To encounter something you love that stirs your soul. It always pushes you to new and brilliant horizons. Here is the rock energy of Anna Tsuchiya, a multi-talented music artist, actress, and model, who is glamorous and handsome at heart.
How did you enjoy the shooting?
I am of the generation that has always been familiar with magazines, and it had been a long time since I had done a fashion shooting, so it was a lot of fun. I had the feeling that the thoughts and stories that go into each photograph and each magazine were there. I’ve always loved the idea of creating a page that makes the readers stop and take a look, with great staff members, and with that atmosphere of feelings, not with words but with sensation. The outfits and makeup provided make you look different from your usual self, and you are photographed in this way. It is fun for me to face the humanity that is created there. The most important thing about today’s shooting was that all the staff members were wonderful, and all the outfits were so beautiful that I felt the time flew by.
Were there any outfits that were particularly impressive?
HAENGNAE’s red dress was impressive, with very beautiful lines. I like body-conscious designs, and actually I am often conscious of lines in my everyday rock and gothic styles. It’s all about balance, isn’t it? I like clothes that have calculated additions and subtractions rather than everything being decorative. Especially in rock, gothic, and punk styles, it is extremely difficult to do so, but I feel comfortable if I can see some lines, and even with very grungy tastes, I’d like to see a glimpse of elegance in some way. In terms of brands, I like Alexander McQueen, for example, because it looks free at the first glance, but it is well bound. I enjoy fashion in the music scenes, but when I’m raising children, I’m limited in what I can wear.
You have a rock image, which I think suits you well. Do you ever wear a floral one-piece dress, which is the opposite of rock and roll?
No way! (laugh) Of course, I might wear one for work, but I never wear it in my private life. Usually, I wear simple clothes such as jeans and a white T-shirt. I value the items I love and wear them for the rest of my life. When I decorate myself, I do so, but I try not to be decorated.
We heard that you also like JUSTIN DAVIS jewelry.
I love it! I think JUSTIN has various aspects, but there is also a part of them that has always been pursuing something unshakable. The cross motifs and other jewelry worn in the outfits this time were designed after the new creative director took over, and I can feel a different kind of power in them. JUSTIN DAVIS makes one jewelry piece a strong charm. I can feel the passion to create something with a message, and I think that feeling is similar to my own, which makes me want to wear it.
What is your ideal image of a woman?
The person I consider as being cool is Angelina Jolie. She is someone I think is great rather than someone I admire. It is refreshing to see someone who is unwavering in their ideas no matter what position or place they are in. I like Angelina Jolie because she also seems undecorated, although it is impossible to know what she actually is. Also, regarding artists, I think Cyndi Lauper is cool. I went to her concert held recently and I realized again that I love her. She has a neat way of thinking. She is a person who seriously thinks that she wants to change the world with her music, and like actions that humans should take to achieve world peace, so there is no lie in her MC during her live performances. There are many artists who sing well, but I think she has the energy to convey something more. The same can be said about magazines. I think fashion is an art that only humans can create. Nature can also create art, and for example, the sound of waves can be music. But humans have the talent to create new things with their own hands, and if we can sublimate this talent into a good form through art and creativity, I think it will lead to “peace.” I still feel that people who can use their talents well are attractive.
You started modeling in your teens and later made your debut as a singer. How did you feel when you first started working? Were you always interested in the entertainment industry?
I liked music from an early age, but at the time I was more into sports, so I wasn’t interested in the entertainment industry at all. However, my older sister was a model, so I guess I felt it was good to be a model. Rather than wanting to be a model, I was attracted to the glittering world that every girl dreams of, and I just liked the idea of wearing beautiful clothes and having my picture taken. Yet, I was just fascinated by the talented people around me who made me look beautiful. Although there were only kids around my age studying and doing club activities together at school, there were all cool artists when I came to the shooting site. There was a stylist who surprised me and let me wonder how she could tear clothes like this. And there was a photographer who impressed me and let me wonder how he could shoot something like this on an empty, blank wall. I wanted to be like these people and felt this kind of place was so comfortable. Of course there were hardships, such as the need to lose weight in the times, and I have experienced many things in the mental part of my life, but as a result, I think this is a strength and I can share them with people who are going through the same experiences and hardships because of the hardships I went through.
Was there a turning point that you feel changed your life?
There were so many turning points. But I don’t take them as turning points so much. If you are a woman, there are life events such as childbirth, and they are all turning points. I’ve never been aware of them, and if anything, life is more of a struggle, and everything is like a long staircase. It is a constant climbing and there are always happenings. I don’t think about them too much. It’s just enough to look back at it someday when time passes and wonder if it was interesting because of this.
You are a model, singer, and actress and active in a variety of fields. Do you have a different attitude toward each job?
I used to do so. I found music much more enjoyable, and I had never studied acting before, so acting was very difficult for me, but I was grateful just to be offered a job, so I had to work hard and give it all I had. I think everyone has their own way of putting out their energy, but I think it would be good if I could put out my energy that I am living at that moment. Music is like that, and I face live performances with 100%. Even now, I still love music the best. But sometimes it is the things we like that we come to dislike. For example, when I catch a cold, I sometimes think, “I have to sing even at a time like this. ….” But the audience is coming, so I want to respond to them. The more I like something, the more pressure I am under. But at those times, I give it my all for what I am doing now. I do my best, telling myself that it is OK as long as I can do it in a way that I do not regret.
You formed BLVCKPHOENIX last year. What was the impetus for that?
I’ve wanted to be in a band for a long time, to play my favorite music. I like the music I had been doing, but it was somewhat different from my will and I was grateful to be able to sing, so I had to change my style a little to get more people to listen to it, or I sang the music that was given to me. But I only have one life, and I want to play music that I have made with the utmost care and attention to detail, which is my ideal. I want to enjoy my music even in a small box, where I can be closer to people, without having to deal with labels or anything. That’s why I formed BLVCKPHOENIX. The name Anna Tsuchiya may inevitably follow the band, but I admired the way the members worked together and clashed with each other while respecting each other, and now that I am over 40 years old, I want to share with the younger generation that this is the music we have been listening to. We live in an age when anything is possible through digital technology, but we still want to deliver a live sound, which is why we have not included any machines in this band. As I mentioned earlier, I thought it would be better to stick to the idea of using human hands.
What is the source of your creative activities, including music?
It is the current state of the world. Japan is still a peaceful country, but when I see documentaries and news, I have questions about the world, and I believe that music is a tool that should be used to convey these questions. Through music and lyrics, we can learn that there are people like this and that these things are happening. There can be anger, sadness, suffering, and of course joy, but I feel that if we share these things with others and if we take actions, something will change. It could be war, it could be poverty, or it could be issues that really need to be changed by adults, but no one wants to change them. But instead of giving up, saying we can’t do anything, I hope that everyone can be a part of the movement, whether through singing or dancing, and that we can do something that will interest even one person. I often watch movies and documentaries and think about what it would be like if I were in this situation, so my lyrics are also rooted in the reality of such a world. We shouldn’t take it for granted that we have parents or that we have food. But sometimes it is people who are in control of the world. I think this is exactly what I mean when I talk about taking creativity in the right direction. So, we cry out without lies nor hypocrisy. There is our energy, so we are working with the inspiration of “Let’s take actions!”
You mentioned that you have loved music since you were a child, but what is music to you?
In this stressful society, many people are unable to say what they want to say, or they are too thoughtful of others, for better or worse, and I think the habit of following suit is ingrained in us. But music is free. It doesn’t matter what you sing or how you shout. The listeners are free to do the same. A live music venue, in a good sense, has no rules, so it should be a place where everyone can be their true selves. I think it would be nice if people could forget about everything at this moment and just feel themselves in the present moment, and feel good without any thoughts. Music is the best communication that can connect everyone without language barriers around the world.
Even if you don’t understand the language, there are things that can be conveyed, aren’t there?
Exactly. Through only feelings of singers, too. No matter where you are from, no matter where you live, the pain, sorrow, and joy are still the same. I believe that music is the only weapon that can transcend words and transform them into voices.
How do you balance your childcare, housework, and work?
I have not been able to balance those at all (laugh). But instead of worrying about what I can’t do, I say to everyone around me, “Help me!” and ask them to do it. Because I believe that children need to be raised by everyone. I also express my dependence on them and clearly act out my intention that I cannot do it alone. If the other person frowns on that, I would think he or she is a lonely person, but in fact, everyone takes care of my children. I think that the adults should protect small lives and weak ones, and that is the role of human beings, so I think I don’t have to take it all on myself or put on the armor.
What do you do on a daily basis to keep your body and mind healthy? What do you pay attention to in terms of beauty?
I myself am not healthy at all (laugh), but as for my style, I might have been able to maintain it because of doing ballet. It has been almost 10 years since I started ballet. I have seen many people, including models, and the bodies of ballerinas and ballet dancers are the most beautiful. But that is only because they put in a great deal of effort. When I see them dancing, I think they are light and beautiful, but the people who actually dance have been through hell while sharpening their nerves. When I started dancing, I said to myself, “Wow, that’s a lot of work,” and I realized that it is only through hard work that they can have their bodies. I love being in the midst of that effort, and that is why I chose ballet, so I am not forcing myself at all, and my current body is in a state where I can move and live comfortably. However, I think that each person’s definition of being healthy is different, so I feel that it is important not to imitate someone else, but rather to continue to do what is comfortable to you while identifying what is good for you so that you can stay healthy.
Is it difficult to restrict your diet when you are doing ballet?
In ballet, on the contrary, I have to eat, so I rather eat now. Recently, I have been actively trying to consume rice as well for my health. Until then, I liked the taste of the ingredients themselves, such as vegetables and cheese, and I didn’t like cooked foods, but then I would be biased in my nutrition. I am getting older, and recently I’ve been eating while judging a variety of information. I also try to keep seasonings as simple as possible. Steak is best eaten with salt and wasabi! It tastes better that way, and your tongue naturally gets used to it. I don’t like junk food to begin with, but I love whipped cream, so I don’t restrict myself in any particular way, and I enjoy food to the extent that it doesn’t cause me stress, while maintaining balance.
Do you have a way to refresh your mind when you are troubled?
It’s complaining over drinks (laugh). On second thought, it’s eating. I think that everyone feels less energetic when they are hungry, and being satisfied with food is probably the happiest thing. So, eating good food and exercise is a stress reliever for me. I like to concentrate on something. At my age, I don’t think I have many opportunities to praise myself, but after a hard day of exercise, although I don’t say it out loud, I am probably praising myself in my heart, saying, “I did it!” It doesn’t have to be exercise, it can be work, coloring, calligraphy, or whatever. Forget about your worries for once and concentrate. I think that by doing so and getting through it, you can praise yourself. By making such time for myself, I may be able to maintain my mentality naturally.
It can be part of mindfulness.
Yes. I think so. That can be singing. Sing as hard as you can at karaoke. It is important to work hard at something. As adults, we are able to do so to a certain extent, so it is hard to find opportunities to work hard like when we were students. I think it’s okay to just clean up at home. It’s good to have something to focus on, something that gives you a sense of accomplishment and keeps you energized!
Are there any new challenges you would like to try?
I would like to continue with my current ballet and band, plus I am working on getting my diving license again. It is very hard, but I am working hard to get a rescue license. The teacher I met said, “It is disrespectful to the sea to get injured there.” I hope I can save even one person in the ocean that I love, and I want to study the field I want to master while I am still alive. Practice is also quite hard: 30 minutes of standing swimming, followed by another 30 minutes with a 20-minute break in between. We also intentionally practice in the ocean where visibility is poor. But as a parent, I want to protect my children if there are lives that can be saved with my knowledge. This is something they didn’t teach me in school, and that’s what I’m interested in, so I really want to do it. The next time you see me, I might be muscular (laugh).
I was also impressed with your toned muscles in today’s shooting! When do you feel happiest?
I think happiness is something that is hard to feel, but I do feel happy when I see the excited audience at a live concert, not only in Japan but in many other places, and when they sing my songs. I also feel happy when my children tell me that the food I cook tastes good. It is a lot of work to raise and protect my children, and I don’t have much time to relax and think about how happy I am. But when my children grow up and tell me, “Mom, this is delicious,” or “Thank you, Mom,” it makes me happy. Of course, the best thing would be to go on a trip somewhere and eat delicious food or stay in a nice hotel (laugh). I wonder when such happiness will come, and I try to live my life being thankful for everything.
Finally, what are your future plans, including how you would like to grow older?
I meet a lot of good people, share good meals, work together, and do live performances. I think the most luxurious thing is to continue to do these, and I hope to continue to spend extraordinary days in the future because each day passes quickly. Whether it’s ups and downs or down, it doesn’t matter. I want to have an intense day. I want to exert myself as hard as I can and say, “Oh, I’m tired!” It is tiring to give my all, but I will not relax. So maybe one day I will do my best to “relax.” Until then, I have to run through it for now. I think I feel happiest when I am being sought after by others, so I’d like to continue to train myself to become an artist who is sought after.
PROFILE
Anna Tsuchiya,
a musician, model and an actress
Born in Tokyo on March 11, 1984. She belongs to MODELING OFFICE AMA. In 1998, she debuted as a model and has worked extensively in magazines, television and commercials. In 2004 she appeared in the film “Kamikaze Girls,” for which she won the 28th Japan Academy Prize for Best Newcomer/Supporting Actress and the 48th Blue Ribbon Award for Best Newcomer. In 2005, she started her music career in earnest with the mini-album “Taste My Beat,” and with her strong singing ability, she has been involved in collaborations with many artists and the production of original music. In recent years, she has been active worldwide, participating as a guest at festivals around the world and releasing music in China. In 2024, she formed a new rock band, BLVCKPHOENIX, to deliver live, real rock music.
Model:ANNA TSUCHIYA(MODELING OFFICE AMA) Photography:ALLAN ABANI Styling:KOSEI MATSUDA(NOBODCR) Stylist Assistant:KOKONA TATENO Hair&Makeup:Michou.(C-LOVe CREATORS) Edit&Text:SEIRA MAEHARA