[translation] Only One JP Interview : Natalie Part1

BoA's interviews on websites this time around all seem like the same interview where some are edited shorter and some longer, so I pick this longest one from natalie to translate. ^^

I want to create something that feels natural.

──「Only One」is the title song off an album released in Korea last year。What was your goal in creating that album?

All my past works up to「Hurricane Venus」has a strong female-fighter image so I wanted to create a more natural feeling work. Nowadays, Electro is the trend but in reality, what lasts long is good melody with good lyrics. Simple songs with power.

──They have everlasting charms.

Yes, exactly everlasting. The point is to create good songs focusing on Pop genre. Instead of flashy, performance-heavy songs, I wanted to make an album with songs that people can listen and feel they're good.

──The jacket photos are also very different from the decorative costume in「Hurricane Venus」.

Totally a different person, right? Looking back on it, that was quite scary (LOL).

──What was the reason for your change to the natural concept?

I think it was the influence from being a judge on「K-POP STAR」, an audition program in Korea. A lot of people came to have interest in me by seeing me on the show... I think it was the first time Korean people saw me sitting and talking with very simple make-up.

──Before that, all they could see on TV was only "artist BoA"?

Yes. Before I put on heavy stage-makeup mostly. So there are a lot of people who think "ahh I see BoA's face actually looks like this", and also those who thought it refreshing to see me like this. " Also with my age, I think rather than trying to appear cool, natural image might be better. I think cool image comes from people who see my performances. So it's better now not to make up or decorate too much just to look cool. 

Manager　Actually, BoA herself had been avoiding variety programs until now.

──So that's why people got to know BoA's true character through the TV show all at once. Before that, all you get to talk on TV shows was for new song promotion only, right?

Right. Only that kind of interview. So I've been putting on airs for  12 years since debut.(LOL) But that might have been for the better. If I had been on TV a lot, there wouldn't have been such a commotion like this. 

Melody & Lyrics made at the same time

──Then, how did you make the song「Only One」?

I wrote this in Feb last year. Since「K-POP STAR」was live broadcast every week, I could not travel to anywhere for long so I had a lot of time at home. With a lot of time on my hands, I tried to write a song for fun. I'd been wanting to create a song with beautiful melody, and so I gave it a try and the result was like "this might be good!" The song arranger Mr.Kim was my friend so I asked him "Can you arrange this for me?". 

──Melody was made by humming?

Both melody and lyrics were made at the same time. I made the track and added drum&electronic piano phrases&strings. Then I recorded melody line to it. After that, I asked the song arranger to extend the image&feel I've set. 

──This is a melodic song but also has a great beat. Did you plan it to be a dance song from the start?

Rather than a dance image, I wanted to create an easy-listening song and also to make it a song with beautiful chorus part. I want it to have many chorus lines overlapping, creating a soft, fluffy feel.