Azusa Tadokoro’s newest single “Equal” was released on August 21st.

This single was the first non-tie-up single since her second single “Kimi To No Yakusoku Wo Kazoeyou”. In the title track “Equal”, a public call for a “Tadokoro chorus team” was formed for the recording of this song, and there was a song recorded for Tadokoro’s backing band titled “Azusa Number 2’s theme song”. It’s a single only made possible by way of a non-tie-up.

For Tadokoro, who has had many opportunities to work on tie-up songs, what kind of message does she want to express to the listeners through these songs made just for her? In this interview translated from Natalie, she talks about her feelings about the songs and her fans who have been supporting her all this way.

This is the first of two parts of the interview.


A single to get closer to fans

It’s been a long while since you have released a single without a tie-up. It’s been roughly 4 years?

It’s been quite a while. Actually, some time back I was told “for the next one, we’ll make a non-tie-up song”, and since we’re doing that I wanted to make something that could only be done through a non-tie-up. That’s what gave birth to asking fans to join the chorus for the “Tadokoro Chorus Team” project.

The project was confirmed before the song?

Yes. If tie-up songs are songs made to feel closer to the anime, I feel that non-tie-ups should be made to be closer to the fans.

The recording took place quite recently, correct?

That’s right. I couldn’t attend but I saw a video of the recording. I was worried thinking “will people be nervous?” or “what if their voices aren’t loud enough?” but everyone did their best and they were serious for the recording.

They probably went to do some vocal practise at the karaoke beforehand and took care of their throats as well. Everyone was serious about their feelings of “making the song together” and worked hard to tackle it.

The song “Equal” reflects the relationship between you (Tadokoro) and your fans’ spelt out so, what kind of fans do you often see in your fanbase?

There are many people who are very kind, warm and very protective of me. It’s kind of like a family. However, when I saw the video of the chorus recording, it’s still a little hard to makeup but there are many hard-working people inside as well. It feels like an offline meeting, where everyone’s looking forward to coming.

You found a new aspect of your fans in a place you’d normally not find it.

Yes. When I saw the video, I was very moved. That’s how serious everyone was when singing.


Equal” is only complete during a Live

Your newest song “Equal” was created by Ryo Takahashi (Void_Chords) and the lyrics were done by Kimiko (nano.RIPE), and it’s their first time working on your song. How did you end up working with this team?

I suggested Ryo Takahashi and Kimiko, with Shota Horie (PENGUIN RESEARCH) for the arrangement to make a song and “if it’s granted I’ll be glad”. I’ve always loved the way that Kimiko wrote lyrics since back then. For “Equal”, it’s about not relying on each other too much but it’s a word that spells out supporting each other and I’m very moved by it. Ryo Takahashi and Kimiko have previously worked on unit songs for me in The Idolmaster Million Live, and I really wanted them to work on a song under my own Azusa Tadokoro name.

When the song order came, what did you request for?

The chorus team was already planned earlier so, instead of asking for something very upper that everyone will get hyped to, I personally wanted something with a little melancholic melody in it. I ordered something that would “hit you emotionally in the chest, with a chorus that makes you feel melancholic”.

You requested for Horie to oversee the arrangement?

We’ve made many songs with him, and if it’s a song that hits you emotionally, I felt that Horie is never a bad choice. (laughs) It feels like having a bunch of Gods teaming up to make a song for me.

Was “Equal” made while seeing it from a Live performance point of view?

Yes. During a live, it’ll be somewhere around the second half while everyone is sweating buckets, where everyone is crying while singing along to it. The song will be released in August, but it will only become complete when it’s being sung along with the fans during the live. Therefore, I really can’t wait for the day that I’ll be singing “Equal” during a live performance.


Check back tomorrow for the second half of the interview.

Source: Natalie