Singer-songwriter Mariya Takeuchi spoke with Japan billboard for its monthly interview series highlighting today’s leading artists and works. The veteran artist recently released her first studio album in a decade titled Precious days.

The set of 18 tracks illuminates the daily lives of its listeners from different angles through a wide variety of musical styles. Billboard Japan asked Takeuchi to share his thoughts on his recent project, and also to comment on the “city pop” revival in recent years, which launched, among others, his vintage hit song “Plastic Love” from 1984. global limelight.

Like the title Precious days suggests, the mood that runs through the album and one of its themes is the value of each irreplaceable day of our lives.

When I do tie-ins, I write songs based on the themes given to me, and recently I’ve been getting a lot of requests for songs about themes like encouraging people or lifting their spirits. I guess that reflects the times to some extent. It’s a time of uncertainty, so people are feeling uncomfortable and want to be comforted, you know?

Suddenly, it became an album in tune with the times.

This is what happened. I’ve always wanted to sing songs that have nothing to do with age, and I think I’ve succeeded in achieving that.

It seems to me that you have released music to a wide range of listeners throughout your career. Why did you focus on this feeling again this time?

I haven’t particularly thought about the generations that write the songs, but I think there are certain emotions that are generally sought. I want to make music that is universal, both in the words and in the sound, and which will not be considered old even after 20 or 30 years. This is what Tatsuro Yamashita (co-producer of the album) is most attentive to. He does the same thing when he makes his own music, and he does it when he makes mine.

This aesthetic is probably linked to the revival of city pop. Regarding the rediscovery in Japan and abroad of retro Japanese pop music from the 80s and 90s, have you had the opportunity to personally experience this movement?

A lot recently, yes. When I checked who was listening to “Plastic Love,” I saw comments written in Russian, Korean and more. I have a niece who lives in Canada and she says people are surprised when she tells them the “Plastic Love” singer is her aunt. Also, I studied abroad in Illinois a long time ago, and apparently my host sister’s grandson at the time would go to an electrical appliance store where they kept playing songs by Tatsuro and me. When they said, “This person was at my grandmother’s house for a year,” the people at the store were surprised. I’m so grateful, because these songs are 40 years old.