Fine On The Outside + Movie Release!!!

This past week has been a touch on the busy side.... traveling to Fukuoka, Osaka, and Nagoya, gearing up for the movie's release date TOMORROW!  I am soooooooooooooooo excited about this!!!


This film, "When Marnie Was There", is definitely one of my new favorite Ghibli films, and not just because my song is in it.  Don't get me wrong.... I love ALL Ghibli movies, but this one is in the tops.  It truly is a film about love.  Not the romantic kind.  But the pure kind, that we are all born with.  That lives inside of us, even when we forget.  The Director, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, said in his Director's memo that he's not trying to change the world with this film, or top any other Ghibli movie before it.  He simply hopes this movie can be a friend to the young person who may be going through what Anna and Marnie go through.  And when we are at our loneliest, may this movie be a reminder of the love we have inside and all around us.  I love this message.  And I feel like he could go one step further by saying this film could be a friend to anyone of any age.  This is how I truly feel.  I've seen grown men cry after watching this movie.

As someone who grew up quite lonely at times, I personally looked to books, or movies, or music to be my "friend" through those times.  I also looked to my guitar, and the moon, which is what lead me to write the song "Fine On The Outside", 9 years ago.  I was thinking about my time as a teenager, and how lonely and difficult it was at times.  I would literally sit on my bed and look out the window at night at the moon, and wonder if I was loved... if anyone would miss me if I was gone.  Somewhere in my heart I knew the answer... but sometimes I really needed this reminder.  "Fine On The Outside" is tremendously personal to me, and the lyrics are quite vulnerable and open... so I was actually afraid to put it on any album.  I didn't want to have to change it in any way to make it "fit" on any of my previous albums.  When I read the book, "When Marnie Was There" by Joan G. Robinson (I love this book!), I immediately saw myself in Anna, and thought of this old song I wrote.  Of course I tried writing new theme songs for the movie... but still I kept thinking of this song.  Finally I gathered the courage to submit this song.  I was immediately messaged via Line, by the Producer Yoshiaki Nishimura of how much he loved this song.  After much thought amongst the Ghibli team, this song was chosen.  I could not have imagined a better way for it to be debuted to the world.

So... I hope when you see the film, you can watch it with an open heart.  And when you hear the song, I hope both the film and the song can be a friend to you too... I feel like they go hand-in-hand.

All this being said, the movie comes out tomorrow (actually today by the time I post this) in Japan.  And then coming to Korea and elsewhere in the Fall, with more countries around the world following suit.  My Song Book album, "Just Know That I Love You" ("Anata no koto ga daisuki") is now available on iTunes in 113 countries!  The actual physical album can be purchased in record stores in Japan.  The songs on this album are all written for and inspired by the film.  I hope you like them!

With so much love,
p. a.



P.S.  To get more updates on my campaign tour in Japanese and English, please go Here.