Chara is an artist who has gained a lot of support not only for her songs that have a fantastic and comfortable one-and-only world view, but also for her way of life as an actress and model. To commemorate her 50th anniversary, we will be releasing a picture book, ``LITTLE HEARTBEAT,'' co-authored with her younger sister, Mitsuko Watabiki. Ahead of the installation that will introduce the world of this work, which will open at B GALLERY on December 8th, we spoke to them about their first collaboration as sisters, the behind-the-scenes story of the production, and the appeal of this work. Chara, who has been active on the front lines as a musician for 27 years, seems to be releasing picture books as a new way of expression because of her kind feelings toward her family.


``I created a story as if I were creating a song because I wanted to speak as if I were singing, and sing as I spoke.''

━ In this work, the story was written by Chara and the illustrations were drawn by her younger sister, Mitsuko Watabiki. Please tell us why you and your sisters decided to create a picture book together.
Chara: She studied painting and woodblock prints when she was a student, and I went into music, so I had been talking to her for some time about wanting to create something together someday. . We just wanted to do something, but we were both busy and all we could do was talk. Then, when my father passed away and we had a lot of time to talk, we finally started thinking, ``I want to do something together!'' At that time, BEAMS proposed an exhibition to introduce my life as I turned 50, and I thought this was the right time to do so, so I proposed producing a picture book instead.


━ Why did you choose this picture book?
Chara: There are several reasons. First of all, I love picture books. I still buy it when I feel like it. Next, I give picture books to my sister's young daughters and nieces every Christmas. But I was running out of things to give, so I wanted to make my own. Lastly, I was impressed that my sister, who has a license as an art teacher, draws pictures on a daily basis and naturally incorporates her own creations into raising children. I'm sure my niece has never seen her mother concentrate on her drawings, so I wanted to create a chance for her to see something like that. As an older sister, I hope that this experience will be an opportunity for my younger sister to start drawing again (lol).

— The story is a fantasy about a girl who goes on an adventure journey and encounters various things through her childhood memories with her family, her own experiences, and her rich imagination. Did the story and structure come naturally from within you?
Chara: Sometimes I write stories as an extension of writing lyrics. I've always wanted to "speak as I sing, and sing as I speak," and I wanted to write a story as if I was composing a song. The story in this picture book was created by arranging it based on what I thought of and writing it in a single stroke. When I compose a song, I have the entire arrangement in mind from the beginning. It's like having a movie-like image of how things will unfold, such as this instrument playing here, and creating sounds that match that. I created this picture book with the idea that it would become an animation. I wonder if an anime like ``Tsumiki no Ie'' (2008, directed by Kunio Kato) will be in the near future. In that sense, there may have been some similarities with songwriting.


- I see. As I read on, I can feel Chara in the words.
Chara: I guess it feels like the rhythm of the words. When I read it normally, there are parts where I can't take a breath, and the melodies of my songs sometimes take a breath in strange places, so perhaps that's why Chara's personality is naturally included. Also, I use words I like over and over again, and I include onomatopoeia. Among them, there were some parts where I was confused about how to create the atmosphere with the words. If the grammar and rules are too strict, the rhythm will change, and I also have to experiment by trial and error, trying to figure out things like this is the best line spacing, this word should be in kanji, this is the font, etc. I was there.

━ How did Mitsuko draw a picture based on Chara's image?
Chara: I was trying to convey the image that came to me by saying, ``This is what it looks like,'' but it's difficult to express it in words alone, and it's easy to misunderstand. Drawing a picture requires a lot of effort, so it was important for me to make sure I was going in the right direction. However, that wasn't everything, and I thought it would be nice if she could draw a picture that was her own, using that image as a reference. When I was little, I saw the same things through picture books such as Aesop and Grimm, and my father took me to many art exhibitions with me, so we both had "dots" in common, and when we grew up we learned about those points. are similar "lines". She also loves music, and we have something in common at the core.


━ This story is a condensation of the sensibilities of both of you, but what kind of thoughts did you put into the story?
Chara: I put my personal feelings into it, hoping that my niece and other children will fall in love as romantically as in the picture book and have a wonderful love life. I wanted to tell a story that they would carry with them even when they grow up. When my sisters and I were young, even if we didn't understand kanji, we would read photo albums and art catalogs, and that's how we learned the words. So some picture books use kanji that are difficult for children my niece's age to read, but they can be skipped at first. It would be wonderful if the words you learn later while reading this book are related to love.


━ The content is heart-warming and makes you want to fall in love, so I wanted not only children but also adults to read it.
Chara: Yes. Maybe it's because my sister's husband is American, but I think it's beautiful how her family uses various means to express their feelings, such as hugging when words aren't enough. This picture book is one of the ways to convey those feelings. You can also attach a letter likening it to the letters that appear in stories, or write your favorite poem on it and give it to them. Nowadays, confessions are done on social media, and I understand that we are living in an era where people are moving away from books, but letters and books are still wonderful. Isn't it romantic to lend and borrow books about love between people who love each other? It's nice to borrow something from someone you like and say, ``This is great.'' I think it's wonderful that this picture book centers on a man and a woman who love each other. One of my dreams is to be used like that. Picture books can be used in a variety of ways, and picture books that evolve are interesting.

━ Picture books that connect love are wonderful. In addition, a CD of the song ``Mada Minu Anata e'', which I composed for this picture book, will be included. This is a picture book that has truly evolved.
Chara: I included the music to add color to the worldview of the picture book. However, if the person who created the product insists that it should be listened to in this way, it will limit the enjoyment, so it's fine to just say, ``Oh, I just happened to have a CD included, so let's listen to it.'' You can also listen to it in addition to reading picture books. Also, the main character, the girl, is also about me. I'm 50 years old, but I haven't found a partner yet, so I also wanted to meet someone I haven't met yet (lol). This is a love song aimed at such romantic adults. In the lyrics, I included my favorite tulip, which symbolizes love and benevolence, which I have always wanted to use as a motif. Also, the teddy bear, lipstick, and crystals that appear in the picture book will be available as merchandise, so I hope they can be enjoyed as part of the evolved picture book.


━ This is my first picture book production and my first exhibition. It looks like you'll be able to interact with fans in a different way than at a live show.
Chara: I'm thinking of showing my face as well. If we meet by chance, let's talk. In addition to the installation related to picture books, I'm also thinking about displaying my sister's paintings and putting up musical instruments, so please look forward to it.

━ Chara is celebrating her 27th anniversary as an artist and is always trying new things. Please tell us about your future activities and vision.
Chara: We will be releasing our new album “Baby Bump” on December 19th. "Baby Bump" is a word that refers to the swelling of the stomach that is pregnant with a baby. I had the concept of ``marrying music'' after my divorce, and now I have the image that I am finally pregnant. For this album, I collaborated with various creators, and was able to bring out the talents of each person and fuse them together. There are a lot of songs that are danceable while also incorporating the soul that is my roots, so if you're coming to the tour starting next year, please do some muscle training before coming (lol). I always have a lot of things I want to do, and I want to continue collaborating with young creators with light footwork and creating a variety of songs. The reason I started singing was to be happy in the first place. I want to do activities that make people smile, make people cry when they want to, give them courage, and help others.

『LITTLE HEARTBEAT』
Author: Miwa Watabiki + Mitsuko Watabiki
Price: 5,000 yen (excluding tax)