Recently I had the pleasure of sitting down with Luna Haruna in New York City where she performed at Anisong World Matsuri at Anime NYC on 16 November 2018. Luna Haruna is a Japanese singer/songwriter who has lent her vocals to many anime such as Fate/Zero, Sword Art Online, Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs, and Urahara, where she made her debut as a voice actress.

She made her official debut in 2011 with her debut single ‘Sora wa Takaku Kaze wa Utau’ (The Sky is High and the Wind Sings), which was used as the second ending theme to Fate/Zero. In November 2018, Luna released her first Best Of album Luna Joule which features a brand new orchestral version of ‘Overfly’, the second ending theme to the 2011 anime series Sword Art Online. With so many influential anisongs under her belt, Luna is reaching out to audiences worldwide and there are no signs she’s slowing down soon!

After her performance, we sat down with her and asked her a few questions about her music and career and, of course, about anime!

Interview with Anisong Singer Luna Haruna

What do you enjoy most about songwriting and recording, and what do you enjoy most about performing live on stage?

During recording, it’s fun to move through the process from start to completion. I realized recently that when I repeatedly listen to just the music without the lyrics I get more out of it by understanding what the music is actually trying to convey. That’s why I enjoy listening to the karaoke part of the music so much.

You have many fans worldwide. How have your international concerts made you feel about yourself as an artist?

I’ve been fortunate enough to perform in many countries, and I’ve come to realize the impact of anisong. When I do concerts and perform anisong, a lot of people sing along with me and I realize that music crosses all national borders. When I see that, it makes me very happy as an artist, and that’s the moment when I feel proud of what I’m doing.

What is your strongest source of creative inspiration? How do you get in the mood to create new songs?

When I sing, I get a lot of inspiration from anime. I like to bring the emotions of anime characters to life. From the start, I like to use my imagination and let it run wild. When I sing, I start imagining what a different life this character could have had.

Your first Best Of album Luna Joule has just been released. How did you decide which songs needed to be included on the album? When you listen to these songs, which parts of yourself do you see growing or changing during your career?

For this first release, I included all my music in two discs. The second disc has the ones that were popular in live concerts and among the fans, and people who only know the anisongs will discover that I also sing other types of songs. This makes the album like a business card for me. At the time when it was released, I listened to each song in order and realized that my singing style has changed a lot, and in that sense I can say that I’ve grown, and I think that, as time passes, I’ve been enjoying music more. I think it has something to do with technique as well, but throughout the discs I see growth in my own spirit.

The album will also include an orchestra version of ‘Overfly’. Why does that song have special meaning to you?

‘Overfly’ is the ending theme for Sword Art Online and this song was a turning point for my music. Thanks to this song, I’ve had more opportunities to perform abroad. This is something I would never exchange for anything else because I’ve been able to get in touch with people from many countries. And now the orchestral version has let me experience a new feeling about ‘Overfly’ and I can share that experience with everyone. My world is expanding even more, and it would be great if audiences and fans could enjoy the two versions of ‘Overfly’.

Which of your songs is your favorite right now? Does the choice change depending on your mood or your current situation?

If I had to pick just one, that would be difficult because it changes depending on the day, but right now I would say that ‘Flutter’ from KIRAMEKI☆Lifeline would be my first choice. My music reflects all different genres, and I’m comfortable with so many styles – pop, rock, or something else – so you can find different music depending on your emotions or mood. That makes me happy, and I hope everyone else can enjoy that, too.

This was Luna Haruna’s first time performing in New York City and she left a special video message sharing her excitement about performing at the Anisong Matsuri at Anime NYC 2018:

Anisong World Matsuri is a special concert series that brings together popular Japanese musicians for unbelievable concerts worldwide! Anisong World Matsuri’s mission is to bring Japanese pop music popularized by anime (anisong) to new audiences around the world, and since its launch in 2016, it has conducted major event concerts in cities including Los Angeles, Shanghai, Washington DC, and most recently, New York City. Through the partnerships between Anime NYC and Japanese entertainment companies such as BANDAI NAMCO Arts, Inc., Amuse, Inc., and Sony Music Entertainment, Inc, eight of Japan’s top performers appeared on the Anisong Matsuri stage for a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience!

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