Billboard Japan Women in Music

LANA interviewed Billboard Japan for the latest episode of the “Women in Music” interview series. The initiative was launched in 2022 in the footsteps of Billboard’s annual Women in Music honors, which celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and entertainment and inspired other women through their work. This series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry is one of the highlights of the Japanese WIM project.

On June 9th, a one-night-only stage event will be held at SGC Hall Ariake in Tokyo, co-hosted by “Billboard Japan Women in Music” and “Spotify EQUAL”, a global program launched in 2021 to expand the opportunities for female artists and creators. Ahead of the show, the 22-year-old rapper spoke with author Shiho Watanabe about what it means to be a woman in the Japanese music industry and what she believes about the impact women have on the music scene.

Girls flock to your shows inspired by your fashion, makeup, nails, and personal style, and it’s amazing to see how much support you have among women your age. Have you noticed any common issues that everyone seems to share through what your fans send you or through the time you spend with your friends?

I think at the root of everything is the problem of not knowing how to deal with anything. And let’s be honest, we’re all very lonely. No one teaches young people how to endure that loneliness or how to look after themselves. I really wish schools would teach this kind of thing. Also the benefits of financial literacy and therapy. I think we need an environment where people learn who they are and who they want to become. I think some children end up becoming such “monsters” because they have never been like that before. In fact, that’s why I write songs – to teach someone something I wish they had taught me. Simply put, that’s it.

Do you go to therapy yourself?

Yeah, sometimes. I am always looking for what suits me, practicing how to be alone with myself, how to tolerate loneliness. I have come to think of life as having four waves per year. It’s about riding your bike through good times, bad times, and over and over again. When I’m happy, I try not to let that feeling go away. When I’m feeling down, I embrace the warmth of others. Either way, I remind myself that no feeling lasts forever. I truly believe that if people can develop such coping skills, they will become stronger. For me, I feel that I am where I am today because I have continued to face loneliness and isolation.

Do you talk about these things with your friends?

i will do it. When I look at people around me, I always feel how much courage it takes to take a step.

I think there are many fans who say that they have changed after going to the live show.

I don’t want to sound bossy, but if there are people who feel that way, I want them to continue to embrace it. I would like everyone to remember in their daily lives that the choice is always theirs. Happiness and suffering go side by side, and even though you may appear to be shining on stage, behind the scenes you may be in trouble. That’s why it’s hard to resist diamonds that shine even when cut.

How much time do you spend on social media?

Not at all. I don’t know what people are saying about me.

Was that something you developed in the process of building your career?

Yes, I think I have changed a lot. Things that have been said in the past (when you’re online too much) keep echoing in your head. But now I’ve stopped pretending to be better than I am. At the same time, I know that I need to strengthen the areas that I’m really lacking in, and I feel like I’ve found the right balance.

You are rapidly evolving as an artist, holding a one-man live at the historic Nippon Budokan and Arena in less than a year in 2025. Do you feel like your sense of purpose is becoming clearer?

Yeah. At the end of the day, my job is to deliver the songs. This year, I feel like I’m going back to my roots. No matter how many challenges you try, no matter how flashy you dress up, what will be tested is your skill and soul.

What you hold inside.

that’s right. When I understand that, I feel like I’ve been doing what I need to do seriously. I can proudly say that none of the choices I’ve made so far have been wrong. I live the right way and grow old the right way. In fact, I think I’m pretty naive.

By watching your video blogs, you can see how busy your days are.

It’s “tonkotsu”.

What does that mean?

Just like eating tonkotsu ramen, it always fills you up. I always approach everything with full calories. There is little room for memories. It’s scary to think that if we distance ourselves even a little from that, (LANA) might change. Therefore, my true self may finally be conveyed to the audience without me even realizing it.

His performance with female rapper El Teresa at the hip-hop festival “POP YOURS” in May became a hot topic. They released a collaboration song “Kono Hi wa” and made their live debut together.

I’ve been listening to Elle since I was a teenager, so I can only thank her. It was also scary to participate in such a large-scale collaboration. But even with all the speculation, I think the choice we made to take each other’s hand was a beautiful one. I feel like I was able to send a true message to the people who came to the show and those who weren’t satisfied (with our collaboration): “What do you think?”

As a result, the reactions from fans and hip-hop listeners were not uniformly positive, and some were negative. You’ve collaborated with Awich, 7, and MaRi, and you’ve gathered young female MCs for the “Oi Ran” project. I feel like you’ve always tried to be on par with other women in rap. By the way, the costume that Elle and I wore in POP YOURS with big heart-shaped wings was really cute.

It was exactly the vibe I was going for, a fashion runway-like show. After it was over, I thought that making a song with Elle might be the most powerful message I could send to everyone.

The sight of the two of them holding hands gave the venue great energy.

When you think about it, that’s kind of wild. I myself was struck by it. Women from different places who would not normally see each other walk down the runway together… This is a sight that is rarely seen in Japan.

Elle and I had exchanged greetings several times before, but we had never really spoken. This time, I started by saying, “I want to make a song together,” and the conversation turned into “Let’s play.” We went shopping and bought food several times. After spending time with her, I realized that she is a different type of gal than I am: a confident, stylish, and easy-going young woman. I’m more of a rough-and-tumble type of person, but Elle is the type of person who has built everything about herself by being just the way she is.

As a woman working in music, especially hip-hop, have you ever been told things like “I can’t do that because you’re a girl” or felt uncomfortable because of gender bias?

It is everywhere in daily life. “Women don’t like drinking.” And expressions that basically frame women as something that men have a right to have. But rather than being hurt by it, I’m like, “Okay, I’ll drink twice as much.” Or, “Okay, come at me.” I don’t mean it in a negative way; it’s more like, “Let’s try twice as hard.”

This attitude may be the reason why she attracts male fans as well.

I feel like the number of male listeners has increased recently.

This is my personal opinion, but in a previous interview for this series, I said something like “If more women become rappers, there may be more women who become members of Congress.” There are still men who think they don’t take orders from women, but if more men take inspiration from artists like you and Awich, that dynamic might start to change.

Understood. We are seeing an increase in the number of women who are skilled at demonstrating leadership from positions of authority and at understanding men’s feelings and making them understand.

You debuted as an artist at the age of 18. Do you ever feel that women are underrepresented in this industry?

absolutely. In fact, there were some shoots where there were no women on set, and I was wearing a revealing outfit, and the male staff members were looking at each other and saying, “How should we shoot?” I truly believe that if there were more female creators in that space, the finished work would have turned out so different. And I’m not giving up, but there are some people who don’t realize or realize that there are fewer women at all. In that reality, when you find someone who resonates with the same consciousness as you, you start thinking, “How can we work together?” It makes sense and is also efficient. So is Awich, and so is Elle. I think it gives courage to everyone when women with the same mindset come together, so I would like to continue doing this.

──You will be performing at the event “Women In Music — EQUAL STAGE” with the theme of women’s empowerment. What kind of programs do you have planned?

I want to create something that girls would aspire to. But I also think that it’s because I’m who I am that I can convey that. I’m sure some people will be seeing this live for the first time, so I’ll do my best to deliver the essence of LANA. Banging. [Laughs] By the end of it, I want everyone in the room to be completely under my spell.

—This interview with Shiho Watanabe was first published on Billboard Japan