KIRORO is a duo from Okinawa, Japan consisting of vocalist Tamashiro Chiharu and pianist Kinjo Ayano. With numerous hits such as Nagai Aida (長い間) and “Best Friend”,

KIRORO is beloved worldwide. In fact, you may even be familiar with the Mandopop covers of their songs such as Afterwards (后来) by Rene Liu (刘若英) - originally Mirai e (未来へ) - and Remember to Forget (记得要忘记) by S.H.E - originally Suki na Hito (好きな人).

Kiroro ｢未来へ｣ Official Music Video

劉若英 René Liu【後來 Later】Official Music Video

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · · 青春 | The Springtime of Life · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

During a visit to Ikeda Town in Hokkaido in elementary school, Tamashiro Chiharu was fascinated by the language of the Ainu people, an indigenous ethnic group who reside in northern Japan. Inspired by the language, she decided on the name ‘KIRORO’ – stemming from the Ainu words ‘Kiroru’, meaning a wide walking path, and ‘Kiroro-an’, meaning resilient and healthy.

Kiroro ｢Best Friend｣ Official Music Video

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · · Hope Dream Future · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

After many years of music activities, KIRORO has taken a step back from the hustle and bustle to focus on their own personal projects and spending time with their families. Our interviewee, Tamashiro Chiharu moved back to Okinawa for a more relaxed pace of living and to raise her children amongst the presence of family.

In 2019, Tamashiro Chiharu and her family had the opportunity to visit a children’s home in Malaysia. She also held a concert in Sabah with Jesselton Philharmonic Orchestra and Caring For the Future Malaysia (CFFM) in aid of marginalised children. This experience impacted her deeply and since then, she has been giving special classes at schools and facilities in Japan, teaching children how to create songs to express their thoughts and emotions.

Through one of the sessions, the song Hope Dream Future was created.

玉城千春 「Hope Dream Future」 Music Video

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · · 一期一会 | One life, One encounter · · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

In her interview with JCC, Tamashiro Chiharu talks about how taking a step back has changed the way she views the world around her. Continue reading the article for our interview, thanks to the coordination of Mode Entertainment. We hope that you enjoyed reading this feature!

Q: Have you been to Singapore before? What do you look forward to the most about performing in Singapore for the first time?

A: Singapore was the destination for our first overseas trip as a family of five with friends and their family back in 2018. At that time, we visited Universal Studios Singapore, Gardens by the Bay, and strolled around the area where Clarke Quay and the Merlion are located.
What I'm most looking forward to in Singapore is walking past the Merlion once more, just as we did on that family trip.
シンガポールは2018年に友人家族と一緒に家族五人で初めて海外旅行に行った場所です。その時はユニバーサルスタジオシンガポール、ガーデンズ・バイ・ザ・デイ、　そしてクラーク・キーやマーライオンがある場所を散歩しました。
シンガポールで一番楽しみにしていることは、家族旅行で訪れたマーライオンの前を、もう一度散歩することです。

Q: Kiroro’s songs are very beloved among J-pop listeners, with many people having fond memories of listening to your songs. How do you feel about the growing popularity of Japanese music in current days?

A: J-POP, K-POP, and Western music are what my children tend to listen to, so they naturally reach my ears. However, I'm so caught up in the demands of my own life that I haven't been able to sit down and properly listen to, analyse, or truly appreciate contemporary music.
J-POPやK-POP、洋楽とかは子どもたちが良く聞くので、耳に入ってきますが、自分の生活に追われているので、現在の音楽をゆっくり聴いたり分析したり、感じることができていません。　

Q: Kiroro has a lot of original songs that became big Mandopop hits in the 2000s. Do you have a Mandopop song or artist that you like?

A: I like the song “March” by the artist Chang Hui-mei (a MEI).
張恵妹というアーティストの「三月」という曲が好きです

Q: What is something that you love about your hometown, Okinawa?

A: As I have many family members and relatives in Okinawa, I love the environment whereby everyone can help to raise children together.
I also love Okinawa's blue sea and traditional culture such as Eisa (folk dance from Okinawa).
沖縄では家族や親戚が多くいるので、みんなで子育てができる環境が好きです。
沖縄の青い海やエイサーなどの伝統文化も好きです。

Q: What is an unforgettable experience during the past years of your career that you will always remember?

A: After damaging my throat, I took a six-month break from singing and during that time, I spent one month studying Chinese in Shanghai.
Since my debut, I'd been running non-stop, afraid to stop. But taking this extended break revealed so many views I'd never seen before, making me realise just how vast the world is.
Singing isn't everything. Only by accepting difficult experiences and enriching my own life can new music truly emerge. Since realising this, I've come to believe that cherishing how I live, the people I meet, and nurturing the health of my mind and body is most important.
That's precisely why I can now work at my own pace. My steps may be slow, but they feel deeply fulfilling. I truly feel like I'm living in a way that satisfies me, and singing accordingly.
Losing my ability to sing loudly was a real shock, but that setback became a positive turning-point for me. It remains an unforgettable, irreplaceable experience.
喉を痛めて半年間歌うことを休み、その間に１ヶ月間、上海へ中国語留学をしました。
デビューしてからはずっと走り続けていて、立ち止まることが怖かったのですが、大きく休んでみると、これまで見えていなかった景色がたくさん見えて、世界はこんなに広いんだと感じました。
歌うことだけが全てではなく、辛かった経験を受け入れながら、自分の人生を充実させたうえでこそ、また新しい音楽が生まれてくる。そう気づいてからは、生き方や人との出会い、そして心と体の健康を大切に整えることが一番大切だと思えるようになりました。
だからこそ、いまは自分のペースを大切にしながら活動できています。歩みはゆっくりかもしれませんが、とても充実しています。自分が納得できるように生きていて、そして歌えていると実感しています。
大きな声で歌えなくなった時は本当にショックでしたが、その挫折も自分にとっては大きなプラスになりました。忘れられない、かけがえのない経験です。

Q: Do you have a message that you would like to relay to Friends of Japan Creative Centre or your Singaporean fans who are looking forward to your concert in Singapore?

A: When I visited Singapore during my family trip, I had wished － ‘I hope I can sing here someday, and see this view again.’ Now that wish has come true, and I am absolutely delighted. I am truly looking forward to meeting everyone in Singapore.
家族旅行で訪れた時、「いつかここで歌えたらいいな、またこの景色を見たいな」と夢を描いていました。今回、その思いが叶うことになり、とても嬉しく思います。シンガポールの皆さんにお会いできるのを心から楽しみにしています。

Resources:
Asahi Shimbun Digital Magazine[and]: 玉城千春さんインタビュー〈前編〉特別授業「子どもたちを応援したくて」家族と暮らし大切に　心動いたら曲作り 坂本真子の『音楽魂』
Asahi Shimbun Digital Magazine[and]: 玉城千春さんインタビュー〈後編〉「自分を愛し、大切にすることから始めて」届けられる人に思いを伝え、精いっぱい歌う 坂本真子の『音楽魂』
Bandwagon Asia: Chiharu Tamashiro of Kiroro to perform in Singapore for the 1st time this November
Billboard Japan: Kiroro CHART insight インタビュー
Facebook: Caring For the Future Malaysia
Kiroro Official Site
Namu Wiki: Kiroro
Okinawa Amicus International: 【JH】Online-lecture with Ms. Chiharu Tamashiro of Kiroro
YouTube: Kiroro official channel | 滾石唱片 ROCK RECORDS | 聲動娛樂 Mei Entertainment

Do you have a Japanese-related article or a Japan-Singapore story that you would like to work with us to feature? Please drop us an email jcc@sn.mofa.go.jp and we will be in touch!