TOKYO - Japanese singer-songwriter ano has revealed the personal message behind her new song "23ji" (11 PM), which became the ending theme for TBS's nightly news program News23 in October, saying she hopes the music reaches people who feel excluded from society and reminds them that even days without visible achievements are not meaningless.
The artist, who works across music, acting, modeling, and television, appeared live on the program to discuss the song and the experiences that shaped its creation. The appearance marked her first time participating in a news broadcast, an experience she described as unusually fresh and almost sacred because of the quiet atmosphere of the studio.
Although ano has gained widespread recognition through her activities in entertainment, she emphasized that music remains at the center of her identity. Her growing career has included an appearance at NHK's annual Kohaku Uta Gassen music program in 2023 and a successful concert at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan in 2025.
Behind her energetic stage performances, however, lies a more introspective approach to music. Ano explained that her concerts are intended to create an environment where audiences can express themselves freely, regardless of how chaotic or unconventional those expressions might appear.
She said music has always been the place she returns to when trying to understand herself, particularly during periods of emotional difficulty.
Ano also questioned why society readily accepts expressions of happiness and enjoyment while often treating sadness, suffering, or discomfort as emotions that should remain hidden. She said she has repeatedly transformed difficult experiences into music because negative feelings are just as important as positive ones.
The new ending theme, written specifically for News23, reflects that philosophy. Ano approached the composition almost as a journey through her own life, developing a song intended to reassure listeners that even when they feel they have made no progress, their experiences still contribute to the future.
She explained that many people struggle with personal problems while continuing to reach toward something they cannot fully understand or achieve. Rather than encouraging them to push forward relentlessly, she wanted the song to feel like a companion standing beside them.
Ano said she hopes listeners recognize that their efforts are not wasted, even when those efforts do not produce immediate results.
The opportunity to write music for a news program also came at a significant point in her career. She acknowledged that her public image, often associated with colorful and energetic pop entertainment, may have prevented some audiences from discovering the more serious themes in her music.
Despite her popularity, she had been experiencing frustration over her inability to reach certain people who might benefit from hearing her songs.
She said there are countless songs and other forms of expression that help people through difficult periods, but she has sometimes felt excluded even from those sources of comfort.
That experience of alienation became central to the new composition.
Ano said she particularly wanted to reach people who feel distanced from society or believe they are standing outside the circle of people who belong. Even if the song reaches only a small number of such listeners, she considers that meaningful.
The central message of the song is that people are not worthless simply because their lives appear uncertain or their achievements remain incomplete.
Ano drew on her own experiences of finishing a day feeling disappointed, wondering whether she had accomplished anything or merely spent hours thinking without taking action.
Rather than dismissing such days as failures, she said she wanted to emphasize the importance of the process itself, including the moments of hesitation and reflection that may not produce obvious results.
The discussion also turned to the influence of artificial intelligence and social media on modern life.
Ano acknowledged that advances in AI offer considerable convenience and can generate new ideas and ways of thinking. However, she expressed concern that society's increasing demand for immediate answers and rapid results may be reducing opportunities for deeper personal reflection.
She also questioned whether the expansion of social media has necessarily produced more meaningful public discussion.
Although people now have far more opportunities to express their opinions, she suggested that the pursuit of viral attention can sometimes weaken the substance and individuality of those opinions.
She said she values thinking carefully because it helps her understand who she is and prevents her from losing sight of her own identity.
As her audience has grown, ano has also become more conscious of the responsibility attached to her words. She explained that she wants her statements to carry genuine conviction rather than simply sounding persuasive.
When she feels she lacks the experience or credibility to express a particular idea, she said she may spend years developing herself before attempting to communicate it.
She also acknowledged the difficulty of conveying complex thoughts in an information environment where statements can be removed from their original context and circulated widely.
With accurate and inaccurate information increasingly mixed together, ano said individuals need to rely more carefully on what they have personally seen, heard, and considered before forming conclusions.
The recording process for "23ji" also presented a musical challenge.
Ano is known for an energetic vocal style, often using bright, explosive delivery. For the new song, however, she deliberately adopted a warmer and more restrained approach.
Because the music plays at the end of a late-night news broadcast, she wanted the performance to offer reassurance rather than excitement.
She described the change as a new artistic experience, requiring a different way of communicating emotion through her voice.
The title itself reflects her feelings about the late-night hour.
Ano said 11 p.m. can be an unsettling time, when people begin looking back on the day and questioning whether they have done enough. Such moments can bring anxiety and uncertainty, particularly when there is no clear answer to those questions.
At the same time, familiar television programs can provide a sense of continuity and reassurance simply by appearing at the same time each evening.
She hopes her music can offer a similar feeling of warmth and familiarity.
Rather than delivering a dramatic message of encouragement, ano said she wants the song to provide a gentle presence, comparable to the comfort of a warm meal at the end of a difficult day.
She also hopes listeners will use the closing moments of the news program to reflect on their own thoughts and emotions, considering not only the results of their actions but also the experiences and processes that brought them to the present.
For ano, the message behind "23ji" is ultimately one of acceptance: time spent struggling, thinking, hesitating, or simply trying to understand oneself is not necessarily wasted.
She said she hopes the song will help people recognize the value of those moments and feel more comfortable accepting themselves as they are.
Source: TBS
