Sound Staff Interview
This feature focuses on Yuki Kajiura-san, who composed the music for this project, and the band SuperSweep. We hope you enjoy their behind-the-scenes stories.
Movie scene
Kajiura-san was in charge of the background music played in the event movies. We delved into the secrets of Kajiura-san's composition and her personality, as she expressed the world of "Xenosaga" using her unique methods.
Yuki Kajiura
Debuted in 1992 in the unit See-Saw.
After approximately two years of activity, she began her solo career.
She provides music for a wide range of fields, including TV, commercials, movies, anime, and games, and also works as a sound producer.
The URL of the interviewee's personal website is: fictionjunction.com
YUKI KAJIURA
The driving force behind her creation!?
Kajiura composed the music while watching the completed movie scenes. Apparently, she's the type of person who tends to develop a favorite character with each project, and that subtly influences her music. While working on this project, she would watch the movie and say things like, "Jr.! Don't cry!!" (laughs). Therefore, Kajiura's favorite character is Jr. Incidentally, in the previous game, Jr. and Ziggy were her favorites. "I'm really curious about what happens to Ziggy. There's something sad about his demeanor," she said, expressing her anticipation for a sequel.
I love "Xenosaga"! I was looking forward to composing the music.
―― What did you do before composing the music for the movie scenes?
First, I played the previous game, "Xenosaga Episode I [Der Wille zur Macht]" (hereinafter, "Episode I"). I couldn't stop playing and finished it in one go (laughs). After that, I read the scenario for "Xenosaga Episode II [Jenseits von Gut und Böse]" (hereinafter, "Episode II"), and I was so engrossed in reading it, completely forgetting about work, thinking, "So this is what happens next!" (laughs). The music in the previous game was fantastic, and I loved the story, characters, and world. I was so incredibly happy to think that I would be able to create music for the sequel to this work.
―― Did Monolith Soft make any requests regarding the image or style of the music?
"Express this worldview with Kajiura-san's unique sound." That's all. Since this is essentially my first time creating a worldview set in space, I focused on the atmosphere of "space." The entire game isn't set in outer space, but when we did encounter space scenes, I wanted to create a sound that conveyed the feeling that "everything beyond this point is space." That was the only ambition I had when I started working on it.
―― Do you play video games regularly, Kajiura-san?
I do like RPGs. However, they take a lot of time to play, so I only play about one or two a year. I'm not the type to play little by little, so when I play, I'm "away" for a week (laughs). My schedule is completely blank, of course. During that time, I only get about two hours of sleep on average. I have a strategy guide ready and I just follow the main story without doing any side quests or mini-games... People ask me, "Is that really fun?" (laughs).
―― So, the game you'll be playing this year is definitely "Episode II."
Yes! Once I get my hands on the game, I'll take a little break from work (lol).
The lyrics are in Yukilish!
What's the secret behind the unique vocals...?
―― Kajiura-san, you have worked on many songs for anime and games in the past. Is there anything you pay particular attention to when doing so?
For example, when creating an opening theme for an animation, I'm always conscious of the fact that it's the introduction to a 30-minute program. In my case, I often work on projects with a fantasy worldview, so I want the 1.5-minute opening music and visuals to allow viewers to forget the real world and be transported to that world. However, the materials and resources I have at hand when composing are somewhat limited, so it's really up to my imagination. I sometimes read the scripts for the first few episodes, and slip in words that seem important into the lyrics (laughs).
―― Speaking of lyrics, there's a vocal track in "Episode II," but what language is it in?
The ending is in English, but all the other lyrics are made up. Kajiura-speak. Even when I was recording the vocals in a New York studio, the staff asked me about it, and I answered, "It's Yukilish!" (laughs).
―― Is this method used quite frequently?
I use it quite a lot. I sometimes create music in Italian, but it's quite a struggle, requiring constant dictionary references, and there are limitations to the sounds of formal languages. For example, like the music in the "Episode II" trailer, where the beginning is a bit relaxed but the latter half shifts to a fast, techno-like tempo. If the whole thing were in Italian, there would be parts that wouldn't fit. In that respect, anything goes with made-up words (laughs). Depending on the melody, I might hear Italian in my head, and then create the chorus with the feel of an Eastern European language or something similar in mind.
―― So, you create things by letting ideas come to you, focusing on the "sound" of the words?
First, I sing and record myself, then I listen to it later and transcribe it to create Kajiura's unique style. Actually, the pronunciation I get when I sing spontaneously feels better in terms of rhythm and feel. For the songs in "Episode II," I was thinking about conveying the message through the sound and melody line, but I didn't think it was necessary to give meaning to the lyrics... I guess it's more about conveying a sense of rhythm and emotion using the human voice.
―― Where do ideas for such images come from?
It's probably something I've been exposed to before. I've loved opera since I was a child, but I listen to a variety of other genres as well. I really like world music, and I also like Nordic traditional music and Eastern European music. That's probably where I've been influenced by Bulgarian voices and the pronunciation of Italian and German lieder. When I'm writing a song, I get these kinds of images: "This song sounds like it could be in Italian," or "Maybe German," or "Somehow, Russian would fit in there." And then I end up writing in pseudo-Russian or pseudo-Hungarian (laughs).
Exploring the roots of Kajiura's music: opera, Scandinavian, and British influences.
―― If you like opera, does that mean your musical roots lie there?
When I was a child, it was all about opera, but that changed as I got older. My love for opera came from my parents. I lived in Germany for a while as a child, and my parents were huge opera fans, so they often took me to the opera house. But, as I got older, around upper elementary school, my interests started to shift. My older brother started listening to the Beatles, and I got into that too (laughs). I had a very obsessive personality, so even though I didn't know English, I memorized all the lyrics. By high school, I was all about British pop. I didn't pay any attention to American pop; I only followed the British charts. We didn't have a TV, so I relied entirely on the radio. Back then, there was a program called "British Top 20" that aired on Saturday nights at 2AM, so I would set my alarm, wake up, and tune in to the charts every week... That's how I spent my high school years.
―― Going to the opera with your family is amazing!
My father was particularly annoying (laughs). I didn't just love watching opera; I loved singing too. When I started elementary school, I was made to take piano lessons, but that was just so I could accompany songs. When guests came, he would call me over and make me sing! Who does that normally? (laughs)
―― Speaking of which, I hear you like books too. You even have a list of your favorite books on your website. For example, do you ever find that the inspiration you get from reading books is reflected in your music?
It happens often. When I'm reading a book, sounds pop into my head. That's why I love it. Movies and such already have sound, so there's not much room for imagination. But books don't have sound, so anything goes! When sounds pop into my head while reading, I go to my Mac and compose music, and then go back to the book when I'm satisfied... I do that all the time.
Rather than focusing on the meaning of the lyrics, I wanted to convey
the message through the "sound" of the words and the melody line.
The secret to Kajiura-san's meticulous songwriting process ♥
―― When you write songs, do you sit down with your equipment in front of you?
I often sit at my Mac, grab the microphone, and sing loudly at home (laughs). I always carry sheets of paper with me, so I can compose music anywhere... However, the most common time is actually during the initial meeting with the director or sound director. I usually come up with about three songs, and one of them often becomes the main theme. Even when it's not the main theme, it's always included in the top ten songs. So, when a song comes to mind, I'll say, "Excuse me!" and jot it down, even in the middle of a conversation (laughs). It's a bit awkward to do that in front of someone I've just met, but with people I'm familiar with, I'll write things down on paper while we talk... Ultimately, I'm most influenced and inspired when I'm face-to-face with the people actually creating the work and listening to them.
―― Were there any unexpected incidents during this project?
There weren't any so-called "happenings." I think I was able to complete the work relatively smoothly. It's normal for me to get stuck and scream "Aargh!" (laughs).
―― Are there any essential items you use while working?
Drinks, I guess. Right now, rosehip tea is my favorite. Before that, it was ginger tea, and before that, chamomile tea (lol). For ginger tea, it has to be made from actual dried ginger root, not flavored tea made with black tea. It's hard to get, so I used to import it myself. But recently, that enthusiasm has cooled down, and I've switched to rosehip tea, thinking that vitamin C is important after all (lol). It's not exactly a "ritual," but before starting work, I always make tea in a teapot, sit down at my Mac, and say, "Okay, let's get started!"
―― Do your personal obsessions tend to have short cycles?
It depends on the type, but it might be quite short. I was once so inspired by an Inaniwa udon flyer that I ate nothing but Inaniwa udon for about a month straight (lol).
―― Finally, could you tell us what your goals are for your future musical activities?
Above all, I have a strong desire to move people's hearts. That's also my motivation for making music. Therefore, I don't care about genre or language. I want to create something that reaches people's hearts, in any form whatsoever. And to do that, I think the most important thing is to be moved myself first. I believe that creating something that moves my own heart is the quickest way to move the hearts of others.
