Eri Tsukimoto
1. Congratulations on your LIT Music Awards achievement! Could you share more about your journey and background in the music industry?
Hello! My name is Eri Tsukimoto (月元映里). I am truly honored and happy to receive this award at the wonderful LIT Music Awards. I am very grateful! I am a singer-songwriter, actress, screenwriter, and director of films and stage productions.
As a musician, I began playing the piano at the age of four. By the age of 12, I was performing etudes and Fantaisie-Impromptu pieces. I graduated from the University of Chichester in England with a major in Performing Arts and a minor in Music.
I have created piano improvisations and written 15 original songs that I perform myself. I also write lyrics and compose music. My songs have been provided to Japanese talent Shunsaku Hara, and I have performed at concerts, events, concert halls, and on television. My work has also been featured in movies and TV dramas.
I truly love music in all its variety!
2. How do you see this recognition influencing your future music?
This is a truly wonderful achievement for me. Being accepted into a music festival of such a high level, not only in the US but also internationally, is both a step forward and a fantastic opportunity. Being recognized on a global stage means a great deal to me and inspires me to keep growing as an artist.
3. What's the moment you first realized music was your calling? Can you describe it?
I realized that music was my true calling when, as an elementary school student, I was able to play difficult pieces such as Chopin’s Revolutionary Etude and Fantaisie-Impromptu, and when I was told that I might have perfect pitch.
From childhood, I also discovered my love for musicals, opera, and singing, which has continued to shape my journey as a performer.
4. What's the most unusual source of inspiration you've drawn from while creating your music?
When I create music, melodies are born from humming, music and lyrics are born from nature, improvisation and intuition, and free inspiration wells up from a sixth sense. Music and poetry are born, grown and spun out of various loves, essential experiences and feelings.
5. Do you have any quirky rituals or habits when you're composing or recording?
When I compose or record, I imagine the person I love and sing as if reaching out to them. Through my songs, I seek to convey meaning, tell stories, and paint vivid images while delivering love, hope, courage, and important messages. My greatest wish is for those who listen to my music to feel moved in their hearts.
6. How would you describe your creative process? Is it more of a jazz jam session or a perfectly orchestrated symphony?
If I were to describe the process of creating my music, it would be like ripples on water, the swaying of autumn leaves in a forest, a hopeful rainbow shining in the sky, the scent and colors of flowers, and the miracle of a setting sun—all overlapping together, a mixture of heart, thoughts, love, dreams, hopes, essential experiences, and countless imaginative images.
7. How do you want people to feel or experience when they hear your music?
I want to convey many important messages through my music: love, hope, dreams, courage, emotion, the strength to overcome difficulties, and the wonder of art, music, and true love.
8. What's one risk you took with your music that completely changed your career path?
When I was in England, the climate was dry, so I had to be more careful about protecting my voice than I do in Japan. It is important to keep learning how to sing properly in order to deliver songs that truly move people.
9. What's the song or artist that first made you fall in love with music, and why?
When I was a child, I was deeply impressed by the songs and lyrics sung by Ryoko Shinohara, and I wanted to sing them too. I began practicing at karaoke, and over time I gradually learned how to sing both professionally and vocally.
I was also overwhelmed and inspired by Whitney Houston’s powerful voice, and I longed to sing songs like hers.
10. What's one moment in your career that you consider a turning point, and how did it shape your journey?
When I attended a friend’s wedding in Mexico, I was suddenly asked to sing at an outdoor venue in front of hundreds of people. To my surprise, everyone praised me warmly, and in that moment I felt the deep emotion and joy of sharing my voice with such a large audience.
I was also very happy when I performed on television in the Kanto region of Japan and won first place in a singing segment. The audience’s kind words—that my song was beautiful and moving—remain one of my most cherished memories.
11. If you could describe your award-winning work in a single sentence, what would it be?
To sum up my song in one sentence, I want to share with everyone the wonder and beautiful miracle of true and eternal love expressed through art and music.
12. What was the most challenging part of creating this piece, and how did you push through?
I created this love song for my good friend’s wedding, writing it while imagining their true, everlasting love and happiness. Much of it was improvised, which made it feel even more heartfelt.
As always, I wrote and composed the song myself, but this time I also collaborated with an arranger who crafted a beautiful orchestral accompaniment for my music and vocals. I was truly happy with how it all came together.
13. What upcoming music project or album are you currently working on, or is there a new genre or style you’ve yet to explore but are eager to try?
I am currently composing jazz and new songs that are bright, positive, unconventional, and uplifting, and I hope to complete the accompaniment soon.
Some time ago in England, I also wrote the script, directed, and composed the lyrics and music for a one-man musical, in which I played the lead role and performed a medley-style song. I would love to release that work on CD in the future.
14. If you could collaborate with any artist, past or present, who would it be, and what would the vibe of your track together be?
Together with Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, I would love to sing artistic songs that share powerful messages with the world—peace, equality, love, and friendship—delivered through their incredible high notes and expressive vibrato.
I also dream of performing a cool, powerful, and charismatic live show with Robbie Williams that would thrill and excite the audience. These are my biggest dreams!
15. How would you inspire fellow musicians to participate in music awards, and what valuable advice would you share to guide their journey?
Participating in and winning the LIT Music Awards is a truly wonderful honor. It means that our music will be recognized worldwide, inspiring audiences, opening new opportunities, and being appreciated around the globe.
This recognition motivates us to take another step forward into a world filled with excitement and hope for the future. I would love to share this joy with everyone, continue to grow and refine our talents, and rise together.
