Kurusu Rin, who is active as a singer and voice actress, released her third single "Wacchuane?" on November 27th. In May 2023, she made her major debut as a solo artist with Lantis with the opening theme "I wish" for the TV anime "Kamisama Activities in a Godless World," and made her voice acting debut as Cyan in the same work. We asked Kurusu about her new song and her activities as a singer and voice actress.
◇Christmas Memories
Kurusu debuted as a member of an idol group in 2016. In 2018, she won the grand prize at the audition "Seikore 18" sponsored by the manga magazine "Weekly Young Jump" (Shueisha). Her second single "Believer," released in May 2024, was also a hot topic as it became the ending theme for the third season of the TV anime "That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime."
"Watchu Ane?" is the ending theme for the TV anime "I'm Going to Become a Villainess That Leaves a Mark in History." It's a slightly sweet, sour, and cute song that sings about the fluffy feelings just before you realize you're in love.
"It's a sweet, slightly fluffy song, so I tried to sing it in a whisper-like way. Up until now, I've often sung with my voice forward and in a crisp voice, so I think this song is different from anything I've done before. Rather than singing life-sized, I tried to get closer to the image of the song. I imagined the fluffy feelings just before you realize you're in love, and was conscious of singing in a less crisp voice."
It's a song that's packed with cuteness, and her sweet singing voice leaves an impression.
"It's an addictive song with rap in it. There's a lot of chatter, like a little Kurusu Rin is adding her own lines. It's like another self is chattering away in comparison to the airy self."
The coupling songs are "Dotabata☆Christmas" and "Wanted!". "Dotabata☆Christmas" is her first attempt at a Christmas song.
"It's a song about the hectic feeling and excitement of making a promise to have a Christmas party with someone you like and having to prepare food you don't like. It's sung in a fun and lively way, but to me Christmas also has a sacred, sparkling, beautiful image, so I expressed the fun while also varying the tempo and singing to create a sparkling image."
By the way, what kind of memories do you have of Christmas?
"I started working when I was 15, and Christmas was often spent with fans at events, and sometimes it ended because I was doing lessons. I can't really have a leisurely party, but I sometimes get together with friends around mid-December and eat sweets, and last year I had cake ice cream. When I was a child, my mom and dad made Christmas more exciting. They would put cookies and carrots at the entrance for Santa and the reindeer to eat, and when I looked in the morning, there were teeth marks on the carrots (laughs). Because my family did things to make me happy, I have fond memories of events other than Christmas, such as birthdays and New Year's. I think the reason I like events is because I have so many such memories."
◇Because it's a place I longed for...
About a year and a half has passed since her solo artist debut in May 2023. She says that there have been changes within herself as she has been active.
"When I first debuted, I was often on guard. Every step I took, I was thinking, will I fail? I like to have fun, so there was a gap between that and my true nature. For better or worse, I like to act without thinking about the consequences. However, the voice acting and anime song industries were places I longed to be in, so I was nervous. I felt like I was stepping into a place I love, a sacred place, and I often felt nervous because I love it. But after a year, meeting various people and having various experiences, I realized that the most important thing is to have fun. If I'm having fun, everyone will be happy too. Fun is contagious, so you have to have fun. Since I started thinking that way, I've been trying to lower my level of tension by one level. I think I was also scared of being alone. I was also scared that if I failed, everything would stop."
It seems that she tried to change her own way of thinking in order to dispel her fears. She is trying to move forward without fear of failure.
"I've become able to speak honestly with my friends and staff. Doing so makes me feel better. There was a moment when I realized that instead of pushing myself to be perfect, I need to change my way of thinking, otherwise I won't be able to accept what other people say, and I need to relax and have more fun. If I get too tense, I won't be able to enjoy myself and I won't be able to move. Making mistakes is not a good thing, but I try to recover from them and make things exciting again. If I'm too obsessed with perfection, I won't be able to do anything."
Regarding her work as a voice actress, she says, "I think acting is deep..."
"For example, if I'm acting out a crying character and I'm too sad or in pain, it doesn't match the animation. I put too much emotion into it, so sometimes I overdo it. I've realized that I need to express my emotions through my pronunciation, my endings, and my trembling voice. It's difficult. But it's really fun to be able to try new things. I usually play games, and I like games with a high level of difficulty, and the more difficult they are, the more fun they are. I want to be able to do things that I can't do now. I can't stop, I have to keep studying. I sometimes get anxious and worried, but I'm going to do my best to do what I can and learn now, and move on to the next step."
Kurusu says about her future goals, "It's not a given that I can sing in an environment, so I want to cherish this environment and broaden my range of expression. As a voice actor, I want to absorb various things from my seniors and broaden the range of my acting." Please keep an eye on Kurusu, who is evolving every day with the aim of further growth as a singer and voice actor.
