JQ Magazine: JQ&A with Rock Heroine LiSA on Her Debut North American Tour

By Chang-Hyun Choi for JQ magazine. Interpretation assistance by Miyuki W. Myrthil. Photos by Sayaka Harada.

“It’s definitely a dream come true for me, because I get to see the sold-out show. A venue crowded and packed with enthusiastic fans who’ve been looking forward to seeing me live, so that was definitely a dream come true moment for me.”

Known for her powerful vocals and electric performances, anisong and J-pop global sensation LiSA kicked off her first-ever North American Another Great Day tour in New York City with two sold-out concerts at Terminal 5 on June 18-19, followed by stops in Los Angeles on June 23-24 and Mexico City on June 28. Notably, these were her debut solo shows in America, and her first show in Mexico in nine years. 

Fans excitedly shook their penlights and sang along with their favorite songs from hit anime such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Fate/Zero, and Solo Leveling. LiSA’s performances showcased her artistry and tenacity, combining her incredible singing with breathtaking visuals across consecutive nights. She crafted an unforgettable experience for New Yorkers who got the chance to cheer and even dance together with LiSA to her setlist full of thrilling and emotional songs.      

In this exclusive interview, JQ had a chance to sit down with LiSA to chat about her experiences performing in New York City and her vision for this momentous overseas tour.

First of all, congratulations on your two sold-out concerts in New York City!

Thank you!

What was your impression of the crowd, and do you feel any differences performing here than elsewhere?

It was so surprising to witness such high energy, high voltage energy from the start. The way they called me and called my name, the LiSA calls, were so great, and most impressive was the way the New York City audience was dancing to my music, swaying to my music. They definitely know how to enjoy music, and that’s something that’s so unique.

The crowd had a huge response to your songs from hit anime series such as Demon Slayer and Sword Art Online, but we also got to hear songs like “WiLD CANDY” and the recent “RED ZONE.” What thoughts went into making your New York City or overseas setlists?

I’m entering into the 15th year of my career, and for this being my first North American tour, I wanted to bring out all the songs that I think the fans got to know me for, the songs that they must have been waiting for me to perform in America, so those are the songs that I put together. Also, songs like “WiLD CANDY” and “RED ZONE” are songs where I love to see how the audiences react to them. Those are the kinds of thoughts and processes that I put into creating the setlist.

It was very impressive that you spoke English for most of the MC Parts.

Really?

Yes! Was there anything more you’d have wanted to tell the fans if you had more time?

I definitely wanted to share in the great time with the fans who have been looking forward to meeting me, who got to know me through anime and my music, and also I wanted to share that “今日もいい日だ” or “Today’s Another Great Day,” the catchphrase that I have. That phrase means to appreciate and feel gratitude for the good parts of the day. I wanted to share that moment and phrase with the audience here.

今日もいい日だ, or Today’s Another Great Day, is a phrase that you’ve kept very close to your heart as LiSA. What does it mean for your first North American tour to be called that, to share those words?

It was definitely a happy day and the reason I made the title “Another Great Day” is because I wished for the day to be another good day and it has become that, and so I feel so great and I feel grateful that such a day happened.  

It was a great day, and you also brought great outfits. Could you tell us about the ones you selected for the New York concert, and the kind of visual aesthetic that you wanted to make for this show?

I personally get a lot of inspiration from American fashion. I wanted to wear something that speaks to my love of that fashion, but I also wanted to make sure that I wore my personal colors, pink and red, and incorporate that into my fashion and costumes. I started off the stage with a red dress, then I changed into a kimono with a bit of a remake done, so that I could bring out some Japanese fashion.

During this show, fans had many incredible opportunities to interact with you such as being invited on stage for “GL” or high fives through the aisles. Do you try to think of new ways to interact with fans each tour?

I wanted to create a moment where the fans who have been waiting for me can join me on stage and enjoy the moment together, which I did for “GL,” but the inspiration definitely is that I love Green Day and when Green Day came to Japan, the vocalist [Billie Joe Armstrong] said “ギター引けるやつ?” or “Can anyone play the guitar?,” and brought out someone onstage as a surprise and they performed together. I really loved that moment, and I wanted to create something like that in my own show.

The fans get to interact with you and this is sort of a dream come true for them, so I wanted to ask: For your first time in New York City, what kinds of things do you enjoy about the city? Are there any “dream come true” moments for you?

It’s definitely a dream come true for me, because I get to see the sold-out show. A venue crowded and packed with enthusiastic fans who’ve been looking forward to seeing me live, so that was definitely a dream come true moment for me.

Related to venues, could you share any thoughts that went into selecting different venues for either the whole tour or in general?

I don’t know much about the details on how the venues were picked, but I’m a punk rock fan and in the backstage of the Terminal 5 live house there’s a signature and picture of New Found Glory, who I’m a huge fan of, and I felt that was really awesome.

A different type of question, but back when you were a child, you loved many anime shows. If you had a chance to go back in time and contribute a song to your favorites growing up, are there any dream shows?

It’s a bit different from anime, but my biggest dream was to be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Not to be the voice actress who sings Belle’s songs, but to literally be Belle. But if there’s any opportunity, I would love to sing Belle’s songs.  

Thank you so much, LiSA. We really appreciate this interview for JQ magazine, and we look forward to you returning to New York.

Yes, I promise!

Special thanks to Ken Isaacs and Kyoko Mineshima at Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. for interview assistance. For LiSA music, socials and merch, click here. For more JQ articles, click here.