INDEX
Delighting in the Quest for Truth Inspired by Personal Insights
In “Kumo ga Warau Toki,” there are lyrics that reflect on the state of having hurt someone, such as “Deeply wounded, overflowing with lamenting songs, yet I have caused harm. There are no songs about repeatedly standing still.”
Salasa: I find that songs that comfort you when you’ve hurt someone or made a mistake are quite rare. For lyrics, I usually prioritize maintaining the integrity of the melody. However, with this album, including “Kumo ga Warau Toki,” I decided to experiment with breaking that pattern and using somewhat discordant words.
Why did you decide to experiment with breaking that pattern?
Salasa: My admiration for Hikaru Utada grew with her “BAD mode.” I was captivated by how her songs often incorporate slightly unconventional phrasing that still forms a cohesive whole. This unique style intrigued me and influenced my own approach.
Which song did you feel was essential to include, leading to the delay in the release?
Salasa: That would be “Rhythm.” From the early stages of production, we had a demo of just the chorus, but the song never quite came together. However, when Nishida-san provided his arrangement, it was fantastic. Despite this, I was struggling with the melody and lyrics and considered leaving it out. But the director said, “We have to include this track on ‘Golden Child,’ so let’s push back the release.” I was really grateful for his support.
What’s the meaning behind the title “Golden Child”? The term seems to imply “a child deemed special,” correct?
Salasa: It’s a term I’ve been familiar with for a while. Before I was born, my mother consulted a fortune-teller who predicted that a “golden child” would be born to help heal the sadness from her past life.
That’s quite an extraordinary story.
Salasa: It was often a bit of a running joke in my family growing up—my parents would say things like, “You’re the golden child, so you’ll be fine” (laughs). While I don’t fully believe in it, I wanted a title as catchy and personally meaningful as “Inner Ocean” from my previous album. “Golden Child” felt right because it reflects how I view the tracks on this album as my “pride and joy,” and like my mother was told, these songs might someday help me in some way.
The album seems to start from personal experiences and feelings, but it also connects to something larger. You mentioned creating music within a flow that you can’t control—was this sense of connection to something bigger something you had even before making music?
Salasa: I think it’s something that’s always been there but has become stronger over time. As you mentioned, I enjoy exploring larger meanings, fundamental truths, and what feels close to the essence of things based on my experiences. That’s probably why both elements are present in my music.
Nature often appears as a motif in your songs, and nature is also something beyond human control.
Salasa: When living in Tokyo, it’s easy to forget, but nature is something we can’t really compete with. So, I try to keep a sense of nature within myself as much as possible. My mother is a hula dance teacher, so I’ve been practicing hula since childhood. Originally, hula was meant as an offering to the gods of all things. Since my hometown is close to the sea, and considering that menstruation was once called “the moon’s thing,” I’ve had many opportunities to experience nature as a part of everyday life.
