"Maintaining the status quo is a form of decline. I want to keep challenging myself." Leader Nanamori talks about his dreams for Sutopuri
The original interview article can be found here. This interview is to commemorate Sutopuri's second full album 'Strawberry Next!'. It's been a while since I posted interview translations. I hope you would enjoy it even though this is an old interview. I'll do my best to translate all SutoPuri interviews from now on!
Disclaimer: I'm still a novice translator, hence my translation is not 100% accurate.
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4th June 2016. Leader, Nanamori has gathered members from different backgrounds. such as utattemita and game broadcasts, to form a video distribution entertainment unit called 'Sutopuri' or 'Strawberry Prince'. Currently, the group consists of six members: Satomi, Jel, Riinu, Root, Colon and Nanamori.
In addition to live relay broadcasts, videos on their Youtube 'Sutopuri Channel' and member's personal channels, they have released CDs and held live performances (surprisingly, some members have produced solo albums and held live performances!). After completing their nationwide tour, they will challenge themselves with 'Strawberry Memory Vol.10' at MetLife Dome (Seibu Dome) in Saitama, Japan in September 2019, which will be the greatest concert in the unit's history.
In 2019, Sutopuri continued to work forward without slowing down for even a moment. For the sake of the listeners who support them. Then, what will happen in 2020?
The answer was "Maintaining the status quo is declining. I want to be a person who keeps on challenging myself.".
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2019, a year where the accumulation of studies and members' hard work are combined
—2019 was a very fulfilling year for Sutopuri. With the scope of your activities and name recognition expanding even further, how do you feel when you look back on it?
... It's been an intense year.
I had a dream that I had envisioned since we formed, but it took a lot of study and preparation to make it a reality. For example, for CDs, I had to learn about the rights such as the mastering rights and publishing, the sales side such as how to get our songs sold at various stores, and for live performances, I had to learn about everything from composition to production. That's how it all started.
—It's all new to you, isn't it?
Yes, that's right. So I think 2018 was a year of study and preparation. Thanks to the accumulation of these efforts, combined with the efforts of all the members, and the cooperation of many people, we were finally able to deliver the album to our listeners in 2019.
—I'm sure you've been through a lot, but what are some of the events that particularly memorable for you?
At the beginning of July 2019, we released our first full-length album, 'Strawberry Love'. From then on, we went on a nationwide tour and performed at Seibu Dome at the end of September. If you include the recording of the CD, it's been four months since the beginning of June. This period has been really... a series of "I physically don't have time!'. I remembered how hard it was.
—In addition to these real-life activities, the members also continue to work on their online activities, right?
Before we decided to record the CD and go on tour, we had talked about the fact that we were a group that was mainly active on the Internet, and we all agreed that we wouldn't release the CD if it would reduce the frequency of our live broadcasting and video posting. We all agreed that if releasing a CD would reduce the frequency of our live broadcasting and video posting, we should stop.
—Limiting real-life activities, but valuing online activities, isn't it?
Yes. We were talking about the fact that we should work hard on our online activities first and foremost. We decided that we would maintain our online activities as before, and if everyone could do music activities such as CDs and live performances, we would take on the challenge. After running for four months, we were able to realize both activities, so I'm really happy about that.
—Last time, I had the opportunity to interview Riinu-san and Nanamori-san, you told us that "Unfortunately, there are times when people say things based on speculation. As a result, the listeners who support us get anxious or hurt by unkind words or rumours and they lose faith in us" and "There were moments when the words of Sutopuri stopped reaching them" left a great impression on me.
The live broadcast is in real-time, so I think it's both fun and a little anxiety-inducing to hear everything, good and bad. I really like it though (laughs).
The reason for my anxiety is that our words reach people directly, and some people are very happy, while others are sad or angry because they receive our words in a way we don't expect. Even when we tell people that we love them, there are times when they say they don't like us, and it's very painful, but it's also true that there are very happy people, so we've been doing our best for them.
—I'm sure some moments break your heart but are you the type of person who gets depressed?
I guess it's frustrating. I think it's frustrating when people say things that aren't true or spread rumours that have no basis in fact. It seems that "it's true" turns into "it was true", and finally into "it was said". There were many times when we were confused.
—That's frustrating, isn't it?
However, we will never give up on our message. We want to keep sending out our messages to the listeners who are waiting for our words.
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The full story of the second album, with its "live-action" jacket.
—Well then, the second full album. Strawberry Next' will be released on 15th January 2020. When did you start working on this album?
The songs were created in the summer of 2019, and the recording was done around the end of the Seibu Dome concert.
—This time, some of the jacket photos are actual photos instead of illustrations, isn't it?
We usually only show our faces at live performances, and we don't even take selfies on social networking sites, so the jacket photos so far have been illustrations. However, I heard that some people felt uncomfortable with the illustrations, and some listeners said, "I don't really like that kind of thing" when we introduced the album to their friends.
So I got a lot of requests for a live-action jacket, and I thought it's for the listeners. So I did my best to take pictures that I wasn't used to (laughs).
It was great that they took such cool pictures, but my hands were shaking and I was surprised at how long the waiting time was. Out of 100 pictures taken, only one would be delivered to everyone (laughs). I'm going to talk about the story behind the shooting in the live broadcast.
The mini-album 'Strawberry Start' was made with the intention of making an album that would be a self-introduction for us, packed with all the things that have made Sutopuri so far.
The first full album 'Strawberry Love' was based on the idea of conveying our love. What should we do to convey our love to our listeners through our songs? What should we do to make them happy? When I thought about it, I realized that we should not settle for the status quo, but challenge ourselves to show different sides of ourselves.
That's why I thought there would be a lot of cute songs, given the sound of 'Love', but the album is made up of songs that challenge various expressions. Some of the songs, like 'No Perfect' are so stylish that I'm not sure if they're even appropriate for us (laughs).
—(laughs).
So this time, 'Strawberry Next' will be released on 15th January 2020. Since we'll be releasing it on Strawberry Day, half of the songs are a collection of our 'Sutopuri'' characteristics. For the other half, I tried to make songs that would show the new Sutopuri.
—The fourth song 'Next Stage!!' lyrics was written by Nanamori-san, isn't it?
I'm the type of person who can't give up. Even if I set a deadline and decide to finish the lyrics by this date, I tend to want to change them more when I think the deadline is still behind me (laughs).
What I want to say to my listeners is very simple: 'Thank you', "I love you", and 'We'll do our best from now on'. I try to convey these three things in various ways and colours, but they inevitably end up looking alike. It's like "Oh, he's saying the same thing again".
—How was the 'Next Stage!!' recording process?
This song was recorded at the very last minute, but I think it was the most relaxed recording I've ever done. For better or worse, we had a lot of fun while recording it. Everyone was laughing (laughs).
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Growth from the nerve-racking first recording session
—Is there anything else that you remember from the recording process?
'Gingira Ginga' was recorded before the summer, but since it is also the opening song for 'Yokai Watch' anime and manga, we had to release it a little earlier. We usually record in a small studio with only a few people, but there were a lot of people involved in the recording of 'Gingira Ginga'.
—It seems nerve-racking to sing while many people are watching.
I was nervous. However, I was more enthusiastic and I feel like I've grown!
—Gingira Ginga's movie was made by Riinu-san, wasn't it?
Yes, that's right. Riinu-kun can write lyrics, compose music, make videos and write scripts. When it comes to editing skills, the outsourcers are naturally more professional and better, but I thought that Riinu-kun was the one who could create something which would represent SutoPuri. That's why I asked Riinu-kun to do it this time. I'm sure the listeners will be very happy with the content.
—By any chance, do you remember when you recorded 'Strawberry Start'?
When I was working on 'Strawberry Start', it was the first time for me to go to a studio to record. I thought I was supposed to sit in front of the camera at home and sing by myself (laughs).
Yes! First of all, I was really nervous, but I'm getting used to it little by little and I've been able to express myself. I don't think I'm getting better at singing at all (laughs), but I'm getting to know the characteristics of the songs little by little and thinking about how to sing or arrange them so that the listeners will be happy.
—I see!
This time, I sang with Satomi and Jel sang with Root, instead of the usual combination of 'Nanamori & Jel', 'Satomi & Colon' and 'Root & Riinu'. We were able to create the song arrangement not because it was easy for us to sing, but because we thought of a combination that the listeners would enjoy.
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A diverse group of members who are prone to 'chemical reactions'.
—You just had a successful live performance at Seibu Dome recently and will be performing at Nagoya Dome in March. You're not a professional singer nor voice actor. You don't show your faces too. Why do you think that SutoPuri becomes a hugely known group now?
We're probably the only group that can take on so many different genres. For example, if you're mainly doing game broadcast, when you sing a song, you'll get a response like "Forget about singing, just do game broadcast". If you're mainly in the utattemita genre, you may not be asked for an original song.
Our group has a wide range of activities, so we can challenge various genres. Because we are not consistent, we are able to create various 'chemical reactions'. I think that's what people find interesting about us.
I don't really feel like I'm the leader, and I don't think I have to act like one.
Ever since we formed SutoPuri, I've thought that I should work behind the scenes and study so that everyone can work better and challenge themselves more freely. Of course, if everyone is having fun, I'll do my best to help out with the group activities, but I'm more interested in supporting everyone's activities.
—It's not like a relationship between a leader and a subordinate, is it?
That's right. We are like friends, colleagues or probably like a relationship between father and sons (laughs).
—I think the reason why everyone loves Nanamori-san is because of your kindness that warmly embraces the members like a father or an older brother.
Thank you very much... The group members as well as some of the younger people I work with often tell me that they had no idea what kind of person I was at first. They seem to think that I'm the type of person who would willing to give advice and be so accommodating because I want something in return.
—No way! (laughs).
I'm having a lot of fun with my current activities, and I'm so grateful that so many people are willing to accept us as ordinary people. That's why I don't want this to end up being a temporary boom, and I want to keep working hard and keep challenging myself. If there's anything I can do to make it happen, I'm willing to put my energy into it.
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Our strength is that we can go back and forth between real life and the 2-dimensional world.
Although nowadays there are virtual YouTubers who are somewhere between their persona and real person, we also use illustrations on Twitter, live broadcasts and videos as well as show our real faces at live performances and events. The fact that we can go back and forth between the real and the two-dimensional is one of the charms and strengths of SutoPuri.
I think some listeners want to see us in real life, while others just want to listen to the songs with our characters, so I want to create a system that allows people to enjoy a single live performance in many different ways. This is the dream that I want to achieve no matter how many years it takes.
—More specifically...?
For example, if we were to hold a dome live concert, even at the Tokyo Dome, the limit would be 45,000 people, and we couldn't directly reach more than that. However, we can prepare a kind of VR sensor that surrounds us 360 degrees and show the video of us singing and dancing as characters on the Internet. If we can do it that way, more people will be able to enjoy our live performances, even those who live overseas, beyond Japan.
No, not at all. We didn't even want to release a CD in the first place. I mean, if we're not professional artists and paid to release music, who's going to accept it (laughs)?
But as we were writing and releasing our original songs, we received a lot of requests to release a CD and I thought "If a lot of people are asking for it, I have no choice but to release it".
—The fact that you're where you are now is because you listen to your listeners and take action to respond to their requests?
That's right. I feel like we've been moving forward together with the listeners at a very close distance.
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How to get know more about Nanamori? The ultimate 2-choices challenge!
Questions for Nanamori.
1. When do you eat the strawberry in a shortcake?
A. First
B. Last
I eat it at the end. I'm the type of person who likes to eat the best for the last.
2. Which one would go to if you can time travel?
A. Past
B. Future
I would like to go back to the past.
—Around what age?
When I was in sixth grade. The timing that almost changed my life was when I was in the sixth grade. I would like to see where I would be today if I had taken the other path that I didn't choose at that time.
3. Which one would you choose if you get one of these abilities?
A. Ability to read someone's mind
B. Ability to see the future
Ability to see the future, please.
—What is the reason you choose it?
To be honest, I don't really want to see either of them... I feel like if I could read people's minds, I'd lose people I'd want to interact with and if anything, it'd be the future I'd enjoy spending time with!
4. Which one would you choose if you can improve it to perfection?
A. Sense of humour
B. Fashion sense
A Sense of humour! Because I can make the listeners smile.
5. What kind of year do you want 2020 to be?
A. A peaceful and quiet year, with nothing good or bad moments.
B. A dramatic year with the best and worst moments.
A dramatic year.
—That's a quick answer.
I believe that maintaining the status quo is a form of decline. That is my life motto. I don't mean to criticize anyone, but I want to be a person who keeps challenging myself.
—I think 2019 was a dramatic year for you, and you're going to do your best in 2020 as well.
Yes, I will do my best. Please support us as well this year!
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*Note: The Nagoya Dome live performance (Strawberry Memory Vol.Next!!) on March 2020 was cancelled because of Covid-19.
To support Sutopuri, you can stream 'Strawberry Prince' album via Spotify/Apple Music or buy the physical album in CDJapan. Thank you for reading!
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