Tokoyami Towa debuted in 2020 as certainly one of hololive’s fourth-generation group of digital YouTubers, and presently boasts greater than 1.3 million subscribers on her channel. The VTuber whose essential draw is gaming livestreams additionally releases movies of herself singing covers and authentic music, displaying off her signature robust, husky voice and large vocal vary.
Tokoyami — her title is stylized in Japanese order, surname first — not too long ago dropped her first album referred to as Aster, a extremely anticipated venture that showcases her potential as a vocalist by way of tracks written by a staff of distinctive creators. The Startend VTuber shared her ideas on her 12-track debut set and its manufacturing course of, together with how the uncommon collaborations with different VTubers and streamers had been made attainable.
What motivated you to turn out to be a VTuber?
The rationale I joined hololive was as a result of I wished to make pals. I loved watching and taking part in first-person shooters from round that point and though hololive is a gaggle of “idols,” I believed it’d be fascinating to be an idol and a gamer on the identical time. The great factor about gaming livestreams is how one can watch the gamers enhance. They change concepts and work laborious with one another to compete. I wish to convey by way of my actions that working laborious isn’t one thing to be embarrassed about and that the buildup of your efforts as much as that time is extra essential than profitable or dropping.
In a way, your debut album Aster embodies the buildup of your profession up thus far. Inform us about its idea.
I wished it to precise who Tokoyami Towa is. This album additionally has a hidden theme that I encourage everybody to invest about. It took me a very long time to resolve on it. I seemed again on issues like what I used to be feeling on the time and the work I’ve accomplished over time.
The lead single “ANEMONE” was written by music producer Yuyoyuppe (Mamiya Takehiro). Why did you select this music because the face of the album?
It was actually laborious to resolve. I believed it’d be okay to not have a lead single in any respect since there are such a lot of totally different genres of songs on the album. However I felt that “ANEMONE” was the one which confirmed Tokoyami Towa’s strengths that separate her from different VTubers, each from hololive and elsewhere, in order that’s why I selected it.
May you elaborate on what you imply by “Tokoyami Towa’s strengths”?
First, I’ve a very good vocal vary. I can hold my voice regular after I hit excessive notes, and that’s additionally certainly one of my strengths. Blistering heavy metallic numbers like “ANEMONE” aren’t frequent within the VTuber business, so having the ability to sing such songs with a powerful voice is Tokoyami Towa’s signature model.
What ideas went into the lyrics?
Over the course of my profession, folks have stated good issues to me, and likewise not-so-nice issues as nicely. I get hung up on the unfavorable stuff typically, however in the long run I wish to resolve what I wish to do and reside my life as I’m. Once I advised these emotions to Yuyoyuppe, he was like, “That’s actually nice, let’s incorporate it.” That’s how the phrase “I wish to reside as I’m” happened as we labored on the lyrics.
So your standard livestreaming actions and musical ones like this venture carefully affect one another?
It’s like of like, “Let’s use music to precise the stuff I normally can’t say.” For the music “Taidana Surprise” on the album, I wished to convey emotions like “what a drag, I don’t wanna do something, I really feel lazy, I’m sleepy” in an endearing means. I didn’t assume a strong rock band sound would match the lyrics, so after I heard Botchiboromaru’s “Otose Thunder” on TikTok, I believed the sunshine, recent model could be an excellent match, so I requested them to write down it for me.
“Antares” options 9 visitor vocalists. The lineup isn’t restricted to your colleagues from hololive, but in addition consists of VTubers and streamers from different businesses.
I’m an outlier in hololive in that I’ve numerous alternatives to collaborate with folks from different organizations. My administration has given me its blessing concerning this and I feel it’s certainly one of my promoting factors, so I wished to do collaborations on this album as nicely, which is why I approached numerous folks from different corporations and likewise different hololive VTubers. “Antares” was written with the collaboration in thoughts. I wished to do a singalong. I believed it’d be good to sing it along with the viewers at a reside present.
Do you assume these collaborations are related to what you stated about first turning into a VTuber, being motivated by eager to make pals?
Sure. As a VTuber and streamer, I wish to incorporate good influences as a lot as I can, and earlier than something, I wish to do enjoyable stuff. As I at all times inform my followers, I don’t wish to do what I do out of obligation. I wish to talk how I’m having enjoyable and get folks to have enjoyable watching me try this. So the best way I see it, the businesses my collaborators belong to don’t matter, so long as what we do collectively is satisfying.
You collaborate with Nekota Tsuna, who belongs to VSPO! (Digital eSports Venture), on the final music on the album referred to as “Nininsankyaku.” How did this one come about?
Singing and taking part in first-person shooters are Tokoyami Towa’s two mainstays. I usually get to take part in FPS gaming competitions, and after I teamed up with Tsuna, we cried and laughed collectively and deepened our friendship. We share good reminiscences collectively and he or she’s now certainly one of my greatest pals. That’s why I wished to sing a music with Tsuna and requested the administration about making it occur. I feel our followers in all probability find out about our relationship, so I hope we will carry out collectively on stage sometime. I’ve been listening to the music at the least as soon as a day these days. It strikes me each time I hear it whereas I’m doing one thing. [Laughs]
Did Tsuna have a say within the music’s inventive course of?
Earlier than the music went into manufacturing, Tsuna and I wrote out these prolonged memos about what we thought of one another. Even tacky stuff like, “I’m stronger now due to you.” [Laughs] We ready these letters, I assume you may name them, and despatched them to the songwriters, who then mirrored them within the lyrics for us. I feel the music actually captures that spirit. There’s this half the place we take turns singing, and we had a good time recording it whereas expressing our emotions to one another.
Your first solo live performance referred to as Break your xxx is ready for Friday, Oct. 13. What is going to the present be like?
I’ll be performing with a reside band, so it’ll be a wild, enjoyable present. I’m working laborious to arrange for it proper now as a result of I wish to ensure that my voice received’t be overshadowed by the band’s sound, and that my emotions will attain everybody, and that each the individuals who come and those that be part of the livestream will assume, “That was superior.”
What’s the which means behind the title of the present?
There have been occasions I felt anxious and depressed over the course of my profession, however due to my followers and the administration, I’m capable of do reside exhibits like this now. The which means behind “Break your xxx” is that I wished to beat my gloomy emotions and achieve confidence, overcome myself. I’m positive everybody goes by way of occasions of ache and hardship, however I wish to invite folks to interrupt these issues collectively at my live performance. What goes into the “xxx” is as much as you. Everyone seems to be constructing this live performance collectively.
Inform us about your imaginative and prescient for the longer term past your debut album and first reside efficiency.
I’d like to do a second live performance, in fact, and I’d love to face on levels exterior of Japan. My followers in different international locations had been additionally very supportive of me after I was faltering, so I wish to go specific my gratitude to them.
