MIREI – Sell Me Your Love

By starrymag | February 18, 2022

By: Jamie Steinberg

 

 

Q) How would you describe your sound?

 

A) It’s a mixture of electropop and R&B music. They both root back to my childhood including my favorite Japanese rhythm game “Dance Dance Revolution” and old CDs that my parents had such as Mariah Carey and Stevie Wonder.

 

Q) Who are some of your musical influences?

 

A) When I was around six years old, I started going to a dance studio near my house. Since then, I naturally thought my dream and fate were to be on the stage. But if I had to name a specific musical influence, it would be Lady Gaga. I still remember when I first saw the video for “Born This Way” – it was a defining moment of my life when I decided to become a singer/songwriter. Even though I didn’t speak English back then, there was a Japanese translation of the video that conveyed her message. It was a big shock for me that I can make myself proud by being different, odd, and weird. That’s when I got a dream that I can change someone’s life by music just as mine was changed by her.

 

Q) Talk about the story behind your new song “Sell Me Your Love.”

 

A) This song is inspired by a real-life incident that happened in the Japanese Red-Light District of Tokyo known as “Kabukicho.” Back in 2019, a photo of a woman smoking next to the body of her boyfriend, who was drenched in blood, went viral. She had fatally stabbed her boyfriend who was working as a host in one of the clubs in Kabukicho. When I saw the news, the first thing that crossed my mind is how money can buy love, promises and many others that we can never see. I started writing this song as my own way to explore this idea and answer my own questions.

 

Q) What do you think it is about the song that fans connect to?

 

A) The question that moved me to write this song was “Can money buy me love?” This track is not only about night life, but also about the entertainment industry. Sometimes people, such as idols and celebs, sell themselves as products in order to achieve their dreams, fame, etc. However, I often see the fans criticize the idols for showing any deviation from the “perfect image” that they sell to the public. This perfect image seems nice at first, but it’s so fragile. As a seller and buyer, could this perfect image really make both of them happy? I think this message is what resonates with the fans a lot. I always tell my fans that I’m not perfect and I’m not trying to be. They fully understand this and support me for who I am, including my flaws.

 

Q) How does the video for the track play into the message behind it?

 

A) I wanted to show the sadness and emptiness you can experience from being in a toxic relationship. This is one of the tragedies of the beautiful nightlife of Tokyo, which I think you can feel its vibes. I want the viewers to feel the positive and negative emotions altogether.

As for the videos, my music videos have been connected since the beginning featuring actress Kanon [Yamakazi] as the main character where each video keeps building the narrative of the lost, lonely girl. The previous video saw her character getting into a nice relationship, but this time she experiences heartbreak that turns into a gory tragedy, which pained me to be honest.

 

Q) What is your songwriting process? Do you need music before you can create lyrics?

 

A) I usually make a simple note on an idea and go straight to the piano. While playing around with it, I start to find nice chord progressions that eventually turn into a melody. After I build the simple chords and melody, then I start writing lyrics for them. My favorite part is definitely finding chords, it’s always super fun to do.

 

Q) How much of a hand do you have in the production of your music?

 

A) For the production, I trust and rely on my crew Zak [Leaver] and [DJ] Shiftee a lot. They’re nice producers and can play around with different sounds and concepts. For recording vocals, we use Zoom and Audio Movers and record it remotely while exchanging pointers. Shiftee is the only who usually comes up with ideas for chants and rap verses whereas Zak usually comes up with the choruses, adlibs and riffs. I always love to try everything and contributing my ideas as well.

 

Q) Will there be a full album or EP coming in the near future?

 

A) I hope so! There are already enough songs to put out, but I’m looking for the right time to release them. Pandemic made me much more creative, and I can’t wait to share with you guys soon.

 

Q) Where are some of your favorite places to perform and what makes those locations so significant to you?

 

A) I’ve performed onstage in the States several times, and it’s always been amazingly fun! I usually perform in Japan and actually Japanese fans are too polite, so that they don’t show their excitement too much. They’re always nicely clapping and waving hands but hesitating to do more such as yelling or singing along. That’s why when I performed in Sacramento and Houston, I was so shocked at how my fans got excited and hyped up. Now, I have my fans all over the world, so I wanna go and see how fans react differently in each country.

 

Q) Who would you most like to collaborate with on a song in the future?

 

A) My role model as a singer/songwriter has always been Lady Gaga, so if I could get a chance to collaborate with her, I’m probably gonna pass out at least once. Also, since I have many fans in Latin countries, they tell me their recommendations. Now, I love listening to Sebastian Yatra, Luan Santana, Iza and more. So, if I could collaborate with them, it would be super amazing too.

 

Q) What album/band are you currently listening to and why do you dig them?

 

A) Lately, I’ve been listening to the greatest hits album by the Japanese idol Akina Nakamori. She’s been a national star of Japan since the 80s and has worked with legendary producers who are considered as the pioneers of J-pop. It’s very interesting and fun to listen to the album, knowing the roots of J-pop while being just a fangirl.

 

Q) You are a part of social media. Why is that such an important way for you to connect with your fans?

 

A) As a musician, I feel thankful for the Internet and social media that helps me connect with fans around the world despite living in Tokyo. Social networks are one of the best ways to share my work and communicate with my fans. I can be in my room singing, which fans can tune int through their phones. So, even though I’m not performing in a particular city or stage, I’m still able to reach my fans and deliver my music. But with any positive thing, there’s always a negative side. As a result, I always try to limit my screen time and be mindful of the fact that I should use it as a channel to connect with others. When I spend too much time looking at socials, I feel suffocated, so I always try to be conscious of the amount of time I spend.

 

Q) What would you like to say to everyone who is a fan and supporter of you and your work?

 

A) Thank you very much for loving my music. You guys are my joy, courage and the reason why I sing. I love you all and I hope I can continue sharing music that they enjoy. Also, I look forward to growing together as we listen to the same music and share the same ideas. While not all of us have met in person before, my dream is to have a world tour and meet as many as i can in-person. Hope to see you soon and, until then, see you on my livestream MIREI TV! [winks]

 

Listen to “Sell Me Your Love”

https://orcd.co/mirei_sellmeyourlove

Watch The Video For “Sell Me Your Love”