Unn\u00e4med\u2019s journey to the top of indie VTubing: \u201cIt helped me restart my life\u201d Unn\u00e4medVTubing is a powerful medium for expression. Few embody that more than Unn\u00e4med. The Japanese singing sensation has shot to the top of indie VTubing with their powerful voice. But the grind all comes back to one belief: repaying a debt they feel they owe. If Unn\u00e4med\u2019s original plan played out, they would have graduated from VTubing in December. They only ever planned to make it to their one-year anniversary. They didn\u2019t think the support would last any longer. After all, their debut was one of the most hyped of 2022. It was easy from there to think it was just a once-off event. But the U-rei\u2019s kept coming back. The fan base behind U-san even gave the Japanese singing sensation their shorthand nickname. And they felt like they had a debt to repay. \u201cI tried my best to give back to my community, but I decided to stay a bit longer because I got a lot more support than I expected,\u201d they told Dexerto. \u201cI couldn\u2019t even use up all of the budget and savings I got from my fan base, so I\u2019ve decided to stay around for longer. \u201cI enjoy making songs but to be really honest, I didn\u2019t expect my fans to stick around for more than a year. I was scared for how long I could keep the hype.\u201d The decision to even start VTubing was a big one. After never finding their footing through other creative pursuits, VTubing let them focus on the art they were making. That applied to fans too. \u201cThe reason I started VTubing was because I didn\u2019t have to directly face other people,\u201d they said. \u201cI am able to control my feelings. I can focus on controlling my own things and not have to worry about people gazing on. \u201cI came back with my music video, and after that, I noticed everyone wanted to see me have a Live2D. I used all of my donations to buy myself a Live2D model. Then the more donations I got, the more I felt I had to give back. \u201cMy current fan base is expecting me to create a ton of music and be confident. In this VTuber world, with my Live2D, I can be the most handsome guy in the world.\u201d And now, one year on and counting, U-san can finally celebrate all their hard work as potentially the brightest chapter of their life starts: \u201cVTubing brought me back to the performing industry. I was completely lost before. It helped me restart my life.\u201d Letting go for a new beginning Unn\u00e4med didn\u2019t just come from nothing. They have been chasing their creative dreams for years now, albeit under different monikers. They were once a labeled musician \u2014 they\u2019ll be the first to downplay the meaning of that \u2014 while living in Thailand. However that music career never really took off, and in fact left U-san in a more precarious position compared to when they started. \u201cI didn\u2019t perform well there \u2014 not only me but my band members,\u201d they bluntly said. \u201cThe producer started replacing the band members. He replaced my drums and my bassist. Then I noticed my guitarist was not happy with that group so they left. \u201cLater I knew I was going to be replaced by the producer because of a billboard that said \u2018new upcoming rock band, major debut.\u2019 It was the band that replaced us. I wasn\u2019t there. The producer never told me that I was replaced to my face though. \u201cI had a bad depression and I couldn\u2019t control myself. I was scared to perform in front of people because I felt like I didn\u2019t deserve them. What if I was going to be replaced again? I couldn\u2019t sing in front of people anymore. When I am on stage, holding a microphone, my hands shake. When I\u2019d leave the stage, I\u2019d immediately throw up.\u201d They found some comfort on TikTok, at least for a little bit. They knew this wasn\u2019t what they wanted to do forever, but finding some stardom and validation on the platform at least helped them regain their footing creatively. Personally though, the losses kept rolling in. They grappled with personal issues while doing the short-form videos. Those watching would discredit their gender identity. Unn\u00e4med, on the other side, was just a pretty face meant to dance along to silly songs. There wasn\u2019t any way to truly express themselves. \u201cI was doing something I wasn\u2019t happy with,\u201d they bluntly admitted. \u201cIt was all the normie people, dancing in front of a camera, doing trendy stuff or some stupid things. I wasn\u2019t doing any music content. \u201cBut as I am growing my fan base there, I know what they want of me. When I tried to make music, they weren\u2019t happy with that. When I did anime content, or a kawaii voice, a moe voice, they loved it.\u201d There was also the personal danger. U-san recounted the numerous times they were stalked, had their personal belongings stolen. Some even targeted close friends, doxxing them alongside the star. \u201cWhen I tried to talk to other people about my situation they said \u2018well it means you are famous\u2019 and not listening to my story seriously. Only my manager at the time took it seriously. \u201cI\u2019m happy I don\u2019t have to show my face and no one knows where I live in Japan \u2014 they only know I live in Tokyo. When I was living in Thailand, when I went to the police station for stalking, they didn\u2019t really care for the foreigners. I was doomed at the time. \u201cI got tired of my old fanbase. I appreciated them a lot, and still do even now, but they scared me.\u201d However as time goes on, they\u2019ve become more content with the arduous journey. While the scars remain, it\u2019s worth it for the end result. People respect them for their work, and seeing the passion from fans inspires them to continue putting their best foot forward. \u201cI am honest with who I want to be compared to when I was a Tiktoker. I tried to be cute, stupid, and kind of \u2018waifu.\u2019 \u201cEven though I made \u2018utattemita\u2019 [cover songs] and I drew illustrations, did the mixing and voice recording \u2014 I did everything by myself \u2014 I always got a ton of comments saying \u2018this music video could have been better if you were recording your face just like your Tiktok.\u2019 \u201cAnd I was like \u2018okay, these people are not attracted to my true interest of music, and I didn\u2019t know how to entertain them anymore.\u2019 So I thought maybe I should restart, and that\u2019s why I am here.\u201d The emotional outlet of music Summer Song was U-san\u2019s first release in their new chapter. The song truly showcases their wide vocal range with a strong echo that resonates in your soul. Sometimes it\u2019s the painful cry when they start singing about their loneliness, at others it\u2019s the confidence of the verses. \u201cIt\u2019s about a friendship, my best friend, but we had a really bad fight,\u201d they explained. \u201cLater I learned they were moving back to Japan \u2014 and this was before I had moved back and was still abroad. When my friend told me that, I was really shocked. \u201cWhat I was able to tell them was \u2018I\u2019ll be here waiting for you to be honest to me again.\u2019 But I was crying inside. I also knew my friend was hurting too, but they didn\u2019t show it. They were crying in the storm. I grew up in Thailand and given that it\u2019s a tropical country, it\u2019s always raining. The storms always make a lot of noise, so that sound covers the crying. It\u2019s how we hide our feelings from each other. That was the motive behind Summer Song.\u201d Since their debut, U-san has released three original songs and plenty more covers. And if you ask them, every song they\u2019ve ever sung has such a deep meaning. It can be bittersweet or melancholic. It can be a memory of their past, like their belting cover of YOASOBI\u2019s Idol. While they can be eloquent with words on stream or in an interview, music is their emotional outlet. \u201cI\u2019m not that good at explaining my feelings to others. I describe my feelings through music instead, because it gets it across the best. \u201cI am quite an emotional person, so when I try to share that with someone, I am a bit clumsy and can\u2019t really control my own emotions. Music neutralizes that a bit, it gives it a filter. People will take it as entertainment. I can express my feelings publicly, but people just take it in as content.\u201d Singing brings out the best of Unn\u00e4med. In their own words, they sound like they are \u201cinvincible\u201d. And in many cases that is true. They can flick a switch to be \u201cvery strong, like a lion, while I am a little hamster in my daily life. \u201cMost of my followers know I have really low self-esteem. I\u2019m always saying \u2018I don\u2019t deserve your support\u2019 and it always makes my fanbase very upset. They\u2019re like \u2018stop apologizing! Take our support!\u2019 When I am singing I am so confident though.\u201d And with VTubing now in the mix, U-san is finding a way to make sure their bigger musical dreams come true. It really starts with the aptly named Invincible Melody concert in Thailand alongside fellow star VTuber Shoto. Delayed from 2023, the in-person performance for February 25 will be the most notable example of independent VTubers putting on a huge concert. It will be U-san\u2019s 3D debut as well. It\u2019s an important moment for Unn\u00e4med, who has struggled with performance anxiety ever since leaving their former band. It\u2019s also why it\u2019s important to do it alongside someone like Shoto, who has been by U-san\u2019s side ever since they debuted. The two of them are domineering forces in the masculine VTuber space, and if anyone could pull off a project of this scale, it\u2019s them. \u201cWhen I got offered the concert opportunity, I felt like \u2018I think it would be very cool if the two of us can make this dream come true,\u2019\u201d they said. \u201cIt\u2019s very hard for the indie VTubers to make concerts like this come to life, mostly due to the process. \u201cI wanted to have Shoto with me because the reason I am as notable as I am is because of him. He let people know where I am, he let people know what I am doing. I don\u2019t know how I can express how much I appreciate him.\u201d And in U-san\u2019s quest to give back to their fans, they see this as the \u201cultimate payback\u201d: \u201cAt the end of the concert, I want them to feel proud for supporting me, and they feel like they\u2019re part of the community. Because we grew this together. Those aren\u2019t the only wins U-san has taken from VTubing. They have managed to truly find themselves a community and connection unlike they had in music or on TikTok previously. That\u2019s best exemplified in their relationship with Thai VTuber group Algorhythm Project (often shortened to ARP). How they met was very fortunate, but it ended up blossoming into something beautiful, something that inspires U-san to keep pushing forward with their musical ambition. \u201cThey are a group of professional musicians, the real pros,\u201d U-san said, raising their voice a little bit in excitement. \u201cEven some major labels can\u2019t afford quality like them. They are talented and skilled \u2014 they can write songs, produce, mix. So I wanted to be friends with them! While U-san is close to many of the members, it\u2019s their relationship with Dacapo that stands out. The two have combined forces on covers such as Odo \u2014 which was less of a duet and more of a battle, two powerful voices fighting one another in \u201cMuay Thai style\u201d as they put it. \u201cI approached Dacapo because there was a time where he was doing a karaoke stream. He was asking for song requests, and so many people requested Summer Song to him. I was like \u2018stop doing that!\u2019 I was so embarrassed. But he said \u2018oh, Summer Song\u2019 in a tone that sounded like he knew me. So I used that as a chance to take my shot. I followed him on Twitter, sent him a DM saying \u2018hey man, want to do a singing battle?\u2019\u201d \u201cNow Orion is one of my closest VTuber friends, and Dacapo is a really reliable guy. Whenever I want to do something cool or crazy I can ask him and he\u2019ll be like \u2018let\u2019s go!\u2019 Finally reaping the rewards If you ask U-san the difference between them as a streamer and as a musician, there\u2019s not much there. After all, they are just being authentically themselves \u2014 the medium, and sometimes the words and emotions, differ. \u201cWhen I\u2019m streaming, I\u2019m just trying to show myself. What I have learned from this year is people want to see the true and honest side of me. They didn\u2019t expect me to roleplay as a character.\u201d That being said, they are still hypercritical of what they show. They often private VODs and don\u2019t allow clips on most of their streams. To see u-san, you have to be there raw, in the flesh, like every performance is a concert. It makes for a pretty special feeling when you do catch them. \u201cI don\u2019t want to look back at myself, and when I review my VODs, I feel like \u2018oh my god, what the f**k\u2026\u2019 I am the number one anti of myself. It\u2019s always like \u2018stop talking!\u2019 \u201cI do more Twitter Spaces than YouTube streams too, and I do it at random times because I don\u2019t announce a schedule. It makes me feel less nervous when I can do it at my own pace. \u201cWhen I am feeling down, I know I don\u2019t perform well, so I always want to keep myself in a good mood. If I am in a good mood, that\u2019s the time I stream. But if I feel like I\u2019m not putting on a good performance, sorry, but the VOD goes.\u201d However, despite some of these insecurities, they find themselves in a supportive community, both in terms of the U-reis and the VTubers in their orbit. Never in VTubing has there been such an intensely dedicated fanbase around an indie talent, to the point where fans organize collab cafes which are often reserved for agency talents. U-san got one of those for their first anniversary in December. If you travel through various parts of Asia, there\u2019s a chance you\u2019ll see Unn\u00e4med\u2019s face plastered on a billboard. And U-rei\u2019s are constantly organizing fan events outside of conventions to spread the word of their oshi. It\u2019s a little embarrassing at times for Unn\u00e4med, but a bit of positive attention never hurt anybody. \u201cI\u2019m trying to think of how I can return that love to them. I\u2019m going to be scolded by my fanbase, but I don\u2019t know whether I deserve that or not. If everyone is having fun that\u2019s fine. But it\u2019s just unreal to me that everyone is doing the concept cafes or doing the billboards. \u201cWhen I see it, I try my best to give back to the community. There was a time that u-rei played my original song in Shibuya\u2019s Scramble Crossing. So in return, I bought the big screen in Shinjuku and did a 10-minute free concert.\u201d And so with all that in mind \u2014 the musical successes, the supportive community \u2014 U-san is going to stick it out, just this little bit longer, so they can achieve their dream. \u201cI am not doing it alone. I work with some awesome creators. I have amazing fans. So 100%, 200%, 500% I am proud of what we have done this year. Not what I have done, because I was not alone. That\u2019s the reason I am Unn\u00e4med. Because I am nobody without my fan base. \u201cIt would be cool if I became a major label musician. It would be a dream come true. \u201cThanks to my fans I could release an original song, release cover songs, afford myself a Live2D, and have a 3D model reveal in February. Having a major label debut on top would be a dream come true. \u201cIf I can make it happen, I will bet everything on it. If it makes me broke, I\u2019ll accept it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Unn\u00e4med\u2019s journey to the top of indie VTubing: \u201cIt helped me restart my life\u201d Unn\u00e4medVTubing is a powerful medium for expression. Few embody that more than Unn\u00e4med. The Japanese singing sensation has shot to the top of indie VTubing with their powerful voice. But the grind all comes back to one belief: repaying a debt […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63152","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63152","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63152"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63152\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63152"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63152"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dejan.au\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63152"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}