Kaoru Kurosawa: 'This program is my stimulus' Aruno Nakanishi: 'I'm glad you brought this precious song here' Recording Report & MC Interview of the Latest Episode of 'Spicy Sessions' Featuring Guest majiko Released!

Broadcast monthly on the CS channel 'TBS Channel 1 Latest Drama, Music, Movie' operated by TBS Television, Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Masamine Ryuho)! The music program 'Spicy Sessions' is hosted by Kaoru Kurosawa of The Gospellers and Aruno Nakanishi of Nogizaka46. The recording of 'Spicy Sessions with majiko', which will be broadcast on Saturday, May 30, 2026, was covered by music writer Aki Ito, who has known The Gospellers well since their debut and serves as an official writer for numerous artists. We bring you the 15th installment of the report introducing the charm of the program, along with an interview with the MCs.

(From left) Kaoru Kurosawa, majiko, Aruno Nakanishi

■ Recording Report

The stimulating music program 'Spicy Sessions' is a program that shows various 'moments of music' through sessions. The moments when MCs Kaoru Kurosawa (The Gospellers) and Aruno Nakanishi (Nogizaka46) converse with guests and band members through songs, the moments when new expressions of existing songs are revealed, and the moments that prove music is a living thing. The accumulation of these moments created on the spot forms the program 'Spicy Sessions'. That is why, even now, two and a half years after the broadcast began, it continues to stimulate the audience and viewers. And the heat generated by the entire venue is the greatest charm of this program. The number of applications for studio viewing, which is still increasing, is proof that this heat continues to spread.

The guest for this 27th broadcast is singer-songwriter majiko. She has garnered support from both domestic and international audiences for her expressive singing voice, where 'transparency' and 'pain' coexist. She gained attention through 'sang it' videos posted on Nico Nico Douga and is currently active as a singer-songwriter. In recent years, she has boasted high popularity in the Asian region as well. Since Nakanishi had strongly desired for her to come, a different sense of elation drifted through the studio even before the actual recording.

The opening session by the Spicy Sessions band. The tune is a downtempo, heavy beat. Blue and purple lights intersect. The two MCs head to the stage. Kurosawa looks at bandmaster Yudai Sato and nods as if to say 'Good Job!'. majiko is called in and appears on stage with a humbled expression. Loud applause and cheers fly. 'I will sing the ending theme of the drama that Aruno-chan appears in,' majiko says, and performs 'Kurai Kurai'. Completely changing from her downcast speaking manner, majiko echoes a powerful shout on the stage dyed deep red. From low tones to falsetto and head voice, she unleashes her skills as a vocalist in rapid succession, and the audience listens breathlessly. After singing, Kurosawa says, 'What are you! That's amazing!' Nakanishi comments, 'I found her when I was in the 5th grade! I'm so happy to have arrived here from there.' Kurosawa adds, 'Finding her in the 5th grade is more than just shocking,' to which Nakanishi replies, 'That's right. I've been dragging it out until today,' making the audience and majiko laugh. Nakanishi says, 'If it weren't for majiko-san, I wouldn't be singing,' and majiko responds, 'Being told something like that... I'm overwhelmingly happy.' In contrast to Kurosawa, who is surprised by the difference in her expressions during singing and talking, Nakanishi smiles mischievously, saying, 'I've been looking forward to this, thinking it would be a chaotic episode.'

Opening talk scene / 'Kurai Kurai' majiko

The first session song is a memorable song from majiko's student days, Porno Graffitti's 'Music Hour'. Kurosawa, who was nominated for the session by majiko, comments, 'The rhythm is unique. But it's a fun song to sing.' They immediately start a meeting with the band. Seeing Kurosawa discussing the timing of modulation with keyboardist Yudai Sato, majiko widens her eyes, saying, 'Wow, amazing!' The exchange between majiko and Kurosawa when deciding the singing parts: 'I'll sing the lead,' 'Whoa, yes,' 'I'll harmonize here,' 'Thank you! Then can I chase you here?' 'Absolutely! Freely!'. At majiko's suggestion, they decide to do the hand choreography of the chorus together with the audience. Furthermore, Kurosawa says something outrageous: 'I'll do the part alone where it's overdubbed (recording voices over each other) on the sound source.' He is trying to reproduce multiple layered voices by himself. It's a method that hardly works in theory. Naturally, majiko also makes a 'Huh?' face. 'I'll harmonize the upper and lower parts alternately,' Kurosawa says. It means alternating the upper and lower harmonies against the melody. 'Amazing, crazy!' majiko shows an excited expression. majiko's excitement is transmitted to the audience. 'Music Hour' started with the audience clapping from the intro. Seeing majiko dancing happily during the interlude, everyone must have thought she truly loves music. A big round of applause after the singing. Nakanishi's comment, 'Kurosawa-san being swayed by majiko-san,' caused the venue to burst into laughter.

Meeting scene before the session / 'Music Hour' majiko x Kurosawa

Next, the song majiko chose for the session with Nakanishi is Yo Hitoto's 'Morainaki'. The sheet music is brought in, and preparations for the session begin. Nakanishi consults with majiko about the singing parts. Kurosawa consults with the band about the arrangement. This is a typical 'Spicy Sessions' scene that has begun to take root since the beginning of this year. Previously, Kurosawa would decide the phrasing of the session song for Nakanishi and the guest while talking with the band. To see both sides, Kurosawa would always turn sideways when viewed from the audience seats and exchange words with each. Now, he turns his back and leaves the singing parts to Nakanishi. It may be a small thing, but I thought the direction of Kurosawa's body was an expression of his trust in Nakanishi. majiko and Nakanishi are talking while looking at the sheet music in the center of the stage. majiko crouches down and requests, 'Aruno-chan goes first... It might be better if Aruno-chan does all of the first verse...' Accepting this, Nakanishi also returns various proposals to majiko. Drawing out the abilities of nervous guests and preparing an environment to open new doors is also an important role of the two MCs. As time passes, the guests are increasingly liberated. That state is also one of the precious moments that 'Spicy Sessions' has built up. The preparations for the session are complete, and majiko says, 'Let's do our best.' Nakanishi says, 'I'm extremely nervous.' Then the two say in unison, 'What should I do.' Continuing, majiko glances at Nakanishi and says, 'I feel like I'm going to be sucked in. Why are your eyes so beautiful!' causing laughter from the audience. It felt like the thread of tension between the two suddenly loosened.

The session of 'Morainaki', where different transparencies resonated and became a 'vessel of emotion', is something you should definitely check out on the broadcast. After singing, majiko commented, 'I felt like I went on a date. Thank you very much.' Kurosawa gave his impression, 'I've heard various 'Morainaki', but this was a fresh 'Morainaki'.'

The two allocating singing parts while consulting / 'Morainaki' majiko x Nakanishi

majiko chose majiko's 'Emily to 15 no Yakusoku' as the song to sing with the two MCs, saying, 'It's a song I cherish very much. If I do it with you two, I might be able to express something I can't do alone.' Nakanishi, who knew that it was an important song for majiko, showed a moved expression, saying, 'I'm happy that you brought that song here.' The session begins. Various emotions seep into Nakanishi's figure looking up at the sky during the interlude. She also looked like she was biting into happiness. In the high register of the final chorus, Nakanishi showed off her chest voice. After it ended, cheers were sent from the audience. 'I'm so happy~' majiko squeezed out the words. Kurosawa, who applied fine harmony while going back and forth across octaves, said, 'I was too desperate, but was it okay? (laughs)', to which majiko replied, 'It was incredibly cool.' And she continued, 'I am honored to have had such a valuable experience.' 'We received power from you too,' Kurosawa said. To Kurosawa, who said he felt the program had grown bigger, majiko sent a cheer, 'Go further!!'

For the last song of the program, Nakanishi chose Sayuri's 'Mikazuki' as her solo singing song. Nakanishi expresses this song as follows:

'When I first heard it, I thought it was myself. I wanted to show that there are people who are saved by songs like this.'

The moment she started singing, her singing voice filled with emotion echoed, conveying Nakanishi's high resolution towards this song. It was a vocal that deeply exuded her own current position.

'Emily to 15 no Yakusoku' majiko x Kurosawa x Nakanishi / 'Mikazuki' Nakanishi

As mentioned at the beginning, 'Spicy Sessions' is a program where you can witness various 'moments of music' through sessions. On this day, we might have also witnessed the 'moment when a singer changes' through music. Although there are meetings before singing, I feel that the ad-libs of the two MCs have increased. The exchange of ad-libs between singers, or between singers and the band, is one of the real thrills of the session style, but in 'Spicy Sessions', ad-libs are not for showing off oneself, but for raising the heat of the song itself and conveying it. It was a recording where we found another new 'moment of music'.

■ MC Interview

We interviewed Kaoru Kurosawa and Aruno Nakanishi immediately after the recording.

-- Nakanishi-san's wish came true, and majiko-san was the guest.

Nakanishi: She is someone I've always wanted to meet, and my wish really came true. I'm so happy. The gap between when she's talking and when she's singing... a presence in her singing that I don't know if it's okay to just brush off with the word 'gap'.

Kurosawa: Good words.

Nakanishi: Really?

-- I think so too. I thought exactly that, 'I don't know if it's okay to brush it off with a gap'. I felt both respect and hospitality.

Nakanishi: I respect her from the bottom of my heart, and in a good way... I thought her way of living, living with the feeling that there is nothing but music, was very cool. When she's talking, she has a cuteness, but when she sings, how should I say it... it's like... being punched.

Kurosawa: Hahahaha (bursts into laughter). Indeed.

-- (Laughs). So true. While listening, there were many moments when I thought my breath was going to stop.

Nakanishi: That kind of power, persuasiveness. I was really happy to be able to listen to it right next to her.

Kurosawa: You have no choice but to be convinced. If that voice is produced right next to you. Because, until we got into the first song, I was the most anxious I've ever been in all the 'Spicy Sessions' recordings so far. I was thinking, I'm counting on you, Aruno-san. But the moment the first song started with a bang, I thought, majiko-san is fine as long as she can make people listen to her singing properly. Undeniable ability is really a good thing after all. Watching from the side, that's exactly what moved you, right?

Nakanishi: It did.

-- I was also surprised by the episode that Nakanishi-san found majiko-san on Nico Nico Douga when she was in the 5th grade.

Nakanishi: That's right. I also came to know Porno Graffitti because majiko-san was singing it.

Kurosawa: Thinking about it that way, majiko-san's existence is really huge for Aruno-san, isn't it.

Nakanishi: Yes. If it weren't for majiko-san, I don't think I would be singing.

-- The 'Morainaki' by majiko-san and Nakanishi-san felt like a session unique to the two of them.

Kurosawa: I think Aruno-san is better at riding on what the other person sang rather than putting herself out first, but recently her putting herself out first has also become stronger, so she is able to resonate. For a while after the program started, it was basically mostly riding on the guest afterwards. But now, conversely, the guest also rides on Aruno-san's singing, and on top of that, Aruno-san rides on it again, creating a synergistic effect. This is simply because Aruno-san's ability has improved.

Nakanishi: I'm happy.

-- Indeed. As she sang with Nakanishi-san, I felt like majiko-san's voice was gradually changing. Like it was becoming clearer while singing.

Kurosawa: I thought that too. They are properly resonating and trying to create one song together. They are becoming like that while conversing through the song. 'Morainaki' was really good, wasn't it.

Nakanishi: I was singing with someone I admire, and since I was singing the beginning, I was nervous, but I thought I had gained a little more power to jump out than before, just like Kurosawa-san said.

-- Also, I was surprised by how the three of you projected your voices singing 'Emily to 15 no Yakusoku'.

Kurosawa: You know, the A melody of that song is high for me, so I didn't quite know how much nuance I was able to bring out (laughs). I thought I'd hate it if it became too strong. Was it okay?

-- Well, the impression was BAM! when it came to the chorus. I think all three of you probably had a common denominator in your interpretation of the song, and that's why it was BAM! at the chorus. Does this answer your question?

Kurosawa: It does. If it sounded like that, then it was okay. Good.

-- Kurosawa-san, has there ever been a recording so far where you sang so powerfully with your natural voice even though it wasn't a solo singing part?

Kurosawa: Probably not much. To begin with, 'Spicy Sessions' is not mainly about belting out. It was a musical-type song, but this kind of feeling might be rare in J-POP. 'Emily to 15 no Yakusoku' has deeply moving, good lyrics. And the lyrics at the moment it gets emotional are also very good. So I sang it hoping to properly deliver that goodness to people who don't know this song. When singing together with majiko-san and Aruno-san, I inevitably become like a foreign object, so I also kept in mind how smoothly I could sing. Because when mixed in with the song of the person Aruno-san admires, I wouldn't want people to think it would have been better if Kurosawa wasn't there, right? For Aruno-san, majiko-san is her spiritual master.

-- Because you have the ability