Exclusive Interview With Toshiki Abe
▼So Toshiki Abe, what's it like being from Tokyo and can you tell us a little bit about your upbringing?
Now I'm based in Tokyo, but actually I'm from the countryside in the North which is called Yamagata.
So mostly I grew up with abundant greenery and good foods there.
And I've been in Tokyo since I came here to enter the university.
My father also enjoyed music and played instruments so I was influenced by him and got into music since childhood.
He had many western music CDs so there was no hesitation to make English songs.
▼As a producer that does indie pop, what are some of your influences as a musician?
Maybe I can say old synthpop and post-hardcore.
Synthpop is that my father told me when I was a little kid and I got into it.
Speaking of post-hardcore, Actually I was doing cover bands of many post-hardcore bands when I was in high school.
And it's that time that I started to make my original songs.
So these are my basis.
There were many experimental songs and they still inspire me.
▼What's the creative day like for Toshiki Abe?
Now I don't really have any fixed schedule for making songs. I just play around the keyboard or pick some samples when I feel like it, usually at night.
And it's really quick to finish a track once I get nice chemistry between a couple of sounds.
It is often the case that I build a track by making beats because I play drums the most.
▼Could you tell us about your latest single?
My latest single is named "Stay" released on June 24th.
Recent Ukraine circumstances inspired me and I came up with the main piano phrase.
So I also started to make lyrics related to the war.
But it was a little too heavy to keep going on so I changed the concept to lovers' conflicts.
The vocalist Hayes helped me a lot.
Anyway this song is one of my best experiences.
CHECK OUT HIS TRACK HERE:
▼Indie Pop music can be contagious, what are some of the ideas you bring to the game that would keep the fans listening?
I think the most important thing is trying to put the story behind the scene and tell it to the listeners.
And we have to keep it through continuous releases.
So these kinds of interviews really help me. Thanks.
▼Are you currently on tour?
Currently I'm not planning a tour at all.
I want to focus on making good songs now.
▼Besides music, what are some of your other interests?
I read books a lot and nowadays I read marketing and world history ones.
I think we musicians need to know more about marketing for values and our career.
And for world history, Ukraine circumstances made me think that I had to know more about world affairs.
▼Are there notable people you would like to work with?
It's more like I wanna work with great vocalists who nobody knows.
I think it's one of my missions to find good talents and suggest new music to the world.
▼What can we expect from you in the near future?
I want to expand overseas more as a Japanese so now I'm making the plan to achieve it effectively.
I think I'm sure that I'll release 3 more songs this year.
So I want you guys to stay tuned.