INDEX
How to Break the Cycle of Mutual Aggression
You mentioned that “PaperBagLunchbox was all about the clash of personal traits.” While this kind of chemical reaction can sometimes lead to explosive moments and create remarkable work, maintaining it over the long term can be quite challenging.
Nakano: Even after we released our third album, I didn’t intend to quit, but my body was unable to keep up despite my wish to continue. I was pushed into a mental state that, today, would likely be seen as a sign of severe distress.
Nakano：As a result, I ended up collapsing and the band disbanded. Reflecting on it now, after over ten years with Emerald, I can see that continuing in that state was simply untenable. Back then, though, I was consumed by a sense of failure—thinking, “Damn, it’s all over.” I didn’t have the luxury to reflect calmly; instead, I spent about five years lamenting and questioning, “What could I have done differently?” It was like grieving over a lost relationship.
-In other words, those feelings influenced the early days of Emerald. When did you feel you were finally able to move on from them?
Nakano： When “Moonlight” was created, I felt that a new dimension of my musical character emerged. That moment marked the end of my tendency to dwell on past regrets. During my time with PaperBagLunchbox, I experienced physical chest pain that was only alleviated when I was singing. It was a form of emotional dependency, perhaps. But with Emerald, as I learned to work with a team where each person had their role, I noticed a significant shift. I realized that I had moved far from my old mental state and no longer experienced that chest pain. I had once believed that making music required that constant, nagging sensation, but I discovered I could create music even without it, which was a major breakthrough.
-During your time with Emerald, there must have been moments of conflict among the band members. How have you managed to overcome these challenges?
Nakano： Yes, there have definitely been moments of conflict. Everyone has different personalities, and what starts as a discussion about a specific phrase can sometimes escalate into clashes over personal differences, communication styles, and the way things are expressed. In the early days, there were definitely times when people struggled to express their thoughts effectively. However, when misunderstandings occurred, our guitarist, Yoshitaka Iso, handled it calmly. He would interpret these issues as differences in context and break down whether any malice was intended. He would say, “There’s no ill intent here, so let’s stop attacking each other.” Since Iso started acting as a mediator and translator for us, conflicts among members have become much less frequent.
Formed in 2011, Emerald is a Japanese band that presents a new era of city pop music by blending jazz, neo-soul, and AOR sounds with the context of Japanese pop. Their debut mini-album, On Your Mind, featured the lead track “Moonlight,” which was selected as a power play by various radio stations. In 2021, the band launched a series of four consecutive single releases to celebrate their 10th anniversary, starting with “Sunrise Love” in September, which received airplay from multiple radio stations. In January 2022, they held a successful 10th-anniversary solo concert at Shibuya WWWX. Their music traces a path from Pop music through Black Music to Billboard/Blue Note.
-PaperBagLunchbox was formed by college friends who started without much knowledge of the professional world, whereas Emerald began with members who had already gained some life experience and social insight. This difference was significant.
Nakano: Yes, I think that’s true. In that sense, a lot of our growth came from overcoming communication challenges, which we worked through over the past decade. Each of us has areas of strength and weakness, things we must do even if we’re not good at them, and things we have to hold back from even though we’re skilled. But with this album, I believe we were able to fully showcase each member’s strengths.
-It’s been a full seven years since the last album.
Nakano：Although this is our first album in seven years, we’ve been consistently releasing singles. For our 10th anniversary in 2021, we put out four tracks and have been doing short bursts of activity. However, this time we’ve been working on it for about a year. We started recording a year ago, and seeing it through as a long-term project with everyone working together has been incredibly fulfilling. It also makes me feel a strong sense of achievement and a recognition of our growth.
