interview ~ Becca: July 19, 2009
Otakon - Baltimore, MD
Becca is an American artist who began her career in the US, before making her major debut in Japan. Although she is not JRock, we were interested in her experience as an American, taking on a Japanese audience, so we took the opportunity to interview her at Otakon. We met up with her shortly after her concert on Sunday, and found her energized and cheerful.
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a little about yourself?
Hi, my name is Becca. I'm an artist on Sony Japan International, and my music is rock-pop. I like to put the rock first! And...yeah, I've had the experience to go out to Japan, I debuted there, and now we're working on debuting in the US.
In Japan, it's very hard for an American to get their music out there, especially debuting in Japan instead of the US first. Can you tell us a little about that experience?
I think that Sony had a really great marketing plan, where they kind of marketed me as if I actually was a Japanese artist. They got me on to animes, and they got me all these tie-ins, which was really really great. I think that that's probably a neccessity. Also I would say I really tried to immerse myself in the Japanese culture. You know, I really love the fashion out there, it inspires my own personal fashion, and I was able to work with Japanese songwriters, as well, so I think that that influence really helped with appealing to Japan.
Were you interested in Japanese culture before you started this?
I was really interested in the fashion. I had a book that my friend gave me, of like, all the Harujuku, people there, and all their amazing designs and all the cosplay and stuff like that. So I got that before I went out there, and I was just so excited to go to the Harujuku area!
Before I went out, I bought all these culture books, and I went to a comic store and asked for all the manga that were popular in Japan, and they gave me like Death Note and Fruits Basket, and all these really great manga that I became a really big fan of. Japan definitely introduced me to a lot of things that I'm a really big fan of now.
What's your favorite anime?
I'm watching one right now that I really like, called Blood.
Blood Trinity?
Blood with a plus sign (+) after it. So that one's really cool, I'm getting into that. I seem to really enjoy the more sci-fi, creepy ones, that's just kind of my thing.
Do you like the ones that really mess with your head?
(laughs) Maybe, yeah! I mean, it's fun when you don't really know what's going on in an anime. It's kind of like...you have to keep watching every episode to understand the characters and their pasts. Blood is a perfect example, the first episode, you see flashbacks and stuff, and you have no idea what's going on, and you have to get really really into it. So I think that with anime, you have to give it a lot of dedication, because it takes a lot of time to get through all the episodes, and there's so many different kinds. It's really fun, like a hobby!
You're pretty young. When did you start doing the whole music thing?
I started recording professionally and taking it really seriously when I was 14. I signed with Meredith Brooks, she's my producer--I signed with her company. So it began around that time.
Do you listen to a lot of Japanese music, or mostly American, or a good mix?
I really listen to a lot of American music, but there's a lot of Japanese artists that I love. Every time I meet a new one, I'm always like "Oh, they're the best!" (laughs) I guess VAMPS...are they still considered Japanese even though they're marketing to the US?
Yeah, they're Japanese. Did you get to see their show on Thursday?
I did, yeah! They're awesome, I really enjoyed their show. I like Anna Tsuchiya, Benny K...there's been some great performers here, too, that I've been introduced to. I like everything. With American music, I listen to a lot of hardcore stuff, which is kind of funny because obviously that's not what I sing. But I love it! (laughs) Like, He Is Legend, Killswitch Engage, and other bands like Blue October, even some Incubus.
You started out here in America, right? Can you tell us about your first musical experience in a band?
The first band show I ever played was at a venue in LA called the Knitting Factory. That's actually where I met one of my favorite bands, they were playing in the next room, and they became pretty well-known, and it was really cool to have that experience. It was so nerve-wracking! I realized that day, that when I get nervous, I don't move. Sometimes when people get nervous, they get fidgety, you know? I'm the complete opposite! So when I was playing onstage, I looked really relaxed, but really, I was so nervous, I couldn't even stand it! And yeah, with my band, they're all my friends, so, we've had auditions and stuff, and they've been my band forever. So yeah, my first band live show was really nerve-wracking.
So, have you figured any way to deal with your nerves?
Oh my gosh! It's so difficult! There's a voice inside my head, you know, an insecure voice, saying "You're going to mess up, you're going to mess up!" This is the first time, actually, this show I played at Otakon, was the first time I shut that voice up. I said "Shut up!" And I'm like "I'm good, I'm good!" And you have to keep talking in your head, and breathing, deep breaths. And right before I went onstage, I was like, I'm just going to have fun! Because that's really what it's all about.
How does playing for an American audience differ from playing for a Japanese audience?
It's such a different scale. The audiences are so different! In Japan, they really listen, in between songs, they're just silent, and nobody talks. They're just listening to you, respecting you, and it's so wonderful. And in the US, a lot of times when you're in a venue, everyone is just yelling, or if there's a bar, they're drinking, so you have to yell over them to even be heard. Today was a really great example of just an amazing show in America. This is a really great audience, so this is a rare opportunity.
Can you tell us about your most frightening or weirdest experience onstage?
Uhm...oh! There's one that comes to mind--there's many, but the one that comes to mind is when I played Osaka Summer Sonic last year. I had these shoes that for some reason had no traction on them, at all. So I'm on the stage, and I'm slipping all over the stage! When I walked out onstage, I practically fell on my butt, it was so embarassing! So the whole time I was thinking, "Don't slip don't slip!" and I didn't really get to do my show as much as I wanted to, and I ended up just getting really really upset! There's a video of it, and you can see that I'm just so mad because of my stupid shoes. That was the worst!
Do you spend a lot of time in Japan? Do you have like a home there, or do you usually stay in hotels?
Last year I went to Japan five times, and I stayed in hotels. I don't have a home there. I would really love to, one day, that would be wonderful. This year, I'll be going out, I know for sure two more times in the next couple months.
Can you tell us about any recent or future releases?
Yes, my album will be released in America this fall. Also my song I'm Alive is on iTunes now, so you can go get that! And...my second album will be released in Japan around fall, as well. I'll be doing WaterAid this summer in Japan. And Ultraviolet Code 044 will hopefully be coming out soon, I did the voiceovers for that. So lots of exciting things coming up in the next few months!
You did voiceovers, too? What's that like?
Yeah! It was really difficult! It was like the hardest experience in my life, actually, because just talking is a whole art form in itself! You realize things about diction, and there's little tricks, like you have to eat a sour apple, cause it drys out your mouth, so there's no extra sound effects and stuff. So it was a really interesting experience!
As far as your music, do you sing a lot in Japanese?
I'm starting to, now. The first album, I did not sing in Japanese, but when I would perform out there, I would speak to them in Japanese as much as I could. With the second album, there are two songs that I'm singing in Japanese. One of them I believe is released right now, it's called Shibuya, and I'm singing a lot of Japanese in there.
Have you been doing anything fun here at the convention?
Just looking at costumes is fun! Just people-watching is really really fun. I went to the Dealer's Room, and I was able to do a signing at my booth. Being able to meet people is a really great, exciting experience for me.
This is your first time at Otakon, but is this your first time at a convention, period?
Yes!
It's such a big one, too!
Yeah, so I'm a little overwhelmed! I'm starting to get used to it, though, and I just love the passion that everybody has for anime, here, and it's a really cool thing to see that.
Is there anything in particular you want to do in Japan?
I really want to go to Mt. Fuji. I haven't, yet. I really want to go to some hot springs...and Okinawa, I would love to visit there. Outside of that...there's many things to do there, but that's what's on my list right now.
What do you do in your spare time?
I watch anime, I like to write stories, I like to shop, I like to work out...I love to go hiking, and I love watching movies.
What's a movie you're really looking forward to seeing right now?
I'm excited to see New Moon, when that comes out. I think that will be a fun one.
What's your favorite part about doing interviews like this?
I just like getting to tell my story, getting to explain myself and my life, it's cool! You know, I want people to not just know my music, but to know who I am, as well.
I just noticed, you have a ladybug tattoo, and a ladybug bracelet...
Yes, I am obsessed with ladybugs! It's a little bit of a sick obsession... As a little girl, I was given ladybug trinkets from my family, and it just stuck. I was like, Oh these are so cute! And people just consider me the ladybug girl, and they give me ladybug things all the time. My collection is really obscene.
We mostly cater to fans of Japanese music. What would you say to those people to get their attention?
Well, I'm singing in Japanese in this next album. I'm inspired by Japanese music, as well, so I think that there's still some appeal in my music, too, that will cater to you guys. I hope you like it!
interview and photos by Melony
thank you to Becca for taking the time to answer our questions; thanks to Sony and Otakon for making this possible
links
Becca Official Website
Becca Official MySpace
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