Exposed Vocals Interviews Hirotoshi Okita

Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: Hi!! Nice to meet you. I`m Hirotoshi Okita. My family had been moving around Japan so I grew up in many places. I have been working on my English now. If it’s difficult to read my English, I apologize for that.

I played Piano when I was a child and I went to a music institute. After graduating I joined a label. I used artist name as ‘Hilothoshi’ and ‘Hikinurasumono’. I already left that label but I still use these artist names. I’ve joined a music design production in Japan as well, that is called ‘SONARISE Production’. I made music and did programming for fashion show and exhibition of art at this company. I left this company too. Sometime I’ve been making soundtrack for movie and promotion videos.

I like music and I like making, playing music. I noticed that a few summer before and I don’t have a reason why.

 

Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: ‘Hirotoshi Okita’ is my real name. ‘Hilothoshi’ is my first name being modified. ‘Hikinurasumono’ came up from an old Japanese dictionary. ‘Hikinurasu’ means to loose a tied hair. ‘mono’ means something or someone. I think music is all about loosening.

Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I would like to send my music to many music lovers!! I like online music sharing!! I think it’s great!!

I don’t release free downloadable tracks now. Before I did but I don`t now. I think free releases are for dumb tracks. Tracks that are really shameful and need to go to trash straight away. This is my personal opinion. But I have not met great free track yet. My aim is to make tracks worth listening every time. This is my rule to not forget responsibility for to release and play music to the world that takes someone`s hearing time.

Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?

Hirotoshi Okita: I`m still a newcomer, But I was notice one thing recently.  If you can make music that really satisfies yourself then I guess things would happen according to that.

 

Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I gather inspirations from visual content. Like plants and humans body forms and, paintings, geometries, character, simple lines etc.

My song writing process starts mostly by making a chord progression or making kick sounds in Ableton Live 9. Use Absynth 5 of Native Instruments or Falcon of UVI. Sometime I use Fxpansion`s soft synth as well.

Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: Yes. This is my soundcloud account. https://soundcloud.com/monotorecords  I had started my label recently.

Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I would like to buy Focal`s speakers and a more powerful PC. I don`t need anything more. I’d like to make music everyday. mmm… I will eat expensive food more than now.

Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I’m still searching now. But I don’t have much interest in promotion. I’m satisfied with my music and I believe it would lead me to a certain result.

Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I already finished 2 releasing project. Might be release during this year. I carry on adding and expanding my label’s catalog.

Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I want to be a philologist because I like Wittgenstein and Saussure.

Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?

 

Hirotoshi Okita: I concentrate on doing my art and I do nothing else.

Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?

Hirotoshi Okita: I with to continue making nice music and releasing it. I hope my music will affect people like a spice.