Japanese dancer Maasa Ishihara sat down with Billboard Japan for its Girls in Music interview collection. The initiative launched final 12 months in the identical spirit of Billboard’s annual Girls in Music occasion that started in 2007, and the Japan-based mission additionally goals to have fun ladies who proceed to interrupt new floor in music by varied contents together with interviews, reside performances, and panel discussions.
Ishihara is a performer primarily based within the U.S. who has shared the stage with a few of right now’s high artists together with Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande. Whereas she has loved success lately, she nearly gave up on her dancing profession at one level and made a contemporary begin within the U.S. after shifting there when she was 21 years previous. Right here, she shares some private routines she makes use of to remain grounded within the extremely aggressive leisure business, and talks concerning the significance of accepting one another’s variations.
You’ve constructed your profession outdoors of Japan, however what was your childhood like? If there have been any ladies you seemed as much as rising up, may you inform us about them?
I used to be born in Okayama Metropolis, Okayama Prefecture (in southwestern Japan). Throughout my early elementary college years, I noticed (J-pop famous person) Namie Amuro on TV and have become obsessed along with her. I wished to be like her. There have been no dance faculties in my neighborhood, so I began singing and dancing by following her instance, and that’s the way it all started. Again then it was uncommon to see a feminine artist acting on stage with backup dancers (in Japan), and I’ll always remember that electrifying feeling once I first noticed her.
I all the time thought I felt that manner about Amuro as a result of she represented a type of robust girl that didn’t exist round me rising up, however just lately I’ve come to appreciate that my mom was additionally a lady with inside energy. My mother wasn’t a really chatty sort of individual, however she all the time quietly watched over me and supported me. The explanation why I’ve been capable of come this far longing to be like Amuro might be as a result of sturdy ladies felt acquainted to me since childhood, because of my mother.
So that you’ve all the time admired ladies with inside energy, from these near you to stars you noticed on TV. Has that feeling been constant then and now?
Mainly, sure. I’ve lived within the U.S., the place folks with desires come from all around the world, and have made a dwelling within the leisure scene the place issues can change dramatically in a 12 months or two, so it was actually necessary for me to be resolute. In my 20s, although, there have been instances once I turned not sure of myself and struggled to turn out to be one thing I wasn’t. However finally, issues like magnetism and energy are issues you have already got, so that you simply need to search for what you could have and hone them. Now that I’m in my 30s, I’ve harked again to my roots and really feel a renewed admiration for girls like my mother and Namie Amuro.
You went to the U.S. by your self and received your house within the leisure business there. How did you stay constant? Do you could have any ideas or tips you might share with us?
I adopted numerous completely different strategies till I settled into my very own manner of doing issues. Ranging from trivial stuff like, “Do I drink heat water or espresso very first thing within the morning?” I ultimately discovered my option to meditation. I feel it’s actually necessary to have a morning routine to get your self into the precise state of mind for the day. Once I get up, I first maintain my eyes closed earlier than I decide up my smartphone and take a look at not to consider something. It’s really laborious not to consider something. However I make a acutely aware effort to put aside 10 minutes to try this every day. Once I reset myself like this, I can suppose, “What occurred yesterday ended yesterday. I don’t know what right now shall be like, however I’ll give it my all.”
Remedy can be necessary. In Japan, the idea of psychological care isn’t very acquainted, however within the U.S., psychological well being counseling is widespread. Individuals go to the fitness center to turn out to be bodily match or to the hairdresser to get their hair styled, proper? In the identical manner, folks go to remedy to deal with their psychological well being. It’s necessary to handle your thoughts as effectively.
So that you realized to manage your individual psychological wellness by meditation and remedy?
Sure. Life has its ups and downs, and all of us are inclined to give attention to the unhealthy. However you’ll be able to’t change one thing that has already occurred. So letting it slide in the interim is efficient. Even should you really feel such as you’re nonetheless within the midst of a troublesome state of affairs, attempt setting the issue apart and take into consideration what you are able to do in direction of the longer term. And attempt to “keep prepared” as a substitute of “preparing.” Then as soon as the wave of issue passes, you’ll be able to instantly seize the subsequent alternative. I attempt to be in that “staying prepared” state each mentally and bodily.
Your phrases are convincing since you’ve actually seized these alternatives. Do you suppose being a lady has affected your profession in any manner?
Sure, being a lady and a foreigner within the U.S., I’ve felt the consequences of assorted obstacles. It’s a troublesome business for a lady to outlive as an artist. Typically we’re thought to be sexual object in inappropriate conditions by undesired folks, or we’re underestimated or belittled for being a lady. Even when I used to be “staying prepared,” I wasn’t allowed to face on the beginning line at instances. Racial discrimination additionally persists. For instance, regardless of how laborious I attempt to communicate English, I’m not a local speaker and my pronunciation isn’t nice. And due to that, I’m seen as being immature. I can’t depend the variety of instances I felt mortified as a result of folks wouldn’t take me as severely as others regardless of how I sincerely I attempt to talk. These sorts of issues have been occurring for a very long time usually, however with the #MeToo motion and different causes, the general public has lastly turn out to be conscious of such issues lately and moments when minorities have their say are extra widespread now.
Do you are feeling these influences within the leisure scene?
I feel you’ll be able to sense the vitality of creators making an attempt to interrupt down gender stereotypes in performances. Whereas that is one thing that’s been achieved for some time, I get a way that individuals are making an attempt to pursue one other stage of open expression lately.
It feels just like the variety of artists who defy the boundaries of gender is step by step growing in Japan as effectively. Likewise, the variety of ladies who communicate out and people who assist them are growing as effectively, however there nonetheless appears to be numerous resistance.
Since shifting to the States once I was 21, the most important change from my days in Japan has been the every day contact with folks of assorted races, backgrounds, faiths and genders. Being born in Japan and rising up in an atmosphere the place the general public round me had been Japanese, it took me a while to simply accept, perceive, and coexist with these varied variations. I noticed that the issues I believed had been regular up until then had been solely a fraction of the numerous methods pondering and values that exist on the earth, and felt the necessity to fully reset the issues I believed had been a given. I wanted to know, study, and acknowledge these issues which can be completely different from me. Once I shifted my mind-set to “everyone seems to be completely different and everybody is sweet,” my perspective broadened. Not solely did I study to simply accept variations, however I additionally started to spend time wanting into myself, which led to a brand new consciousness of my very own identification and the fantastic thing about Japan.
It’s not simple for anybody to simply accept folks and issues which can be completely different from themselves and the unknown that they’ve by no means skilled. It’s scary. However taking that first step and experiencing a 180-degree change in the best way I see issues was an especially worthwhile life lesson. I really feel that if folks around the globe may settle for and respect one another’s variations, we’ll be that a lot nearer to world peace.
Try an unique playlist of empowerment songs curated by Maas Ishihara beneath.
—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SOWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan