Interview with Anisong Artist Konomi Suzuki

Recently I had the pleasure of sitting down with Konomi Suzuki in New York City, where she performed at the Anisong Matsuri at Anime NYC on 16 November 2018. Konomi Suzuki is a Japanese singer/songwriter who has lent her vocals to a number of anime such as Dusk Maiden of Amnesia, WataMote, No Game No Life, and Lost Song, where she made he debut as a voice actress.

She made her official debut in 2011 after winning the Animax All-Japan Anisong Grand Prix the same year. In 2012 she released her debut single ‘Choir Jail’ us used which as the opening theme for the anime Dusk Maiden Amnesia. Most recently, her fifteenth single ‘Ao no Kanata‘ (蒼の彼方 Beyond the Blue) was used as the ending theme to the anime series Between the Sky and Sea. Konomi also lent her voice talents to the character Rin in the 2018 anime series Lost Song!

After her performance, we had the chance to ask her a few questions about the role music and anime play. in her life.

Interview with Anisong Singer Konomi Suzuki

You have performed in so many places all around the world already. Which countries are you dreaming of visiting next?

There are a lot of countries I can think of, but first I would say Spain, because when I think of Spain, I think of a passionate country. As an artist, my image color is red and I give out ‘red energy’ when I sing, so I’m curious to see what would happen if I sing red in a country that has so much passion.

Your music inspires many people and gives them energy in times of struggle. What motivates you personally every day?

The messages from the fans are really important whether they’re in Spanish or English or Chinese. From anywhere in the world, I get energy from their words. Fans say that I give them a lot of energy, and when I hear that, I get a lot of energy too. As a result, I want to energize them even more.

Is there a manga you’re currently reading that – if it got turned into an anime – you would love to sing the theme song to?

I have two older brothers, so I have a tendency to like comics that are typically for boys. When I was little, I liked Slam Dunk, Eyeshield 21, and D. Gray Man, so in that sense I think anime like that are fun.

Last time MANGA.TOKYO had the pleasure to interview you, we asked about your first major role as a voice actress in LOST SONG. Looking back, how was it to work on the anime?

That was a really huge opportunity I never would have dreamed were possible, so I am so filled with joy and happiness to have been able to perform the role of Rin in LOST SONG. It was much more difficult than I expected, especially because, she [Rin] is really blunt with her emotions; there aren’t any curve balls. She does everything without any shame or shyness and she’s really frank, so I thought it was really important to be just as honest in my performance. I think having that experience has influenced some of the songs I’ve been singing as well, so it was a great opportunity.

Your newest single is used as the ending of Beyond the Sky and Sea. What is your favorite lyric from the song?

My favorite phrase is the first one, ‘世界の果ての色が　何色かわかったよ’ which reads, in English, ‘Now I know what color is at the other end of the world’. This lyric left a strong impression on me because the music I’d been making up until that point had been about striving to reach a goal. But I realized that I was already at the goal, and I was able to see the overview of my music where I was in the present. The melody and tempo for the song were really fast, but it was through the lyrics that I was able to discover my true self.

In the anime, the girls are training to become galactic fisherwomen. What do you think of the concept of going to fish in the galaxy? Would you try it if it were possible?

So, when I heard about this anime for the first time, it was something no one would ever think of. It was totally out of the ordinary, so I was really surprised. The most significant thing about this one is the theme of having your friends, your own team. So, when I sing, I feel like the important thing is to put an emphasis on friendship and being a team. If fishing in the galaxy was a possibility, I would like to try it. Actually, when I was in elementary school, my hobby was fishing. I would go fishing every weekend with my friends, so I think it would be super fun to go fishing in the cosmos.

Our readers want to know what anime you would recommend to them!

Because of Macross Frontier I was able to like anime, so as a fan of that I would like other people to watch it and like it too!

This was Konomi Suzuki’s first time performing in New York City and she left a special video message sharing her excitement about singing at the Anisong Matsuri at Anime NYC 2018, so definitely check out the video below:

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 many cities around the world, 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!