Smash Bros. Ultimate main theme composer and singer on creating the music, recording session, much more
After all of that trouble you went through, how was the actual recording session?
Sakamoto: Originally, we had been singing it in an R&B-esque style, but Sakurai-san didn’t approve. He essentially said, “we can’t go with that. It needs to feel like it’s being sung, like there’s a feeling of technique to it. I want the song to convey its words directly, so I’d like her to sing it how she normally would.”
Koga: That was my first real time in the recording booth, but Sakamoto-san’s precise direction helped me fix it up.
You wouldn’t think it with impressive singing voice of yours – when you were first announced as the main theme’s singer, there were a lot of people who thought that it was a veteran singing the theme! There was a variety of names of big-name vocalists popping up all over social media, wasn’t there?
Koga: I saw. Inside I was thinking, “but it’s just me…” But I had to tell myself, “don’t say that, don’t say that!!” (laughs)
It seems like there are a lot of people who think you sounds like a veteran’s – do you think of yourself like that?
Koga: I’m not necessarily conscious of that kind of thing when I sing… There have been a lot of times when people have said that my voice doesn’t have that “freshness” to it. (strained laugh) That being said, it’s an honor being mistaken for an industry veteran, I’m really thankful for that.
It was first announced that Koga-san would be singing “Lifelight” back in November of 2018, wasn’t it?
Sakamoto: It was revealed to the public on November 28th – Koga-san’s 18th birthday, actually.
Koga: Right, I was incredibly happy.
Sakamoto: It was good and deliberate judgment on Sakurai-san’s part – a present nothing could beat. It was intended to be a day that she’d never forget – Sakurai-san was incredibly concerned about that. (laughs)
What was the overall reaction like?
Koga: At the time, “Erina Koga” was the top phrase being searched on Yahoo! My friends were saying, “what the heck happened!?” (laughs)
Anybody’d be surprised if their friend was suddenly the person of the hour! (laughs)
Koga: I was looking at my phone when I got home from school, and Twitter was just blowing up; I thought to myself, “oh, today’s the day of the announcement, isn’t it?” I thought they were going to announce it that night – I didn’t expect them to announce it in the middle of the day, it really took me by surprise!
After it was announced, you could finally talk about what you were supposed to be keeping a secret that whole time, right?
Koga: Yeah – I immediately told all of my LINE friends about it! (laughs)
And as far as you were concerned, Sakamoto-san, the main theme was unveiled during the 2018 E3 presentation.
Sakamoto: In March of 2018, it was revealed that a new Smash Bros. game was in development; in that video, when the Smash logo is reflected in Inkling’s eye, you can briefly hear the main theme.
Is that so, now!
Sakamoto: If you listen carefully, you can hear the main theme being sung acapella – at that point, Koga-san wasn’t the singer yet. With the official presentation at E3 later on, it felt like a weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. After that, I could finally say that I had written a song for it.
The presentation was really exciting!
Sakamoto: I was actually there too, I went wanting to see peoples’ reactions firsthand. (laughs)
Koga-san, your normal speaking voice is already cute, but where you born with such a powerful singing voice?
Koga: Hm, I wonder… I think voice training places emphasis on singing from your stomach, to produce lower – or, rather – “thicker” sounds, so I think it’s out of habit. I like African-American music among other things, so that might’ve also played an influence.
You’re around the age where you’re studying for entrance exams, are you wanting to go to a music school?
Koga: I’m more or less thinking about it, but the plan is to just go to a regular 4-year private university. At the moment I’m thinking about aiming towards being a voice actor while also being a student, I wonder…
On Twitter you uploaded a picture of you having cleared Century Smash with Kirby, have you been playing a lot of Ultimate?
Koga: Yeah! I’ve unlocked all of the characters. I’ve gotten used to Kirby though, so I can’t use any of the other characters. (laughs)
How does it feel hearing your own voice coming from the game?
Koga: When I first started the game up, there’s that moment where the theme starts playing, and I thought, “aah, that’s me!” It really did surprise me. To be playing a game that I’m singing in… That’s not something that happens… It really is a special game.
Sakamoto: It was also pretty unrealistic to me, too… I couldn’t actually believe it until the game came out. Even up until the very last moment, I thought “why not switch it with a different song?” (laughs)
If Sakamoto-san’s somebody with a career, then Koga-san may be all the more so! After the game came out, did any of your friends try to get in touch with you?
Koga: Mhm, everybody bought and sent me videos pointing it out, saying “it’s you!” My friends will also come to me and be like “sing! sing!” from time to time, too. (wry smile)
Sakamoto: It’d be nice if you got a chance to sing it officially, too.
There might be opportunities where you can sing on stage, like official tournaments, etc., don’t you think?
Koga: I’d be really happy if something like that happened! But I can’t really sing at the moment because I’m in the middle of entrance exams… I’d have to practice. (strained smile)
Lastly, are there any phrases or anything you’d like us to listen for specifically in your song?
Koga: Definitely listen for the key change at the end – it’s something I had a hard time with, and I’m deeply attached to it. So, I’d appreciate it if everybody listened to that part carefully! Other than that, listen to the “Lifelight” phrase that plays at the title, I love the lyrics a lot!
Smash Ultimate Director Masahiro Sakurai’s Comments have Arrived!
It would’ve been difficult to keep moving in the same direction as the main theme for the previous game – Smash Bros. for Wii U/3DS – so I set about the theme fairly early on. The audition itself was a little out of the ordinary. The song that Sakamoto-san came up with – which was still a prototype – has a pretty high level of finish to it, it was pretty impressive. In order to make it easier to remember, though, I had him simplify the notation some. Koga-san herself possesses an incredible volume to her voice. The first sample we had gotten from her was similar to the singer MISIA, so I asked her to insert some of her own unique “character” into it. By the way, I don’t want to go around saying that I had something to do with the lyrics. If you hear anything from the production side of things, the “fantasy” ceases to be a fantasy, so please forget about it.
Translation by provided by Nico Thaxton and Oni Dino on behalf of Nintendo Everything
If you use any of this translation, please be sure to source Nintendo Everything. Do not copy its full contents.
