I want to make something that reaches people who like me.
I think that artists are not able to continue their activities as before due to the Corona disaster. What kind of activities are you doing now?
In terms of my own live performances, I have not been able to do so for about a year and a half now, so I am inevitably focusing on production. I do not think negatively about that. When I look back on the music scene up to now, it has been a cycle of thinking mainly about live performances, focusing on them, and creating things. It was a cycle like that, but now I am able to take my time and focus on production. In that sense, I see it as a good time for me.
Before the Corona Disaster, there were aspects of the music scene that revolved around the festival culture.
I think that's right. Not only in terms of releases, but also in terms of the tone of the music, you want to put out something that will make tens of thousands of people go wild. I don't know if that trend has been too strong recently, or if it's a reversal of the EDM trend, but it seems like the music has become more lo-fi overall.
The same is true of hip-hop beats. I guess you could say it's like emulating or saturating the sound of a cassette tape. Since there is such a trend in general, I find that the music I am making is also moving in the direction of introspection rather than emphasizing momentum.
Do you mean that you face yourself in the context of the times?
I think we face ourselves and assess the situation around us at the same time. For example, when we wrote a song for a disaster, we could write it with the intention of cheering everyone up, but we have never experienced such a situation where everyone in the world is in trouble. I have never experienced such a situation where everyone in the world is in trouble, so I have to think hard about who I should deliver the "Ganbare" to.
Then, I feel that I should sing about my pain, but I wonder if I want to hear such music in this situation. It's a difficult balance. It's a difficult balance to find. I don't know if a similar situation will arise in the future, and I hope it doesn't, but for my part, I want to preserve the present moment as a record. I am doing my best to make it.
It is true that in times like these, it is difficult to determine a clear message.
Even if you say something, it may change a week later. In such a situation, it is difficult to give a universal message. When that happens, I have to face myself, but if I do that alone, it's just hard. I just end up saying things like, "I can't wait to get out of the house.
Do you find the production process itself difficult under such circumstances?
I don't think so. I love making sounds more than anything else I do, so I think I could do it for the rest of my life. Even if I do it normally.
KREVA: So, where do you get your input for your productions?
Perhaps it is because of this situation that so many people are showing how they are making beats on the Internet. Regardless of professional or amateur, regardless of nationality. It is really interesting to see that. I see people using effects that I used to express a wide space just to add color.
There are so many people who use things in ways that I had never thought of, and they all have their own unique ways of making things.
KREVA: It is surprising that you get inspiration from watching videos of unknown beat-makers.
I think the same is true for fashion. I think that people you see on the street often inspire you. When I see someone walking down the street, I think, "I like the length of that dress. It's the same thing, but with beat makeup, I have only been able to learn about it in the field. I am happy to be able to do that. I have shown my own beat-making on YouTube, and I think it would be good to show it more.
I guess the Internet is the city now. What about the lyrics? What are your inspirations?
I used to not read many books in my life, but recently I've been trying to read more. Lifehacks, of course, but also novels and essays. Anything I find interesting. I also feel like I'm looking for words that rhyme, so if I see something that interests me, I'll read it regardless of genre, whether it's a magazine or something else. Of course, there are books that I read because the content is interesting.
What was one of the most memorable books?
I posted it on my Instagram, but it's "Kokoro" by Soseki Natsume. I had heard of it, but had never read it. I had never read it before, but I happened to read it by chance, and I was really impressed by how well it was written (laughs). I had never looked at Soseki Natsume in that way before, but I thought, "Oh, so that's why he was made into a bill. It's amazing that his writing is so good that he became a bill" (laughs). (Laughs.) Even now I think it's amazing, and it's the most interesting book I've ever read.
Lastly, what kind of message do you want to send out? What kind of message do you want to send out in these times?
For example, I feel that I have always been trying to gain new fans by attending festivals and being seen by tens of thousands of people. However, now I feel that I would like to deliver music and messages that will give strength to people who really like me. From there, I would like to gradually send out messages to the world. First of all, I want to give back more than that to those who seek me out.
I guess that's because you can't actually meet the fans at the live show.
But now is an age in which people can reach me even if they are far away. I want to create something that will reach people who want to listen to my music, people who will go out of their way to type "K-R-E-V-A" in a search window on the web.
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