INDEX
After the Last Release: Finding Solace Amid the Pandemic
You released your first album in five years, All About McGuffin, this September. You’ve said that you approached this album as “the final work of the first chapter” for yourself.
ehara： That ties back to what I mentioned earlier. In terms of how the songs were created, this album isn’t drastically different from my previous work. Of course, there are new elements and I experimented with some new directions, but basically, it feels like a continuation from my first album, Sway (2017). I don’t know exactly how it will turn out, but I had a feeling that my next work would bring a big change, so I wanted to mark a pause here with this album. I decided to make it one where I could pack in everything I wanted to do.
You’ve mentioned that the past five years leading up to this album involved various struggles.
ehara： Yes. My second album, Ampersands (2020), was released right in the middle of the pandemic, so I never really knew how listeners received it. I had joined a label, quit my job to focus entirely on music, and created it with a new band lineup… and yet, the outcome felt uncertain. It didn’t make me lose motivation, but it did leave me unsure of how to approach my next album.
ehara: When you’re making music, it’s hard to say you have much financial stability. During the pandemic, I became distant from a lot of people and stopped seeing them altogether. There were also many things happening in my personal life, so I naturally ended up spending a lot of time reflecting on myself. I wanted to understand the root of why I fall into certain ways of thinking, so I started going to counseling and reading books, continuing to study and learn on my own. Then, around July last year, suddenly, a lot of things just clicked.
Looking back now, I’m not entirely sure why it was necessary to face myself so deeply at that particular time. But at the moment, I just felt, “If I don’t resolve this now, I won’t be able to move forward.”
Was there a specific event that changed you?
ehara: I wouldn’t say I suddenly found a “solution” or the “right answer.” It feels more accurate to say that I’ve learned to let go. Not getting caught up in endless worries or dwelling on things has allowed me to focus purely on music. Right now, I feel like I can live entirely for myself. I’ve learned to let go when I need to, but at the same time, I can also hold my ground when something truly matters to me.
How do you think this shift in mindset is reflected in your new album? You wrote in your release notes that “simplicity is a very romantic thing.” What did you mean by that?
ehara: That’s not something I specifically realized while making this album, but I’ve always felt there’s something really appealing about being a little unpolished or imperfect. Everyone—including myself—has parts that are incomplete or not fully matured. You see that in films too, where the protagonist is still figuring things out. Struggling, worrying, or stumbling through life is something anyone can relate to—and I think it’s also something deeply endearing.
