Today, Thairath Entertainment had the opportunity to interview the Japanese singer and actor. Reini. He is an artist under Sony Music Labels Inc. who came to Thailand to attend the press conference for the launch of the series FoureverYou 2 (Wabisabi).
Reini's presence brought a bright aura that lit up our interview room noticeably. Despite working across countries amid a packed schedule, Reini still delivered heartfelt smiles and polite manners impressively to all the staff.
This young artist’s appeal is not only in his appearance but also in his powerful ability to convey emotion through his music. This time, he came not only to join the press event but also with a special intention to build close connections with his Thai fans for the first time, shortly after we got to know him through his smile.
We said.Welcome.The young artist smiled beautifully and said, "Welcome to Thailand." Then we asked a simple question to Reini about what made this trip to Thailand special and if he had any surprise projects for his Thai fans. Reini replied, "This time, I have a special opportunity to sing the theme song for the series.FoureverYou.In episodes 7 and 8, which are special episodes, I get to sing in front of all the fans. This is my first time visiting Thailand."
We immediately asked Reini what was the first thing he did upon arriving in Thailand, and his answer surely made fans smile. Reini said, "Yesterday, when I arrived, I tried durian from a street stall. I also ate Pad Thai from a street vendor, and I watched how it was made from the start. I saw something red and string-like, which looked like carrots being stir-fried. At first, I thought it was carrot, but it turned out to be the noodles mixed with red sauce. When I tasted it, it was very delicious (smiles)."
Reini also told us, "Actually, I don’t know much about Thai food, but the dishes I’ve heard about and want to try are chicken rice, stir-fried basil, and Tom Yum soup—these are the dishes I’d like to taste."
Seeing Reini’s interest in Thai food, we recommended a drink and dessert: watermelon smoothie and mango sticky rice. Reini looked a bit surprised by the menu names and said, "Watermelon smoothie? Isn’t it mango smoothie? I’ve heard only about mango smoothies. And mango sticky rice—do you eat rice with mango?" The interpreter explained, "Yes, ripe mango is eaten with sticky rice, which is cooked with coconut milk, making it slightly sweet and creamy." After hearing this, Reini was very excited and said he had never heard of eating rice with mango before. We ended by encouraging Reini to try it and promised to ask next time he visits Thailand if he enjoyed the recommended dish, to which he agreed with a charming smile.
Next, we asked about Reini’s album titled Act.0.WhichReini described to fans as follows.
"Act.0 is an album marking one full year since my debut. This album compiles my works from the past year since debuting. I named it Act.0 because it represents my beginning—like starting from zero. Hence the title Act.0 (smiles)."
Reini continued, "The songs in this album, from the first to the last, tell the story of my life. I’ve been through difficult times, and gradually I’ve changed and grown into a more complete person. The album narrates my journey from start to finish."
"What I want to do next is create new songs and build a new album. It will be my next work. Please look forward to it (smiles)."
We asked Reini about his song "spiral," which has both a solo version and a featuring version, and how he feels about the differences between the two. The young artist explained,
"The featuring version includes Yura, another artist, singing together with me. The solo version features only me.So the partsung by Yura in the featuring version is sung entirely by me in the solo version. This creates different feelings. The featuring version also adds a fun element beyond the solo."
We then asked Reini about his songs being used as insert songs in the ending of episodes 7 and 8 of the Thai series. These episodes are emotionally intense. How does he feel about his voice being part of conveying the characters’ relationships in this series? He replied,
"When I first heard that part of my song would be used in episodes 7 and 8, I was surprised and wondered why those episodes. When I actually watched, those episodes were filmed in Japan. I felt very happy to be connected with episodes 7 and 8. I hope fans who listen to the song will also like Japan. That would make me very happy (smiles)."
Wedid not wastetime and asked Reini which one song from the album Act.0 he would choose to dedicate to a character in this series and why. Reini answered, "I choose the song 'I’m in love' because it’s about love (smiles)."
Besides being a singer, Reini is also an actor. He acted in the big-budget series GlassHeart. He balances both careers happily and enjoys both. But Reini told us, "Singing and acting are different. Acting involves many people, and I can’t make decisions on my own. But as a singer, I can work alone. Sometimes I decide myself if a part is good or how I want to sing it. They are different challenges (smiles)."
After an enjoyable conversation, we reached the final question, asking Reini to speak to his Thai fans who are following his work and to leave a message. His reply made us smile with affection: "Today, I willperform.I’m a bit nervous and currently memorizing the lyrics (laughs)." Then he added, "I’m very happy. I want Thai fans who watch this series launch to follow me and my work. I want everyone to get to know me better, and I hope to have the chance to hold a live show in Thailand. Please support me (smiles)."
This meeting might be just "Act.0," the starting chapter for Reini and his Thai fans, but the impression and gentle warmth he left through the theme songs for FoureverYou 2 have already built a bridge between Thailand and Japan.
We believe that on the day Reini tries mango sticky rice as promised, and as he grows from the "fighter" in his first album into a more complete artist in the future, Thailand will continue to welcome him with warm smiles just like today.
"Thank you, Reini, for creating beautiful memories with us. We look forward to your new projects with great anticipation."
