It’s the hottest summer anime party in Malaysia! Get ready for Penang Anime Matsuri on the 7th and 8th of July 2018 at the SPICE Convention Center! Local fans get to experience the best of anime, cosplay, and gaming, plus two nights of I Love Anisong featuring BAND-MAID, Luna Haruna, Konomi Suzuki, Shiena Nishizawa, and the bright and bubbly Konomu Suzuki!

Konomi Suzuki is one of the most recognizable young stars of the anisong scene! WOW Japan is privileged to spend a few minutes with her to answer a few questions from us for Penang Anime Matsuri. Check out her interview below!

Is this your first trip to Penang? What are you looking forward to? Is there any Malaysian food you would like to try?

This is my first time in Penang. Actually I have been to Malaysia before on a school trip, and I was very touched at the time because the people are very warm, so I am looking forward to touching the hearts of people in Penang this time around. I like Nasi Goreng and Mee Goreng, so I definitely want to eat them!

Congratulations on your new single “Utaeba Soko ni Kimi ga Iru Kara”! Please share some thoughts about your latest release. What was the easiest thing about doing the single? What was the most challenging thing?

It is the opening theme song of TV anime “LOST SONG”, where I also appear as a voice actor. I put my feelings into the lead character I play — “Lin”, as well as my own songs. “I want to meet someone who is important”, is the theme of this song.

In addition, I also collaborated with (Japanese musician) Aki Hata. I also wrote the lyrics for an anime song for the first time, and creating lyrics based on a certain framework can be quite challenging, but it was also a lot of fun!

Do you get nervous about performing new songs onstage? Have you ever made a mistake? How do you deal with it?

Basically I always look forward to going onstage, but I am also always nervous before going out. To release the tension I ask someone from the staff to hit het me soundly on the back. Then I feel like all my anxiety is blown away — it works every time!

If you were not a singer, what kind of job would you have wanted?

When I started learning how to sing in first grade of elementary school, and I’ve always thought “I want to become a singer”, so I had never dreamt of being anything else. I learned dance and appeared in musicals quite often, so if I was not a singer, I’ve always felt that I would be in the line of work that was very expressive.

Lastly, please leave a message for your fans in Malaysia.

I am very glad to go to singing in Malaysia for the first time. I am very happy that there are people who listen to my songs in Malaysia. I will sing with all my heart so that it will be the best live. Let’s have an exciting time together!

• Event Information
Penang Anime Matsuri
7th and 8th July 2018
SPICE Convention Center
Tickets via GRABAPOP.COM