"Disney Voice Star Dream Live 2021" was a huge success with a performance in Kobe in April and a performance in Tokyo in June of this year. Blu-ray containing the final sample has been announced! We asked Nakada Hiroki, who sang "A Whole New World (Aladdin)", about his memories and behind-the-scenes stories from the concert.
A song full of memories that I really want to sing
--- Nakada-san, you have often seen Disney works since you were a kid, right?
I've been watching them for a long time. I remember I watched them from before I entered elementary school, and even when I was in elementary, middle and high school, I watched them too. Of course, I often watch them even as an adult. I have watched many works, but the one that I like the most is "Aladdin". Its worldview is really beautiful and I love its music. This time, I also got to sing "A Whole New World" in "Koe no Ouji-sama", t's a song filled with memories that I played at a brass band concert when I was in high school.
---Was it a brass band club?
No, I had a gap time right before graduation when everyone's entrance exams and job search ended, so I started thinking "I should try playing the brass band". I was asked, "Does anyone want to play a song at the concert?", so I thought it was a great opportunity and asked, "I want to play 'A Whole New World'!". That was my favorite song. After that, it was decided in an unexpected way (lol). It was the first and last concert of my life. The instrument was a tenor saxophone, but it was a great fit into the world of "A Whole New World". I was very happy to do that.
---It was a great memory. Do you have any other favorite works?
It's "Tarzan". I used to like "The Lion King" and "The Little Mermaid" and watched them a lot too, but I think "Tarzan" is a bit more mature than that. There is still something hard to talk about when I was a kid, but since then he made my heart beat. I think Tarzan is reliable and cool. Also, I like all its songs. When I was a middle school student, I sang "You Will Be in My Heart (Tarzan)" as a singing exercise every time in English class, so I was also impressed by its meaning.
---What is your favorite male character among Disney characters?
It's Aladdin! All the characters have the same personality of being kind, loving justice and pleasant, each has their own personality, everyone is great, but "Aladdin" is special to me because it was the first work I watched, that feeling makes me like it too. I think Aladdin is a very serious and straightforward person who always thinks about others more than himself. I really admire that kind of person. Even his looks and clothes make me like him.
---Then, how about female characters?
All the female characters are also very beautiful and make it difficult for me to choose, but I especially like Rapunzel. She is full of curiosity, active, fun and innocent. I like a healthy and bright child with a feminine personality, and I am really attracted to her. Also, I don't think there are any bad people who like animals (lol). Her appearance is also very cute and beautiful.
Memories with "A Whole New World"
---It's true that Nakada loves Disney very much. How did you feel when you received an offer for "Koe no Ouji-sama"?
I was extremely happy. I've known the name of "Koe no Ouji-sama" since before I received the offer. I had a vision that the content was centered around voice actors, who are very active in this field, so I never thought I'd be named. I was on the train when I received the offer, but involuntarily I said "Great!" (lol). I was very surprised and happy.
---You mentioned earlier that the "A Whole New World" that you sang this time is a song that brings back memories for you, but were you hoping to sing another song?
Yes, I had. I had 3 wishes, but... actually, I only wrote down 1st and 2nd wishes. I really want to sing "A Whole New World", so it's always my first wish (lol), but I think it will be annoying for the staff, so my second wish is a Rapunzel's song. I don't know if that shows my enthusiasm, but I'm really happy to be able to sing the long-awaited "A Whole New World".
---How did you feel when you actually stood on stage and sang in front of the audience?
Just before it started, I was very nervous. I was under a lot of pressure to sing a song that was loved by many people and I was worried about what I would do if I made a mistake in the lyrics. Even so, when I actually stood on the stage, the scenery spread out before my eyes was so beautiful... The lights in the stands were all blue, and as the lyrics said, it looked like a diamond. It felt like singing in the starry sky. It was a stage where, before I knew it, I forgot the tension, and by the time it ended, I was filled with joy. I want to do more!
---It seems that you will be moved to sing songs of works that you have enjoyed since childhood.
That's right, when I go to the movies or go to Disney Resort, I'm the customer and I'm the one enjoying it, so I never dreamed that, on the contrary, I would be the one to do it. I think a dream of mine came true at this live show.
---How was your impression of reading "The Little Mermaid"?
I had never read aloud in public, so I was very nervous. I certainly didn't want to be wrong when I read it aloud, although it was well-intentioned, I was extremely nervous. I focused on how to read it with all my heart and practiced hard at home so that people could visualize the worldview of the work. After all, I'm glad I can read it out loud.
The joy of being told that having a complex voice is a good thing
---Next, please tell us about the songs that everyone sang together.
All of them are pop songs and full of energy that makes me feel very happy. I've heard "Feel the Love" in "The legend of Mythica Tokyo Disney Sea®" before, but it wasn't until it was decided to sing them that I listened to them when I understood the lyrics. I practiced a lot before I was allowed to sing on stage, and it was a very good song. Now I can put it in the top 3 of my favorite songs. Do you find that the lyrics are very alive and relevant to the current times? Honestly, I sang with the desire to convey this message. And I'm also happy to be able to sing this song together. I'm excited about the valuable experience of singing with voice actors I don't normally work with, and I feel that the audience is excited too. Of course, the solo and duet songs are good too, but when it comes to all the songs, "everyone playing together" makes me feel "so-Disney". It's an unforgettable song.
---The choreography of "Mickey Mouse March (Mickey Mouse Club)" is also very impressive.
It is outstanding, cute and attractive! I really enjoyed doing it myself. I think the real "Disney goodness" is encapsulated in the feeling that all the adults are doing their best poses. Because everyone did the same pose, I was always worried that "I can't be the only one doing it wrong" (lol). I had practiced so much that I feel like I can dance perfectly even though it's already about half a year after the show now.
---The song "Something There (Beauty and the Beast) -TOKYO Ver-" that you sang with Okamiya Kurumu at the Tokyo concert will also be recorded as a special imprint of Bluray version.
Due to the busy schedule and time, I didn't have much time to practice with Okamiya-kun before, so it was a real performance. However, our closeness is that we often hang out together in various places, and even eat together in private, so I feel like I can raise my voice very naturally. There is almost no deviation even in difficult connections. The choreography wasn't decided in detail, but I was able to interact with him with natural movements that appeared in a harmonious atmosphere. It's cute that Okamiya-kun is always smiling and posing, it's fun. I'm really glad that my partner is Okamiya-kun!
---Did you watch other people's songs and performances backstage that day?
Of course, I watched. The ballads and rhythmic songs were both great, but what they all had in common was that everyone was having a good time. In addition, the voice actors were very familiar with the stage, and I was impressed and overwhelmed by their performance. Among them, Morikubo Shotarou-san had an overwhelming and surprising presence. From the movement, everything has a sense of unity, like watching a show. In addition, Ito Kento-san's voice also left a strong impression on me. He is a top performer in solo, but with his sweet, gentle voice and performance skills, he has won the hearts of the audience. Even backstage, I think everyone was listening, not just me. The song "I Wish" from "The Bell of Notre Dame" is really good. I watched it with the same feeling as the audience, with a sense of intrigue. On the contrary, everyone seemed to be watching me when I was on stage. I was told by Morikubo-san after the first performance, and it seems that Ito-san saw my expression caught on camera momentarily and said, "We can't do such a thing". I don't know what expression it was because they were talking about me, but I'm glad they watched that part.
---Please tell us about some of the inside stories of the day, such as conversations with other cast members during the sit-in.
This time, we couldn't gather together and practice before a session. We greeted each other for the first time during rehearsal, but the voice actors talked to me and took great care of me, and I enjoyed the waiting time. I was the same age as Nakamura Shugo and he was near my seat, so we talked about the world of voice actors and the world of actors, and each industry. Other than that, it has nothing to do with it, but for some reason everyone is excited about wristwatches (lol). It's like an all-boys school. There is also something that makes me particularly impressed. Morikubo-san, who performed the song after my reading, asked when he returned to the dressing room, "Who read "The Little Mermaid" right before my singing performance?". When I started saying my name, I thought "Is he angry?", but he said "You did a really good job!". "You've got a really good voice, perfect for a narration", I've received words like that. I'm really happy, and I feel like trying new things like that in the future. I always have a complicated feeling in my voice and I don't really like it. I didn't expect that voice to be praised either. "Even if you think it's a bit complicated, sometimes when it reaches someone's ears, someone will say it's very good", he told me when participating in the work called "Koe no Ouji-sama" and it was the first time I was able to have such feelings. Actually, I went to eat with Morikubo-san after that. Even there, he told me, "Your voice is so distinctive." I've never done narration before, but I want to relearn it from scratch.
Pay attention to the backstage
---It feels like a new dream has opened up from here. By the way, please tell us what you want us to pay attention to when watching the Blu-ray.
All I can answer is "watch them all" (lol)! However, I think there are many people who can only see the Kobe concert or the Tokyo concert, so I want you to enjoy the difference between the performances. There are a number of duets that have been changed in each performance, some songs that are only sung in one performance and some of the cast are only present in a few performances, but you can watch them all in Blu-ray. I want you to pay attention to that. I think the people who come to see it will be able to see it from a different angle than the venue, so I hope that you will enjoy each person's facial expressions. The rest is the backstage video!
I think you can catch a glimpse of the first connection with the voice actors I don't often work with, so enjoy a slightly different and friendly expression on stage performances. Of course, I would be happy if you could remember the Mickey pose and watch the main act while posing with us on the screen (lol).
-Translated by Shiro-
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