit different, because you chose anime songs specifically, instead of covering Vocaloid songs, for example. How did you select these songs?

Just ones that I had listened to, years back. The songs that really made me grow to love anime songs in general.

When I was living back in the states, anime wasn’t as easily accessible as it is now. So I picked up the series that were really popular among the otaku community online, and I fell in love with them. I was like, “These songs are so cool!”. They were the songs that made me want to become a singer in Japan. I thought, I would love to sing these type of music and see them on TV with an anime opening animation—that would be so cool. So they were songs that I personally fell in love with as a kid.

It was really hard, though, there were so many to choose from. In the end, I chose something that I love, but at the same time, would feel natural for me to sing as a rock singer.

We thought this selection was great!

Really? Awesome!

As these covers were translated from Japanese to English lyrics, did you find it challenging to convey them in a different language?

It’s funny because, it is challenging, but at the same time, I love doing these translations. I think it’s just my strength. I’ve always loved doing this, and it feels going back and experiencing a hobby again.

I’ve never really had a time when I was translating a song and thought, “Ugh, this is so hard and I’m not having fun”. It’s always really fun for me, so I guess, it’s a treat for me.

It’s a lot easier [to translate existing lyrics] than writing my own lyrics from scratch, to be honest. That’s because there’s a story already expressed in Japanese. All I have to do is use my imagination and try to convey it to people who might not understand Japanese, while keeping the same excitement or emotions as the Japanese version when I listened to it. I think that part is so important.

Some people say that language is not a huge barrier when it comes to music, and honestly, I would like to believe that. However, to understand the intricate parts, language can be a barrier. There are of course some otaku who are fluent in Japanese, but there are people who aren’t so fluent, right? Those people would still want to understand the song’s essence just as much. So the biggest challenge for me isn’t the translation itself, but ensuring that people who listen to it in Japanese and those who hear it in English feel the same “waku waku” feeling, the same excitement.

Yeah, absolutely!

We’re also gonna put you on the spot here now. At the moment, within your own discography, what would you consider being the song that represents NANO today?

Definitely without a moment hesitation, Do or Die.

Oh, that’s interesting!

I’ve done a couple of concerts now with Do or Die. It’s a newer song, but when I sing it on stage with the crowd, it becomes complete. As a song itself, it’s good, it’s a rock-and-roll song. But the moment I sing it with my fans, and the moment we do the hand gesture, [NANO does a throat-cutting gesture] and sing “Do or Die” together, that moment is euphoria. It’s really scary, but it’s awesome.

It sounds like a cult though [laughs].

Yeah, it is! It’s like a cult, but at the same time, we all forget about everything in life when we’re doing the hand gesture. I don’t know why, but it makes us forget. At that moment, we’re just together, we’re one, we’re one big, huge noise together.

It’s so amazing because, in regular life, when do you have the chance to forget about everything? When do you have the chance to just be you, just making noise, and forget the world for a moment? I think [Do or Die] has that power, and it’s amazing to experience that wherever I go in the world—not just Japan, not just Germany, not just America, not Canada, not Asia. It’s everywhere that it happens. It’s amazing.

But to be honest, all of my songs are a piece of me. So whenever I sing them, I feel like it’s a different piece. Without all those pieces put together, it’s not going to complete the puzzle, so it’s a hard choice. I think it’ll be forever changing though.

Continuing with “Do or Die” which was featured in the card game anime “Shadowverse Flame”, you collaborated with Kemu (Horie Shota from PENGUIN RESEARCH) for this song. Can you tell us about what you and Kemu wanted to convey with it?

We’ve been working together for more than 10 years now. “No Pain, No Gain” was the first song that I worked with him on. Because of this, he knows my evolution, and we feel very, very comfortable with our sounds. But he’s also a very ever-changing creator, so he’s completely different from the creator he was 10 years ago.

When we work together, we have that chemistry where, even though we’re both changing, we come back to that place where we both feel comfortable. It’s that “sound” that we create together…

Even if the sound is evolving, it’s nostalgic in a way. For instance, when you hear Do or Die, it reminds you of No Pain, No Gain—the songs that we created together. That’s why I wanted to work with him on Do or Die. I wanted there to be that nostalgic “NANO sound” that I loved back then, but at the same time, I wanted it to be 10 times more amazing than No Pain, No Gain.

I do feel we were able to create something that is even more powerful, catchy, and audience-friendly for the purpose of live concerts. I wanted [the throat-cutting hand gesture] in there. I was like, “I need a place inside the song where the crowd is gonna just, do that with me”, so I added that portion. It’s like a break in the middle of the song.

I told [Kemu] that I wanted a song with a break inside where the crowd is gonna sing it with me, like a chant. I wanted something very edgy, like a taunting boxer saying “come on, come on”. So yeah, it’s very catchy, but at the same time, it’s like, you know, Do or Die.

So that was the intention with having this break in the song?

Yeah!

That’s amazing. How do you usually approach the live-audience interaction aspect of your songs?

I’ve always enjoyed doing concerts, but as an artist now, I feel like I’m enjoying performing live even more than before. That’s my main excitement right now—more than recording, more than creating. Doing shows is what I live for as a musician.

When you start to really enjoy doing live concerts, and the more shows that you do, that’s when you really understand that your connection with the audience is half of the concert. You can’t just repeat the same exact performance every time [and expect the same exact outcome].

Even though you rehearse and plan everything out, things are different on a case-by-case basis. As the crowd is different for each show, there are times when they might be really chill, and it takes a lot more to get them going. But sometimes, the crowd is totally like “Wah!” from the beginning. It’s different for each show, the vibe varies a lot, and that’s why I need songs that the audience can enjoy and actively participate in. It’s not just me singing in front of an audience, it’s about becoming one with them and having them be a part of the show.

Whenever I make songs now, I always imagine myself singing on stage. If I feel like, “No, this song doesn’t really make me excited”, about singing it live, then I believe there’s something wrong. Even if it’s a ballad, I have to be able to imagine myself singing it on stage, and imagine me connecting with the crowd. That’s the way I create songs right now.

Utaite, VTubers, and the doujin music scene

[29:39] Back to top

If we compare this with a lot of online artists on the niconico video platform, the interaction typically ends after a song is uploaded. There’s little opportunity for fans to engage directly or experience the music live—which is a bit unfortunate. We think it’s great that you try to find ways to counteract that.

It’s probably very old school, the style that I do music. [Compared to artists from] 30 or 40 years ago, or like The Beatles, everything was about doing live shows. While the recording was the main thing—it’s how they got their music out there—performing shows was still the ultimate goal. Even rock artists like My Chemical Romance from the early 2000s, and Green Day from the ’90s, they made music with the the goal to do tours and perform live. It was all about connecting with real live audiences. So I’m probably a very old-school type of musician, compared to the more recent Japanese “net music scene”, which I feel like is a completely different genre.

Both have their pros and cons, and I think it’s really hard to compare the two. Being able to readily listen to, for example, Vocaloid music or doujin music online is good in a way. Some people [are content with just listening to the music and] don’t necessarily need to experience the live event. It’s just a completely different genre. I don’t really compare the two, to be honest. I love both, actually.

What if we compare this with VTubers? They only exist digitally but and streaming live, in real-time.

VTubers is a world that I have very little knowledge about but it’s amazing. There are so many people are interested in it, and the VTubers have such huge influence on the world right now.

If I were to ever do something like that, I don’t think I’d be able to pull it off, because I’m a very “physical” person. I need to be able to see my audience. But I’m amazed that there’s such a world out there with such influence. I’m sure that this generation needs that kind of accessible [connection with artists]. With online artists like VTubers, you feel more close to them, because they’re right there—it’s only a screen between you and the artist.

It’s a parasocial type of relationship.

Yeah, but they’re very real because they’re down to earth and talk about everyday things, like, “Yeah, I had lunch today…”. I think in this generation, that authenticity is really important, people don’t want fake, they want something real, you know?

They like accessible artists, people who are more relatable, instead of say, a diva. So I do feel like it’s very important to be authentic now, and that’s helping people feel more confident about themselves as well.

One unfortunate part, in our opinion, is that VTubers will never share any direct, face-to-face, interactions with fans.

Because I’m not a VTuber, I’m not too familiar with that. I’m personally a very analog person that really love real connections. That’s why, even though I’m able to stream my shows around the world, I would never, ever take live streaming over going there physically, because I want to see everyone. I want to be able to have people listen to my real voice, you know? This is despite the energy, money, and time that is required to do those shows. I’m just that kind of person.

As a VTuber, you might not have the opportunity to be able to have direct contact with your fans. Maybe that’s a little bit sad? But there must be some sort of excitement in that as well—forever not knowing who that person really is.

But in the end, it’s kind of the same as niconico in the past, where utaite artists didn’t show their faces. No one expected the utaite community to explode that big. Nobody expected niconico music to become major. We were all doing that as a hobby back then and never thought that utaite would someday stand on stage and actually do direct shows with fans. That was a huge surprise.

Yeah, maybe all of the big labels are now getting it and see the potential of niconico. There was one period where a lot of niconico artists went major.

Yeah, I remember that.

To us, that was mind-blowing.

Oh yeah.

Since we’ve been following the doujin scene for a while, we’ve seen some of those artists make it to the mainstream—that’s a crazy experience.

It is, it is. And to see them on public TV sometimes, it’s like, “wow”. Seeing an utaite appear on channels like NHK, or the New Year’s show “Kouhaku”, it’s insane.

We need to get you on Kouhaku [laughs].

Yeah, hopefully, but I’m going around the world, not just in Japan. I feel like my ultimate goal is not only to be able to sing to as many people in Japan, but to reach out globally.

Of course, I would love to be able to go around more in Japan as well—I haven’t been able to do that much. Right now however, I do feel it’s my chance and time to go to as many different countries as possible. Because the world is so digital now, I need to go in the opposite direction. I’m going against the waves, but I think there’s more rewarding things beyond those big waves that I need to overcome.

“NANO, the anison singer”?

[37:10] Back to top

If we jump back to the topic of anison (anime music), you have of course performed many of them. Earlier today when I went to the CD store Tower Records in Shibuya, I couldn’t find your music in the Jpop section. However, your music was in the anime section! What are your feelings towards this a musician?

In the beginning, I never really felt like an anime song artist or categorized myself as one. When someone presented me as, “NANO, the anison singer”, I was like, “Am I an anison singer, or am I just a singer, or a rock singer? What am I?”. But now, I do feel very proud to be called an anison singer. Back then, I guess anime wasn’t as huge [overseas] as it is now—it was more like a subculture or underground. Due to that, I felt like maybe it would limit me and my global reach.

Since anime is so worldwide and so huge right now—I mean, there are anison singers who are on the Billboard charts in the U.S., which is insane, right? Now, I feel proud to be called an anison singer, because it’s something people around the world can relate to, like, “Oh, you sing anime music. That’s awesome!”. If I was just “singer NANO”, people would be like, “So what do you sing?”. I feel like this generation has changed so much, and thanks to anime, people are enjoying music worldwide.

I’m able to go to so many countries because of anime now. If I wasn’t an anison singer, I probably wouldn’t be able to go to half of those countries. But at the same time, I don’t only enjoy singing anime songs [and I don’t intend to limit myself to this scene]. If possible, I would like my non-anime songs to be known as well. I would love to be able to do shows that aren’t just about anime—for people who genuinely love music to come to my shows. So I’m trying to find a good way to do that right now. That’s probably my biggest hurdle right at the moment: to keep doing anime songs, but also keep doing my own sounds and have people really enjoy that as well.

You’ve been to the convention AFA recently and also you went to Germany. When you picked out your setlist—considering the things we talked about—how did you decide what songs to include?

If it’s an anime event, I’m not just going to just sing my original songs—people might otherwise wonder, “So why is this person even here?”, right? I do make it a point to include songs that everyone knows, because there will be people who don’t know who NANO is, but might recognize some of my songs. Even if they don’t know any of my songs, I think anime songs have that catchy essence that people will enjoy.

In between those songs, I slip in my own favorites, but songs that don’t feel out of place. It could be a song that sounds like an anison, even if it’s not. Or a song that says, “This is NANO, nice to meet you”, like a storyline that runs through the setlist from start to finish. By experiencing the setlist, maybe people get to know me a little better and feel a sense of connection with me as a person.

And so, when I pick songs, I make sure to include ones that help me feel truly connected with the crowd, and that usually only happens with my original songs. While anime songs really hypes everyone up, the songs that really feel like I’m talking with the audience, are my original songs. Like magenta, it’s a song people have grown to love and feel a connection to.

I try to change it up a little bit every time, to not sing the same setlist everywhere. People might otherwise be like, “I like those songs, but I’m getting kind of tired of hearing them every single time”. I make it a challenge for myself to try new songs.

So you had different setlists for those two events. Were there any particular difference between them?

Different anime might be popular in different countries, so there are songs of mine that are heard more widely. Because of that, I don’t really want to pick a song that is completely off. Some countries like ballads more, but other countries really like fast songs, you know, it’s different.

I try to research to see what kind of anime and sounds are popular in different countries. It’s always, in a way, challenging to be able to see beforehand what the crowd is gonna enjoy.

So AFA was in Indonesia and Anime Messe Babelsberg in Germany. Our impression is that people in Germany like heavier music. What was your impression of Indonesia?

Indonesia is of course a country on its own, but I think Asia in general really likes catchy, pop-like sounds. They also like the kawaii bunka (cute culture) and ballads as well, so I try to pick songs that are very pop-catchy, something that everyone can groove to.

But then in Germany, because I went there with my band [in 2023] as well, I do feel like they really like rock and roll. They love and make heavy music, and they really know how to rock out to it. So I try to slip in songs that are more band-like or rock and roll.
Compared to Indonesia, over there, I did songs that are more like pop and call-and-response, so it’s a little bit different.

And you also went to Germany with RON from STEREO DIVE FOUNDATION who is also bilingual. Do you feel like it’s easier to connect with other musicians who are bilingual, or is there no difference?

A part of me feels it’s easier to connect with them, because they’re open to different cultures and understand what it’s like to have a lot inside you. Their intuition or rules that they live by are very free sometimes.

I’ve had the chance to work with and get to know people like RON, and [vocalist] KIHOW from MYTH & ROID, who are both bilingual. Artists with overseas experience or an appreciation for languages other than Japanese, we do feel a bond that we naturally share. Like, “Oh yeah, we’re in the same boat!”, and so, I think it’s easier to talk to them.

Sometimes I feel that people born and raised in Japan can be a bit shy when it comes to making new friends. While they’re very friendly, they can also be quite reserved. On the other hand, people with experience living overseas tend to be more open and easier to connect with. So when I’m abroad, I take that opportunity to get to know people—it’s one of the nice things about going overseas. I end up making more friends than I would just working in Japan.

The walls shaping Japan’s music and identity

[47:29] Back to top

Speaking about the music industry, what’s your take on the Japanese music industry who primarily focuses on the domestic market? This is opposed to Kpop who managed to keep their identity while focusing on the global market at the same time.

It’s so difficult, and I think we could talk about this for five hours. It’s a really deep and a very extensive topic. Putting it in a nutshell: there are good things and bad things about both, I think.

From an artist’s point of view, in the past, I did feel there were really big hurdles being in a protected community such as Japan. Because of that, about 10 years ago, it was difficult to get your music out to a global audience, and it was harder to get your hands on Japanese things—even anime. Now, though, it’s easier to access Japanese content, but back then, it was much harder.

Even as an artist belonging to a label that didn’t have an international YouTube, and who [previously] didn’t put their music on Spotify, I was like, “How is this working with me, because I’m trying to get my music out there”. I was saying that “NANO is a global musician”, but what I was doing wasn’t really global, because my music wasn’t accessible to the global community. In a way, I was lying to the world, because I wasn’t doing what was needed to be done. I was kind of battling with the Japanese industry to be able to get my music out there.

I was always thinking, “Please allow my music videos to be accessed globally”. Over time, Japan slowly became more open, though it’s still protective—which is different from the way Kpop does it. Japan is still not fully opening up to the international world, but the good thing about that is: Japan is still distincly Japanese.

In other Asian countries, I think their cultures have become more globalized. While in Japan, I think one of the reasons it is being appreciated right now is because it’s still distincly Japanese—it’s unique to the world. When you come to Japan, you probably feel like a foreigner, but that’s a good thing. It shows how strongly Japan has preserved its own unique culture, without too much outside influence. Even though Japan is still evolving and becoming more open, that part of Japan remains. Like in music, “Jpop” is “Jpop”, it’s not “world music”, you know? So yeah… it’s a difficult topic.

Yeah, we completely agree. It would be a shame if Japan lost its unique identity that makes it distinctly Japanese.

Exactly. Of course, tourism is becoming big in Japan, and a lot of foreign tourists are visiting. It would be easier for the tourists if Japanese people could speak more English, because I think Japan probably has the lowest English ability, and sometimes it does frustrate me that it’s not at a conversational level.

At the same time, it’s also a way to enjoy Japan, being able to speak English without everyone around you understanding. That kind of barrier is also part of the experience, a way to really feel the essence of the culture. I actually think it’s maybe not a bad thing that not everything is in English in Japan.

As I’ve traveled around the world, to a lot of Asian countries, everywhere else is accessible in English. If you say something to the convenience store clerk, they’ll be like, “Okay, okay, okay” and understand you to the minimal extent. In Japan, however, they’re like, “Huh? No? Wakarimasen” (I don’t understand). They don’t even try to speak English to you, they just don’t understand English. While it’s a difficult situation, maybe it’s still not a bad thing.

The global vision of NANO

[53:14] Back to top

As we mentioned before, you’ve already passed your 10th anniversary, so what visions do you have for the future?

I definitely want to keep evolving. I always want to stay curious. I always want to stay hungry. I don’t ever want to feel like I’m full, like, “I’ve had enough”. I don’t think I’ll ever feel that way, but my goal isn’t to feel fulfilled. My goal is to keep moving forward.
Even if it means to always be hungry in a way, that’s good for me because it means there’s a future. I’m always needing something more in my life, and that’s what music is for: to make me feel like I need more, to keep pushing forward. If you’re satisfied or fulfilled, then that’s the end of the road for whatever you’re aiming for.

There’s no end to loneliness. No matter how the world or technology evolves, someone will always feel alone or in pain. And as long as that exists, there will always be a need for people who want to reach out—whether through music, movies, books, or anything else—to offer a light.

As long as the need is there, I’m going to keep doing what I do. The ways of doing it might change as things become more digital and technology-driven, but the core reason behind it never changes. That’s what I’m here for. So yeah, as long as humans exist, I’ll keep singing, because there will always be a reason to.

Would you say that this is a global vision, or do you have a separate vision for Japan and overseas?

I don’t really see Japan and the rest of the world as separate. I always think people are the same everywhere. There are country borders and language barriers, but in the end, everyone is the same—in a good way.

I don’t believe in any kind of hierarchy between people. Everyone deserves to be happy in life. Everyone deserves to be able to enjoy the things they love doing. Everyone deserves to dream. It’s just that some people don’t have the same opportunities to pursue those dreams, and those are the people I really want to reach with my music.

So whether that’s in Japan, Germany, Brazil, or anywhere else, it doesn’t matter to me. If there are people in Japan who need my music, then yes, I’ll sing there. If there are people elsewhere who need it, I’ll sing there too. It’s a worldwide mission for me.

Our last question was going to be “please leave a message to your overseas fans”, but we feel like you have just done that [laughs].

Oh yeah, I talked way too much! You probably already know what I wanted to say.

I guess in the end, what I just want to say is, “thank you”. That’s the main reason that I go overseas, and of course, to be able to reach out to people and to sing live.

I can’t explain what the “thank you” is for, but there are many things: “thank you for listening to my music”, “thank you for inviting me”. There’s so much more behind it like, “thank you for existing”, “thank you for everything”. That’s my main message I want to say, always.

Even now, “thank you for interviewing me”, “thank you for [reading]”, and just “thank you” in general, I guess. And rock on.

Yeah, and rock on! That’s the most important part [laughs].

That’s the most important part. Sorry, I lied. “Thank you” is important too, but “rock on” is more important [laughs].

Ok! Let’s rock on then!

Rock on!

We always end up having such a fun time speaking with NANO, and we’re so grateful for be given the opportunity to have such an engaging and interesting conversation. We hope you enjoyed the interview as much as we did!

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1. Do or Die
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2. END GAME
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3. Devil in Me
   Devil in Me
4. WAKE ME UP
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5. Oblivion
   Oblivion
6. Lost in Gray
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