• nl Nederlands
  • en English
AVO Magazine - One click closer to Japan
  • AVO Magazine
    • AVO Magazine, who?
      • AVO Magazine presents
    • About us (日本語)
    • Join the AVO Magazine team
    • Submit News to AVO Magazine
    • AVO Magazine Podcast
    • Join AVO Magazine’s Discord Server
    • Support AVO Magazine
    • Colophon
    • Contact
  • Staff picks
  • Music
    • Music News
      • Concerts and festival news
      • Musical Snack
    • Curtain-raiser
    • Weekly MV Roundup
      • About: 7 New Music Videos You Need To Check Out
  • Events
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Reports
  • Colophon
No Result
View All Result
  • nl Nederlands
  • en English
No Result
View All Result
AVO Magazine - One click closer to Japan
Dutch language / Dutch language
Home Interviews Musicians

AVO Interview with ray: “I started this solo project as to give a little of liberation to the people that need it”

Francisca Hagen by Francisca Hagen
26 March 2015
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
0
AVO Interview met ray: “Ik startte dit soloproject om een beetje bevrijding te geven aan de mensen die het nodig hebben”
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on RedditShare on LINE

I follow the singer-songwriter ray for a while on Twitter, he is quite active and since a while he likes to write in English. ray’s solo project started in 2011 when he was still a singer of REIL. He released his first album Faith in 2011. Since he is a Focus Artist at Nyanko Scandal Factory he got more known. Reasons enough to talk with him about his music and plans.

AVO: Firstly, please introduce yourself.
ray: Hi! My name’s ray. I’m a solo artist; singer and songwriter.
I will say this just to you, but… I’m in fact a vampire. So take care if you dare to walk alone at night! (laughs)

AVO: Wow! That sounds really scary! (laughs) Secondly, please tell us when you first got in touch with music. Since when are you interested in it?
ray: The first time I got in touch with music was when I was a child. There was a piano in the house I was raised in when I was a child, so instead of playing with toys, I was always playing piano. So… “when I got interested in music?” To be honest I don’t know. Since I was a child the music was near me so it was something natural (obvious) for me. That’s why maybe God only knows when I got interested in this.

AVO: What is your concept as a solo artist?
ray: The meaning after my concept is (in a lot of ways) “liberation.” I think it’s obvious but people, apart from living, have to endure a lot of things like relationships, work, money, love, etc. But I think a lot of them endure all that to an extreme they don’t need to and end up keeping their emotions to themselves. In consequence, their hearts start getting lost… even though the answer is quite simple. So I started this solo project as to give a little of “liberation” to the people that need it.

AVO: What’s your greatest source of inspiration?
ray: I have a lot of sources of inspiration. I guess the first of them is going to museums. There are mainly paintings but every single one of them has a drama and history behind it, therefore they have a heart. So while I look at a painting I create a song in my head. I think I also take inspiration from dreams or when I go out for a walk.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5ilRGxd8f4]

AVO: Now think on the opposite side. If an overseas fan goes to Japan, which bar or restaurant will you recommend this person to go to?
ray: I would recommend Ginza’s “Vampire Cafe.” It’s a café and has also alcohol but what I like the most about that place is its good atmosphere. Also an izakaya. There are izakayas everywhere in Japan but I think they’re places in which you can have a lot of fun if you’re the type of person that likes alcohol.

AVO: What do you know about the Netherlands and Belgium? If one day you go to those countries, what would you like to do in there?
ray: In the Netherlands, I would like to go to all kind of museums and to walk around the canals! Ah, and I also want to visit the Dom Tower! ^^ I would love to eat waffles and chocolate in Belgium! I also want to go to the Rubens House. This is very common in both countries, but I would like to try the beer! (laughs)

AVO: Can you tell us about your favourite vampire movie?
ray: That’s a hard question… (thinks). Probably “Interview with the Vampire.”

AVO: Let’s go back to talk about music. Have you already decided what will be your next steps as a musician this year?
ray: It’s almost decided, though a lot of things are still secret (laughs)

AVO Blog: If you could play together with a band you like, which one will you choose?
ray: Probably Mr.Big, Eric Clapton, Aerosmith, VAMPS, Bon Jovi… If I have to give names I could go on forever. ^^;

AVO: Now, please think for a while about your wishes and expectations for this year. How about them in 5 years time? How do you want to see yourself as musician in 2020?
ray: Regardless of “Japan” or “overseas” I would like to be able to give lives freely. In 2020 I would like to hold the sponsorship event called “Hallowe’en Par†y” that I give every year in Japan.

AVO: To finish the interview, please send a message to our readers from the Netherlands and Belgium. Thank you so much for the interview!
ray: I wish to meet you all in a near future! So please support me from the Netherlands and Belgium. Let’s ROCK together!!

I want to thank ray for his time to answer the questions and my translator (who doesn’t want to hear thanks, but secretly I thank this person). Follow ray through his official website, blog, Twitter, Facebook and Youtube!

Tags: 2015interview
ADVERTISEMENT
Francisca Hagen

Francisca Hagen

Never satisfied, always exploring. Started with AVO in 2003. Now active as a writer, reporter, reviewer, promoter, photographer, interviewer and presenter. Can be found regularly at conventions and concerts in the Netherlands and sometimes elsewhere in Europe or even in Japan. Big passion for Japan and music, can be made happy with coffee. (click on Soundcloud logo)

Related Posts

The three members of ZEROSHIKI standing against a red shipping container © ZEROSHIKI
Musicians

AVO Magazine Interview: 6 questions for ZEROSHIKI

by Francisca Hagen
31 March 2022
0

In October of last year, the Malaysian-based company Toybox Projects presented the first edition of Toybox Showcase, where they introduced...

Read more
From top left to right: Hideki (guitar), Reona (vocal/guitar) and Tenji (bass) © Dazedgarden

AVO Magazine Interview: 6 questions for Dazedgarden

31 March 2022
© TRILL-DAN

AVO Magazine Interview: 6 questions for TRILL-DAN

31 March 2022
© TEN-SIN (テンシン)

AVO Magazine Interview: 6 questions for TEN-SIN

31 March 2022
© Get Your Genki Records

AVO Interview: Catching up with Christian Preiss of Get Your Genki Records

10 March 2022
Next Post
Game Review: Dedede’s Drum Dash Deluxe

Game Review: Dedede's Drum Dash Deluxe

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Donate a digital coffee to keep AVO Magazine online
ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Soundcloud Discord


Online magazine since 2012. AVO Magazine is a Japan-related entertainment website with information about events in especially The Netherlands, Belgium and the rest of Europe. There is a big focus on Japanese music. Other contents we publish are reports, reviews, informative articles, and interviews. AVO Magazine originated from AVO Forum, started on 16 May 2003.

Contact (Francisca Hagen): info[@]avo-magazine.nl

Please do not use text and photos made by AVO Magazine without permission. An email is easily created. Let's support each other!

Affiliates

JPU Records

1_General CDJapan

Featured on

HYPER JAPAN TV logo Lucydafirst - Crate Culture logo

AVO Magazine Approved

  • Arlequin Photography
  • Get Your Genki
  • Idol is SHiT
  • J-POP streaming
  • Japan Jams
  • Japone Artists
  • The Sushi Times

Join our Discord Server

©2003 - 2022 AVO Magazine - One Click Closer to Japan!
*Donate to keep AVO Magazine online *

No Result
View All Result
  • Events
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Reports
  • Colophon
  • Keep AVO Magazine Online
©2003 - 2022 AVO Magazine - One Click Closer to Japan!
  • nl Nederlands
  • en English
This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.