Interview with VK Blanka

Fresh off the completion of his second overseas tour, which brought him to Latin America this July, singer-songwriter VK Blanka released a new album titled Knightclub on September 4th. Just before the album hit stores, JaME had the opportunity to ask him some questions about the new release and his experiences overseas, particularly at Brazilian convention Anime Friends, where he performed to a crowd of over 10,000 people.

What feelings or ideas were you trying to convey while producing your new album Knightclub?

VK Blanka: I aimed to express depth and height using my latest experiences and emotions, with the hope that people around the world would enjoy it.

The song Yomigaeri expresses your point of view on life and death. Can you give us more insight into this song?

VK Blanka: I didn’t set out to make a song specifically about that theme, but the concept of life and death was definitely present. I’ve been pondering questions like “What does it mean to live? What does it mean to die?” since I was in elementary school. It’s not due to any major event; rather, it comes from the experiences I've gained throughout my life. The first two lines, "If I could breathe with my heart stopped," came to me quite early in the process. I think a lot about the concept of life and death, and while it’s not something I’ve completely figured out, this song reflects my current perspective, which is still evolving.

You recorded Yomigaeri along with Noriyuki Makihara and Ayaka. What did you like the most about this three-voice collaboration?

VK Blanka: When the song was about 95% finished, I had this inexplicable confidence that this grand song would be worthy of the powerful vocals of those two artists. Their voices kept resonating in my mind, so I reached out to them directly. I had a specific image in my mind: Makihara-san for the second verse, and Ayaka’s voice at the end. When I received the recorded data from them and listened to it, I was deeply moved. I want everyone to listen to the chorus where all three voices overlap and the final part.


In Old Rivals you cover your own song Rivals!, which was made for the "Hypnosis Mic" project. Where did this reinterpretation idea come from?

VK Blanka: I wrote and made the demo with the story of "Hypnosis Mic," and my team really liked it, they were like, “We absolutely need to include this on the album!” The label staff even told me, “You should make more songs like this. Why don’t you sing it yourself?” I was happy they were so enthusiastic, so I agreed and decided to include it. That’s why it’s titled Old Rivals, referring to the demo stage version of the song rather than the latest rivals from "Hypnosis Mic."

Fortress is the theme song for the TV Asahi drama "The Woman of S.R.I. (Season 24)." Can you share the inspiration behind this track and how it ties into the drama's narrative?

VK Blanka: The drama team and I worked together to align the overall feel, deciding on aspects like “It should be a ballad,” “Let’s make this kind of sound.” I wrote the lyrics while keeping the drama's message in mind. The drama production team clearly shared their vision, so I could write naturally and immerse myself in the drama’s world while conveying what I wanted to say. I think I created a song that made them glad they asked me. The theme of “protection,” which can be seen as a passive action or mindset, is central, but it’s not about being weak. Instead, it’s about the idea that if you protect something to the end, you gain something unbeatable.


The song High Love features passionate lyrics and a powerful arrangement. Can you tell us more about the message behind this song and what you hope listeners take away from it?

VK Blanka: When I debuted, my signature style was using a lot of falsetto and singing in a very high range. As I continued making songs flexibly, I realized I hadn’t made a song as intense as my debut track Slave of Love in a long time, so I decided to create something like that again. I wanted it to have a somewhat nostalgic feel, with lots of layered vocals and a slightly muffled sound.

You've mentioned that Knightclub features ten vibrant tracks. How did you go about selecting the final songs for this album, and what was the most challenging part of the production process?

VK Blanka: I don’t think there was anything particularly challenging. However, arranging and recording in my private studio this time was a new challenge. It was more exciting than challenging because I could obsess over every detail. I was working on the album right up until the last minute before my flight for the Latin America tour.

After your North American tour earlier this year, you also toured Latin America this summer. What did you take into account for the tour's set list?

VK Blanka: During the North American tour, I had nine shows, so I adjusted the set list for each show, like “Let’s try this next time.” When I returned from the North American tour, I had a lot of ideas for songs, and those ideas became Never Run. I was looking forward to performing Never Run live during the Latin American tour, and I was really happy when everyone sang along from start to finish, even more than I had expected.


This tour was also quite a change of scenery, so to speak. Have you gained new inspiration to incorporate into your songs?

VK Blanka: I gained a lot of inspiration during the Latin America tour as well. North America has a cool and stylish vibe, and South America is hot and stylish. It’s like the dopeness of cool colors versus the dopeness of warm colors. So, I think the next song will be completely different from Never Run. In fact, I’ve already started working on new song. I hope you’ll look forward to hearing what kind of song it will be.

You also appeared at Anime Friends 2024 in Brazil. What do you like the most about these interactions with your audience?

VK Blanka: I really enjoy the large-scale excitement that comes with performing for a big crowd at a show.

At Anime Friends, you encountered an audience that might not have been familiar with your work or only knew your music from anime. Do you find it challenging to perform for such a diverse audience?

VK Blanka: Yes, I do. But during the live performance, everyone is shouting out their love, and it feels like we’re all creating the space together. It doesn’t really matter whether they only know my music featured as anime theme songs—it’s always a great time, and I enjoy it.

You mentioned at the press conference in Brazil that you were impressed with the energy of Brazilian fans. After the show, did they manage to impress you even more?

VK Blanka: The excitement was incredible. Having 10,000 people come to my show and knowing that so many people on the other side of the world are familiar with my music made me really happy. The chants of “VK, VK…” never stopped, and I felt the intense enthusiasm firsthand.

Could you tell us a little about the Latin American tour and what it was like to interact with your Latin fans?

VK Blanka: I was deeply moved by everyone’s passion. I love them from the bottom of my heart. They treated me like a friend, so during the live shows, I felt like I was connecting with each person individually. One of my fondest memories is when they made me drink tequila on stage.

Do you have a message for our readers?

VK Blanka: I want to keep doing more live shows overseas in the future. Let’s meet again soon!

JaME would like to thank VK Blanka and avex for making this interview possible.

Links to download and stream Knightclub on various music platforms are available here.

After the interview, VK Blanka kindly took the time to record an English video message for JaME's 20th anniversary, which you can watch below.