Volume 3 Chapter 5 Shirogane Aqua, Debut Song Selection Meeting
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So, I’m thinking of choosing one of these three songs as your proper debut song.”
Moja-san said as we entered the studio. On the table, he placed three memory cards. Presumably, each card contained the data for one of the songs. They were labeled Demo A, Demo B, and Demo C.
”Today, you will to listen to these three songs and hear your opinions as well. I won’t provide any background information about the songs. Just listen to them with a blank slate, and let me know which one you liked and what aspects appealed to you. I want your honest opinions,” Moja-san explained, looking directly at me.
He operated the equipment and started playing the first song, Demo A. The A song began with a catchy pop intro and, in short, sounded like a typical idol song. It was easy to sing, had a good rhythm, and was well-produced overall. There was nothing to criticize about its quality. However, at the same time, I felt that this song could be sung by anyone, not necessarily me.
”I think it’s a good song. However, it gives me the impression that it’s more about fitting Aqua-kun into the generic idol mold rather than conveying Aqua-kun’s charm,” Ako-san stated her opinion clearly, looking at Moja-san.
I agreed with Ako-san’s assessment. This song didn’t necessarily have to be sung by me. It felt that way.
”I… I think this song is fantastic, and it’s well-made. But I also felt that it could be sung by anyone, not necessarily me.”
I expressed my opinion, and both Ako-san and Moja-san silently nodded in agreement.
”That’s right. This song was composed by a well-known composer, but I still think it’s a pass. Personally, I feel that it’s too safe for Shirogane Aqua’s song. It might work fine if we had a few other songs, but for Shirogane Aqua’s debut song, it’s just too unremarkable,” Moja-san said, pressing the stop button for Demo A.
He then pressed the play button for the next song, Demo B. The second song was uptempo, unlike the first one. To be honest, it sounded pretty cool. But… how should I put it? It had a very chuunibyou-like feeling. The guitar sound was distinctive, and the overall vibe of the song didn’t feel very idol-like.
”Hmm, I think it’s good, but it doesn’t feel very idol-like,” Ako-san expressed her opinion after listening to the song, and I agreed with her.
Indeed, this song didn’t feel like an idol song. That was my initial impression as well. However, if we considered it outside the framework of an idol song, perhaps this song wasn’t bad. At the very least, it was clear that this song was crafted with my vocal tone and singing style in mind. If there was one flaw, it would be that the composer didn’t consider the fact that I would be an idol, Shirogane Aqua.
”But I think this song suits Aqua-kun’s vocal tone perfectly. The composer seemed to understand Aqua-kun’s voice and created a song they wanted to hear, regardless of Aqua-kun being an idol or not,” Ako-san added, sharing the same opinion as mine.
As expected, Ako-san agreed with me. Hearing her opinion, Moja-san scratched his head and let out a big sigh.
”Ah, I see. You’re right. This one’s quite the oddball… I thought it would create an interesting chemistry, but it turned out that it might not be suitable for a debut song after all. It’s just too edgy.”
Moja-san said, about to declare the song as a reject.
But in that moment, I raised my hand. If I didn’t speak up now, this song would undoubtedly be rejected. However, I felt that it would be a waste to dismiss this song.
”Wait a moment,” I said, catching the attention of both Moja-san and Ako-san.
”…Could this song be used as the opening theme for that certain tokusatsu drama?” I turned my gaze towards Ako-san.
”A tokusatsu drama?”
Moja-san tilted his head in confusion, listening to my words.
”Yes, for the upcoming Sunday morning tokusatsu drama. I heard that they’re open to having me sing the opening theme in exchange for taking on the lead role. So, I thought this song might be a good fit.”
While on the move, I had been reading the materials for the new tokusatsu driver series and the early sections of the script. The world and story of the new driver series were impressively well-crafted, far exceeding what one would expect from a children’s show. That’s why I thought a unique and edgy song like this might be a great match for the series. The uptempo nature of the song also seemed suitable for a driver series opening theme.
”I see… It might not be a bad idea.”
Ako-san pondered for a moment before turning her gaze towards Moja-san.
”Kobayashi-san, this song may not be used for its original purpose, but can we keep it?” Ako-san asked.
”Sure thing. That guy isn’t concerned about that kind of stuff. But if you don’t mind, could you show the materials and script for the series? This is the basis, but we’ll need to enhance the song’s completion and fine-tune the details,”
”I understand. I’ll inquire with the director if it’s possible to show them the script and materials, and then I’ll get back to you with an answer.”
”Sorry for the trouble.”
The conversation progressed between the dependable adults. I felt relieved that I had spoken up with my opinion.
”Shirogane, is it okay for you to meet the composer before finalizing everything?” Moja-san asked.
”Yes, I’m fine with that.”
Moja-san and Ako-san checked their schedules and agreed that we would meet the composer soon.
”So, let’s proceed with the decision that Demo A is scrapped, Demo B is adopted as the opening theme for the tokusatsu drama. That leaves us with Demo C, which is the problem… Well, let’s give it a listen,” Moja-san said.
As the song from Demo C played in the studio, I became convinced that this was the one. The beautiful melody in the intro struck a chord in my heart, evoking a sense of deep sadness. The bright and pop-like tone of the song contrasted with an undercurrent of instability and profound lament. It was undoubtedly the perfect debut song for the idol Shirogane Aqua. Moreover, I believed this song would fit the content of the drama mentioned in the materials for the “9 PM drama” series.
I looked at Ako-san, and she met my gaze, nodding in agreement.
”I think this song is excellent,” Ako-san said.
”I also want to sing this song.”
Once again, our opinions aligned.
”I agree. I think this song is the best. But…” Moja-san crossed his arms and stroked his proud chin beard.
”The truth is, this song was created by an amateur. I’m also struggling with how to handle it,” Moja-san revealed.
”I see… How did that come about?”
Ako-san looked puzzled.
”Well… we didn’t have many good songs to choose from. While I was surfing the internet, I stumbled upon an interesting video. It turned out that the person in the video had been creating original songs online. I thought they might be able to write a perfect song for Shirogane, so I asked them to give it a try. And what we ended up with was this,” Moja-san explained.
He then turned his gaze towards us and squinted his eyes.
”The issue with appointing an amateur is the matter of reliability. When it comes to a TV program like this, it’s crucial to ensure they can deliver the work properly. Normally, if I was working with a composer affiliated with a company or someone with a proven track record, that would provide a level of trust.
”However, this composer doesn’t have any significant achievements under their belt and, on top of that, they’re around the same age as Shirogane. They’re quite young.”
I was surprised to hear the age of the composer. Someone around my age had created such an incredible song. I wondered who this person could be. I became deeply intrigued by the identity of the composer.
”The name of the composer is written on this paper. Take a look… Shirogane, you know this person well,” Moja-san said.
A person I know? I didn’t know anyone in the field of composing. Or could it be that someone I’m not aware of is composing behind the scenes? I peered into the paper handed to me by Moja-san. And when I saw the name of the composer written there, I froze.
[Oumi Tama.]
Toa-chan…? It was incredibly shocking. It was true that Toa-chan continued to pursue her career as an independent Vtuber, even after our collaboration. I knew she covered famous songs and created original ones as well. But… this song was undeniably different in atmosphere from the cute and adorable songs I associated with Toa-chan.
”You’re surprised, right? I was completely caught off guard as well. Occasionally, there are people who come up with such masterpieces that go beyond imagination and expectations. And that’s exactly what this person did. Moreover… this song was undoubtedly designed with an understanding of idol Shirogane Aqua. It couldn’t be anyone else.”
Toa-chan’s songs on the internet were mostly cute and charming. So, those who know Oumi Tama well wouldn’t be able to imagine her connection to this song. That’s why I found it interesting. Not only could I work with Toa-chan, but I also felt excited about helping introduce her as the composer of this song to the world.
”If it’s difficult to work with Oumi Tama as an individual, our agency can take her in. She has already given her consent. But if possible, I would like her to be affiliated with your agency,” Moja-san suggested.
”I don’t have any problems with that. In fact, wouldn’t it be better for Aqua-kun if she joined our agency?”
Ako-san turned her gaze towards me.
”But then, this agency was originally established as a personal agency for idol Shirogane Aqua. Is it okay to bring in other people?” Ako-san continued asked.
”I don’t mind. If anything, Ako-san, are you sure you can handle it alone?”
I worried since Ako-san was already busy enough with just my work.
”I’ll be fine. Thank you for your concern. If Aqua-kun doesn’t have any issues, I’d like to proceed in that direction,” Ako-san assured, raising both hands in front of her and making a light fighting pose.
”Okay, the agency matter is not a problem. However, there are two conditions from her side regarding using this song. First, if she works as a composer, she should use her real name, Nekoyama Toa, instead of Oumi Tama. Though, I don’t see any issues with that,”
Ako-san and I nodded in agreement for Moja-san’s words.
”The more important condition is regarding the lyrics for this song. She says she doesn’t want to release it if she’s not satisfied with the lyrics,” Moja-san continued.
He then took out several sheets of paper and laid them out in front of me. Ako-san, who was standing next to me, murmured in awe as she saw the names of the lyricists written on the papers.
”These are the lyrics for this song, which I requested from 10 carefully selected lyricists I know. Unfortunately, all of them were rejected by her,” Moja-san explained.
Ako-san and I exchanged glances.
”Well, even if Nekoyama rejected them, I also thought they weren’t good enough. One set was pouring out personal desires, and the other was just following a template. It was nothing special.”
Moja-san pointed out, indicating what was wrong with each set of lyrics. I also tried to match the melodies with the lyrics I was given, but none of them felt right. It was a difficult problem that left everyone scratching their heads.
Then, out of nowhere, Moja-san made an unexpected suggestion towards me.
”Shirogane, how about this? What if you try writing the lyrics yourself?”
I was stunned by Moja-san’s sudden proposal. Even the renowned lyricists couldn’t deliver, so could an amateur like me really write lyrics? No… If it meant being able to release this song, I should put in all the effort necessary. I repeatedly encouraged myself, mentally pushing away any doubts.
”Alright, I’ll give it a try, Moja-san… I’ll do it myself!”
That’s right, I can do anything right now. I felt confident as I began writing the lyrics. I completed what I thought was a perfect set of lyrics and submitted it to Moja-san. According to him, I had quite a triumphant expression on my face at that moment. But…
”Well, it’s still not good enough. I had some hope, but it was just my misunderstanding.”
Moja-san casually dismissed the lyrics I had written. Ako-san tried to comfort me on the spot, but it only intensified my embarrassment. Aaaah… If only I could go back a few minutes ago. I regretted even more that I had worn that triumphant expression. And so, the completion of my debut song hit a complete roadblock.
”Okay, the agency matter is not a problem. However, there are two conditions from her side regarding using this song.
”First, if she works as a composer, she should use her real name, Nekoyama Toa, instead of Oumi Tama. Though, I don’t see any issues with that,”
Ako-san and I nodded in agreement for Moja-san’s words.
”The other condition is regarding the lyrics for this song. She says she doesn’t want to release it if she’s not satisfied with the lyrics,” Moja-san continued.
He then took out several sheets of paper and laid them out in front of me. Ako-san, who was standing next to me, murmured in awe as she saw the names of the lyricists written on the papers.
”These are the lyrics for this song, which I requested from 10 carefully selected lyricists I know. Unfortunately, all of them were rejected by her,” Moja-san explained.
Ako-san and I exchanged glances.
”Well, even if Nekoyama rejected them, I also thought they weren’t good enough. One set was pouring out personal desires, and the other was just following a template. It was nothing special.”
Moja-san pointed out, indicating what was wrong with each set of lyrics. I also tried to match the melodies with the lyrics I was given, but none of them felt right. It was a difficult problem that left everyone scratching their heads.
Then, out of nowhere, Moja-san made an unexpected suggestion towards me.
”Shirogane, how about this? What if you try writing the lyrics yourself?”
I was stunned by Moja-san’s sudden proposal. Even the renowned lyricists couldn’t deliver, so could an amateur like me really write lyrics? No… If it meant being able to release this song, I should put in all the effort necessary. I repeatedly encouraged myself, mentally pushing away any doubts.
”Alright, I’ll give it a try, Moja-san… I’ll do it myself!”
That’s right, I can do anything right now. I felt confident as I began writing the lyrics. I completed what I thought was a perfect set of lyrics and submitted it to Moja-san. According to him, I had quite a triumphant expression on my face at that moment. But…
”Well, it’s still not good enough. I had some hope, but it was just my misunderstanding.”
Moja-san casually dismissed the lyrics I had written. Ako-san tried to comfort me on the spot, but it only intensified my embarrassment. Aaaah… If only I could go back a few minutes ago. I regretted even more that I had worn that triumphant expression. And so, the completion of my debut song hit a complete roadblock.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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