Like the natural world, people’s lives exist in cycles. Powerful, yet somehow fragile and soft. Leaning into the flow of such energy, with the artist Mika Nakashima, we depict the contours of a joyful world where the fantastic and the real exist side by side.
ーーThe theme of this issue is “strong and flexible,” which expresses the strong yet flexible nature of women. Do you have an ideal image of a woman?
In the end, I simply like to be cool. I am happy to be described as beautiful or cute, but I have always liked a kind of coolness that is neither beautiful nor cute. Because I wear a lot of dresses in my work, I used to have my hair cut to balance it out, so maybe I am attracted to something in-between that doesn’t swing to any one thing.
ーーYou said you had a complex about your voice as a child, what made you decide to become a singer?
I think it was when I decided to make my debut. As I studied how to sing and gained experience, of course I came to like my voice, and there is no doubt that I love singing, but whether or not I have confidence is another story. I haven’t had confidence in my singing yet. However, the definition of “good” is different for everyone, and I naturally feel positive when I go on stage. I have been practicing so far, so I hope to do my best to convey my feelings through singing.
ーーWhat do you feel as a singer now?
My empathy for people is the theme of my songs. The more years and experiences I have, the more I empathize with them, so I find that the songs I used to sing when I was younger, the lyrics I was written, and even the lyrics I wrote myself resonate more now.
ーーWhat kind of fashion do you usually prefer?
In terms of differences from work, recently I have been wearing more comfortable clothes that I can put on quickly in my private life. However, my taste hasn’t changed much, so while I wear comfortable clothes, I sometimes wear the same things I have been wearing for more than ten years.
PROFILE
Mika Nakashima, Artist/Actress
Born in Kagoshima on February 19, 1983. The first demo tape she sent to a record company led to her selection as the heroine for the 2001 drama “Kizudarake no Love Song” and her debut with “STARS,” the theme song for the drama. Her second album “LOVE” became a million-seller, and her single “Yuki no Hana” and many others were big hits. In 2005, she starred in the movie “NANA,” based on the popular comic book by Ai Yazawa, and sang the movie’s theme song “GLAMOROUS SKY” under the name NANA starring MIKA NAKASHIMA, which reached number one on the charts. Since 2016, she has been active in Asia, touring Taiwan, Shenzhen, and Shanghai, and is currently holding the “MIKA NAKASHIMA ASIA TOUR 2025,” a six-city solo tour in Asia, including her first performance in Seoul.
Model:MIKA NAKASHIMA(OUR SONGS) Photography:KIZEN(W) Styling:KOSEI MATSUDA(NOBODCR) Hair&Makeup:HIROKAZU NIWA(maroonbrand) Edit&Text:SEIRA MAEHARA