How did you get from doing songs for video games to full-fledged independent music?
I was doing remixes a long time before doing video games, and I think because one of my first video game projects off the bat was an original song, it wasn't too difficult to make the leap to start doing my own work. Yeah, I guess the next step was signing the first album over in Japan. It paved it's own way quite naturally.
Was it your experience with video games that lead you to get signed in Japan?
It was more my remixes. I think having my name attached to so many big artists at the time was really what we concentrated on. And that's really why the album was predominately geared toward the electronic/dance market. They wanted to tie it in with my remixes.
But now all the focus is on your new release Defying Gravity. What was the concept behind this album?
I'm always trying to better myself, and do things better and bigger. With Defying Gravity, I had just come back from time off while I wrote music for other people and I was working for other companies. When this album came about, I found myself completely independent. I think that was the big motivator. I didn't have to answer to anybody, and I could do things exactly how I wanted them and exactly how I thought they should be done. I wanted to prove a point as if to say I can do this on my own, and I can do it a lot better than when I had help from certain people.
One of the most impressive aspects of this album is how much effort went into the physical release. Why was it so important to include all the extras this time?
I am under no delusion about the current music market, and the fact that physical releases are on the decline. I knew that there a section of my fanbase that wanted a physical release, and to make the most of that, I figured "Well if you're going to buy my album physically then let's make it something you'll remember; essentially get your money's worth". And this is the beauty of being independent, because I've got the freedom to do these extra things like put the art booklet together or do certain videos and DVD extras. I listen to my fans and judging on the things they've given me feedback in the past, I knew these things would be appreciated on the physical release.
Another big thing with your fans is you actually featured them on a song. "Axiomatis" was phenomenal. Where did this come from?I've seen artist do bits of this. I've seen artists get inspiration from lyrics from fans and I think everybody's seen where they've asked fans to send in pictures or videos, but this was an experiment. I sent the feelers out asking for lyrics. I had no idea what would come back, or even if I would have enough material to put a whole song together. I think it was very, very clear from the second I asked for lyrics that this was going to be a cake walk, and my fans weren't going to disappoint. They sent in so many great ideas. When it came to putting them all together, I had about ten pages of idea and material. It took me the better part of the day to cut them down and start forming some sort of song structure. It went from there in terms from asking to send in backing vocals, instruments, and videos. I figured, this song is for them, so they should be fully involved in it in every way.
And you've actually offered it for free on your website.
I wanted to make sure that everybody involved got the track for free. I did put a lot of work into it, but at the same time so did a lot of my fans. It didn't feel right to have them pay for a full track. We wanted it to be a free track for a limited time.
Personally, I think it's amazing that you chose to cover a song that is not only form an iconic play [Wicked], but one of the most popular vocalists out there. Idina Menzel is so huge right now. How did you land it?
I was scared about covering it. It is big. Really really big. It's a big female vocal, and to try to incorporate that into a male cover is a challenge in itself. I had the phrase "Defying Gravity" stuck in my head long before the idea of the cover version came about. It was inevitable that I would take a stab at it, at least. And it turned out a lot better than I expected it to. I tried my best, but with cover versions you never know how it's going to turn out, especially if you're quite attached to the original version or if the original has set such a high bar. It turned out great, and it really pushed my boundaries and abilities. It proved to me that I'm capable of doing stuff like that. It's a special cover to me.
Do you know if Idina has heard it?
No, not yet. I've been very busy with the release of the album, so I'm not sure. I haven't heard any feedback from her people yet.
The defining moment for the album is obviously "Evolve". How did this song come about?
A handful of songs off the album, including this, were songs written for somebody else. When I left that contract and that company at the beginning of the year, I was quite lucky to be able to take the songs I'd made with me. It was literally a case of going back through all these songs, and I got to pick out either the best ones or the ones I connected to. And "Evolve" was one of them. Even when I'm writing for other people I still put a lot of myself in there, so with my experiences of being a dancer and working with these companies, I feel like I've grown a hell of a lot as a person and as an artist, and that's where "Evolve" came from. It's inspiration was from various different places. It was intentional. I wanted to do something outside of my normal box.
And the word "evolve" has become a bit of a running gag in your YouTube videos.
I didn't realize how much me and my team use the word "evolve" until I recorded and released this song. Now eyes roll whenever the word is mentioned. And I noticed when I was doing the Ask Ben episodes that the word kept popping up. It's almost like a punishment now that if I say that word then we have to blast a clip of the song. I apologize. I'm sure it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Fans of yours are no stranger to hearing you sing in Japanese. Why was "Nothing. Everything" chosen as the one to translate?
It was Frances [Maya of Final Fantasy fame]. I wanted to give her as much freedom as possible to pick which song she wanted to write for. She's a very organic artist, and I find her art has a spiritual edge. I wanted it to be an organic decision for her, so we sent her a bunch of songs that we though were good options to be re-recorded in Japanese, and allowed her to pick which one she wanted to work on. She chose "Nothing. Everything", which I think is what we were expecting, but it was an organic decision, and the end result proves that it was the right way to go about it. I'm really, really pleased with how it turned out.
When we go to iTunes to buy the album, there are a few songs missing -- namely the Neon Genesis Evangelion theme and "Devil's Cry" [From Devil May Cry]. Will we ever get the extended release on iTunes or are there licensing issues in the way?
The licensing isn't too much of an issue. We've managed to get permission form the original writers of those songs. We are restricted a bit on the Devil May Cry song. Capcom and Tetsuya gave us permission, but Capcom restricted it to being only on the CD. That song has a hurdle, but "Zankoku [na Tenshi no These]" isn't a problem. But for now I wanted to keep the deluxe version quite exclusive, so that the people who have grabbed the deluxe version can keep it special for a while.
One of the things that keeps popping up lately is the idea of Translation 3. I know you've said you're working on it, but is there any hints you can give me?
Well I'm not going to give anything away in terms of songs and styles. Translation 3 is actually something we are struggling with now simply because of scheduling issues. I have the opportunity to do another brand new project for next year, but the thing that is lying between me and this project is Translation 3. We're trying to figure out exactly how it will happen and when. It's tricky.
If you want my input, I think you should cover her. [Holds up a framed picture of Koda Kumi]
What's your favorite Kumi song?
Oh man. I don't know. I really liked Hotel, her newest song. If you wanna go back a little bit, Butterfly was really good. I was in love with her last two albums, they really got back to her old R&B style a lot.
I noticed that. I think that's where she's most comfortable.
But she releases music like crazy!
Like a lot of Japanese artists do. I think that is something that's going to come to a head pretty soon in terms of the Japanese music industry. And I feel like Kumi has taken a bit of a back seat now that she has a child, which is understandable, but I think unless she gets back to her previous level of activities, then it is going to be an uphill struggle.
Before we go, do you have a message you'd like to give your fans?
Oh wow. I talk to my fans all the time, so anything I say they've probably heard a million times before. I just want to say a huge thank you for making Defying Gravity as successful as it already is. I know my staff keeps telling me how many views my videos have or copies we've sold. I'm really pleased that they've embraced Defying Gravity in the way they have. I'm so proud of them, and I am thankful for everyone who participated in "Axiomatis". Just eternal thanks, I guess.
Be sure and hit up iTunes to grab a quick copy of Defying Gravity. For the amazing deluxe version complete with DVD, slipcase, and artbook, head over to his official website.
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