Interview with Yoko Ishida

On Saturday, October 27, we met Ishida Yoko in the morning with her manager and the team of Paris Visual Prod in one of the wings of the Manga Expo convention. She introduces herself to us, very cheerfully saying:

Ishida Yoko: My name is Yoko, in Paris! (laughs)

You sang the ending theme of Sailor Moon R after having won a prize at an audition. What influenced you to participate in this audition and how did this all happen?
Ishida Yoko: I used to enjoy going to karaoke with my friends. What influenced me to participate in this competition in particular was that the first prize was a trip to Australia. But actually, it was my mom who went to Australia! (laughs)

Had you tried to do anything else before, or did you only do karaoke?
Ishida Yoko: Actually, I only went to karaoke with my friends after class. I had never taken a singing class, nor joined a group.

Did you participate in the contest because you wanted to be a singer, or did you just want to win the first prize?
Ishida Yoko: (laughs) I didn’t think I had the ability to become a singer, thus yes, what interested me was the great prize! (laughs) But finally, as I had won, I became interested in this path and I became a lot more serious about it.

What would you have done if you didn’t have a career in music?
Ishida Yoko: Ah... people ask me this often. I can’t really imagine what I could have done, except for music. Maybe a civil servant? (laughs)

Why did you choose to come today to France? Have you wanted to come here for a long time?
Ishida Yoko: In the beginning, I received numerous demands to come to the United States. This time, I had a request to come to France and I was very pleased about it. I had come two years ago and I had a very good impression of the country. This trip reinforced my joy to be here amongst you!

It was for a vacation then?
Ishida Yoko: Yes, yes!

How are your reservations about the concert this evening to a new audience?
Ishida Yoko: I'm not really thinking of their reaction. During the concert this evening, there will be a moment dedicated to parapara and I would like to teach the movements to the audience so that they follow me. But I must say that during yesterday's showcase, a fan offered me a rose already!

Do you think French is romantic?
Ishida Yoko: Romantic, yes! (laughs)

What were your impressions of your previous travels outside of Japan, as in the US, Spain, Mexico and Brazil?
Ishida Yoko: Regardless of the place, I was impressed because everyone was singing in Japanese and was good at it! This really pleased me. And then, I saw numerous cosplays everywhere and many of them were really successful.

Are you interested in other European countries?
Ishida Yoko: I've been once to Spain and the audience was very warm.

Would you like to collaborate with a European artist?
Ishida Yoko: It would be nice if this happened one day! (laughs)

With whom for example?
Ishida Yoko: Ah... who? (laughs) It’s only a dream, but I’m a big fan of The Corrs. If it were possible I'd want to work with them!

The compilations PARAPARA MAX are known and appreciated by the fans of this genre of music. Did you feel the fans' reception when the albums were released?
Ishida Yoko: To start off, I didn’t think that parapara was a musical genre that could be exported abroad. It surprised me to see such a true enthusiasm for it.

Is the way different with the dance that attracted fans?
Ishida Yoko: The parapara dancing is easy enough to do, anybody can do it. Up to today, I have done more than 150 versions of songs in parapara!

Have you met the original singers of certain songs that you have done?
Ishida Yoko: Yes, it has happened to me at events which we participated in together. There was Momoi Halko, for example.

What is the anime theme that is most similar to you, and why?
Ishida Yoko: Uh... that’s hard! (laughs) I don’t know really, but it’s true that the theme of Ai Yori Aoshi resembles me because the main character is a very calm and composed girl like myself.

How do you write your themes for anime?
Ishida Yoko: First off, I read the manga and the storyboard, then all the documents that concern the anime. Then I receive the music, I listen to it, and from there I start to write the lyrics.

It’s going to be 15 years since you started singing now. Do you find that there has been an evolution in the anime themes today?
Ishida Yoko: When I had to interpret the theme of Sailor Moon R, it was THE song of Sailor Moon R. Unfortunately, today the themes are no longer made for the anime, but are used as publicity for the artists that interpret them. That’s the main difference compared to before.

And what is your viewpoint on that?
Ishida Yoko: I understand it... but I still prefer a song that is written correspondingly to the anime.

What are your future musical projects? You have said to be increasingly interested in writing your own songs, among other things!
Ishida Yoko: More parapara still! (laughs) But it’s true that I want to do more personal things also. On the stage, it could be to have more instruments than usual, even if I myself don’t play the piano or guitar.

Your CD of the moment?
Ishida Yoko: I like an album by Sheryl Crow that has an acoustic sound. I also listen to Incognito, I like them a lot!

A final message?
Ishida Yoko: It’s the first time that I am doing a concert in Paris, but I would already love to return!

Thank you!
Ishida Yoko: (in French) Thanks!

JAME thanks Ishida Yoko, her manager, but also Julien and Yan of Paris Visual Prod and finally MANGA EXPO.