Today we’d like to introduce you to Layanna Lilac.
Hi Layanna, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got into J-pop about 3 years ago and through that discovered kaigai idols! Groups like Non-Sweet and people like Paida really inspired me and made me want to pursue this path as well. I’ve always loved the stage and I’ve been singing and dancing my whole life, so it felt natural to transfer the skills I learned through my past experiences to becoming an idol. I had so much passion I sewed my first ever idol costume in just one weekend and started recording content the very next day! After my online debut I started applying to venues and joining local communities like Sweet Abyss Maid Cafe and Chocolate Idol Network which was a huge help in my early days since I didn’t have a support system back then. I gradually started booking more and more performance opportunities as well as making a staggering amount of content which ultimately got me to where I am now! I’m still relatively new in the community, just passing my 1 year anniversary in May, and I have a ton of goals that I’m working towards. The biggest goal of mine right now is to release original music!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
In my early days I got a few trolls who would go onto my account and say ignorant things about my race. body, or appearance. Kaigai idols are known to get a lot of hate from people who don’t understand what we do or that we’re perfectly valid and accepted in the wider J-pop community. The hate is especially vicious toward those with darker skin tones. Some idols use the hate as fuel, but I’ve always found it easier to delete negativity without looking back. It does hurt to see those kinds of comments still finding their way onto my platform, but now I have a large enough community and support system to keep me sane and validated in my work.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As an independent overseas idol I do a lot of work all by myself! This includes sewing original costumes, marketing, editing, social media management, applying to events, merchandise management, graphic design (for my logo, announcement banners, ect), and that doesnt even include all the work I do preparing to actually perform! It’s a lot, but it’s very fulfilling.
Compared to other indie artists, kaigai idols will often have an “idol-sona” or some kind of character they use to build their brand and recognizability! For me, I am a yumekui baku which is a yokai (Japanese monster in folklore) that eats nightmares and helps people have good dreams. This is incorporated into all of my sets and is constantly referenced on social media and my blog. Having a character like this also draws in fans of anime and V-tubers, who in my opinion are the most likely group to be drawn into J-pop and kaigai idols.
What sets me apart from other idols in the community is that I use my background in theatre to make each of my sets more like mini skits. This is something I’ve really enjoyed doing and audiences seem to like it too! Most recently when I performed with Mizucon my set had a simple plot where I was trying to figure out (with the audience’s help) how to become more cool, and I used that to smoothly transition through each of my songs. This mixing of performance styles is part of what makes the kaigai idol community so unique!
What were you like growing up?
When I was growing up I was actually really averse to anime and any Japanese media. I saw it as something that was “cringey” and I would go out of my way to avoid interacting with anything like it. I was however really interested in theatre and I would do one or two local theatre productions a year. As I grew up, my interests grew with me, I stopped writing off Japanese media and I started finding more fulfillment working backstage rather than as an actress. I still love theatre, and I’m forever grateful that it taught me so much about storytelling and gave me so many opportunities to discover myself and my passions.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://layannalilac.carrd.co/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/layanna.lilac/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LayannaLilac
- Other: https://www.ameba.jp/profile/general/layanna-lilac/?account_block_token=MflQnTuNTQ5WcSf8CA9CaVOAEuNXlPdJ
Image Credits
Miraicon staff / Badger studios
Mizucon staff
