Music News

Billboard JAPAN’s “MONTHLY FEATURE” series highlights standout artists and works making an impact. This month’s spotlight is on LiSA, who is approaching the 14th anniversary of her debut.

In January, she released her new song, “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids),” the opening theme of the anime Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow, which also began airing in January. On the song, she was joined by guest vocalist Felix from Stray Kids, a group that has gained global popularity beyond its home country of Korea. The song was written and arranged by renowned producer Hiroyuki SAWANO known for his musical work on hit anime such as Attack on Titan and Mobile Suit Gundam UC. 

Fueled by the growing popularity of anime, which continues to make waves worldwide, “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” once again took the No. 1 spot on the “Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan” chart, which ranks the most popular Japanese music outside of Japan. This made it the seventh week that it has ruled the chart.

On March 5, LiSA released a CD single with “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” as its title track. Billboard JAPAN caught up with her to discuss the release and the new territory she explored on the single’s three songs.

Your new song, “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids),” is the opening theme of the anime Solo Leveling Season 2 – Arise from the Shadow. What did you think when they first reached out to you about the tie-in?

It was before Season 1 had even started airing, so first I read the manhwa (Korean comics). Then the show started, and, to put it simply, it was like new life had been blown into the manhwa It was like the anime depicted all kinds of things, like the personalities of the characters and their strengths, in even greater depth.

When you read the manhwa, what part of it drew you in?

The main character, Shun Mizushino, isn’t a hunter because it’s fun. There’s a bit more of a sense of desperation to him, a feeling that this is a job he has to do. He starts out as a weak hunter, and he faces all kinds of struggles before he’s reawakened and takes on a new destiny. It depicts a world that has a very different feel than what you usually see in Japan.

Were there any parts that resonated with you personally?

Yes, actually. The way he gets stronger because of the scars he bears. That sense that he has to keep pushing forward because of his difficult circumstances. I feel like, in my music, I’m also trying to reach that level of resolve.

The song was written and arranged by Hiroyuki SAWANO, and Felix from Stray Kids does guest vocals. Stray Kids’ first Japanese EP includes “Social Path (feat. LiSA),” which you performed on. What led to the idea for this collaboration?

I always had the idea of working with the two of them again, but I didn’t have any specific timing in mind. Hiroyuki was responsible for the theme song and the soundtrack for Season 1, too, so I wanted to take the baton for Season 2 without damaging the aesthetic that Hiroyuki had created.

And what about Felix?

For Season 1, Hiroyuki worked with TOMORROW X TOGETHER (SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:TOMORROW X TOGETHER “LEveL”), the anime is based on a Korean comic, and Stray Kids had invited me to work with them in the past, so I thought if there was ever a time to return the invitation, this just might be it. My upper register vocals and Felix’s deep bass vocals created a wonderful contrast that gave the song just the right flavor.

How do you see Hiroyuki as a music producer?

When I worked with him for the first time on “narrative” (SawanoHiroyuki[nZk]:LiSA), he used real instruments to create dark rock with a heavy sound. Now, seven years later, I feel like he’s started using dance music and digital sounds in his music, and it feels very natural. He’s evolved a lot. At the same time, he carefully tailors his music to the spirit of the works he’s writing for. In a sense, he’s actually shaping those works.

So he’s a creator with his own signature sound. “ReawakeR (feat. Felix of Stray Kids)” also combines heavy bass with a danceable beat, so it’s a bit of a departure for a LiSA song.

Rock is an important, fundamental part of Hiroyuki’s music. He doesn’t just slap in digital elements, but instead creates dance music that could only come from someone who has the spirit of rock in his heart. I think Hiroyuki’s great at taking music in that direction.

From my understanding, rock is an important part of your own roots, too. With the musical approach you’ve taken on the new single, you’ve added other elements, as well. What led you to go in this direction?

Of course, trends are one part of it, but speaking for myself, I love rock. I love the sound of rock, and I’m confident in the rock music I’ve been creating for the past 13 years. In a sense, I’ve already created the “ultimate” rock, so instead of trying to discover rock that goes above and beyond that, I wanted to apply that spirit of rock to the creation of something a little different. That budding ambition was a big factor in taking this new approach.

What kinds of new experiences and discoveries did you have during the course of the collaboration?

I rediscovered how well it works to have a male voice mixed in. On top of that, Felix is more of a rapper than a singer, and this was my first time doing this kind of collaboration on a song I put out under my own name. But I discovered that even with rap, you can feel that rock vibe, and that you can make a song that really matches the anime itself.

I’d imagine you envisioned Felix’s vocal parts when you were doing the recording. Did you use any different approaches than usual, and were there any areas where you took special care?

It wasn’t so much that I paid special care to something in particular, but I’m usually a solo singer, so having another vocalist by my side to perform together with me was very reassuring.

You’ve also released a music video, which you shot in Korea, right?

Felix is really beautiful in it. He’s like an angel. When the cameras weren’t rolling, he was like this cute young kid. He’s cheerful and friendly, and very considerate of others. He was also very respectful, calling me “LiSA sempai.” But he has a deep voice, so when he starts singing, the impression he makes totally changes. I think part of his appeal is in that gap.

The song has performed really well in the charts, too. As of March 27, it’s been number one on Billboard JAPAN’s “Global Japan Songs Excl. Japan” chart for four consecutive weeks. What has the overseas response been like?

The overseas reaction has been very strong starting back when Solo Leveling was first announced. I’ve performed overseas quite a few times myself, and Hiroyuki and Stray Kids are also very internationally active, so it feels like we’ve really reached the rest of the world.

I’d like to ask you about the B-sides. The second song, “RED ZONE,” is also credited to TOMOKO IDA and TSUGUMI. TOMOKO IDA performed on Tainy’s debut album, DATA, which was nominated for the Best Música Urbana Album at the 66th Grammy Awards. What led to your collaboration with her?

One of the things I wanted to explore was the power of women. I was looking around for someone who could help me with that when I met TOMOKO. TSUGUMI was also one of the artists in SOULHEAD, so when I was doing my vocals, it really felt like I had this passion passed on to me by these artists who had gone before me.

I know you were once in a band and performed mainly at small concert venues. I’m sure it was a primarily male-oriented scene at the time. How did you fit into it, or did you take it head on?

Back when I was a little kid, I found femininity to be kind of oppressive. I was more drawn to women who had a hidden coolness and sexiness, like Avril Lavigne. But when I finally accepted myself as a woman, I found it so much fun to express the power that women have, though I didn’t go out of my way to show it off. Those feelings grew stronger the more I performed. That’s one of the things I talked to TOMOKO about.

How did you make this song, including the rap part, a part of yourself as an artist?

Whenever I take on new challenges, I focus less on putting myself out there than on going out there to soak in new influences. For example, when I started my solo career, I debuted with a mini-album (Letters to U) which I made with a Vocaloid producer. I had my own core essence, and I tried to put that essence into that music. That process shaped a new facet of me. Looking back on it, this is something I’d been experiencing since my time in Girls Dead Monster, and “RED ZONE” was a lot like that.

So it’s not like you’re completely adopting a new character, but more like you’re letting your voice ring out in a world that’s not your usual world.

Yes, but as a vocalist, no matter what I do, it’s always my own voice, and no matter what I sing, it always becomes a LiSA song, so I have faith in that. I believe in my own voice, so when I sing on a song, I feel like I’m laying myself bare and jumping right in.

All three songs, including the other B-side, “Witchcraft,” are very challenging, and I feel that with this single, listeners will discover a new LiSA. 2025 is also the 14th anniversary of your solo debut, and I hear that you’ve decided the theme for the year is “PATCHWORK.”

This is the 14th anniversary, which means next year will be the 15th. That’s a big occasion, so as it draws near, I plan to spend this year meeting more new people and taking on more new challenges, stitching them together in a patchwork.

—This interview by Takuto Ueda first appeared on Billboard Japan