Very Good Days Home of the AIMI, Draft King, and Stereopony Community
As lead singer, guitarist, songwriter, and frontwoman of the all-female band Stereopony, AIMI’s career took flight quickly when she was still a teenager. With hits like Hitohira no Hanabira and Tsukiakari no Michishirube, Stereopony made a place for themselves as one of Japan’s most exciting young acts at the end of the first decade of this new millennium. Stereopony’s ambition sought to not only become successful within Japan, but ventured on the international stage, making appearances in Jakarta, Indonesia and four separate excursions to America, including a west coast tour.
Stereopony’s second US appearance was at an anime convention in central New Jersey called AnimeNEXT. Now 9 years later Stereopony has disbanded, but AIMI hasn’t stopped and once again AIMI as a solo artist has returned to America and to AnimeNEXT, now at their new location in Atlantic City.
AIMI, we are so excited for your return to America and back at AnimeNEXT. How does it feel to be performing for an American audience once again?
It makes me really happy, from the time I went bag to Japan VGD is a really big existence for me so I’m very happy to be able to see everyone again
What compelled you to perform at America and at AnimeNEXT once again?
In Japan, I was always receiving messages from people overseas, and they really conveyed how they wanted me to go overseas again. So those feelings are in the album as well.
This time you are returning as a solo artist and a very different sound to your music. How is AIMI-solo different and what is similar to your other endeavors as Stereopony and Alice in Underground?
There are no other band members, so its easy to try new things but of course I always have that rock sound but now with this new album, I had the chance to really try pop and make new songs like that.
Tomorrow you will take the stage at AnimeNext . What are your thoughts on tomorrow’s performance?
I’m looking forward to it. I made excited to play some new songs. There will be a mix of both Stereopony and new songs. The new songs I chose are the best of my own solo, original music so I cant wait to perform my new songs and to have everyone overseas and at anime next hear them.
What do you think of when you look back at your time in Stereopony, and what is it like performing those songs once again after all these years.
Of course I feel like nostalgic. It still continues to be a part of me and I reminisce about it. Stereopony is very important to me so I feel very grateful.
As a solo act you have taken the interesting approach of working with CWF (Co-writing Farm). How did you end up working with CWF and what is the process like?
When I decided to start again as a solo artist, I thought about how I wanted to make a new genre that could bring the best out of my music so with that as my motivator, that’s how I decided that instead of creating and mixing songs myself, I thought that having outside influence was better.
In 2018 you released your first album, AIMILION however you took the interesting approach of crowdfunding it across both Japanese and International fans. What was the crowdfunding experience like?
It made me think about how I was being supported by so many people and it really moved me. It was on my birthday that we reached our crowdfunding goals so I really couldn’t hold back my tears. I thought about how I wanted my words to reach fans overseas in the future as well and how singing is the best thing in my life right now.
Congratulations on your latest CD release! Please tell us about the new limited live CD and the latest direction your music has taken. `
After becoming solo, really wanted to try pop. So I used EDM and electro influences to create that sound. I also wanted to show the growth of my rock sound and applied that too. I wanted to use the influence from Stereopony and my own solo experience to make music.
AIMI 「LIMITED CD」Trailer
This latest CD has 3 tracks, all cowritten with Hanawaya, who is a big contributor not only in songwriting and but also in your live performance. What does Hanawaya bring to your music?
Hanowaya-san really understands my previous music and the feelings of wanting to try new things from here on out. He also understands what I want to bring together. He always gives me that positive influence.
You have had several songs used in film. Your song “Fake” was used in the Amazon Prime Drama “Chase” and Heart + (which we hope will be released soon on CD!) was used as the insert song to the film 「ヌヌ子の聖★戦～harajuku story～」“Nunuko no seisen Harajuku Story”. What are your feelings when your music appears in TV and Film?
I want fans to hear my music through movies and drama. Thinking about the story for movies and dramas, I really try and make music that will match well with the characters. Its very interesting so from here on out, I want to try and make songs that will make songs that will match a wide variety of stories
Throughout your career you have tried to connect with your fans in personal and unique ways. You self released to demo bootleg CDs that were individually constructed. You even took the trouble to individually autograph each CD for demo Bootleg #2. After meeting fans in America with Stereopony, you then wrote a song in English, “It’s a Wild World”, and you said “let’s connect with music”. What drives you to engage so personally with your fanbase no matter where in the world they are? What do your fans mean to you?
I make the music but others actually hear them, that makes us like a team. My fans feelings are always reflected back to me and we influence each other like that. And I get a lot of strength like that, and those same feelings join us through the music so I really want more people to listen to my music. And I want to express my gratitude for that strength I get.
You also use various platforms to connect with your audience, including impromptu performances on Line Live and most recently using the ShowRoom app to engage with your audience. Please tell us more about Showroom and what the experience is like engaging directly with your fans through social media.
I can use the internet to connect with my fans in Japan and overseas, and being able to connect with fans through expressions and words really makes me happy. I really want them to enjoy it and I think it’s great if my messages can reach their ears in real time. And even though we’re far, we can feel like we’re right next to each other.
AIMI, thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions. To wrap up, what can we expect from AIMI in the future?
There are a lot of people that are leading me forward so first of all I want to be able to reach those people through venue-limited CDs. After that I want to target the radio waves and reach out to even more people. And I don’t want to be just and one-time performance and will do my best to come and perform overseas again.
We greatly thank AIMI for taking the time to speak with us once again, and we sincerely wish for her continued success in Japan and abroad. Make sure to check out AIMI’s music available on physical CD at Amazon.jp and at CDJapan.co.jp and digitally on Spotify, and iTunes.
Stay Tuned to Very Good Days! as will be releasing more photos and info of AIMI’s appearance at AnimeNEXT over the next few days!
AIMI Official site: https://aimi-official.com/
AIMI Twitter: https://twitter.com/AIMI_0904
AIMI Official Twitter: https://twitter.com/AIMI_info
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aimiofficial.aimi/
Line Blog: https://lineblog.me/aimi/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my_name_is_aimi
Interview by Zachary Kopp
Translation by Andy Galan
Special Thanks to:
Gregg Turek and all the staff at AnimeNext
Hanawaya and AIMI Staff
Eddie Lai of White Specs Photography and The O-Network
