Singer and lyricist, who continued to participate in behind-the-scenes music creation after retiring.
| Career stage | Ended his singing career at the end of 2016; Subsequent behind-the-scenes work is recorded separately |
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Audition and two debuts
In 2001, Mami Kawada was recommended by Eiko Shimamiya to participate in the I've audition and passed. In November of the same year, she released her first solo work, "Kaze to Kimi wo Baite." In February 2005, she made her commercial debut with the single "radiance" produced by Banko Nakazawa.
Creating after the singer's retirement
She ended her singing career on December 31, 2016, but continued to be involved in behind-the-scenes work on animation and games. In 2024, when writing lyrics for Airu Aoi's "POLYHEDRA," she intentionally preserved her expressive image from her singing days, presenting the text with the voice of another singer in this collaboration.
Rewriting lyrics of the anime theme song
When producing "Contrail~Trail~" for the 2016 anime "Aoi no Kanata no Kanata no Quartet~," Kawada felt that the original game "Wings of Courage" was very well made, so writing lyrics around the same theme again was difficult; She discussed the production with composer Tomoyuki Nakazawa.
Song selection and lyrics for "PARABLEPSIA."
Kawada and his team set "Borderland" as the soundtrack for "PARABLEPSIA," further emphasizing electronic and rock elements in its digital rock direction. She insisted on including this song, which had already been included in the greatest hits collection, in her own original album.
Kawada said that the lyrics for "Enchantress" start with rain brushing against the window and distant night lights flickering; She used this impression to write about moments when giving up and suddenly encountering opportunities at work.
At Inouchi's suggestion, Kawada first wrote the first paragraph of "It's no big deal" and submitted a reference recording, after which Inouchi wrote the melody.
Recording of "PARABLEPSIA."
In "PIST," Kawada encountered unique rhythm distribution and the shifts between sections A, B, and chorus, so he discussed with Nakazawa Banyuki how to convey tension and vocal density step by step, spending considerable time recording the vocals.
Kawada recalled that the bass section of "Replica_nt" was difficult to sing; Although the song was completed relatively early, she continued to record multiple vocal tracks, including high octaves, eventually recording many vocal tracks.
The harmonies of "Eager Eyes" were completed by Kawada and Nakazawa exchanging ideas together, with multi-layered harmonies being a key part of the arrangement.
SQUARE THE CIRCLE collaborated and recorded vocals
When producing "SQUARE THE CIRCLE" in 2012, Kawada first held a meeting with the entire staff and would gather to discuss problems when they encountered them. The opening title track only had lyrics written in the late stages of production, including the mood during repeated lyrics writing and recording.
"Don't stop me now!" was commissioned by Maiko Inouchi to continue the atmosphere of "TOY," and Inuchi was asked to conceive from the perspective of producing Kawada's works. In the poem, the protagonist comes to life outside the castle; She uses a cuter singing style and adds vocal effects, creating an atmosphere different from typical rock singing.
"F" is Kawada's first song to compose. The team first provided the chord foundation. While working in Tokyo, she thought of the melody, recorded it on her phone, and emailed it back to I've.
She divided the album into two parts with the instrumental piece "Usual..." to handle the arrangement of three existing singles; He also revised the track order, moving "Midnight Trip" into "Spiral Stage," shifting from childhood memories to the feelings of that time.
When recording "Going back to square one," she avoided using only passionate singing techniques and maintained a calm side.
In 2010, LINKAGE wrote lyrics and conceived the concept
Kawada used "succession" as the introduction to "CLIMAX"; "CLIMAX" expresses the mindset of leaving a stable state and moving forward, forming the opening of the album.
When writing "TOY," she used popular melodies and storytelling to express a shift from lack of confidence to positivity.
When she received the demonstration of 'Awareness,' she felt it could convey her usual self; "Mirai no Grain ~I'm formed~" is the earliest sample song from this album.
She also tried covering it for the first time, ending with Cranberries' "DREAMS," viewing it as a work that encourages herself to move forward.
The first meeting with Ray
In a 2016 interview, Ray recalled that the two first met about a year before her debut in Sapporo. The manager of a clothing store they know each other calls to inform Kawada that he is inside, and Ray, who is nearby, arrives at the store's entrance; The two then chatted for a bit.
Lyric exchange and independent expression
Ray also recalled that when he received lyrics written by Kawada, he sometimes asked her for his thoughts on the wording. Kawada sees Ray as a creator facing the work, hoping she will build her own world of expression and offer advice when asked.
The everyday feeling of recording inside the studio
In this interview, Kawada said that he had only recorded once or twice in studios outside I've before. Unlike the Tokyo studio she described as being scheduled for a limited time, the studio's studio recordings are an extension of daily life, making her feel less nervous.
Related entries
- Early Career Groups Affiliated with the Singer:I've
- Producers at radiance's commercial debut:Tomoyuki Nakazawa
- Performed the original song by Cang Bi:Wings of Courage ~Beyond the Sky~
- Performed the original song by Cang Bi:Sky is the limit
- Composers for the 2016 Animation Contrail Songwriting Discussion:Tomoyuki Nakazawa
- "PIST" is discussed section by section during recording; "Eager Eyes" Joint Conceptual Harmonies:Tomoyuki Nakazawa
- According to Inouchi's proposal to submit the lyrics first and reference audio sources:Maiko Inouchi
- Maiko Inouchi, who responded to the commission for the Don't stop me now! sequel:Maiko Inouchi
References
- I've: Mami Kawada's debut and singer retirement record
- Ryuichi Sumikawa: POLYHEDRA interview with Airu Aoi, Mami Kawada, and Tomoyuki Nakazawa
- animate times: The first part of the Cangbi animation theme song singer interview
- Mami Kawada's "PARABLEPSIA" interview with the producer's individual review (Page 1)
- Mami Kawada's "PARABLEPSIA" interview with the producer's song-by-track review (page 3)
- Mami Kawada "PARABLEPSIA" Interview with Producer Individual Commentary (Page 4)
- Mami Kawada "PARABLEPSIA" Interview with Producer Song-by-Track Review (Page 5)
- Animate Times: Mami Kawada explains each song of SQUARE THE CIRCLE
- NBCUniversal: Mami Kawada herself commentates on LINKAGE
- NBCUniversal: 2010 LINKAGE product archive
- I've: Tomoyuki Nakazawa's creative and production responsibilities
- sprite: Cangbi main cast and staff
Data compiled on: 2026-10-16.