What iamSHUM, an overly diverse group of artists, aims to achieve in animation production

The origin of iamSHUM is will.i.am from BLACK EYED PEAS

Celeina (MC): First of all, let me give you a brief profile. iamSHUM is a music producer who does everything himself, from songwriting and track production to mastering. He has provided songs for various artists such as Kumi Koda, Kis-My-Ft2, and lol. Last year, he participated in the launch of “WARNER HYPE MUSIC,” a new label within WARNER MUSIC JAPAN, and was appointed as a super advisor.

Takano (MC): Isn’t it too diverse? (Laughs)

iamSHUM: A little bit, I did (laughs).

Takano: Yesterday, Tsubasa-san said “akaranger,” and I thought he might be doubling as all rangers.

iamSHUM: He wants to do it (laughs).

Takano: How do you feel about being called an “akaranger”?

iamSHUM: I probably want to be in charge. A psychic in Okinawa once told me, “You have three guardian spirits, and one of them is a general from the Han Dynasty in China. One of them is a general from the Han Dynasty in China, and he gives you a leader’s desire to lead. I listened to him with skepticism, but then, by chance, we got into a spiritual conversation. There are many souls on earth other than earthlings, and you are a soul from the planet Clarion. I thought, “You must be from the planet Clarion,” and left home amused. When I got home, I thought about how I had recently borrowed a book from a friend, and when I looked at it, I got goosebumps.

Celeina: What kind of story is this?　Is it a scary story?　That’s amazing (laughs).

Takano: So there is such a thing as a clarion?

iamSHUM: I was skeptical about it, but then I heard about it and was amazed. I brought the book to Tokyo and still treasure it.

Celeina: So you keep it like a good luck charm.

Takano: But it means that you have a lot of things.

iamSHUM: I’m such an acaranger that I want to be in charge of this MC. Sorry about that (laughs).

Celeina: (laughs). As mentioned in your profile earlier, iamSHUM, you write the lyrics, produce the tracks, and do all the mastering!

Takano: It’s not easy to do.

Celeina: How did you start your music career in the first place?

iamSHUM: My father has been running a studio in Okinawa for a long time, and music was close by, so it was natural for me to start playing music.

Celeina: I see. Do you remember the first instrument you touched when you were little?

iamSHUM: Drums. With guitar and piano, you have to learn the chords, but with drums, you can just start playing right away. From a child’s point of view, it was fun to play drums.

TAKANO: But a sense of rhythm is very important. It might be a good idea to develop it from a young age.

iamSHUM: When I was little, I couldn’t reach my kick foot, so I had it made so I could reach it.

TAKANO: I feel like I was educated for gifted children. How many other instruments can you play?

iamSHUM: I can basically play the guitar and bass. I can play the piano, but I can only play chords.

Takano: I am versatile.

Celeina: By the way, iamSHUM, I would like to ask you about the origin of your name.

iamSHUM: I’m often told that I wanted to be a track maker, and the person I admired was will.i.am of BLACK EYED PEAS.

Celeina: I see. By the way, you read “shun” but spelled “SHUM”. Is there a reason for this?

iamSHUM: There were many foreigners in Okinawa, but they cannot say “N”. Since “N” is hard to pronounce, I thought “M” would be easier to say, so I changed it to “SHUM”. Then I thought I could hear “shum”, so I decided on “SHUM”.

Celeina: Now that you mention it, it is indeed.

Takano: I think it also becomes more unique when you write it.

iamSHUM: Yes, it does.

Celeina: Heh. I would like to send you a song here. iamSHUM, I asked you to choose a song that you would like to listen to with everyone on the radio at this time. What song would it be?

iamSHUM: It is the first single from my new label “WARNER HYPE MUSIC”, and I wrote the song with the name WARNER HYPE MUSIC. Please listen to the song “HYPE” in iamSHUM.

My goal is to distribute my own animation on Netflix

Celeina: You have been appointed as Super Advisor of WARNER HYPE MUSIC and you are the label head, what exactly do you do?

iamSHUM: I am in charge of the artists’ work up to the point of writing the songs, but I also hold meetings with the Warner staff to decide the release date, how to promote the music, and how to plan the music videos, etc., and then I carry out the work.

Celeina: So you are in charge of the process?

iamSHUM: I do that, but I have a great manager who is my partner, so I work with him to make WARNER HYPE MUSIC happen.

Takano: You sound like a producer.

iamSHUM: Thank you very much. There is a famous TikTok dancer group called “O-MENZ,” and I produced them and released a song with them last week. I produced a song for them and released it last week.

Celeina: We played a song by O-MENZ and iamSHUM yesterday, didn’t we?

iamSHUM: That song was the catalyst for the release of the O-MENZ group alone. I want to cherish that opportunity. We will do our best.

Celeina: And iamSHUM, you are also working on an animation project from around 2020.

iamSHUM: It’s not something great (laughs). My dreams in elementary school were to be a manga artist and a film director. I saw “Princess Mononoke” and wanted to make an animation like that. Around the time of Corona 2020, I started studying animation, and I have been drawing, moving, and incorporating my own animation into music videos and such.

Takano: Isn’t that crazy awesome?

iamSHUM: A little bit of hard work. My goal is to make my own animations and distribute them on Netflix, and I’m working on it.

Celeina: And iamSHUM did the music.

iamSHUM: That’s right. I also like anime, so I was hoping to do an anime tie-in with one of my songs. But there are many conflicts, so I thought about how I could do it, and I thought it would be good if I made my own animation. Then I thought I could make my own animation and play my own songs on it, so I thought subs was the only way to do it.

Takano: Netflix might be more likely to listen to it.

iamSHUM: Thank you very much, Netflix. I don’t even have a thing yet (laughs).

Takano: I’m looking forward to your future activities.

iamSHUM: We will really do our best.

Celeina: Now, “FIST BUMP” is a circle of friends that you connect with through gutta-touch, so we are asking you to introduce your friends to us. iamSHUM, who would you like to introduce to us?

iamSHUM: He is a great friend of mine, and he is “DJ YU-KI. He DJs at many clubs in Tokyo, and I also make music with him, collaborate with him, and we have a private life together, so we have been good friends for about 10 years.

Celeina: In one word?

iamSHUM: Amanojaku 100%.

Takano: I wonder what kind of person he is (laughs).

iamSHUM: He is a very nice guy. He is so charming and funny that I have never met anyone who dislikes him. I am from Okinawa, but he has a more Okinawan face than I do. He has a strong face.

Takano: I’m also curious about the “Amanojaku” part, so I would like to talk to him tomorrow. Tomorrow I will connect you to DJ YU-KI.

Celeina: “FIST BUMP” today was artist iamSHUM. Thank you very much.

iamSHUM: Thank you very much.