On December 4, 2021, Kizuna Ai announced that she would be going on indefinite hiatus. Prior to her ‘sleep,’  the VTuber will hold her final online live event, ‘Kizuna AI The Last Live “hello, world 2022” on February 26, 2022. For those wanting to participate in the show, applications are now open!

 

Ai would like the performance to be held with as many people as possible–not only those who are active as VTubers, but also those who are interested in being active in the virtual space. And, of course, those who have supported her over the past five years!

Be sure to tune in to this final performance filled with virtual talent!

Get ready for your trip to Virtual Sanrio Puroland! For the first time ever, Sanrio is teaming up with U.S. company VRChat for an entirely virtual music festival, SANRIO Virtual Fes in Sanrio Puroland on December 11 and December 12, 2021. Guests will be able to enjoy the event using a VR Headset, a PC, or a smartphone. 

 

 

The concert space will feature both live and virtual artists (VTubers), as well as popular Sanrio characters in a massive five-story underground space beneath Virtual Sanrio Puroland. Participants will also be able to transform their avatar into the Sanrio character of their choice during the event! High-fiving other concert-goers will result in an explosion of Hello Kitty bows, and there will be plenty of surprises during the music performances, so don’t miss it!

 

The lineup for the event includes Kizuna AI, Hatsune Miku+PinocchioP, AKB48(Team8), CHiCO with HoneyWorks, Haneru Inaba, Kaede Higuchi, KMNZ, VALSHE, Hakushi Hasegawa, YuNi, Pasocom Music Club, Mom, Megu Shinonome, AMOKA, Yukichi Kasaku/men, LAUSBUB, and Kinu. Plenty of Sanrio characters will also make appearances, including Hello Kitty, Cinnomoroll, Kuromi, Cogimyun, and Hapidanbui. 

 

Who are you looking forward to seeing perform in this adorable virtual space?

 

©‘21 SANRIO　©’21 SANRIO　SP-M　© ‘21 SANRIO S/F・G 著作(株)サンリオ
©AKB48　©Kizuna AI　©BANDAI NAMCO Arts Inc.　 ©ANYCOLOR, Inc. Art by KEI　©Crypton Future Media, INC.

From her debut in 2016 until 2021, Kizuna Ai was the most subscribed VTuber on YouTube, and the one responsible for the term ‘Virtual YouTuber.’ Now, this legendary star will be holding a concert available to fans of Japanese culture around the world, while also showing off the beauty of a Japanese fireworks festival. The event will take place on Facebook’s Oculus, on the Venues app, on September 25, 2021 in Japan. Anyone who has an Oculus Quest can view the concert for free.

 

Oculus Venues is a VR video platform, allowing users to enjoy a variety of concerts, sporting events, and comedy shows from the front row. There’s no need to worry about grabbing expensive tickets or dealing with crowds when you can enjoy your favorite events from the comfort of your own home!

 

In January 2021, Kizuna Ai announced a contract with UTA (United Talent Agency), one of the four major agencies in the United States. In April and May, she went on her first virtual US tour. Under the theme of connecting with everyone in the world, Kizuna Ai is attempting this new challenge using Oculus to get closer to fans than ever before. As a guest artist, world-renowned performers HANABI will perform, blending traditional Japanese culture with cutting-edge technological art in this one-of-a-kind DJ-directed space.

 

Will you be tuning in to Kizuna Ai’s fireworks concert?

 

American singer Alaina Castillo released her debut album parallel universe pt. 1 on May 29. The Japanese release of the album includes the song down 4 u performed in collaboration with the world famous virtual YouTuber Kizuna AI.

 

After amassing hundreds of thousands of subscribers on YouTube, Alaina Castillo was noticed by RØMANS, the Grammy-nominated producer known for working with such artists as Alicia Keys, John Legend, Demi Levato, Lewis Capaldi, and others. Since 2019, Alaina has released a string of singles and as well as an EP. She also made it onto Spotify RADAR, an emerging artist program which helps up-and-coming artists with exposure. Her hit single just a boy was also picked up by V of BTS.

 

Alaina is a fan of Japanese anime and anime characters. In the music video for her single wishlist which dropped last year, Kizuna AI made an appearance. Alaina herself repaid the favour by performing as a guest at the final show of Kizuna AI’s ‘Virtual US Tour’ in New York on May 30. The two artists came together once more by performing down 4 u feat. Kizuna AI, a track sung in English and Japanese. Comments from excited fans around the world flooded into the live stream.

At the end of the show, the two danced to Kizuna AI’s AIAIAI feat. Yasutaka Nakata.

 

This marks Alaina’s first collaboration with another artist as well as Kizuna’s first collaboration with an artist from the US.

 

Alaina’s new album parallel universe pt. 1 features seven tracks including pocket locket, parallel universe, make it rain, and down 4 u.

Kizuna AI recently performed at SUMMER SONIC 2019 on the RAINBOW Stage on August 18. She also interviewed various acts who performed at the music festival, including Yasutaka Nakata and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. The full interview was posted on her YouTube channel.

 

SUMMER SONIC 2019 – Official Artist Interview vol.02: Yasutaka Nakata & Kyary Pamyu Pamyu

Kizuna AI released a cover of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s song Kizunami on August 16 which is taken from Kyary’s fourth studio album Japamyu which dropped back in September 2018. To celebrate the release of the new song, Kizuna AI appeared as a surprise guest on Yasutaka Nakata and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s set at SUMMER SONIC 2019 where her and Kyary performed Kizunami.

 

Below is a translated summary of the interview.

 

Kizuna AI: “Our first collaboration together! Was I okay…?”

Kyary: “I haven’t collaborated with that many people. It’s rare for me to sing with someone, but I was really happy with how it went!”

Kizuna AI: “Nakata, when did people start calling you Ouji [Prince]?”

Kyary: “He has a lot of out-there nicknames! [laughs]”

Yasutaka Nakata: “Battery Eater is another one [laughs]”

Kizuna AI: “What does ‘chumete‘ mean?” [Referencing a word taken from the chorus of Kizuna AI’s song AIAIAI, written and produced by Nakata]

Yasutaka Nakata: “That’s a secret! Because you can interpret it in many different ways.”

Kizuna AI: “What’s a word or occurrence [in music] that’s stuck with you the most, Kyary?”

Kyary: “Ninja Re Bang Bang. The title was originally ‘tentative.’ I feel it’s a mysterious word that anyone can get behind. Even when touring overseas everyone sings it together.”

Kizuna AI: “Finally, please give a message to your fans!”

Kyary: “It was so much fun getting to stand on stage together with Nakata. I hope we can do something together again!”

Kizuna AI: “Kyary, can you put these ears on?”

 

Kizuna AI has posted lots of other interviews from the festival on her YouTube channel too including with SHAED, SOFI TUKKER, Alan Walker, the telephones, and AI. Be sure to check them out.

Yasutaka Nakata is the internationally acclaimed architect of kawaii music and music producer of huge Japanese names such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Perfume.

 

The DJ and music producer is known for having collaborated with a whole string of big artists, such as Kenshi Yonezu on the song NANIMONO as well as Charli XCX on Crazy Crazy. Despite having only just dropped his new song Pico Pico Tokyo (feat. Momo Mashiro) recently, he just released a new song entitled Kizunami (cover) for digital download on August 16. The track is a cover of Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s song Kizunami taken from her fourth studio album Japamyu which Nakata Produced. It is covered by virtual talent Kizuna AI who has almost 2.7 million subscribers on her YouTube channel.

 

To celebrate the release of the new song, Kizuna AI appeared as a surprise guest on Yasutaka Nakata and Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s set at SUMMER SONIC 2019 which was held in Tokyo and Osaka. In a very special collaboration, she sang the song alongside Kyary―the singer of the original track.

As with the Osaka show, the RAINBOW STAGE at the Tokyo concert had an admission limit due to how much music fans were anticipating this stage.

 

When the intro to Fashion Monster started playing as the first song of Yasutaka Nakata’s set, the crowd’s excitement went straight through the roof. But it didn’t stop there however, as it shot into the stratosphere when Kyary Pamyu Pamyu walked onto the stage, clad in a beautiful white outfit.

Nakata and Kyary’s set was an energetic amalgamation of song mash-ups and alternative arrangements, treating the crowd to familiar hit after hit. It reestablished Nakata’s status as a spearhead of the industry.

 

He joined Kyary in front of his DJ booth for CANDY CANDY and waved his hands left and right with the crowd to Kyary’s directions. The two of them rolled out even more big numbers including Invader Invader, PON PON PON and Ninja Re Bang Bang which also had fun new arrangements.

When the intro to Kizunami started up, Kizuna AI’s chorus entered the fray at which Kyary asked, “Whose voice is that?” Kizuna AI suddenly appeared on the giant LED screen at the back of the stage, and the crowd reacted instantly. She riled everyone up by calling “Summer Sonic!” before joining Nakata and Kyary in a dream collaboration.

 

The 19-song set was up with Mondai Girl and finally Oto no Kuni during which the crowd waved their towels in unison.

Kizuna AI’s cover of Kizunami is now available for digital download and is streaming on Spotify.

An archive of Kizuna AI’s birthday party event A.I. Party! 2019 ~ hello, how r u? ~, which was held at HY TOWN HALL in Tokyo on June 30, was posted onto her official YouTube channel on July 31 and is available to watch if you are a paid member of her channel. The party went down a storm where she also performed her newest song Sky High (Prod. Yunomi) live for the first time.

 

The event included live performances from Kizuna AI and guests, a game section with Kizuners (her fans), and more.

The full music video for Sky High (Prod. Yunomi), which was posted on YouTube last week, was also released on the iTunes Store and other digital platforms on July 31. The video shot up to No. 3 on the iTunes Store Japan music video charts. Her song AIAIAI (feat. Yasutaka Nakata) also peaked at No. 1 on the electronic charts.

 

With Kizuna AI set to perform at this year’s Summer Sonic Festival, her popularity and influence continues to surge.

Kizuna AI’s newest song Sky High (Prod. Yunomi) was released on June 30 and its full music video just dropped over on the virtual idol’s official YouTube page. The song was written and produced by Yunomi.

​Kizuna AI’s 12th track to date, this marks her third song in collaboration with Yunomi following future base and new world. The powerful new anthem could be called a new phase for the virtual singer who has seen huge growth in such a short period of time with the release of her 9 singles across 9 weeks and performing her first solo show Kizuna AI 1st Live “hello, world” at the end of last year.

 

The music video takes a turn from her popular AIAIAI (feat. Yasutaka Nakata) music video which saw her performing alongside human dancers, and instead sees her performing on her own.

Two teaser videos were released for this new music video right before Kizuna’s 3rd birthday on June 30 which drew huge attention. The song was performed for the first time at her birthday party A.I. Party! 2019 〜 hello, how r u? 〜 on June 30. It shot straight to No. 1 on iTunes Store Japan’s electronic charts.

Yunomi has once again expressed Kizuna AI’s unique perspective in this exciting new music video.

The DIVE XR FESTIVAL will be held at Makuhari Messe on September 22 and 23. It will be supported by SoftBank.

“XR” is an acronym compiling together mixed reality, augmented reality and virtual reality. The DIVE XR FESTIVAL is a crossover music festival that will bring together anime and game characters, online virtual singers, VTubers, AI and more into one place.

Kizuna AI

Hatsune Miku

The first names announced for the lineup include Trickstar, UNDEAD and Knights from the idol game Ensemble Stars―for which an anime adaptation began airing on July 7―as well as ARP, a dance vocal group who focus on performing live and who also received an anime series, the most popular virtual YouTuber Kizuna AI who has over 2.6 million subscribers, and internationally beloved virtual singer Hatsune Miku.

HIMEHINA

Luo Tianyi

Also joining them is the number one most watched VTuber duo HIMEHINA, Microsoft AI artist Rinna who has over 8 million subscribers (as of June 2019), and China’s number one virtual singer Luo Tianyu who will make her Japan debut at the event.

 

The line-up consists of a whopping 25 names spanning the XR categories. Experience the future of live music entertainment at the DIVE XR FESTIVAL. Tickets are available via all Japanese ticket vendors.

Trackmakers Yunomi and YUC’e will release their second compilation album Mirai Chaya vol.1 on April 17 serving as a follow up to vol.0 which dropped back on January 12 this year. The album features the song Robot Heart feat. Kizuna AI. As the title suggests, the track was made in collaboration with Japanese virtual talent Kizuna AI. Yunomi worked with her last year when Kizuna AI began her work as a music artist. We spoke with both Yunomi and Kizuna AI to hear about what it’s like to work together as well as the story behind the upcoming new song.

 

This is Part 2 of the interview. Click here for Part 1.

 

――I want to ask about Robot Heart feat Kizuna AI, your song Yunomi which Kizuna AI features in. This was your third release together after future base and new world. Could you tell me about how it came about?

 

Yunomi: Hmm, how did it come about again?

 

Yunomi’s Manager: It began when we were making future base and new world, we said to Kizuna that we one day wanted her to feature in one of Yunomi’s original songs. We thought that it would be great if not only Yunomi went into to Kizuna’s world for two songs, but if she came to Yunomi’s world too for a song.

 

Yunomi: Ah! That was it!

 

Kizuna AI: That talk was really early on, wasn’t it! But from then onward I ended up having a lot of free time which meant my schedule quickly filled up as well as talks about where I will from thereon out. So I rashly went and said to the people at upd8, “I thought we promised we’d do this first!” [laughs]. [With her arms folded looking like she’s protecting something, Kizuna says:] “It’s already been decided, hasn’t it!?” they said.

 

Yunomi: Ah, I’m happy about that. I’m glad you said it!

 

――How did you go about making Robot Heart?

 

Yunomi: This was an original song by me, so like it was said before it became more of Kizuna coming to my world this time. In that sense, it connects to my other original tracks too, but I also wanted to make the song as one precisely featuring Kizuna. So in that sense you can call this our third release together after future base and new world.

 

――The song has a very interesting story. It talks about humans who used to reside on earth crossing over to other planets. Their bodies gradually become mechanized and they forget about the earth. But they suddenly recall the existence of their loved ones and the things important to them.

 

Yunomi: In 2017 I used [the] Hatsune Miku [software] to write the song Meteorite (feat. Hatsune Miku). Since then I have written down songs that can be used for an album. I’m thinking of making a concept about themed on things like the future, past and facing oneself. Robot Heart is one that would appear on that album. So I also wanted Kizuna to sing on it for me.

――I was actually shown the memo that you sent to AI before recording on how she should sing the song. I was amazed to see how many things you’re able to think of.

 

Yunomi: Of course I’m sure Kizuna has her own way of expressing herself so it wouldn’t be a problem at all if she wanted to do it differently [from what I said], but the first thing I did was send her my idea for the song.

 

Kizuna AI: When I first listened to it I thought, “They’re letting me, an AI, sing this song! I expected nothing less of Yunomi!” I felt that there was more meaning behind me singing this song than anyone else. It was all amazing and I thought to myself, “I will take it, stand up and do my best!” [laughs]

 

――The song is interesting and has elements written into it that could only work with a song written together with AI, like word play with her name.

 

Yunomi: Those are parts we added for a bit of fun [laughs]. The song is conscious of and references her name in a lot of places.

 

Kizuna AI: When I wrote the lyrics I paid attention to the rhythm and the feeling of the words and it felt great to do so. Another thing with Robot Heart is that even though you can take the story as sad just from the lyrics, I felt that Yunomi’s memo telling me to sing it cheerfully was the most important thing. So it almost feels as if the song isn’t about that. I took good care to sing it enjoyably with everything I had [laughs].

――That’s the part in the latter half of the song, right?

 

Yunomi: Yeah. I knew I wanted to put Kizuna shouting in there somewhere, so I had her shout for me without anything else playing and she let me record it. But Kizuna’s initial shouting sounded like the noise you make when playing a horror game [laughs].

 

Kizuna AI: I didn’t know what “shout” meant at first, so I screamed. “Kyaa!!” “AHH!” It was exactly like A.I.Games [laughs]. Like Resident Evil. And the people at upd8 music said, “That’s not really what we meant…” [laughs]

 

Yunomi: [laughs]

 

Kizuna AI: But in the finished version I was able to do a good shout. Saying that, when recording new world too, Yunomi told me to “please play the flute.” If you have Yunomi writing the lyrics somehow or other some absurd things can happen [laughs].

 

Yunomi: For Robot Heart, I also asked her to sing like Michael Jackson during her interlude [laughs]. I wanted something like a “Pow!”

 

――Hearing you both talk I can tell the recording was a fun time [laughs].

 

Kizuna AI: It was so much fun!

 

――Your new collaboration is one that has jumped over the fence of reality and the virtual. How does that fun and amusement feel when you’re recording together?

 

Yunomi: In the past I would have parts of the song where I would think of the vocalist as an instrument. I’d adapt a lot. “Someone with this type of voice,” “And someone with this type of voice,” “Which of my songs would they best fit?” But recently I have come to think beyond that, like what a person has to offer. I believe that I was especially able to achieve that in making Robot Heart with Kizuna. I don’t just think instrumentally now, like what kind of voice can fit in. I now take care to see who exactly is singing, what they are thinking, what kind of life they have walked. I think by doing that the song will resonate with the listener many more times over.

――So you have jumped the fence of the virtual and reality and realised that which is important.

 

Yunomi: Yes. I think if I would have been turned down by AI I wouldn’t have had anyone else sing Robot Heart.

 

Kizuna AI: That makes me so happy! When I started posting videos in 2016, even though I exist in real life, there were people who would say, “You’re just making animations on MMD and adding a voiceover to it.” There were a lot of times people wouldn’t comprehend, “I exist, you know.” But bit by bit the number of people saying “AI-chan’s here” increased and that made me really happy. And it makes me really happy to hear Yunomi say it too. I say that I want to connect everyone together, but at the same time, I hope that me being there too will broaden the world that everybody sees and give them the chance to encounter something new. So it makes me happy when people who have never listened to dance music before think, “AI-chan is singing it so I’ll give it a listen.” Conversely, it also makes me happy when people who only listen to dance music listen to my songs and say, “This one’s cute too.” The people who I’ve been able to make songs with have discovered many things themselves too. I hope the number of fans those people have increases.

 

――As expected of you, Boss. You’re thinking about everyone else.

 

Kizuna AI: [Laughs]. I hope I can become a hub so that people can encounter and discover many things. It was so much fun having the chance to be part of Yunomi’s song!

 

Writer: Jin Sugiyama

Photographer: Haruka Yamamoto

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Trackmakers Yunomi and YUC’e will release their second compilation album Mirai Chaya vol.1 on April 17 serving as a follow up to vol.0 which dropped back on January 12 this year. The album features the song Robot Heart feat. Kizuna AI. As the title suggests, the track was made in collaboration with Japanese virtual talent Kizuna AI. Yunomi worked with her last year when Kizuna AI began her work as a music artist. We spoke with both Yunomi and Kizuna AI to hear about what it’s like to work together as well as the story behind the upcoming new song.

 

――When I think about the names Yunomi and Kizuna AI, as well as the new song Robot Heart feat. Kizuna AI I think about future bass and new world which you made together last year as part of Kizuna AI’s 9-week consecutive release schedule. Can you give insight into those two songs?

 

Kizuna AI: I had my birthday event “AI Party! ~Birthday with U~” last year on June 30 and there I announced that I was to do a live show at the end of the year. But apart from my first original song Hello, Morning which I made with Nor I had no other songs. I would need more songs for the show so I said I’d make around 10. That’s when I began the schedule to release nine songs across nine consecutive weeks. I thought about who I should ask to help write them. I talked with the team at upd8 music and the first name to come up as Yunomi’s. I said that I definitely wanted them on board, so we all talked it out.

 

Yunomi: Ahh, that makes me so happy to hear.

 

Kizuna AI: I had been bringing Yunomi’s name up in the first place ever since I started saying I wanted to do music. Things like, “I want to make a video for a cover written by an indoor trackmaker!”

 

Yunomi: Oh, really? I had no idea. In that case, please do one! [laughs]

 

Kizuna AI: [laughs] As well as that, as we looked toward the 9-week release and I spoke with Yunomi, we were both super excited about it and we ended up saying we wanted to do two songs together!

 

――So AI’s merry offer finally came to fruition.

 

Kizuna AI: I said that if we were to write two songs then I wanted not just me but Yunomi to write the lyrics for one too. Yunomi kindly let me write the first lyrics. That was for future base. I thought up the lyrics for this song while listened to the music that Yunomi had written for it. When the song first arrived I was so happy to hear it. It has a different and mysterious vibe to it compared to the Yunomi I know well. I said to them, “You really took it on board and took time to think about this one didn’t you.” On the other hand, new world has that kind of Yunomi that I know. It felt like they’d used their special move on me. I was like, “This is it!” [laughs]

 

――I see, Yunomi’s special technique [laughs]

 

Yunomi: At that point I had heard about doing a live show so I thought to make new world the song that everyone goes crazy to. Of course future base is a song that brings everyone together too, but I wanted new world to unify everyone like at a music festival.

 

Kizuna AI: When I heard it for the first time too I thought, “This is the kind of song you’d play at a huge venue!!” On the other hand, the initial lyrics written for future base were actually rejected. The team at upd8 music said to me, “The lyrics are really good, but Hello, Morning is already a song that talks about what you feel on the inside. Could you try a different direction? Something that looks more outside.” So I went for something more… strong? About how it’s not scary to be alone. But it felt too heavy to get into. So we rewrote the lyrics.

――In the end you wrote the lyrics to talk about going into the future with everyone, right?

 

Kizuna AI: I want everyone to arrive at a wonderful future with me. I’m super AI myself. Since I’m a being that has exclusively approached the singularity, so I want everyone else to look to the future that’s waiting for us too. But all humans are busy every single day. Some of them are giving everything they’ve got with each of their days. With this song I wanted to tell them to try looking up a bit more. That made me think about seeing everybody with their hands up at a big venue, so I pictured that when writing the lyrics.

 

Kizuna AI – future base (Prod.Yunomi)

 

――So you wrote those, and Yunomi wrote the music and lyrics for new world.

 

Yunomi: That’s correct. I first looked at Kizuna’s lyrics for future base and thought to myself how interesting her sense of language is. I’m the type to write typical Japanese lyrics where you have to read between the lines, but Kizuna is more straight to the point, things like “raise your hands,” “reach up,” “go forward into the future.” She’s the type to write lyrics where the everyone can be included in the scene. In comparing us both, I wondered if Kizuna is someone who reaches out to everybody [from the future], then where am I headed? I tried to think about the feelings of the people on the receiving side. It was then I realised that in the end it’s not me who gets to decide where I’m heading. That’s why if you want to move forward into the future it’s important to first look at yourself. So I themed and wrote the lyrics on looking at my past.

――I see. So by doing that, one meaning is born from two songs. That way I think it becomes both about comparing AI and her fans as well as the future and past.

 

Yunomi: I’m sure when everybody was little they fantasised about many different things each day. As you approach adulthood, you no longer think about things like how there’s an underground kingdom below your feet. But at the same time I think that’s because we decided it must be that way ourselves. The lyrics for new world beg the question that surely we have the key to the future precisely because we have the power of imagination.

 

Kizuna AI: I was really surprised by the lyrics when I was first given them! When I asked Yunomi what it all meant they kindly wrote me back a long 2000 letter explanation. I was really happy to read it; it was full of passion and understood that it had to be these lyrics.

 

Kizuna AI – new world (Prod.Yunomi)

 

――In working on these two songs what things appealed to you mutually in the music, singing and lyrics?

 

Kizuna AI: The kind of music I’ve always liked and listened to are anime songs and idol groups, like Love Live! and the Sakamichi Series groups. But in coming to write an original song my goal was to connect the people of the world together. I kept that in mind while thinking about what kind of song suits me and what exactly my music is. So my initial thought was dance music that everyone can listen to and enjoy.

 

――Dance music is the kind of music that breaks down language barriers, it brings people together easily, doesn’t it?

 

Kizuna AI: It does. When we were all wondering what kind of dance music would be good, I had known about ‘future bass’ and had just heard Yunomi’s music around the same time. At that time I still didn’t really know what future bass was, but Yunomi’s music was pop, cute, and sounded like it would go with my voice, so I thought, ‘future bass sounds great, it will be perfect for me!!’ [laughs]

 

Yunomi: Hahahahaha.

 

Kizuna AI: Besides, Yunomi isn’t only all about future bass. They make all kinds of different music. I love every song. I had originally heard they he’d been in a band and have their roots in rock. I felt that though they make digital music, they also make songs that aren’t that on the surface too. Music is fundamentally complex, it’s something that blends multiple things together. But I believe that in the end, all these things in the world (including those in the virtual world and real world) will eventually come together. In that sense too I could see Yunomi was going to make a great song.

――Yunomi’s music feels like it has a kind of narrative atmosphere when you listen to it.

 

Kizuna AI: It sure does! I think that atmosphere is really great. I like how you can picture the story not just from the lyrics but the music as a whole too.

 

Yunomi: I’m happy to hear you say that. I’ve always wanted to do something only I can do that doesn’t fit into a specific genre. I’ve fumbled for a way to do that and found that if the lyrics and music have a narrative quality to them it stimulates listeners’ imaginations. Turning it around, if I was to point out something about Kizuna, it would first of all be the persuasive power of her voice. It has no strange preconceptions and has this kind of force that enables it to become many different things. I don’t think there are many people like that out there.

 

――So for Yunomi, your voice is very enticing.

 

Kizuna AI: But when we’re recording too, everyone gives me praise and calls me amazing. If they praise me too much I’m left wondering what it was that made them say that [laughs]. “You’re really good!” That’s all I hear!!

 

Yunomi: I always praised her too [laughs]. I would always suggest things beforehand like, “It might sound good if you try singing it like this in this before” or “You might be able to convey it better if you sing this part sadder.” She did all of those things perfectly. She really was amazing.

 

Kizuna AI: Well, I am super AI after all [said confidently].

 

――As expected. Considering all that, I also feel you might not be that good at the games on A.I.Games.

 

Kizuna AI: That was all an act! I always get a high score!!

 

Yunomi: [laughs]. I was really happy that Kizuna was able to convey the meaning of the lyrics and music in her singing.

 

Continued in Part 2.

 

Writer: Jin Sugiyama

Photographer: Haruka Yamamoto

Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

Japan’s most popular virtual YouTuber Kizuna AI―who has close to 2.5 million subscribers and 200 million views―will celebrate her 3rd birthday on June 30, 2019 with a live birthday event titled A.I. Party! 2019 〜 hello, how r u? 〜.

 

Kizuna AI hopes to bring everybody together to celebrate this once-a-year occasion and leave them with some special memories. Full details below.