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nightshadedawn · 4 years

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Persona 6 Concept Part 3

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Unfortunately, this part deals with talk of depression and attempted suicide. It’s not pretty, nor do I claim to have done such a serious topic justice. However, if you have even the smallest thought that it might be triggering, don’t continue on to read the Plot/Playthrough section of this. The next part will have a summer that you can skim past if you prefer to do that. Be safe, everyone.

Opening

We need to talk about the opening. A lot of them have symbolism. And most of them have upbeat songs. Let’s get something a little slower this time, to really experience it, and feel the slow pace of this little town. We don’t need to lie to everyone about how this game’s gonna be played. (I’m also going to recommend some of my own kind of sample music for other things in the next section, so be patient) Also, most stuff I do by accident. If I point it out, I did that on purpose. If I didn’t, that was purely accident and I’m an accidental genius which is the best thing to be.

We’ve got it down slow, right? What kind of symbolism do we got going on? Well, everything’s green to start off with. And kind of like Persona 5’s opening, it’s going to be bright, NOTICE ME. Basically, it’s going to assault your eyes so no matter when or what context you’re thinking of this game in, your first thought is GREEN. Got that? Good.

So we’re thinking green. We’re thinking nature. And as you’ll see below, we’ve got roses. (Okay, so the roses were literally incorporated to be added into this FOR the opening, and I love it so I don’t care) And the only colors we’re going to use for this, besides on the roses, is going to be green, white, and black. This will make the green more assaulting and probably more irritating, but who cares! It’ll be gorgeous.

Now we need other themes. Obviously since there’s two possible MCs, we need to showcase them both. I think in this way we’re going to show them both as the dual sided coin of ‘sickness’ and ‘rebirth.’ You’ll get what I’m seeing in a minute. Obviously this represents how there’s two of them, but also how they’re caught in the middle of this battle with The Plague.

All of the party members will first be seen in situations enabling their sickness, Avis will flit through the screen, and they’ll rip a bandaid off. (This bandaid will also have the image on it that they have on their face mask, which I will provide some example images for below). Their last shot will always be of their rose being left behind.

It starts off in the forest. Pointedly, it starts off on the waterfall. The waterfall, now great and white, crashed down and washes downstream. The next scene is the female and male MC both trapped in a purely white room (representing their blank personalities, for the player to decide, of course), sitting against the far walls. The female MC holds the black rose, while the male MC holds the white for aesthetic reasons (considering the female MC has white hair is lighter colored, the black rose will pop with her, while the reverse is true for the male MC) After this, we start getting into the other characters.

Sayaka is up first, considering the order that I do things, though perhaps she won’t show up first in the opening due to how important she is. (Like how in the last scene of Persona 5’s opening, it was Yusuke, Ann, then Ryuji and Morgana who showed up after the Protagonist) Anyway, we’ll find her by the riverside, holding both arms around her guitar with broken strings (to symbolize a broken heart, eh, eh?), and crying. When her last segment comes around, she pulls her bandaid off one of her fingers and leave behind her rose.

Yūdai is next. At first you’ll find him consuming and consuming. But by the end, he’ll leave the bandaid from inside his elbow with his rose and begin cooking.

Miyako is first found in the graveyard, in front of a grave with Tomomi’s name on it. By the end, she rips the bandaid from her neck and leaves it behind with her rose.

Masahiko is first seen in his father’s office, clenching his thorny rose until his hand bleeds. He leaves both the rose and a bandaid on the office floor as he leaves the room.

Hoshiko will be found in the forest, shadows and flashes of people running through the trees around her as she cowers, nothing to hold onto but her rose. She pulls the bandaid off her cheek and runs after them.

Jun is in the courtyard of the school, breathing heavily and in the middle of a fight. He pulls off the bandaid on his nose and lets it fall to the ground by his rose.

Shinju sits in her chair, looking outside a window and longing to go out. She pulls the bandaid off her knee and leaves it with her rose before going outside.

And then there’s The Plague. He doesn’t get to leave behind a rose. The only rose he gets is the one pinned to his coat. And the biggest frame we see him in is he’s there, an almost fully corrupted core held between his hands before the scene flashes away. It will flash to the MCs in their little white room.

Saying that, let’s get back to the MC. Those will probably take up most of the opening, if I’m being honest. But there’s one really important scene that I think needs added to the opening. Well, two, I suppose.

This first’s one’s easier to explain, and perhaps the scene that come right after the one with The Plague. They’re back in the white room, this time back to back, no longer holding the roses, and instead gripping at their heads. They’re curled away from each other, as if in immense pain. But they both stand and turn towards the camera, walking through a door. Is it blue, is it white, is it black? Who knows?

The second is a popular trope, I think, in openings to have something like this, especially when they two in question are rivals and enemies. But this needs done, I believe, though it’s a bit harder to explain. One side of the screen is light, while the other is dark. It doesn’t matter if it’s the male MC or the female MC is on either side, they will go to the other before this segment is over. The dark side is their Other World, while the light side is their town. I think, instead of walking to the other side, the camera will spin around them, a line down the screen so it always stayed with one light half and one dark half, so you can see each of them in the light and dark but also both on seperate sides. This one was a little hard to explain. Sorry, guys.

Maybe the second one will be in the middle of the first? Like right after they stand up, it does this before they start walking out.

The end scene will start immediately after they walk out of the door, and have all the roses of the different party members tied up in a bouquet in a vase by a hospital bed, but the black and white roses will be left crossed and forgotten on the floor. (If it’s insinuated that this was the hospital room the MC’s mother died in, all the better)

With that out of the way, onto music!

I don’t think everything should be slow, obviously, but having some slower tracks really would set the mood. Considering that this is a small down, without a lot of adventure waiting to happen, I don’t think a BUNCH of upbeat tracks would be appropriate. Here’s some music that I found that I think would fit within the confines of this supposed game, even if they can’t be used legitimately.

Music

On top of some of these, let’s get some traditional Japanese songs on modern instruments up in here, maybe to some modern beats. Put a new spins on things. Also, make sure to check out the original video that inspired this in the first place for his idea on the music! I found a lot of instrumentals, though his ideas will work a lot better for some parts.

Opening

Sailor Moon - Moonlight Densetsu / Star Locket Theme (Harp Cover)

手紙～拝啓十五の君へ～ Tegami Haikei Juugo no Kimi e 歌ってみた【Ventus】 w/ English, Japanese, 中文字幕 subs

Ivan Torrent - Skyborn

L'Arc~en~Ciel 05 Dive to Blue

Background Tracks That I Don’t Know Where to Put

Magical Forest - Enchanted Celtic Woods (Album)

Most Popular Harp Covers of Popular Songs 2018 || The Best Harp Music - Harp Cover Version Playlist

"Fireflies" by Owl City (Harp cover)

Ellie Goulding - Love Me Like You Do // Amy Turk, Harp

Epic Adventure Music - Journey Of Wonders

(Epic Adventure Music) - Venturing To The New World -

Fantasy Music - Lumina

See You Again | Wiz Khalifa ft.Charlie Puth | Melodious Flute Cover | Swarnim Maharjan

Happy forest song!

Morning Jazz - Amazing, Happy, Upbeat, Positive Music | Relax Music to Start Your Day

Most Epic Music Ever: Tosca Fantasy

Inside Tracks - Breathing Hope & Confidence - Song Mix (Epic Music)

Most Beautiful Music Ever: "Everdream" by Epic Soul Factory

Most Emotional Music Ever: "Nightsky" by Tracey Chattaway

Japanese Fantasy Music - Between Worlds

Autumn Leaves and Wind Chimes – 10 Hour Soundscape for Sleep, Meditation, Ambience, Relaxation

Morning Musume - Sakura Mankai

GIRLS`GENERATION 少女時代_ALL MY LOVE IS FOR YOU_Music Video

WORLD ORDER "HAVE A NICE DAY"

Town - Day

Hallelujah on a Harp - Leonard Cohen Tribute

Moana - 'How Far I'll Go' - Flute Cover

Lana Del Rey - Summertime sadness for cello and piano (COVER)

Good Vibes In Forest Upbeat - Vlog Music Royalty Free

Town - Rainy Days

Toto - Africa // Amy Turk, Harp

"Sweater Weather" by The NBHD | Harp Cover

Town - Night

"Perfect" by Ed Sheeran | Harp Cover (Wedding)

John Legend - All of Me Flute Cover

Emotional Music - A Nostalgic Dream

Forest - Day

Fíonnula's Tale | Celtic Flute Music

Elisabeth Wentland - Kuhlau fantasy for flute solo op. 38 D major

(Epic Asian Music) - Dance Of The Sun -

(Epic Celtic Music) - Splendor of Nature

Forest - Night

(Epic Celtic Music) - Spirit Of The Moon (feat. Léa FANTIN)

(Epic Battle Music) - The Moonlight Huntress

Fantasy Elven Music - The Voice of the Forest

Moonlight Sonata (Liquid Dubstep Remix)

Exploring the Other World

Fantasy Celtic Music - Spirit of the Wild

(Celtic Adventure Music) - Spirit Of Freedom

(Celtic Adventure Music) - Running Free - Peter Crowley

Into an Enchanting Forest || Magical Celtic Music @432Hz || Mystical Forest Sounds

Into a Mystical Forest || Enchanted Celtic Music @432 Hz || Nature Sounds || Magical Forest Music

Enchanted Forest Music (528Hz) : Brings Positive Transformation | Mystical Forest Sounds

Battle/Difficult Boss Approaching

(Viking Medieval Metal) - The Valley Of Myths - Peter Crowley

Epic Heroic Music - Horizon Of Hope

The Hobbit - Misty Mountains Cold on STL Ocarina

Upbeat Background Music - Nature Magic - by MusicForYourMedia

Empire of Angels

Celtic Battle Music - Iron Queen

From the Fields of Gallia (Epic Celtic Metal)

Celtic Music - Wolf Blood

-The Most Epic Sound- Tchaikovsky Remix

Epic Violin Battle Music

Shizen - Skydancer (Epic Dark Dramatic Orchestral)

World's Most Epic Music Ever: False God (Shizen)

Ending Theme

Yiruma - "River Flows in You" (cover by Bevani flute)

桑田佳祐 - 明日晴れるかな Kuwata Keisuke - Ashita Hareru Kana

'Ashita hareru kana?' cover by Fika Hime [Akan kah besok cerah?]

Roses

Two flowers for two MCs. Both are associated with purity, rebirth, and new beginnings. As the black rose cannot be found naturally, it’s also associated with a cloud of mystery, much like the MC of any Persona game.

Sakaya’s rose is red, as which represent a deep understanding and love. They could be exchanged with Yūdai’s pink, as pink roses are often used to represent friendship or crushes

Yūdai’s rose color is pink, as pink roses are often used to represent friendship or crushes. They could be exchanged with Sakaya’s red roses, which represent a deep understanding and love.

Miyako’s rose color is blue, because they are known for mystery and intrigue, but also for mourning and sadness.

Masahiko’s rose color is purple, as they are associated with royalty, pride, attachment, and enchantment.

Hoshiko’s flower is yellow, a shade that is often associated with cheeriness, joy, and friendship. It is also rumors to be associated with jealousy in older times.

Jun’s rose is orange, a color associated with passion, energy, desire, and excitement.

Shinju’s rose is green, representing rejuvenation and spirit.

The Plague is represented by a wilting rose, as everyone else has a rose theme and obviously he’s up to shady shit if his rose is dying. And people around town were dying. This only seemed to fit.

The Doors

The doors will be your entrances to the Other World and the Velvet Room. You’ll be able to enter and exit through the doors however many times you like, but once you leave out from under the waterfall, you’re done for the day. Like Persona 5, the world behind each door, called Moarte, will be unique to the owner. Unlike Persona 5 where it reflected their desires, the Moarte will reflect their sickness and the world as their sickness makes it, especially the closer you get to their Shadow, though all of it will be nature themed.

White Door - The white door will be your door to Padure Nesfarsita, the endless forest. This is where you’ll do your crunching. The Shadows here will take the shape of large animals and gigantic, carnivorous plants. Everything is overgrown, and there will be times when you’ll be forced to stop because the path is so overgrown. (When the next section of the game starts it will become clear and you may continue on) The beginning of the forest will be bright and easier to navigate, but the further you go in, it’ll steadily grow darker and become almost maze like in how often it’ll lead you off the path. And going off the path, in any part of the forest, will greet you with Shadows above your level. (if you’re a high level, reaching into the 70s, this won’t be much of a problem because there is a lack of Shadows that usually reach that level. Be warned if you are not a high level) This will be the door the blue butterfly will lead you through, and will be where you first see The Plague.

Yellow Door - This will be your first dungeon, and will be where Yūdai’s Shadow is. The door will be opened when the MC and Sayaka use their keys to unlock it, if the keys are used to summon Personas. The other side leads to what looks like a paradise. Picture every description of Eden you’ve ever heard. A tropical paradise, with fruits hanging low from the trees and just begging to be picked. But not long into the place, you’ll discover that it’s incredibly hostile. In the distance is a large Aztec style building. The first half of your crawl will be getting to the building, the rest of it will be getting to the center.

Red Door - This is your second dungeon, and Miyako’s door. You will use the keys of all current party members (if applicable) to open this door. If not applicable, the key retrieved from Yūdai’s dungeon will open it. Immediately upon entering, it will be a different feeling to the previous dungeon because this one is immediately hostile. Everything is overgrown, you have to climb over and under large, thorned vines. Once you manage to get through this, you’ll come across a Sleeping Beauty type castle, with a wall of thorns surrounding it. You’ll have to find Miyako’s Shadow within the Palace.

Pink Door - This is your third time doing this, so you know the drill. Use the party’s keys (or the key gained form the previous door) to enter this one. This will be Masahiko’s door. Inside, it’s only desert. There’s not so much as a tumble weed in sight. Eventually, you’ll come to a water source that leads down, down, down and this will take up the entirety of your dungeon crawl. At the bottom, you’ll find Masahiko’s Shadow.

Purple Door - Hoshiko’s dungeon, the next on your list, will look like something out of a horror movie. The Shadows of this dungeon will looks like ghosts and demons and there will be a much higher chance of them coming out of nowhere, so be careful here. The foggy forest you go through will eventually lead you to a wooden cabin (or creepy Victorian mansion, whichever is more terrifying, maybe an abandoned school or temple since I think those apply more to a Japanese audience?). Once you enter this building (whatever it may be), you’ll be separated from your teammates. You must find them all before you can embark below into the basement to find Hoshiko’s Shadow. This will be a long, harrowing process seeing as it will not be made easy on you. You’ll have to fight, even team members short, and you cannot leave or save until you’ve found them all.

Blue Door - This is the Velvet Room entrance, obviously. It has only one keyhole, and will be unlocked by the MC’s key to the Velvet Room.

Green Door - Jun’s dungeon, your fifth run, will be… a work in progress. Maybe a deadly forest, like the Amazon, because of his explosively dangerous anger, or a swamp, ‘cause his personality’s shit.

Silver Door - Shinju’s door will be a frozen wasteland. It won’t take you long to get to the building, and it will be where you spend your dungeon crawl. The building is a broken fortress, with large gaping holes. It will be freezing, with snow and ice storms blocking your vison in some places, making it impossible to see Shadows.

Gold Door - A major mishap has caused Sayaka to loose control of her Persona and loose her immunity to the virus. After being in town so long, she quickly catches the virus, and thanks to The Plague, she gains her own door. You and your party now must go in and save her before the virus kills her. But this time, you’re on a time crunch. Because while you know what you’re doing by now, so does The Plague. And he thinks it’s time to get rid of you. (Who knows what this one actually looks like? That’s a work in progress too)

Black Door - It’s time to face The Plague. And I’m actually very excited to talk about this part. Be prepared!

Plot/Playthrough

Wow. That was a lot of stuff to go through, and a lot of music, huh? Sorry, I got a little carried away there. I’d also recommend looking through the music on the video that provided this train of thought! But without further ado, let’s get into the plot.

April 7: MC arrives in town.

April 8: MC and Yuuki go to the school to finish registration. MC meets Tomomi.

April 9: MC is walked to school by Tomomi and meets Sakaya.

April 10: An old lady died last night, and it’s rumors to be of the virus. No one is worried. It’s never killed before. MC sees the cores for the first time, and see Tomomi’s corrupted core. Sakaya takes the MC out after school to go explore the town and surrounding forest, and they end up in the other world where they confront The Plague and MC awakens their Persona. MC dreams of the Velvet Room.

April 11: They receive the news that Tomomi is dead. Sakaya drags MC back to the waterfall and beyond the door from before. Today Sayaka awakens her Persona. They meet and heal Avis. While exploring and trying to get out, you’ll come across a Shadow that looks similar to Yūdai.

April 12: Sayaka confronts you about Yūdai’s corrupted core, and you decide to go back and try to do something about it before he ends up like Tomomi. Yūdai joins the party.

April 13 - May 3: This is your time to go through Yūdai’s Palace (I’m just going to call it that because it’s easier on everyone, okay?). You defeat the boss and Yūdai stops going to school. If you’ve still got time left after defeating the final boss, up your stats and start on as many confidants as you can!

May 4: Yūdai is released from the hospital and the MC’s family goes to Dr. Ueda to get checked out. The MC is the only one not infected by the virus. Natsuki asks you to attend Tomomi’s funeral.

May 5: Tomomi’s funeral, and the first time you meet Miyako.

May 6: Yūdai and Sakaya will take the MC and Avis out to celebrate Yūdai’s release from the hospital, and you’ll hear that the virus has taken a married couple.

May 7 - May 10: You’ll be free to do as you like.

May 11 - May 14: Exams.

May 15: Natsuki takes you to Miyako’s house, and you find Miyako in bad shape. Investigating Padure Nesfarsita will guide you to Miyako’s Shadow, but The Plague takes her away.

We return to our playthrough on May 16.

Worried for Miyako’s safety, the MC, Sayaka, Yūdai, and Avis go to her house once more, only for no one to answer when the knock. However, the door is unlocked and open. (Not a lot, just a crack, as if it were pushed shut in an uncaring haste…)

Considering the state of Miyako the last time, and the state of her Shadow, the group pushes in and just goes inside. Only to find Miyako about to hang herself in her living room.

There’s no talking her down, just a mad rush to get her down from the chair as quickly as possible and remove the rope from sight. Obviously, she fights and yells and screams. One of them calls an ambulance and/or police (for one, it’s a small town, and two, who do you call in this situation? I’ve never been in their shoes, and I hope I never have to be)

Anyway, Miyako ends up in the hospital under surveillance. The three of you leave the hospital late that night, only to be informed early the next morning that Miyako ran out of the hospital and no one knows where she’s gone (honestly, terrible hospital staff)

Avis informs MC and friends that she can slightly sense Miyako due to having met her Shadow in Padure Nesfarsita. So Avis leads you to the forest, and you’ll chase her closer and closer to the waterfall.

Miyako ends up under the waterfall in the cave, and the red door swings wide open. She runs through it, but it locks and closes before you can go through it. You have to use all previously collected keys to unlock it.

Going through the door leads you to a tunnel of thorns, thorny stalks blocking out any and all light from above. It’s much colder than Yūdai’s Palace, and much darker. A complete contrast, not even trying to hide its hostility.

And Miyako is running right towards the castle at the end.

The team follows, and you’ll have to chase her inside the castle a bit before finally cornering her in an elaborate bedroom, out on the balcony. She’ll stand there at the edge, steely eyed and daring you to come a step further, hospital gown and hair fluttering in the wind.

No matter what is said, there’ll be no reasoning with her. It’ll be then that you’ll be able to notice the shimmer by her. Sending a projectile with good aim its way will reveal Miyako’s Corrupted Depression (and it’s already fucking corrupted as it is, isn’t it?) as it moves away from her.

As it is the physical embodiment of depression, it’s going to do everything in its power to make your party back off or take a swan dive. It will also bring your attention to Shadow Miyako, who is sleeping on the bed behind you, looking every image of a sleeping beauty.

It’ll summon Shadows to come fight you when you refuse to back off, and the Corrupted Depression will disappear as the Shadows corner you on the balcony. The fight will be stalled by the balcony crumbling, and Miyako will begin to fall.

I’m tempted to have the MC catch her, panic at the thought of death, then remember that’s what she wanted anyway, and beg to be let go. In this scenario, the MC will say something to make her want back up but- oops! She’s slipped and is now falling towards her death again.

In the other scenario, she’s still falling towards her death, but she was never caught. After some thought, she decides that fuck no, she doesn’t want to die. I mean, she kinda does, ‘cause she doesn’t want to live. But she wants it to be on her terms.

Either way, before she reaches the ground, she will summon for the first time her Persona. Her’s will likely be the only Persona with wings. Anyway, Persona catches her and deposits her back on the balcony to fight along the rest of the team (fuck yeah, you’ve got a full four member team now!)

The Shadows are easy to fight, unfortunately, much harder Shadows will appear and drive you out of the castle and you’ll have to escape back to the cave. However, as you’re leaving through the door, the tunnel of thorns will twist and turn and become a forest of thorns instead, making it deadly and difficult to maneuver. There’s no need to worry about it now, but instead time to get Miyako to safety.

So, they leave Miyako’s Palace and gather around the table under the waterfall, as they do, and you explain everything to Miyako. About the Palace, her corrupted core, and her Persona. And her impending death if they don’t cure her Shadow.

Miyako questions if curing her Shadow will also cure her depression, but they don’t really know if it’ll do that. Yūdai is still obese, hesitant about doing this fighting thing at all, and likes food too much for his own good. Depression is… a much more serious issue. It’s not something that can just be magicked away. Curing her Shadow will rid her of the corruption, and defeating the Corrupted Depression will free her to do something about it. It’s her first step to getting better.

Miyako is quiet after the conversation. Finally, she says she wants to go back and help to fight. She agrees to go back to the hospital AFTER the Corrupted Depression is defeated.

May 18 - June 8 will be your allotted time to complete her palace. As before, if you don’t complete her palace, Miyako will die on the last day and it’ll be an automatic game over. However, if you do complete the palace, that very night, Miyako will turn herself in. She will return to school the next Monday afterward June 8, and we’re going to say that’s June 10 since that’s what the calender I’m using as reference for my numbers says.

Your first time back, you will immediately be able to tell that this Palace is a lot more hostile than Yūdai’s. This forest of thorns you have to get through will try its damndest to prevent you from getting back to the castle. This one will also be much less straightforward, as you’ll have to find openings to get through the thorns. But you will prevail, as you must.

However, once you get to the castle, there will many more Shadows, so you’ll have to be very careful unless you want to fight your way through them all. But the good news is that if you remember your way to the bedroom from before, it’ll be really easy to get there.

Once again, as soon as you interact with Miyako’s sleeping Shadow, the Corrupted Depression will appear. It’ll attempt to talk Miyako into just laying down and dying. After all, her Shadow looks so peacefully sleeping- a sleep she’ll never wake up from. An endless sleep.

This pisses Miyako off, exceptionally, and she shouts something along the lines of “If you want me dead, don’t make me do your dirty work for you, coward! Kill me yourself like every other deadly disease!”

What ensues is the big boss battle, and it’ll use ‘Despair’ a lot, which Miyako is highly susceptible to. It’ll be weak to Light/Bless skills, though, which’ll be helpful. Be sure to take advantage of that.

You’ll win, of course. Which is always nice! What’s even better is that nothing else attacks you as you go up and heal Miyako’s Shadow. Her core goes from black to green, and she’s saved! Another Palace down, and you leave without issue.

If you haven’t gotten a key from Miyako awakening her Persona, when you visit the Velvet Room that night, Lucius/Gilbert will reward you with the next key you’ll need. You’ll be congratulated, learn a little more, and all that good stuff. Until Miyako comes back to school, you’re free to do as you like.

Her first day back, she’ll cause quite the commotion, not only because of the rumors of her attempted suicide and escape from the hospital following her around, but also because she’ll go to the third year’s classroom at lunch and go right up to the MC, Sayaka, and Yūdai as they’re talking. She’ll deeply bow and thank you for saving her life before attempting to leave.

Sayaka will invite her out to celebrate her release from the hospital, and she’ll agree, if that’s what her senpais want. After some agreement (begrudging or not on your part) it will be agreed to go out the next day. The party’s great! No news of another death this time! When you go home after the party, Yuuki will be complaining about a new transfer this late into the school year (it’s only June, old man)

The news od another death happens the day after. This time, it’s a kid. Yikes. Fuck. That’s not good. But at the same time, Masahiko enters the picture about a week later.

After Sayaka hears about the new transfer student (and rumors about how handsome he is) both you and Yūdai are dragged down to the second year classroom under the guise of seeing how Miyako is holding up.

Which is a good thing. Because the moment you enter the classroom, you see Miyako chewing Masahiko out and yelling at him for sitting in Tomomi’s seat, the flowers and vase Miyako put there shattered on the ground, and Yuuki trying to amend the situation. The second years are a big class, that’s the only open seat. If they had two classrooms instead of one, he could be placed somewhere else, but they can’t now because it’s literally the only open seat. In an INCREDIBLY crowded classroom.

Of course, Miyako is still stressed and angry and crying, and Masahiko is being a dick about it until Miyako throws something in his face and storms out of the classroom, past the MC and friends. Masahiko is only mildly perturbed by what Miyako was saying, and only shows it for a moment before playing it off as being disgusted by what she threw at him.

So, next time, we’ll be talking about Masahiko! And a surprise guest?

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#persona #persona series #persona 6 #persona 5 #persona 4 #persona 3

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nikitasbt · 5 years

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Jokyō (女経, A Woman’s Testament, 1960) by Kozaburo Yoshimura, Kon Ichikawa, Yasuzo Masumura

Jokyo is a 1960 Japanese anthology film, one of a few examples of this genre from the years of Golden Age of Japanese cinema. Three novels are shot by different directors Kozaburo Yoshimura, Kon Ichikawa, and Yasuzo Masumura and tied together by a theme of a strong woman who had discredited the men and learned not to trust them, under any circumstances.

The first story by Yoshimura depicts a female protagonist Kimi in quite an unpleasant light. She works in a club squeezing money from all the men approaching her. She excels in cynism and decayed moral. The motivation and background of Kimi played Ayako Wakao remain unclear causing no sympathy to her. Kimi is a sort of courtesan, and this is tribute Yoshimura pays to one of the most prominent themes of Japanese Golden Ages films. For instance, it has been one of the most significant themes for the acclaimed classic of Japanese cinema Kenji Mizuguchi. Ayako Wakao played a similar character in Mizuguchi’s final film Street of Shame. Though, in that film, her motivation was pretty much understandable. She’s been living with other geishas for years hoping to buy her way out of business. Very few women were able to do that, but Wakao’s character was shown very smart, emotionally stable and down-to-earth. Street of Shame was a poignant drama of geishas, while Yoshimura’s short film just tells heroine’s fiancée had dumped just before the wedding. So she ended up this way hating the men and thinking they are not worth any consideration and trust. It is certainly true in many situations, but Kimi doesn’t radiate anything positive. The viewers can express respect to her sense for business, but it is not quite clear why she ended up this way and why all the other women around are also shown to illustrate such way of interaction between men and women is the only thing that works out. Of course, 10 years back women in Japan had no chance to live the life as Wakao’s character lives so it’s a good thing she can be independent. But from the other hand, the entire idea is quite bleak, and at some point, it seems like director conveys that men always lie to women, and women are meant to scam them in return. And that’s about it, there is no alternative.

Even though I was not really fond of the first story, I must say Ayako Wakao always colours me amazed of her roles, and this case was no exception. She is one of the most outstanding leading ladies of the late Japanese Golden Age.

The second story shot by Kon Ichikawa brings a different tone. Kon Ichiwaka casts here another shining star of Japanese cinema of the 1950-s and one of his favourite actresses who collaborated with him several times – 1950 Miss Nippon Fujiko Yamamoto. In cinema industry, she’s primarily known for her role in Yasujiro Ozu’s Higanbana, but from my point of view in this film, she has one of her most stellar roles. Yamamoto portrays a woman agent tricking men into buying an expensive property. With elaborate decoys, she makes the men fall in love with her and convince them to help her buying the things belonging to her husband who passed away (though, the property belongs to the agencies she works for). In this story, she meets a writer who seemingly falls under her charm too and buys an almost rundown house for a huge amount of money. Later, the plot twists and the viewers come to know that the writer knew initially about the woman’s plan and decided to keep playing this game. A character portrayed by Yamamoto is adorable, mesmerizing, enthralling and tantalizingly enchanting. However, despite her nasty business she appears to be the type who just hasn’t met her love yet, but she is not as cynical as a character played by Ayako Wakao in the first novel. This story ends happily with the characters meeting each other and realizing they have nothing for each other, but joint affinity. The performance and emotions of one of the most beautiful Japanese actresses Fujiko Yamamoto make this story visually wonderful. Also, a short appearance of Hitomi Nozoe in one of her first roles in the cinema is very remarkable. She would get her spot of the top star of Japanese cinema later than the Golden Age faded away.

The third story is directed by Yasuzo Masumura. This novel stars a famous kabuki actor Ganjiro Nakamura famous for his roles in Ozu’s Floating Weeds, The End of Summer and many other famous Golden Age Japanese films. Also, it stars Rashomon’s star Machiko Kyo who played in a duo with Nakamura several times before this film. Machiko Kyo’s roles of the 1960-s are often even much impressive than her breakthrough performances of the early 1950-s. In Masumura’s novel, she plays a former geisha Omitsu who is currently a businesswoman. She has money now, yet she lacks happiness and emotional connections with people. As she gets older, she loses the hope to be happy with someone since she had learned the women should not trust men. This is what she tells her younger relative, a girl who intends to get married. Omitsu has been through many problems and social pressure during her life, and she tries to teach the young girl in a skeptical manner. However, in the end, she realizes that the young people are very vivid and passionate and they are supposed to experience ups and downs themselves. Eventually, she gives up agreeing to finance the future wedding and says one day she hopes to be happy in a family as well. The subplot with a schoolboy meeting an accident also helps her to soften her feelings and attitude. She is shown as a very experienced and strong woman who doesn’t interfere with the other lives, though. And I really liked this character Machiko Kyo plays in the story.

All-in-all, Jokyo tells three very different stories of women of a new Japanese generation who have been raised on the necessity to be strong and independent. This theme is crucial for the films of Japanese Golden Age of the 1950-1960-s as the social behaviour and roles of genders in social construct change radically in Japan at this time. This theme has been pivotal for Ozu, Mizoguchi, Mikio Naruse, Masaki Kobayashi and other famous Japanese masters of the Golden Age.

#jokyo #女経 #kozaburo yoshimura #kon ichikawa #yasuzo masumura #Ayako Wakao #若尾文子 #fujiko yamamoto #山本富士子 #Machiko Kyo #京マチ子 #Ganjiro Nakamura #中村鴈治郎

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the-story-of-five-lights · 6 years

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Osaka dome fanaccount 180218

I’m writing this after getting some food in my stomach while sitting under the covers in my hotel room and looking out at the night lights in Osaka. I feel incredibly grateful I got to experience these concerts. I know what it’s like to be sitting at home streaming and wishing you could be there, because that’s usually where I am. And I know this time, even though there was a lot of apprehension, so many people wanted the chance to support SHINee in person. I’m thankful I got that opportunity, and I hope I was able to bring at least a portion of all of your well wishes for SHINee into the Dome along with me.

Today was so much easier. Infinitely easier. I’m sure there are people who won’t feel the same, but I feel lighter and more hopeful tonight than I did yesterday. I’ll try and write about some things I didn’t before so I’m not too redundant.

SHINee had an easier time tonight. I won’t pretend it wasn’t difficult for them or they don’t feel a huge weight of grief, but they smiled and were more at ease and teased at each other and clearly felt better than they did yesterday. Even if some smiles were forced, I don’t believe for a second they all were. Yesterday, pulling that band-aid off, made it impossible for them to hold the pain in, and today was a lot less raw.

Because SHINee seemed to be doing better — and probably because many of us knew what to expect — the mood of the concert was dramatically different. We were able to feed off each other’s energy and be more comfortable. Because of that, I was able to pay much more attention during the high energy and joyful parts of the concert today.

So, on to the concert itself:

The opening VCR is really beautiful. Whoever worked on it did an excellent job.

Colors of the Season was more stable vocally today. SHINee starts out standing in a line on stage with spotlights on them, and I realized it was the only time other than the end that they stood on the flat stage like that. During the song, the stage lifts them up high toward the lights before lowering them back down.

I didn’t talk about this before, but I really liked the medley of songs with the clock ticking in the background they played during the first break. It was a look back, and the way they edited the audio was really haunting. It hurt, because I couldn’t help but think of happier times, but I also don’t want to ever forget those memories. I liked that they had little audio snippets of their history. A reminder.

When they came out and started Stranger, the mood was already better than the 17th. I was seated about 10 feet from the middle track that they traveled down a lot and close to the front stage, so I could see their expressions well. The stage moved out towards the center and Key was faced toward my section. He went up close to the edge of the stage (this always makes me so nervous!!) and hyped us all up a lot. Right before the lights went out, he smiled at us, and I felt something loosen in my shoulders. It was clear that today would be different.

I saw a lot of people say Taemin seemed angry-sad yesterday, and I’d have to agree. I don’t think he was pissed, but he seemed closed off and like he was trying to focus on hitting his marks well. He already seemed more, I guess, normal at this point in the concert. He also started shedding clothes, so. You know. Definitely more back to normal. I saw the other members do something to perk him up a few times in like the first half hour of the concert, but after that he was running well on his own steam.

They had their short first ment, which had the same content as the first night but was nowhere near the same. Yesterday they stood in a stiff line with their hands folded together, often looking down when it wasn’t their turn to speak. Today, Onew smiled softly when he spoke (again, I felt such relief), and Key also seemed to have an easier time.

This next part, the Jonghyun tribute, was of course still hard, but I still found it easier than yesterday. I think this was in large part because I knew what to expect, but SHINee held it together the whole time and I think that also contributed. Kimi ga Iru Sekai was the most heart-wrenching for me. Just the image of them standing around the empty center platform is a lot. I saw Key mouth “I love you” when they turned to face Jonghyun’s spot. I thought I must’ve misunderstood because it definitely looked like I love you in English, but since he said it later I think it really must’ve been. It seems like he was doing that throughout the concert, because other people spotted him doing the same at different times.

If I didn’t love Diamond Sky before, I do now. Making that diamond shape has become absurdly meaningful, and raising up my hand alongside SHINee and the music and all the other Shawols in the crowd was so powerful. It’s not a feeling I want to forget any time soon.

The fanlights all changing color to a medley was next and was so cool. I love these wi-fi controlled lights and hope someone got a video of it for you guys. They did all sorts of cool things throughout the concert, like shifting into the shape of multi-colored stars across the stands and flashing like cameras and turning into a shifting rainbow along to Colorful.

SHINee came back out and performed Sherlock. This is one of the songs I thought would be difficult for them to cover, but they did a really good job both nights.

Love Like Oxygen was next, and I completely forgot about this yesterday but it was one of my favorite parts. They sing up to the bridge and then the music pauses and the lights dim. Some deep blue ones go on and the stage they’re on rises. They stay frozen in place and this eerie, haunting music reminiscent of the earlier “journey through our past” medley plays. Then Jonghyun’s vocals played out so clear and pure and echoed through the whole stadium. Only after that do the lights come back up and they continue on with the rest of the song. It was a beautiful, subtle tribute and indicative of how they did their best to incorporate him throughout the concert.

Hello was a lot of fun, and they were smiley and joking through all of it. Lots and lots of cute fanservice. Same for To Your Heart, and the crowd got really into it.

I wrote yesterday that the Dazzling Girl - Lucky Star - Downtown Baby trifecta was fun and one of the only happy parts of the concert. And I still feel they did a great job with it yesterday, especially in the context of such an emotionally harrowing concert. But today was ENTIRELY different. The girl next to me had also attended the day before, and we kept making big eyes at each other because it felt like we’d stepped into another concert altogether. I can genuinely say I had fun during these songs. After yesterday, I’d kind of been dreading the second day, but suddenly I had this big smile I couldn’t get rid of. SHINee was just out there giving it everything. Taemin was grinning and messing around with fans. He also shouted something at the beginning of one song, and I have no idea what it was but the whole place laughed. Which was really nice <3 Onew was pulling silly faces and waving his arms like crazy at everyone while going around on the carts. At the end of Lucky Star, he moved around the blocks (they got it on Star!) so that they said “Stay” then he hopped up on them and did that one move from Danger with his arms flung behind his back. He stayed like that for a good five long seconds too like a total goof. Key was being so sweet and soft to people he passed by and kept the energy up. He was far away from me the whole time, so I saw less of him sadly. I watched Minho a lot up in his hot air balloon, and he kept pointing to people and telling them to smile and then giving them a thumbs up and a firm, approving nod when they did it. He reminded me of a dad lol. He was really, really emotional and almost serious, kept putting his hand to his heart, and I could feel how much he loves us. Seriously.

Next was the dancers’ solo (which was good!) and then Hitchhiking which is still so. cool. The part where they’re on opposing stages coming closer together and having a dance-off… SO COOL. I was sat right in the middle of it so I got the perfect viewpoint. It’s almost like they’re each daring the other pair to go harder, and they got really into it. I don’t have too much to say about the rest of the songs in this part other than they definitely kept the energy up.

They went away for a while again and we chanted “SHINee”, and then Shaband came out and led us in clapping and starting to sing Sing Your Song. Still love this one at concerts <3 Yesterday, we only sang it a capella once, but today they had us keeping going just “once more” like four times. (Key helped us keep going when we faltered.) It was beautiful. The whole place was full of singing, and they stopped for a while and let us do it alone. Minho took out his in ear to hear better, and Taemin smiled really genuinely. Onew had sparkly eyes. You could tell they all wanted to hear it.

I’m With You was a return to something a bit more solemn. The lyrics have taken on a real poignancy. It almost feels like a message to Shawols.

There was another short ment, and once again they were more at ease than before. There were some small smiles and little laughs from shawols. They introduced the new song, and I’m looking forward to everyone getting to hear it clearly. It’s great and catchy, and I think I liked it even more the second time.

Then came Replay with all the old footage on the screens. It wasn’t just old performances of Replay — they had all sorts of meaningful moments like the first Tokyo Dome concerts, all the way back to debut days. This was still hard for me, and they didn’t look at all happy during it.

SHINee went around and did their bows and once again were smiling and waving soooo much at everyone. Much different from yesterday. They stood and talked, saying mostly the same thing as yesterday with a few additions. But their attitude was very different. They weren’t standing so stiffly in a line (like they were nudging each other and silently communicating things as they normally would more) and they spoke more comfortably.

Key said “I love you” to Jonghyun in English and sent kisses up to the sky. At one point, the others must have thought he was done talking, because they bowed and Key looked at them like “huh? what?” and shawols laughed.

After each one of them was done speaking everyone shouted their names loudly and cheered for an extended amount of time. I think everyone wanted to get across our support as much as we could. The cheers were especially loud for Onew.

Before they went backstage, we started chanting SHINee as loud as we could. Minho took out BOTH of his in-ears to listen and Taemin clapped his hands high in the air in approval. They waved goodbye and the curtain/partition came down to block them.

We kept chanting for them until they came out to perform the last song. As soon as the lights lit up the mic stands, people all over started shouting “Jonghyun”, just like we’d shouted for the others when they finished speaking during the ending ment.

This song will always be a gut punch. I knew by this point that they were singing “I’m by your side” and Jonghyun’s last line was “I’m by your side always”. This song hurt the most and there’s no contest. They performed it beautifully. At the very end, Key began to cry and put his head down. Minho looked at Jonghyun’s empty place while the recording of his voice played. He really had a rough time too, but not until they’d already finished singing. Yesterday we were silent (well, crying) while they put their roses on their stands and left, but today people shouted for them. I heard plenty of people shout “Jonghyun” again.

It’s a hard way to end the concert, although it’s fitting. The lights come up and they start playing other music, and you’re left there in this other headspace. I didn’t talk to anyone for a few minutes while I gathered myself.

So while today may not have been exactly easy as we might’ve used to think of it, it was definitely easier. There was more genuine happiness. Yesterday I was nearly left feeling like I couldn’t see a way forward, but not today. I’m feeling a lot more optimistic.

I’m glad I got to go to both shows. I think we all needed yesterday, even though it sucked. It didn’t feel good at all. But I think maybe we needed to let it out, all together, and I’m including SHINee in that. Having done that, it was like we were allowed to try and be a little happier. Yesterday was straight-up raw, barren, cold pit in the stomach grief. Today still had a lot of sad, but it was at least a little bit more peaceful feeling. There were still moments where I felt pretty scraped up. But we’re always going to have those.

I hope if you were listening along you could feel the energy change. It was really palpable. Shawols were more ready, and SHINee seemed more ready too. They really managed to turn an experience I was dreading — after that first day, I wasn’t sure I could do it — into something beautiful and touching and honestly, genuinely fun for good parts of it.

Please don’t mind me getting a little personal here, but sometimes I have doubts. I trust SHINee a lot, and I find that they’re generally very open and honest with us. But occasionally I’ll have a little niggling doubt that they’re just saying something because they feel like they have to. I know it’s k-pop — I know that’s not uncommon.

But there are a few things I know for a fact after all of this:

They love each other. (Although I never doubted this)

They love us.

They love this group and treasure what it means to them.

I know that’s all true.

I can’t predict the future, and it’s all scary right now. But I can at least hold on to those things. They tried so hard to reassure us through these concerts, and I think they were also trying to reassure themselves. I hope we did enough for them. I don’t know if we can right now. Before they went off stage, Minho and Taemin put up their pinkies in a promise and we put ours up in return. I really want to keep that promise, no matter what.

They did Jjong proud. I didn’t have a lot of expectations one way or another going in to this. I just wanted to be there. But the concert was put together beautifully and thoughtfully. They did this unimaginably difficult thing with so much bravery, and my heart’s full because of it. I think I cried more writing all this up than I did all day today, just because I’m so incredibly touched by what I saw. I keep having images flash through my head of their earnest expressions, and their smiles, and their little moments of communicating with shawols. I’m in awe of what a special, unique thing we have.

I’ll join the streaming crowd next week for the Tokyo concerts. Until then and forever, let’s keep doing what Minho asked and remember Jonghyun, our wonderful, shining diamond in the sky and fifth member of SHINee.

#sw2018 #shinee #fanaccount #kyocera dome #osaka trip #the big time

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serendipitystvdies · 6 years

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Study Music Masterpost

K-Pop

BTS Piano Music 1 HOUR | Relaxing K-Pop Instrumental Compilation | BTS Music Box 2 Hour K-Pop Piano Music K-Pop Piano Mix | 1 Hour of Study Music

Anime

Anime Soundtracks - Walking/Studying/Life - Relaxing | Beautiful Anime and Game Music 1 Hour | Relaxing Anime Piano Music Kimi no Na wa (Your Name) Music OST -【Piano】- 君の名は 1 Hour Piano & Instrumental - Inuyasha OST

Classical

Studio Ghibli

Studio Ghibli Cello Collection Studio Ghibli Cello Collection Pt. 2 Studio Ghibli Guitar Collection Studio Ghibli - Relaxing Jazz & Bossa Nova Music - Best Relaxing Piano - Studio Ghibli

Chill/Aesthetics

tomppabeats Studio Ghibli [Tributes Mix] Lofi Hip Hop Radio 24/7 🎧 Chill Gaming / Study Beats Chill Study Beats 4 • Jazz & Lofi Hiphop Mix Homework Radio | Lofi Revise/Relax/Chill/Sleep Radio

Disney

【Cafe Music】Disney Music Cover - Jazz & Bossa Nova Music - DISNEY | The Piano Collections | Arranged by Sam Yung Relaxing Disney Piano Collection Vol. 2 Disney Collection | Piano & Orchestra | Vol. 2

Just some of the playlists I like to put on while I’m studying, reading, writing, etc.!

#studyblr #music #playlist #study music #mine #original content

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lananiscorner · 7 years

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what type of music do you listen to? Know any sad songs? Anstey songs? the despair like kind of songs? Songs that really move a person lolz

[continued] or just make you 'feel' u know what I mean 'move' may or may not be dramatic - I guess it depends on context?

Thank you for your ask, batmockingjay! Warning, long post ahead. :)

My taste in music is pretty eclectic, actually. I listen to everything from classical violin pieces to EDM to death metal, depending on my mood. If I had to pick a favorite genre, it would probably be (electro)swing, because that’s music that just energizes me whenever I hear it. About the only thing I really hate is “Schlager”, the German equivalent of country pop for moms of the “when are you finally gonna give me grandkids?” age. Just... ugh... keep that shit away from my playlist.

I also rarely follow individual bands, but rather individual songs. For example, I love SIA’s “Elastic Heart”, but it didn’t make me feel compelled to check out more of her stuff. The last time that happened was Florence And The Machine and even then I didn’t really like the third album and I mostly stick to about a dozen songs of theirs.

Now, for actual favorite songs that evoke strong emotions, there are quite a few, but my absolute favorite is Florence And The Machine - Cosmic Love. I already went into detail about that one before, but basically, it describes perfectly what loving someone who is not easy to love feels like, without wallowing in despair.

Here’s a non-exhaustive list of other songs that I keep on a short list for quick, intense feels:

Happy/Uplifting songs:

Ana Marie - Bom Bom Bom

Deladap - Georgian Lesson 1-6

Franz Ferdinand - This Fire

Jack Radics - No Matter

Parov Stelar - The Paris Swing Box

Pharrell Williams - Happy

Pitbull - Fireball (don’t normally like his stuff, but this one always makes me want to dance)

Rihanna - Diamonds

Sam & Dave - Hold On, I’m Coming

The Electric Swing Circus - Everybody Wants To Be A Cat

Tearjerker songs:

Adele - Someone Like You (came out about the same time I had my heart broken for the first time, so that doesn’t make it better)

Annie Lennox - Into The West (off the Lord Of The Rings - Return Of The King OST)

Diana Ross - If We Hold On Together (off the Land Before Time OST, mostly because of how big a part of my childhood that movie was)

Florence And The Machine - Never Let Me Go

Full Metal Alchemist OST - Bratja/Brothers (both versions, Russian and English)

Glashaus - Haltet die Welt an (German, it’s a song about losing a loved one and it goes downhill from there)

Johnny Cash - Give My Love To Rose

Maluka - Reignite (a massively amazing Mass Effect tribute)

Nelly Furtado - Try

Nightwish - Deep Silent Complete

Nightwish - Sleeping Sun

Nightwish - Two For Tragedy

Princess Mononoke OST - Mononoke Hime

Angsty songs (mostly with a side-helping of “angry”):

Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit

Linkin Park - Numb

Linkin Park - Pushing Me Away (seriously, throw a rock at any Linkin Park playlist and you’re liable to hit some good angst)

Placebo - Song To Say Goodbye

Placebo - Soulmates Never Die

Pulse Ultra - Build Your Cage

Rise Against - Zero Visibility

Superchick - Beauty From Pain (the ultimate Woobie song)

The Buzzhorn - Ordinary

The Rolling Stones - Paint It Black

Trapt - Enigma

Trapt - Headstrong

Simply epic songs:

Attack On Titan OST - Army Attack

Batman: Arkham Origins OST - Arkham Origins Suite

Castle In The Sky OST - Kimi o nosete

Faunts - M4 Part 2 (off the Mass Effect OST)

Florence And The Machine - What The Water Gave Me

Florence And The Machine - Seven Devils

Florence And The Machine - Spectrum

Garry Schyman - Praan (Bengali, the ultimate inspirational pop song)

Ghost In The Shell OST - Inner Universe

Josh Groban - Remember (off the Troy OST - terrible movie, awesome song)

Lux Aeterna - Requiem For A Dream

.hack//G.U. OST - I’m Right Here

Mass Effect 2 OST - Suicide Mission

SIA - Elastic Heart

The Cranberries - Animal Instinct

The Fifth Element - The Diva’s Song

Zaz - On Ira (French)

For the lulz: Mortal Kombat Movie OST - Mortal Kombat Theme. If that song doesn’t make you want to jump out of your seat and kick ass, what the fuck is wrong with you?

#asks #batmockingjay #music #favorite songs #mood music

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forcri · 5 years

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Têtu: Madame X is clearly your most political album since American Life what was your state of mind? Were you afraid? Were you angry? Have you had enough? Madonna: A little bit of everything. I am afraid. I’m frightened by so many things that are going on in the world. As you are I’m sure. But I’m also optimistic. I feel like the future is full of possibilities. I hope I was able to channel my anger and my rage in order to create music full of joy. And I wish that these new songs will inspire people to react. As it’s what we have to do with our rage. We won’t change the world with fury. I feel every emotion you mentioned. To me, in many ways, this album is the continuation of American Life.

On “Killers Who Are Partying”, you sing “I’ll be Israel, if Israel is imprisoned. / I’ll be Islam, if Islam is attacked.” What should we understand? That you want become one with minorities? What Mirwais and I try to say in this song, is that we don’t see the world in a fragmented way, but as a unity. And I am part of that. I see myself as part of the soul of the Universe. I don’t see the world through categories and labels. But society loves to categorise, put labels and separate people: the poor, the gays, the Africans… because it gives us a sense of security. What I say in this song is that I will be every label people try to put on us. I will be on the front line. I’ll take the punches, the shots. Because I am a citizen of the world and because my soul is connected to all other humans. So I am responsible for everyone I need to take care of them. If one person suffers, I suffer. To me, this song is an act and a declaration of solidarity.

Mirwais produced 6 songs on this album, including this one. How was the reunion? We never fell out of touch. It was great working together again. ‘Killers Who Are Partying” is the first song worked on. It’s a political song but everything Mirwais and I do together, always ends up being political. Because it’s also his way of thinking. The guitar we hear during the intro of the song is a sample I recorded myself during a fado session. The sound of this guitar is exactly what I wanted. I really felt inspired by the melancholy and the feeling of this music, by the sound of Cesária Évora, by morna [music] and Cape Verde. The authenticity of the music I heard everywhere in Portugal touched me. I wanted to make this music my own and make it sound more modern. I asked Mirwais: “What do you think you can do with it Does it inspire you?” Of course, he really liked it.

In the song “Dark Ballet”, you sing “Our world is full of pain.” Are you not part of “our world” anymore? I’m not saying that your world is not mine anymore. I just say that this world where people are ruled and dominated by the illusion of fame and luck… ruled, dominated and enslaved by social media… ruled and dominated by oppressors who discriminate people endlessly… this world, I refuse to be a part of it. This song, “Dark Ballet,” was inspired by Joan of Arc and her story. It’s like a point of connection. Madame X and Joan of Arc come together. I speak her words and her language and I say: “I am not afraid to die for what I believe in.” And it’s exactly what I feel.

A year ago, you commented on a photo your manager Guy Oseary posted regarding the 20-year anniversary of Ray of Light: “Remember when i made records with other artists from beginning to end and I was allowed to be a visionary?”. Have you been allowed to be a visionary this time? I think you are taking things out of context… (Her publicist steps in: It’s unclear. Do you have another question?”, but Madonna continues) I don’t remember exactly what I wrote at the time. But I was surely was not criticising Guy Oseary. Nobody has ever not allowed me to do me anything. Yes, people criticise me, but nobody ever told me I couldn’t be a visionary. People often warn me however and say “Be careful!” (and she moves her finger like someone would when reprimanding a child).

Do you think this album will shake the music industry? I wouldn’t use this word to describe my music. Provocative, conflicting, emotional, passionate: those are the words I would use. And I also hope “inspiring.”

In the intro of “I Rise”, we can hear a sample of Emma González’ speech, one of the survivors of the High School shooting in Parkland who became an icon and advocate for gun control. Do you feel you’ve inspired this generation? I hope so. That’s what I am looking for. I see Emma as a spokeswoman and pioneer for her generation. I just keep doing what I have always done. I fight for women’s rights and humans in general. I fight for equality.

In “Medellín”, the first single of the album, you reminisce about your early days, when you were 17. What do you think of your career? I think I’ve taken a lot of shit! (laughs). That’s for sure. I feel like I’ve broken multiple barriers for women who came after me. But I’m aware that our fight is far from being over. And to be honest, I feel like I’m still fighting for the same things today.

“Like a Prayer” was released 30 years ago and created a huge controversy. Are you trying to replicate a similar controversy today? Honestly, when I wrote “Like a Prayer,” I didn’t think that the song would cause such controversy. It’s the video that shocked people: the fact that I kiss a black saint, that I dance in front of burning crosses… people saw it as a sacrilege. But I didn’t think for one second that things would be perceived like this. All of this was very controversial but it was not my first intention. This time, however, I mean to be subversive!

Provocation has always been a way for you to draw people’s attention to important matters like LGBT+ rights, racism, women… But today, it’s more the conservatives that use provocation, right? Give me examples!

People like Trump or Marine Le Pen… If you are a narrow-minded person and you use provocation, then that will be your message. Everything depends on the intention (laughs). I am not a narrow-minded person. I am not provocative so I can put people down and put up barriers or tell them “Stay seated.” I am at the opposite off that. Use provocation to destroy is not my intention.

Do you feel connected with your LGBT+ fans? Do you claim the status of the gay icon? I think it’s weird to call myself an icon. I feel blessed to have a voice, and to be able to use it to help people who don’t have one and to fight for the rights of those who are not heard. I think the word ‘icon’ is a word that other people can give you. But I can’t claim it for myself. Do you think I’m an icon?

You are the definition of the word! If Têtu thinks I am an icon, then I am an icon!

Is this album a tribute to your life in Portugal? You listened to it. You tell me if you think it payed tribute to Portugal and to fado? Not only fado by the way. There are lots of other influences I took since I live there. But obviously this is where the album was born. Even if there are other influences, this album is cleary an expression of my time in Portugal. I have a house there and I go there often. My son still plays football at Benfica. But you know, I live on airplanes. The sky is my home (laughs). I hope my Portuguese is good. I had a good coach, Dino D’Santiago. He helped me a lot and introduced me to amazing musicians. He played a major part in the creation of this record.

We don’t know Dino D’Santiago well. Could you tell us more about your collaboration with him? He was kind of an interface. He is from Cape Verde and most of the musicians from Cape Verde I worked with don’t speak English. He was in the studio with me when we were recording. He told them what I wanted. He helped me musically to give life to these songs because I had no other way to communicate with them. Well, in a way, I was able to thanks to the music. We wrote a song called “Funana” which will be a bonus track. I have another song called “Ciao Bella” which is not on the deluxe version of the album. The singer Kimi Djabaté, who’s from Guinée-Bissau, sings on this track. Once again, it’s Dino who introduced me to him. When he came to sing for this album, he didn’t speak a word of English, only Creole. Dino was the translator and really helped me. When I recorded “Killers Who Are Partying” and “Extreme Occident” which are definitely influenced by morna, I sent them the tracks. I really wanted his feedback. I wanted to know if he felt the songs were authentic. His approval was very important to me.

How do you choose the people you collaborate with, like Maluma for example? It happens in a very organic way. All my collaborations are decided when meeting the people. We share a glass of champagne, we get along and we talk about the things we could accomplish together. To tell you the truth, there is nothing really deep about that. It’s very instinctive. I am a fan of every person I’ve collaborated with.

You’ve often collaborated with French people: Jean-Paul Gaultier, JR, Martin Solveig, Mirwais… What is your connection with you? Yes! What’s this connection with the French? It’s like I can’t get rid of them (laughs). They are the authors of my biggest collaborations. Mondino, Gaultier, Mirwais… I think I love them because they are very… stubborn [stubborn means têtu in French, which is the name of the magazine.] They stand up to me. The people you mentioned are very intellectual people, extremely creative, very cultured. We share a beautiful synergy. (She slams her glass on the table and yells “Aqua por favor!” Everybody jumps. She then points to a photographer and yells “Who let the paparazzi in!? Who are you? Do I know you?” The photographer stops, terrorised. « It’s Ricardo, Madonna’s official photographer » her publicist clarifies. Everybody laughs.)

On the album, you sing in Portuguese and in Spanish. Is it a way to challenge the dominance of English in pop music? That’s exactly it! I like the idea of world music. I hate compartmentalising. We don’t want to do it with people, why should we do it with music? I like to turn on to the radio in New York and listen to people sing in Spanish, take my car in Lisbon and listen to reggaeton or dancehall. It’s great. Stepping away from English is a challenge, but you know I like challenges.

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