Wada Ayaka – Brought back to life

This is a translation of an article that was originally published in IDOL AND READ #005 (December 2015).

S/mileage had a fantastic start. After their formation in 2009, they had their major debut in 2010 and received getting the Japan Record Best Newcomer Award. However, things didn’t go as planned… Risking it all, the group changed its name to ANGERME in December 2014 and welcomed three new members. It was a fresh start with a new line-up of nine members.

Wada Ayaka is the leader of ANGERME. This long interview will discuss her upbringing, her journey in the group, and ANGERME’s future after Fukuda Kanon’s graduation.

— As we’re speaking, ANGERME is in the middle of a tour called ANGERME LIVE TOUR 2015 SUMMER/AUTUMN ~FIGHTING NINE~, which happens to be the last live tour with this line-up. What thoughts do you have during your performances?

Wada: It’s our first time performing as nine members in many of the places we’re visiting, so fans finally get the opportunity to see us. I’m happy fans can see us again with our current line-up. Just a year ago, we had six members, and it makes me realize that we’ve really changed. Right after this, we’ll be going on our long-awaited hall tour, and I’m extremely excited about it.

— Does it make you emotional knowing it’ll be your last time touring with Fukuda Kanon?

Wada: No, I don’t feel particularly sad about it right now. Nothing has changed… We’re just as chaotic. (laughs) Kanon still looks the same as ever, and we’re going just on with our activities and having fun. Hopefully we’ll keep on having fun during her graduation concert at Budokan, too.

— ANGERME is in a transitional period. How do you feel about the state of the group right now?

Wada: No matter what, my opinion doesn’t change. I’m in the group and it’s great. I do feel like it’s my second family. We’re spending more time with each other than with our actual family and I really, really adore the members. That’s why I want to stay forever. I want to be here forever and ever.

— S/mileage changed its name to ANGERME, but you’ve been in the group for 6 years and counting your time in Hello! Project Egg, you’ve been an idol for 11 years. Did you think you’d be an idol for this long?

Wada: No, I didn’t think so. I didn’t really want to become an idol in the first place. I just loved Hello! Project more than anyone else and didn’t care about becoming an idol. I watched my seniors’ performances and wanted to become like them, not like any other idol.

— So you saw them simply as performers rather than idols, and that’s what you aimed for.

Wada: Still, when I was in Hello! Project Egg, I didn’t feel a strong rivalry with the other girls. Some were upset and sad when others debuted before them, but I personally didn’t care at all and just congratulated them. If other girls debuted before me, that was just how it was. They were just active in other ways than me. I only felt like this before debuting, though. After that, I changed completely, and I saw other idols, and other groups, as rivals.

— How did you change as an idol in those 11 years?

Wada: I’m getting closer to my ideal self. There were a lot of things I couldn’t do before that I can do now. Life is very different when you’re a trainee and you start your idol activities. Even if you gain experience as a trainee, it’s not all there is to idoling, as there are many things you just can’t do if you’re not a debuted idol. Now that I think about it, I had my major debut five years ago and only after that I felt I was working towards my ideal self. It’s still worth continuing my journey.

— When you say your “ideal self“, what do you mean exactly?

Wada: After my major debut, I decided I wanted to be a cool idol. My seniors back then were Platinum-era Morning Musume and I was strongly influenced by them. I didn’t just wish I could be like them, I really decided that, in five years from now, I’d be like them. I’m just that kind of person. (laughs)

— You looked up to Takahashi Ai, who was the leader of Morning Musume and known for her amazing performance skills, and you wanted to reach that level of coolness, too.

Wada: Yes! I aimed to be like her and it brought me to where I am now. Well, I’m still working towards it. Becoming like my seniors, Platinum-era Morning Musume, is my personal goal.

Takahashi Ai and Wada Ayaka (2017)

— Now that we’re at it, let’s talk about your childhood, before you became the woman you are today. Do you have any stories to tell about your birth?

Wada: I was born around 10 p.m., and apparently my dad’s first reaction was that I kind of looked like a Jizou (laughs). I was a bit surprised it was the first thing he could think of. Well, I can’t deny most babies look like that. (laughs)

— What’s your oldest memory?

Wada: Hmm… I was three years old… in kindergarden. We were having this long-distance running competition, and my friend asked me to run with them. In my case, though, I’m a fast runner, and I wanted to rank high so I didn’t like the idea of running together. I accepted, but I thought I’d just leave them behind if they were too slow. As expected, my friend was too slow… and (hush-hush) I stopped liking them. (laughs)

— (laughs)

Wada: They were mean so I didn’t like them. Also, when they got tired, they gave up and wanted us to walk instead. I remember ignoring them and sprinting past them. (laughs) I heard them say from behind: “I don’t even care about you! We’re not friends anymore and I won’t talk to you!” I completely ignored them and ran away to place well!

— That’s very much like you. (laughs) What kind of child were you?

Wada: I was shy, and I still am, but it was worse back then. I didn’t want to be seen in public, even when I was in Hello! Project Egg. I tried my best to avoid cameras so I wouldn’t be filmed and interviewed. I was just very shy and couldn’t speak in front of others. Even in school, I never raised my hand. You know how there are people who never ever speak up in class even when someone calls their name? That was me.

— What were you interested in?

Wada: I liked sports. I started swimming when I was three and I also loved running. I even ranked first in marathons. Although I liked swimming and running, I couldn’t care less about ball games. I guess I liked individual sports more. Oh, and I started snowboarding at three and liked that, too. So I didn’t talk to people, but I was active. (laughs)

— So you swam alone, you ran alone, and you slid alone.

Wada: I didn’t like following others. Even it came to clothing, I avoided looking like other people. I was a fashionable kid, actually. I had many clothes, and they were only sold in Tokyo, not in my home prefecture of Gunma. Since I wore them in Gunma, I never had the same clothes as other people. That’s how I rolled. (laughs)

— Looks like you didn’t make friends easily.

Wada: (laughs) I did like playing with people. I played cops and robbers, and tag outside during recess every day.

— When did you first make friends?

Wada: I have a childhood friend, and we’ve been sticking with each other since I was five years old. We lived in the same neighbourhood so it felt like we grew up together. They’re a bit of an airhead and we’re always doing silly things together. (laugh) Anyway, we did things like swimming in the river and riding our bikes as far away as possible. In elementary school, our school set up a perimeter so students wouldn’t stray too far away. We went to the farthest point and played there. In middle school, we didn’t have classes together, but our families were close, so we were always together. We’re still friends today.

— And what about your family?

Wada: My family is my dad, my mom, me, my little sister, our dog, our cat… and our pet bird, our little Piichan. My mom is super scary, and she often yells: “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” My dad is very kind, but he did get mad at me once. I didn’t like wearing turtlenecks, so I told him in a childish way: “I’m not wearing that!” We were about to leave, and I was just shouting: “No, no! I’m not going!” He got mad and said: “Hurry up.” That was the only time my dad ever got mad at me. (laughs)

— He seems so kind. From what you said, I guess your mom was strict?

Wada: Quite strict. When I was a child, grandpa and grandma lived with us, and even my great grandma until she passed away. Grandpa was extremely strict too. For example, when we were eating, he was so strict with manners that even my mom was like: “Don’t listen to him too much.” Thanks to him, though, I learned politeness and good manners. And my mom, well, what did she scold me for… She was just always mad. (laughs) Ah, she often scolded me when we commuted to Tokyo for my Hello! Project Egg activities. We rode the bullet train, and I had this bad habit of sitting with my legs wide open. She’d always shout: “Don’t do that!” Back then, I didn’t realize spreading your legs was bad manners. (laughs)

— How is it now?

Wada: I’m doing fine so she isn’t worrying about me, but my younger sister is a mess so she gets mad at her. I’m an airhead, but my sister is worse. She’s very easygoing, and I’m the one teaching her stuff now. We’re really close, though, and we’re spending a lot of time together so we do silly stuff. Neither of us makes any sense. We’re nonsensical together.

— By the way, how does your family feel about your idol activities?

Wada: I don’t know, because I never say a word about my job to my family. They do know I’ve been a fan of Hello! Project since I was a child because they brought me to concerts. After I joined Hello! Project, I didn’t like people asking me questions about work, and I don’t even say anything to my friends or my family. I’d even tell them not to come see me at concerts, and if they come, I look the other way while dancing… I’m well aware that I’m not supposed to do that. For instance, I was backdancing on the runway at Yokohama Arena, and they were in the family seating area. They were right in front of me, but I looked away and just danced. (laughs)

— Were they supportive of you becoming an idol in the first place?

Wada: I did love Hello! Project, but like I said before, I didn’t think about becoming an idol. My mom suggested I should audition and that’s how I found my way to the audition. So naturally, my mom was supportive of it. Now I realize that she encouraged me all along.

— Was there any time you remember causing trouble to your family?

Wada: It’s related to what I just said. I didn’t really want to be an idol, but they thought that since I loved them, I wanted to be one so they worked hard for me. They brought me to every Hello! Project concert, and since I loved Hamasaki Ayumi, they brought me to her concert every time, too. And, I think it was after I auditioned for Hello! Project Kids, they sent me to a dance and vocal training school for two years. In retrospect, they really supported me as much as they could. I could have been born in a family that didn’t approve of me becoming an idol even if I wished to, so it’s amazing… I feel grateful and I want to give back to them!

— How did you become a Hello! Project fan?

Wada: Hmm… I don’t remember. (laughs) But I think I liked cute concepts like those by Hello! Project and Hamasaki Ayumi. I loved cute stuff. So nothing in particular got me into Hello! Project, but I always watched them.

— They were just a part of your life and you liked them. Did you look up to anyone in particular?

Wada: I liked Yaguchi Mari. Gyaru fashion was very popular back then, and I wanted to be a gyaru, too. I wore loose socks, cute platform boots and I dressed up as Mini Moni. What made me like Yaguchi Mari was that she had blond hair. I thought she was cute when I was a kid.

Wada Ayaka auditioning for Hello! Project Egg at 9 years old (2004)

— When you finally entered your beloved Hello! Project, what kind of place was it?

Wada: It was so fun. I never thought it was harsh or different from what we saw from the outside. It could be that, because I wasn’t interested in debuting, so I couldn’t be frustrated about not debuting. I thought what I was doing was fun enough as it was.

— So you simply enjoyed being close to what you loved.

Wada: That’s exactly it! I just fangirled like: “My senior is just over there!” or “She talked to me!!!” I still had fun after joining, or should I say, I had even more fun after joining!

— You said you were a kid who didn’t like to be in front of other people. How was your first time on stage?

Wada: I was so embarrassed. When I was a trainee, I was lumped with all the other Hello! Project Egg members, so my name never came up individually. All the others were like: “I gotta make them know my name fast!”, but in my case, I didn’t want anyone to know my name. I even challenged myself to be there without ever saying my name! (laughs) In the dressing room, there were hangers with a picture of us, and mine had my name “Wada” was written on it. Around that time, more girls were saying their name on stage and stuff, so it made it easier to identify us. That’s how my name “Wada” was revealed, and I was extremely frustrated! (laughs)

— So you lost the “they’ll never know I’m Wada Ayaka” fight. (laughs)

Wada: If only they didn’t put up that picture!

— It took about five years, until 2009, for you to debut as a member of S/mileage. Did you work hard believing you could debut someday during that period?

Wada: No, because I was embarrassed to appear in public so I thought I’d quit after starting middle school. I never told my mom about this, though, I wasn’t brave enough! I asked myself every day how I should tell her, what words I should use, but I never mustered the courage to say anything. That’s how I ended up here.

— (laughs)

Wada: Although I was shy, there was nothing I disliked. Our activities were so fun, I enjoyed dancing and I had a blast while singing too. I had regular weekly lessons with other girls around my age, and we eventually had trainee concerts so we had even more of a chance to be together. It felt like school and it was really fun. The only bad thing was that I was embarrassed, really!

— Were you thinking: “I’m embarrassed! I’m so embarrassed!” while dancing and singing on stage all the time back then?

Wada: Yes. (laughs)

Promotional photo for S/mileage’s first indie single, “aMa no Jaku” (2009)

— When you were chosen to debut in S/mileage, were you prepared for that?

Wada: No, my mindset only changed when we had our major debut. I did think it was great being in a group because I could do the same activities as my seniors. Still, when they told us “You’re releasing a CD as an indie group”, I had no clue what “indie” meant, and I didn’t know the meaning of “debut” either. It was like I was active while being completely unaware of what I was doing. When we were releasing a CD, we were told to strike poses and make facial expressions that were never taught to us before, like for CD jackets and stuff. I was really awful at that, because I was embarrassed to stand in front of the camera and smile.

— Sounds like you weren’t meant to be an idol. (laughs)

Wada: I wasn’t. (laughs)

— Yet, even if you weren’t meant to be an idol, you still worked hard in your own way?

Wada: I didn’t enjoy looking at the camera and smiling, and what I disliked above all was to look at my pictures. Like, they were showing me pictures of my weird face?!

— Your weird face. (laughs)

Wada: It made me angry. I could neither do or stand it. I thought: “Is it really this hard releasing just one CD?” I really disliked photoshoots, as they’d show me my pictures again and it couldn’t possibly be more embarrassing. You know, for CD jackets, we’d be striking poses and I was really embarrassed to look at me making them!

— How did the other members feel? Were you the only one who was embarrassed?

Wada: Yes, I was. The others were surprisingly good at making facial expressions. I was the only one who was bad at it, and I hated it even more when I was told I wasn’t good. I was really embarrassed.

— So you must have been extremely embarrassed by S/mileage’s concept, “the idols with the shortest skirts in Japan.”

Wada: Well, after our major debut, my mindset changed. I was actually the most pumped about it and not embarrassed at all.

— How did your mindset change, exactly?

Wada: Our manager was very strict after we had our major debut, but thanks to that, we learned a lot. I realized that we had come such a long way. Also, our Morning Musume seniors were close to us, and I decided I wanted to become like them! As an indies group, we were performing as the opening act at our seniors’ concerts, and that’s how I grew to think like that. I changed my mindset: I had no reason to be embarrassed.

— S/mileage’s debut was during the idol boom, with AKB48 having their big break and Momoiro Clover rising as well. It felt like S/mileage was Hello! Project’s answer to these groups so they wouldn’t lose to them. Did you feel like this yourself?

Wada: No. Nowadays, I look back and think it was a big deal, but back then, it was all so new for us. It was our first time on TV, our first time performing on music shows, our first time doing everything. We didn’t have time to look at S/mileage objectively. We were taught everything and received advice like “It’s like this” or “You got it wrong”, so we had to follow and couldn’t catch our breath. We didn’t know anything about ourselves.

— Yet, the four of you were fearless. I have this memory of you guys fooling around all the time.

Wada: The first time we were on TV, we were still an indies group, and I got scolded because I didn’t say anything. They told me why it wasn’t good to keep quiet, and gradually, it all got into my head. So, I tried to speak no matter what and that’s how we got that kind of image. All because back then, they got mad at me for not speaking. I didn’t want them to get mad at me, so I just said whatever. (laughs) Also, I was the leader, but I was super ditzy and didn’t know at all how and when to talk. I couldn’t come up with anything, so our staff told me what to say. Then, I’d tell them I wanted to say something, and they’d reply: “So, you should say it like this” or “Okay, well, people won’t care.” We had these conversations which helped me learn so much and I’m grateful for them.

— When you think about the four of you now, how do you feel?

Wada: We were babies. (laughs) We thought we could do everything by working hard, that the more we worked hard, the more the spotlight would be on us. The first time we appeared at an event with multiple idol groups, we were told we were the “best.” It made us so happy, and we believed it, too. We thought that the more we worked, the farther we could go, and we genuinely worked hard for that.

S/mileage promoting their major debut single, “Yume miru 15” (2010)

— S/mileage got more attention than Morning Musume around that time, too. In 2010, as soon as you had your major debut with “Yume miru 15”, you won the Japan Record Best Newcomer Award. How did you react to this?

Wada: I was overjoyed, like: “I can’t believe it… Us?!”

— The four of you had a look of pure happiness on your face. I watched the video recently, and there was an emotional part where you said smoothly: “We’re getting the grand prize next year.”

Wada: Did I say that?!

— You did. (laughs) Let’s move on to another topic. Before you were Japan’s best new idol group, you were living your life as a student. How were your elementary school days?

Wada: I played and chatted a lot with people in my class. I was extremely shy with people I didn’t know, but I played with my friend group. I wasn’t the type who stood out. I wasn’t a part of the flashiest group of our class, and I wasn’t friends with those people either, but I was peppy and happy. I played the long jump rope, and playing house was popular too…

— As in, “I’ll be the dad and you’ll be the mom?”

Wada: I was the pet.

— You weren’t even human. (laugh)

Wada: I just sat and watched them as they talked.

— Was that fun?

Wada: If you’re the mom, you have to say stuff like: “do your homework.” If you’re the dad, you say: “that’s right”. If you’re the big sister, you must kind of act like one. I thought it was embarrassing, having to act like that. So I liked being the pet. I could look at people, just go “woof!” sometimes (laughs) and move if someone they said “let’s go”. It was fun.

— How was it in middle school?

Wada: In my first year of middle school, I was in the track and field club. I ran 800 meters and even took part in competitions. In my second year, though, I was chosen for Shugo Chara Egg and couldn’t attend the club as much as before. Then, in my third year, I got so busy with work that my teachers gave me extra support. Towards the end, it made me so sad that middle school was ending already. Time went by so fast. I had good friends and did my best so I could attend as much as possible.

— So you enjoyed school.

Wada: I did. I realized how wonderful my everyday school life was in my third year. Going to school, taking classes, cleaning up with everyone, attending afternoon homeroom, going back home with my friends. It was so great being able to do this. When I had work, even if I took the very last class until the very last minute, I had to leave immediately and couldn’t clean and attend afternoon homeroom with everyone after school. That’s how I realized how fun it was staying in school until the end of the day and going back home with everyone at the same time. I had to relish this time because it would be gone soon. I’d be graduating and it’d all be over. I had to take it in by asking myself: “After today, how many times will I be able to enjoy this everyday life?”

— What’s your favourite memory of middle school?

Wada: My third year, for sure. I had what you’d call a squad…

— What’s a “squad?”

Wada: A group of friends I was always hanging out with. We were six girls and we still hang out even today. I was with them in my third year for the most part, so looking back, being with them in my third year was the best thing about middle school. Third year itself was just fun! I was in the same class as all the girls I was friends with. I had a blast.

— Oh, is that why you wrote that angry blog post when you couldn’t go to your coming-of-age ceremony because of work?

Wada: Yes. (laughs)

— Coming-of-age ceremonies are basically middle school reunions, after all.

Wada: Exactly.

— S/mileage must have been a big part of your life in high school, too.

Wada: We had our major debut in my first year of high school, and we were extremely busy with our activities in my second year. In my case, I decided I wanted to go to university in my first year so I studied for entrance exams in my third year. My only memory of high school life is this, university entrance exams. I had one-on-one classes with my teacher so I didn’t have friends in school, but my teacher was kind of like a friend. They always worked with me and encouraged me to come by when I could. If I could only be there in specific timeframe, they’d tell me to come anyway. I never studied so my reading comprehension was below that of an average person. Still, they managed to work with that, found readings for me and even bought me some books.

— It sounds like they really worked hard with you.

Wada: Those books were all used, and I have a good story to tell related to this. I had planned to go to an art school, so I just studied everything that had something to do with art. I wrote 3 essays of 2000 characters every day and it was hard, but my teacher really did all they could to support me. Thanks to that, I passed the exams, and to celebrate, my teacher bought me brand-new books for the first time! They gifted me three books they recommended. I was so happy.

— So in university, you majored in art history as you wished. What made you choose art in the first place?

Wada: One day, in my first year of high school, I misunderstood our meeting time for work and had a lot of time to spare. At Tokyo Station, the walls were plastered with posters for a Manet exhibition. My mom, who came along, was intrigued by the posters, and I was also strangely attracted to them. When I entered the exhibition hall, I saw a world way beyond imagination. I thought it was so fun and amazing, I started going to art museums without knowing anything about the different genres of art at first. I eventually learned more about them, and I found out about art history. It sounded great, so I decided to go to art school.

— Is this how you got interested in Buddha statues as well?

Wada: Yes. I was studying for the university entrance exams and learned about Buddha statues, but I didn’t care about them all that much back then.

— (laughs)

Wada: Well, I’m bad at reading kanji, couldn’t tell their faces apart and didn’t know anything about the different types of statues. They all looked the same to me. My teacher told me to look at the exhibition catalogue, so I’d look at it every day reluctantly and I still couldn’t understand the point of them. Then, my teacher gave me some advice. They taught me that Tathagata statues have achieved enlightenment, so they’re not decorated. Also, Bodhisattva statues are a bit greedy so they’re not enlightened and have a lot of shiny things on them. It made me look at statues in a different light and the exhibition catalogue actually made sense from that point onwards! I learned how to read their names naturally and figured out all the different types, but I really realized how fun they were when I could tell their faces apart. I was drawn to them, so when I finished studying for my exams, I asked my mom to go see Buddha statues with me in Kyoto and Nara. During that trip, I couldn’t believe I wasn’t aware there were such wonderful things in Japan! And that’s how I got into them.

— What a great story. You weren’t interested in them at all, but ended up loving them.

Wada: It all happened in a flash and opened my eyes.

Wada Ayaka with a Buddha statue (2017)

— Let’s go back to your teenage days, in S/mileage. What memories do you have of your time with the original members?

Wada: It was like a dream. We were heavily promoted after our debut, so much our faces were plastered around the Yamanote line. People would tell us there were pictures of the group everywhere around the city, and we were invited on TV shows. We were making headlines for everything we did and a hall tour was announced for us after our debut. We were blessed with a good environment, but it only lasted for a year. When I look back at that time, I can’t believe I actually experienced that, because it really was like I was living a dream.

— In August 2011, Ogawa Saki left the group, and Maeda Yuuka graduated a few months later on December 31^st. How did you feel when you heard they were graduating?

Wada: …I was mostly sad that we wouldn’t be the four of us anymore. Even if just one person left, the balance of the group wouldn’t be the same. This feeling we created together, it was just so cute. Rather than being sad that they were graduating, I was heartbroken to see this S/mileage with four members change.

— So for a long time, you felt you couldn’t move on?

Wada: No, actually, I didn’t feel like this. The second-generation members joined right after, and before we knew it, we hit rock bottom. I thought we couldn’t afford living in the past in such a state. We used to have a schedule that was so packed with activities, we barely had a day off. Afterwards, though, we had weeks with nothing planned, and I even told our manager they didn’t need to lighten our workload so much. That’s when I learned that they were making us work less because there was simply no work for us. There were fewer people coming to see us and our venues were smaller. At every release event, I could tell there were fewer fans attending. I wasn’t “sad” about this, however. I was just trying to find out why it happened when we were doing so well!

— How did the group recover from this slump?

Wada : Ever since we had four members, we were dragging ourselves and figured things out along the way by working hard. So we thought that by working hard, we could pull through, people would see it and we’d be able to do hall tours again. But it didn’t happen, and I only realized it in the fall of 2013. Before that, I was busy helping the second-generation members settle in. For example, I was helping Kananan (Nakanishi Kana) learn how to dance. Also, after we lost two original members, I was often told that I looked upset and lacked energy. I didn’t notice it at all myself, but I was like that at that time.

— This era of S/mileage with the second-generation members must be why the group was renamed ANGERME and new members joined. How do you see this era nowadays?

Wada: There were many things we couldn’t do and weren’t acknowledged for, yet things made us very happy. We became who we are now thanks to this era. I’m repeating myself now, but I’m glad I could experience it with those members. It brought me happiness.

— You said previously that you love the second-generation members so much, you’d want to marry them. Is it because you went through this era together and bonded?

Wada: You’re right. We’re not generation mates, but we’re a “family of six.” The six of us experienced it all together as one. Still, I’m sad for the second-generation because they couldn’t really taste glory. Original members like me just worked hard and made it, but the second generation joined at our lowest point. I feel sorry for them.

— I believe things have changed for the better since you became ANGERME, but how do you feel about it? Are you happy things have changed?

Wada: I’m glad people are seeing us in a new way, but I don’t think the group has become drastically better. The group didn’t suddenly become better after the third generation joined, it’s more that we’ve grown gradually since we were six members. Our last days with six members were also great. We performed at Budokan, and before that, we did a musical called Warera Jeanne, and it was a big thing for us. It was the first time the six of us were in a musical, and we did it alongside Berryz Koubou and many other performers from other agencies. We were the least experienced and didn’t want to drag down the others. Sometimes, Berryz Koubou had scheduling conflicts and couldn’t come, so we had to fill in. Of course, we weren’t used to singing musical songs and fighting on stage either, so we had to learn how to do it. We also had to learn two characters because there was the “Reverse” version as well. For us, it was an incredibly hard experience, but our bond became stronger thanks to it. We really helped each other out, which made S/mileage evolve.

S/mileage welcoming three new members (2014)

— What did you think about the new members that joined afterwards?

Wada: Our six members were full of personality, and the three new members also had a lot of personality. I was happy they joined. It’s especially fun that they’re not holding back and are chatting freely with us. We were also doing that in the dressing room as seniors so we’re all chatting together now. Hopefully they’re having fun with us. (laughs)

— Now you’re the leader of a large group. How do you want to see the group change?

Wada: I want it to keep going, and that’s why we changed our name and new members joined. I’d be happy if it kept changing, but… as far as I’m concerned, I’m not letting it go!

— I see you’ve made your mind. You know, now that Fukuda Kanon is graduating, fans are speculating you’re going to follow suit…

Wada: Nope! I’m here to stay!

— (laughs)

Wada: Because we’re not like Morning Musume yet! We’re not like Morning Musume in that era!

— You’re really amazing.

Wada: When we’ll reach that point… I might reconsider. (laughs) But I’m not leaving until I’m fully satisfied with my performances! I love singing and dancing and I want to keep doing that as much as I can.

— On November 29, 2015, you’ll the last remaining original member. Do you feel anxious or sad thinking about it?

Wada: Not really. I don’t feel this way because I’m confident in the second generation’s abilities. I know it’ll be fine during MCs and when we’re all dancing together. We have our bond from when we were just six members, so I’m not worried. The only thing that worries me is the memories I’m losing, like what we were told in a specific venue, when they got mad at us, what we did back then. I’m all losing that. Kanon is always helping me remember, she always says : “hey, it’s THAT place!”

— So, the people who remember the history of the group will be all gone after she leaves? (laughs)

Wada: Yes, so I’m asking her to remind me what happened in this venue by email every time. (laughs)

— I have one last question. As a member and as the leader of ANGERME, what do you want to accomplish?

Wada: I want our group to do hall tours on a regular basis. We’re doing a hall tour now, and it’s the first time in a while. It’s a new beginning for us and my dream is coming true, but it’s not quite fulfilled yet. We could be doing a hall tour now, only to go back to live houses again. When you think about our history, you know there’s a chance it could happen. So I’d like us to do them regularly, and if we can do a concert at Budokan on top of that, then I could feel we’ve achieved something together with our own strength. Now, we’re only doing a special graduation concert, and if there are no plans for one, we can’t be there. I’d like for us to reach a point where if we’re not there every time, something’s missing.

Inaba Manaka: Showing Gratitude

This is a translation of an article that was originally published in IDOL AND READ #029 (December 2021).

Inaba Manaka made her first steps in show business at a young age. Before becoming an idol, she was a backdancer for EXILE at Kouhaku Utagassen. Later, she joined Hello! Project as a Kenshuusei and became a member of Country Girls. Her stint in the group ended, as she took a break to undergo medical treatment, leading to her graduation. Then, in June 2018, she resumed her idol activities as a member of Juice=Juice. Those twists and turns made Inaba who she is today, and she wants to show her gratitude to everyone by working hard, no matter what.

— You started your career as a child. You’ve been in Hello! Project for a long time, first as a Kenshuusei, then as a member of Country Girls, and finally, you joined Juice=Juice. To you, what kind of idol is Inaba Manaka?

Inaba: Hmm… What kind of idol could I be… I’ve never had a specific goal in mind for myself as an idol. I’m the kind of person who’s always focused on the work at hand, aiming for perfection. I feel that’s how I ended up here. I don’t know if I can reach my ideal self. When people, friends, see me working hard and tell me I’m doing great, or when they tell me Juice=Juice is trending on Twitter and they’re happy, I do think: “Oh, so I’m at this point now.” I don’t particularly feel I’ve changed after all this time.

— Was there any idol you admired?

Inaba: I always admired Hello! Project idols in general, all the groups. If we’re talking about being really obsessed, I was a stay-at-home S/mileage otaku; I loved them so much. I had been singing and dancing since the age of 4 and I had somewhat of a dream of being in showbiz, but I wasn’t specifically set on becoming an idol. By watching S/mileage, though, it made me realize idols could shine so brightly and it was very close to what I wanted to do.

— I’d like to know more about your upbringing. How were you as a child?

Inaba: I was very lively. I remember my teachers would often get mad because I was mischievous. They’d scold me and say: “Manakan is a very mischievous girl!” Maybe I was a problem child. (lol) I was the type who would play with both boys and girls. I remember playing cat’s cradle with the girls and (play) fighting with the boys. I’d pretend I was a superhero, and I loved acting. When they beat me up, I didn’t just fall over, I grunted: “Ughh!” (lol) I’d even act as if it were painful.

— You were a kid, but you were playing your part seriously. (lol)

Inaba: Also, when I was 2 or 3 years old, I was so restless, I’d start dancing whenever I heard music. According to my mom, I was a kid who would just disappear too. I couldn’t stand still, and when we went shopping or something, I was gone immediately. My mom always wondered where I was and looked for me everywhere. I would also hide in clothes and racks in stores. (lol) I was a tomboy.

— You said you started dancing at the sound of music. What kind of music were you listening to?

Inaba: I don’t remember it myself, but I was bopping to Utada Hikaru‘s Automatic.

— You were a kid with taste. (lol)

Inaba: I had it in me, if I say so myself. (lol)

Utada Hikaru – Automatic (1998)

— You started learning how to sing and dance at 4 years old. Was it your idea?

Inaba: I don’t really remember it, but apparently, I said I wanted to. My mom was harsh. When I say this, she tells me to stop. (lol) It was my decision, so she was harsh. I would be practicing this upbeat song from My Neighbour Totoro called Sanpo and she’d go: “Kumo no su kugutte…! Right!” (lol) Mom was a big fan of Nakamori Akina and she loved listening to music and singing, so she was very strict about my singing. Of course, she pushed me and taught me as much as she could because I wanted to sing, but as a kid, it was frightening. (lol) We’re super close nowadays and she’s like a friend to me. She’s the one person I can always talk to, and the one who understands me the best.

— So, as far as you can remember, you were always singing and dancing.

Inaba: Yes, and now that I think about it, there was no other path for me.

— When did you start thinking you liked singing and dancing and wanted to work hard of your own free will?

Inaba: In the lower grades of elementary school, I believe. I was praised for being fast at remembering dance moves. I started competing against myself around that time, and people who watched me perform said I looked determined. (lol) I didn’t think about competing against others, even if, of course, it’s the way to go in this business. In elementary school, I just wanted to reach goals, be able to do this dance step, and I competed against myself. During dance tests, I wanted to see how well I could dance and if I could be praised by my teacher. It was the only thing I had in mind.

— Improving your dance skills was most rewarding for you.

Inaba: This sense of accomplishment is what made me like dancing, step by step. I didn’t dislike singing, but deep down, since my mom had been so strict teaching me (lol), I thought I was bad. I was a girl who liked dancing over singing. In 5th grade, I changed performing schools and went all the way for dancing. It was a real challenge that influenced the way I am today.

— What happened then?

Inaba: I had been dancing since I was 4, but they put me in the starting class in this school. It was the first time I felt like a failure and it hurt my pride. It brought out my competitive spirit and I wanted to perfect my dancing skills. That’s why I can dance like this now.

— Speaking of which, what kind of girl were you in elementary school?

Inaba: I’d say I was the kind of girl who stood out. At the time, I was modelling in advertisements and you could see me around, so I think I came off as “the showbiz girl.” In school though, I was calm, or really, I wasn’t as daring as in kindergarten. (lol) I was a serious girl who listened and followed the rules naturally. I was like this in elementary and middle school and I was even on school committees. My hair was dyed brown, but I was a model student. I was in the executive committee for the cultural festival, led the chorus competition and served as yosakoi leader.

Inaba Manaka at YOSAKOI Soran Festival in Sapporo (2018)

— What does a yosakoi leader do?

Inaba: In my native Hokkaido, I believe all schools do yosakoi at sports festivals. Since I had been learning how to dance, I took it upon myself to be good at yosakoi. (lol) In the upper grades of elementary school, I started attending an EXPG dance school and had the opportunity to be a backdancer for EXILE. People expected me to be good at yosakoi, so I thought I had to go hard! Now that I think about it, it’s embarrassing, but I really did go all out for it.

— So you did yosakoi beyond what’s expected of an elementary schooler. (lol)

Inaba: Everyone just wanted to have fun, but I was the only one yelling like “Spread your legs more! A bit more over here!” It was intense yosakoi. (lol)

— You said you were a backdancer for EXILE. Was it your first performance on a big stage?

Inaba: There’s a music agency in Hokkaido called Runtime Music Entertainment, which ZONE belonged to. I went to their school from the age of 4 and thanks to this, I was able to dance on big stages as a child. However, it was only at EXPG that I passed auditions and was chosen to dance on big stages. The biggest stage I danced on was at Kouhaku Utagassen in 2010; I was a backdancer while EXILE performed I Wish For You.

— Dancing at Kouhaku Utagassen at that age must have been a memorable experience for you.

Inaba: I was in 6th or 7th grade at the time and it was a memorable experience indeed. We weren’t told we’d be performing at Kouhaku Utagassen until later on, though, because they didn’t want the information to leak out. We were five people chosen from EXPG Sapporo. We went to Tokyo at the end of the year and it wasn’t until we arrived that we actually knew where we’d be dancing. (lol)

— You’d think it was a prank. (lol)

Inaba: There, we met students from all EXPG schools, including future members of E-girls and GENERATIONS. Even back then, those people were the cream of the crop. It really felt like a gathering of people who would be famous later on. I was excited. I was there for Hokkaido too, and I didn’t want to be overshadowed by all those people. I felt strongly that I had to represent our Sapporo school well so I practiced! Then, staff told us we’d be backdancing at Kouhaku Utagassen.

— This story sounds like it was taken straight from a movie or an anime.

Inaba: It was like a dream. Hamasaki Ayumi performed just before EXILE and witnessing this incredible scene, I was so nervous! Everywhere I looked, there were famous people. Information kept coming at me and my ears and eyes were filled. I was greeting people, but it was so overwhelming, I couldn’t assimilate what was going on. It was my first experience on a live show and seeing it unpack. Every time the stage rotated, staff yelled each other’s names and I really thought they were all angry, it was scary. (lol)

— How did you feel dancing on a stage as exciting as Kouhaku Utagassen?

Inaba: Well, I was happy for sure. I had been dreaming of showbiz since I was 4 and one of my goals was to perform on this big stage at Kouhaku Utagassen, so I was glad. My family and other people around me were excited, and that’s what made me the happiest. I thought I was giving back to them for supporting me. You know, they paid the monthly fees for my school, and when you think about it, spending this much on a 4-year-old child’s lessons is unbelievable. It was a time I wasn’t as serious about it either… This experience made me think I could start showing gratitude for my younger self little by little.

— Was it around that time that you decided to follow the path of dancing and singing?

Inaba: Well, I didn’t just want to dance and sing on stage, there were other things I was interested in. I took countless auditions as a child. There are people who pass auditions and become famous right away, but it wasn’t a Cinderella story for me. I failed most of them. I bought magazines with information about auditions and found some with my mom. I didn’t just pick those I really wanted to do, but went for those that would lead to different things. So I auditioned for random things, like a milk commercial.

— What did you do at the audition?

Inaba: It was an audition for Yotsuba Milk. I don’t know why, but I was dead set on passing this one. In retrospect, I should have made a cuter expression while drinking. The thing is, when they said, “Drink like it’s a competition. Let’s go,” I thought I’d pass if I drank it fast. I chugged it down. (lol) I looked desperate, so there was no way I’d pass…

— If you don’t look like you’re enjoying the drink, it doesn’t make for a good commercial. (lol)

Inaba: I made it look as if it were a pain to drink. (lol) I was just a kid so I made a lot of mistakes and failed. Still, I got picked for jobs, like a commercial where I ate carrots frantically, and I appeared in flyers as a model and on stage. I always thought I’d be working in showbiz, but I wasn’t sure which path I’d take. While dancing at EXPG, I was also taking acting lessons at Sun Music.

— So you took acting lessons?

Inaba: I thought being an actress sounded so cool and acting was fun, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to perform, no matter what.

— Acting is something you get to do in Hello! Project too, right?

Inaba: That’s right. When I was in Country Girls, I appeared in a stage play called Kizetsusuru hodo aishiteru. I really loved acting in it. It was a bit of a rough period for me, and playing the main character, Hiroko, helped me get through it. Not only did I love acting, but I grew to like myself as an actress thanks to it. After joining Juice=Juice, I got to play in Time Repeat ~Towa ni kimi wo omou~, which was such a struggle. (lol)

Inaba Manaka in Time Repeat ~Towa ni kimi wo omou~ (2018)

— What did you struggle with?

Inaba: It was heavy and hard to deal with mentally. I cried the first time I read the script. It was a serious and raw story. Miyamoto Karin and I played the main characters. I had lines that you’d never hear in real life, in everyday conversations, and I struggled to remember them. Sorry for the spoilers, but my character died multiple times as time kept repeating itself. We were making every effort to find a way to solve this problem or else everyone would die. I’m not telling you how it ends because it’s surprising, so please watch the DVD. (lol)

— We will. (lol)

Inaba: So, Time Repeat ~Towa ni kimi wo omou~ was a play with a serious topic and there’s a scene where I cry while singing. As I was doing my usual idol activities, I was doing this mentally exhausting play. I got lots of praise for my performance and I felt a sense of accomplishment from it too. It was a job that confirmed my love for acting. It was a struggle, but it was a great experience that made me want to work in other plays.

— Let’s go back to your childhood. You were taking singing, dancing, and acting lessons and you were confused as to which path to take. When exactly did you want to become an idol and join Hello! Project?

Inaba: I changed performing schools in 5th grade and chose to dive deeper into dancing. I always aimed to move to the next class and worked hard towards that until I finally reached the last one called “Queen Class.” I was an honour student and I rejoiced that I reached that point. However, I didn’t know what to aim for next. There are many things you can do in this field, but when I thought about my future job, I figured I wasn’t interested in just dancing. It just so happened that I was looping Hello! Project videos at the time and saw making-of footage of Morning Musume videos. It helped me get a feel of how things really were backstage for idols and I was impressed. It had a big impact on me.

— You could call that a turning point.

Inaba: My mom was worried about me at that time, too. Although I was an honour student, there was no difference in my lessons. She wondered what I’d do in middle school and in high school, if I should go to a school related to the entertainment industry. We had to think about how much I should study and plan for the future. It worried me, but as I watched Hello! Project videos every day, I decided to audition for Morning Musume’s 9ki generation.

— You were prepared and decided to become an idol.

Inaba: I ended up failing the audition, but through this, Tsunku told me of an opportunity with TNX. I had an interview with him at a later date. He told me: “You can sing high notes without falsetto and you always keep your natural voice. That’s good.” All this time, I thought I was bad at singing, but he praised me. I wanted to sing his songs even more from that point. Then, I’m not sure what was his intention, but he asked me: “If I told you to wear an afro, would you do it?” I just replied: “I would!” (lol) After this, I was invited to join TNX, but I wanted to sing Tsunku’s songs as a member of Hello! Project specifically. I couldn’t give up on that, so I mustered all of my courage and declined their offer.

— It was make or break for you.

Inaba: Had I joined TNX, I don’t know what I would have done. Still, during the interview, I asked Tsunku what I was lacking to become a member of Hello! Project as I failed the audition. This is what he said: “Nothing’s lacking. It’s just that you overlapped with Sayashi Riho.” There were other things I asked about, but after hearing this, I felt it was so close. It was frustrating, to say the least. (lol) Thanks to this, I decided to be an idol for real and wanted to work harder than ever. That’s why I went back to Hokkaido and gained some experience in a local idol group (PEACEFUL.) I learned how hard it was to sing and dance at the same time.

PEACEFUL – START!! (2011)

— I see, so you had never sung while dancing before.

Inaba: I learned how to dance and sing separately. When you do it at the same time, you breathe and move your body very differently and I first experienced it there. It was frustrating, because I thought I was good at dancing, but when singing, I started neglecting it. It made me think Hello! Project members were really amazing because they could do it. I learned a lot in my local idol group, but it eventually disbanded. That’s when I started auditioning for Hello! Project again, just when they had a Kenshuusei audition in Hokkaido. I passed it and joined Hello! Project as a Kenshuusei.

— Then, in 2014, you debuted as a member of Country Girls, which had Tsugunaga Momoko as a playing manager.

Inaba: I was among the oldest Kenshuusei so I felt in a rush to debut. What would I do if I couldn’t debut? I was worried, especially as I was behind and couldn’t take all the lessons because I was travelling all the way to Tokyo from Hokkaido unlike the other members. I felt lonely, and while I never went as far as to say I wanted to quit explicitly, I discussed my future with our manager. Just as I was beginning to think about quitting, news of me debuting came up! I was shooting an introduction video when Satoda Mai appeared unexpectedly and said: “Manaka, you’re joining Country Musume!” I was shocked!

— Country Girls was a group that focused on cuteness. How did you feel about that?

Inaba: I mean, I was a total S/mileage otaku. (lol) Basically, I love cute idols, but I don’t think I’m cute. I do this teasing, cuteness act now, but it’s part of performing and it’s mostly for fun. Back then, I thought would people think I’m a burikko and I couldn’t pretend I was cute. Gradually, I started enjoying myself while acting cute. I had a blast doing the Koi Dorobou music video! I was excited to shoot in a cute set, it was like, wow, so idolish!

Country Girls – Koi Dorobou (2015)

— Unfortunately, you had to leave Country Girls to undergo medical treatment. What was your state of mind during this period, before you restarted your activities?

Inaba: (silence) I had mixed feelings. It wasn’t what I was hoping. I had to take a break, then I had to graduate… (silence) In this turn of events, I couldn’t have a proper departure or even tell everyone directly with my own voice at the time. It led to so many misunderstandings. Even now… (silence) Like… (silence) It’s hard to put into words, but my time in Country Girls made me who I am today and I cherish it… (silence) This feeling hasn’t changed, and my feelings towards the members haven’t changed either, but leaving in such a way… (silence) When you can’t see or you don’t know something, people can only guess what’s happening and there’s really no way around it. I didn’t want it to end like that, I always thought: “It’s sad. It’s frustrating. That’s not it.” As I was getting medical treatment in Hokkaido, I always aimed for a comeback.

— You came back because you felt like this.

Inaba: Perhaps it was a bit of a rushed comeback, but I restarted my activities in Hokkaido gradually while keeping track of my health. All of a sudden, I was told I’d join Juice=Juice. THAT was shocking. (lol) They didn’t tell me in advance or anything. I graduated from Country Girls and came back on my own in Hokkaido. It never occurred to me that I could join another group. Again, I was called to shoot a video, and they told me: “You’re joining Juice=Juice. The members are waiting for you downstairs. We’re going to see them.” Like, what?! This agency really does unexpected things. (lol) Fans were surprised too and had different opinions about me joining.

— Anyone would be shaken. (lol)

Inaba: They’d think, “What? And Country Girls?” Even I wondered if it was right for me to join. I just thought I had no choice but to work hard for those who believed in me and watched me. There were fans from my days in Country Girls and others who followed me after I joined Juice=Juice. I had to work hard for all those people who supported me so I could show my gratitude to them. Maybe that’s how I managed to pull through all this time.

— You’re playing a central role in Juice=Juice now and the group has seen a lot of members joining and leaving. What’s your mindset while working in this environment?

Inaba: After joining, I told myself that I had to keep up with the current Juice=Juice. I had to perform as well as my seniors. I had to take the plunge and work hard. I repeated to myself that I “had to” and overdid it. Even if that’s part of the way I am too, I realized overdoing things isn’t good. I want to be adaptable, not only as a member of Juice=Juice, but in my life in general. I want to take it easy and adapt to things as much as possible. Things flow naturally, so I should tackle every task at hand properly. Also, we have three new members (Arisawa Ichika, Irie Risa, and Ebata Kisaki) who are a breath of fresh air for us. They look so much like me when I debuted and I want to teach them everything I know. Still, I don’t want to be strict with them and say too much, as they should spread their wings freely.

— At the beginning of this interview, you said you don’t think you’ve changed much. Isn’t this something you can say because you’ve gone through ups and downs?

Inaba: I guess so. Really, a lot has happened to me and I overcame many obstacles. Looking back, my life has been an adventure. (lol) Now I’m 24, and I have a feeling the adventure will continue. (lol) Whether I had a good or a bad experience, it was all worth it. Those experiences made me who I am today, for sure, they were what made me forgive and approve myself. This interview was a reminder that I shouldn’t forget to show my gratitude and enjoy and treasure each passing moment. Thank you!

Kawamura Ayano: Close up!

This is a translation of a two-part interview published in TV Fan (August-September 2020).

Kawamura Ayano (2022)

My birthday is on July 7!

My birthday is on July 7 so it always falls during Hello! Project summer concert rehearsals. We often had our dress rehearsal on that day too! I’m usually so focused on work that I forget it’s my birthday. Morning Musume’s Ikuta Erina and Juice=Juice’s Matsunaga Riai were also born on July 7, so at the end of the day, people brought out three cakes and sang Happy birthday for us. It felt great having everyone around celebrating together!

This year, however, we’re not doing rehearsals. I thought I’d make a cake myself and have fun doing an online party or something, but I’m spending so much time at home and we’re staying in touch more than ever… I’ll be happy getting messages, and I’ll be waiting for them!

Stepping up at 21

Looking back, I used to think I’d be such an adult at 20! I looked forward to turning 20, but after a year, nothing has changed, really. (lol) I want to believe I’ve become more mature in the way I think unconsciously. I might have learned not to overdo things! I’m someone who always wants to win and would rather work twice as hard than give up. Maybe turning 20 made me take things easier?

I can now eat kimchi! I couldn’t handle spicy food so I didn’t buy it often, and when we had some at a restaurant, I asked others to eat it instead. That is, until I found delicious kimchi! I buy it every day, eat it mixed with bean sprouts and the hotness doesn’t get to me. I’m also getting into watching Korean dramas and working out. I made my own routine that I do in the evening. After working up a sweat, I love getting into the bathtub. I’m the kind of person who gains weight easily and you can tell, which is why I limit my food intake and work out diligently! This summer, I’d like to handle an eel. I tried doing it for the first time last year, but the eel was too strong for me. I’ll have my revenge on it this summer!

My goal at 21 will be to learn new things! I want to watch the news, read books and learn. I’ll be a smarter, outstanding adult! Actually, I’m very interested in marketing and I’ve been reading various books related to it. I might think “Oh, I see, it’s like this” while reading, but it doesn’t get into my head just like that. (lol) I need to learn it! I started caring about marketing in the first place because, when I joined ANGERME, I made announcements on my blog every day. I wondered how I could make the information easier to understand and I liked making advertisements. At the time, someone told me, “How about marketing?” so I tried reading marketing books and it kept blowing my mind. There are hard, technical terms popping up on every page and I’m squeezing them into my brain to use them for work as much as I can. For example, I read a book about managing a restaurant and it talked about which customers are coming at a specific time so you can create a menu that caters to them, and ways to attract more customers. It’s fun thinking about this from ANGERME’s standpoint! I’m always thinking of ANGERME’s strengths, things fans say that they like about us, and how to make good use of them to grow bigger!

Advertisement for Nakanai ze… kyoukan sagi single events, by Kawamura Ayano (2018)

Magnifying ANGERME’s power

We’ve finally been able to resume our activities little by little, but we can’t hold concerts the way we used to, yet… All the members worked very hard for our now-cancelled spring tour. We wanted to perform and put on a show in which each of us could shine in our own ways, but sadly, the tour was stopped in its tracks. ANGERME members have their own unique strengths and when we come together as a group, our strength is magnified. There’s a big age gap between Hashisako Rin, who is 14, and our leader Takeuchi Akari, who is 22. We don’t feel the gap very much, though. When we all saw each other for the first time after the lockdown, we were just meeting to record a comment, but we couldn’t stop chatting! We were still talking even after the recording; it was that intense. We’ve become even more like a family!

A surprise single announcement during a YouTube live stream!

We watched our Spring 2018 Juunin Toiro concert while chatting with fans in real time. We saw lots of enthusiastic comments like “This was so good!” and “How cool!”, and it was super fun! Juunin Toiro was my first Budokan concert and it was a very memorable one. Our new single was announced during the live, too. We had such a wonderful time.

For chatting, we were split into different rooms with computers and TVs. We were frantically typing stuff like “Wow!”, “*claps*”, “wooooo”… I even heard other members cheering as I was sitting in my room. (lol) I was writing comments while watching too, but I’m not used to typing so I was slow at reacting… My comments were a bit delayed. Also, I struggled with converting hiragana to kanji, so I only wrote comments in hiragana. (lol)

On that day, we were supposed to hold Funaki Musubu’s graduation concert at Pia Arena MM in Yokohama. When you think that we should have had our spring tour, that we should have had a concert on that day, it feels surreal. Pia Arena MM is a gorgeous venue, and I was looking forward to perform in it. We’ll work hard to stand on that stage someday!

Kagiri aru Moment is ANGERME’s first single in 9 months!

Get excited! We got to experience lots of new things while shooting the Kagiri aru Moment music video. It was shot with drones and they brought out flames for us. I was very excited to see the final product and I couldn’t wait for everyone to watch it. I was like, “AT LAST!” when I heard it’d be unveiled during the YouTube premium live. Isn’t the song great too? I definitely think so!

ANGERME: Kagiri aru Moment (2020)

Sakamoto Hazuki: Average People’s Idol

This is a translation of an article that was originally published in issue #021 of IDOL AND READ (January 2020).

— What kind of girl are you?

Sakamoto: I’m not outspoken; I don’t want to stand out all that much. But deep down, I’m a positive person, and when life gets tough, I feel better after a good night’s rest. I’m carefree, I just go like: “Oh well. Food is good.“ (laughs)

— Isn’t this the best life skill?

Sakamoto: I just take it easy. When the members ask me for advice, I tell them they have nothing to be worried about, there’s no point. I guess that means I’m positive, through and through. I failed an audition before joining The World Standard (Wasuta) and I wasn’t selected as an official member of a group (GEM), I’ve had a life with many twists and turns, but I didn’t take it to heart. (laughs) I’m not the type who has ups and downs.

— You’ve experienced things that would make a normal girl give up…

Sakamoto: I don’t really feel down in general, so when people are worried about me, I always think: “I don’t care personally, can’t I just have fun?“

— So Sakamoto Hazuki, what kind of life have you had so far? I want to discuss your background; how were you as a child?

Sakamoto: I was shy and always followed my mom. I’m an only child so I didn’t have any problem playing on my own and I was quiet in front of others. When I started opening up, I became super lively. I’ve been carefree ever since. I liked playing, so I waited for people to invite me to play with them and we’d be friends immediately. I had fun with anything and everything.

— What’s your earliest memory?

Sakamoto: I was about 3 years old and went to Kagawa with my family. I ate 4 bowls of udon.

— You were 3?

Sakamoto: It’s just a hazy memory, but I loved udon so much I couldn’t stop eating. It could be because I went overboard, but after that, I missed a step in the big staircase and injured my foot. (laughs) I’ve been eating a lot since I was a kid. When my parents worked, they often had grandma and grandpa babysit me at their house. They pampered me a lot, so even as a kid, I’d have a pack of strawberries and a full watermelon for myself…

— You were born a glutton… (laughs)

Sakamoto: I’ve had a big appetite for as long as I can remember. I’d have a lot of food, and mom would tell me dinner is over and I’d cry like there’s no tomorrow. (laughs) I always wanted to have something in my mouth, so my favourite thing to say was: “I want to grab a bite.“ I was a kid who wasn’t satisfied unless she had something to eat.

— So you’d keep eating unless someone told you to stop?

Sakamoto: Yes, if there were three packs of strawberries, I’d eat all three. That’s why I was chubby until the age of 3 or so. I was so big, it made a thump when I sat down on my chair. You wouldn’t believe I was born basically yesterday.

— Now you can control yourself, right?

Sakamoto: Even today I have a huge appetite! But eating makes you gain weight, and I know this now so I eat just a bit more than other people. Still, if I’m hungry and someone tells me I can eat as much as I want, I go all in until there’s no food anymore. It doesn’t mean I’m fast at eating, though. After an hour of eating, I might still have space left in my stomach. It’s always empty. (laughs)

Sakamoto Hazuki

— I have a feeling this interview would be all about eating a lot so I’ll change the topic. (laughs) So, how did your parents raise you?

Sakamoto: I was overprotected for sure. Before I even asked, they’d have something planned. If I didn’t know what to eat, they’d have choices for me. So I was a child who never thought about what to do at all. Mom did everything for me, and as I was raised this way, I don’t know what I want now. She was so kind to me. Dad was kind too. When mom would be busy at work, he’d care after me instead. He brought me to places during days off at the daycare. He’d invite relatives over and we’d go together to theme parks and pools. For dinner, he cooked fried rice and yakisoba for me.

— How are they treating you as an adult?

Sakamoto: Mom is more of an older lady than a mom now. I can tell her anything and she can tell me anything, and we sometimes fight. She’s different with me than with other people. She’s very affectionate and always wants to hang around, go to places and eat food together, but when other people are around, she doesn’t talk at all. Dad is shy too and hides behind her. (laughs) But when he’s angry, he turns into a scary monster. His Kansai dialect might play a part in this too, but his face has so much impact. When he was upset, he wouldn’t listen to me, so I’d blurt out “NO!” without thinking about his feelings. I was a selfish kid, so yeah.

— How did they handle you wanting to get into the entertainment business?

Sakamoto: They pushed and supported me a lot. When Wasuta toured in the Kansai area, mom looked up all the sightseeing spots in my hometown of Kobe so she’d recommend places we should visit and which restaurant is good, and dad did a lot too. My parents were the ones who made me join the entertainment business in the first place. Dad sent my application for the audition and told me: “Hope to see you sing later.“ It was so sudden. I couldn’t sing and never listened to music all that much. I didn’t know what song to sing. Of course, I failed the audition. (laughs)

— Was it the 2010 Avex Idol Audition?

Sakamoto: Yes, but then they asked me if I wanted to be a Streetsei, an Idol Street debut candidate. I wasn’t really interested in the entertainment business. I was more on the bad side at singing and dancing. My dad said: “You don’t get to experience a lot of things if you live your life normally, and you only live once. If it isn’t fun, you can just quit. Why not try it? We’ll support you, mom and dad will do whatever they can.  I had no clue what I was getting into, so I just tried.

— Why did your dad want you to debut so badly?

Sakamoto: He’s a doting parent. (laughs) Even today, he sends the pictures I post on social media to our family’s LINE group and says: “This one looks good.“ Even mom goes like, “You were so cute here,“ and I just reply, “Thank you.“ (laughs)

— I believe you applied for the audition when you were in the upper grades of elementary school. Do you have memories from your school life?

Sakamoto: Elementary school… was when my personality was the weirdest? You know, there are small groups of girl friends in a class, and they always flock together. In my case, I wanted to be in every group. I didn’t understand why girls made small groups like that. Why are they always together? Do they get along that well? So I moved from group to group and talked to them. I would play with boys outside too. I wanted to be friends with everyone if possible and didn’t feel like joining a specific group.

— You wanted to be friends with everyone, but it made you a lone wolf in the end.

Sakamoto: Right, they thought I just kept going around, that Hazuki was weird. (laughs) But I didn’t let it bother me. The girls said stuff like, “Hazuki, you only play with boys,” and I would just go, “So what?“ Even if they were sarcastic, I didn’t understand their sarcasm. My mom would ask me if I was fine as she was worried about me, but I personally didn’t feel anything about it. Still, having this personality got me in a bit of a trouble… I was kind of a devil.

— You were a devil?

Sakamoto: A love devil?

— A sweet devil?

Sakamoto: Yeah, that’s what I meant! (laughs)

Sakamoto Hazuki

— Were you popular with boys?

Sakamoto: Not that I was popular, but I wasn’t interested in love at all. So, when people were gushing like, “Isn’t this guy hot?,“ I had no idea what they meant. Or when they said, “Hazuki, do you like this guy?,“ I didn’t know they meant “like“ as in “romantic love“. I answered as a friend, like: “It’s fun playing with him, I like him!“ Then, they’d say: “Hazuki loves all the boys. She’s willing to give everyone a try.“ (laughs) I didn’t understand so I didn’t have a problem with it myself at all, but the boys would go: “It seems Sakamoto likes you!“  —”Really? But I heard Sakamoto likes my friend too…“ They made a fuss about it among themselves…

— What a messy situation. (laughs)

Sakamoto: So the boys would confess to me, “I like Sakamoto too,“ but I took “like“ as a friend. “What, well, I didn’t think you hated me or something, but what happened, what made you say that in the first place?“ (laughs) And later when I understood what I did, I realized that I caused much trouble.

— So, when did you first fall in love? When did you first feel, “This guy is hot, I like him.“?

Sakamoto: It hasn’t happened yet…

— You still haven’t fallen in love, at 21? But I’ve been listening to you so far, and I had a hunch. (laughs)

Sakamoto: If I hadn’t started idol activities around the time I entered junior high, I might have had a first love experience. I’ve been active in the entertainment business since my first year of junior high and I’ve lived a carefree life. I was a serious girl, too. In elementary school, I’d get 100% on nearly every test and I thought I was smart.

— Oh, so you did well in school.

Sakamoto: I started getting bad grades in junior high. I was in an all-girl school and at the beginning, I did well. It tricked me into thinking I was really smart so I stopped listening in class. Then, my grades fell like a rock and I became bad at studying ever since. In my second year, I pushed my luck and my teacher kept chasing me around.

— You went from being a straight “A” student to being a problem child. (laughs)

Sakamoto: I didn’t hand in assignments and my grades were so bad. Even when they asked me to go to remedial class, I didn’t show up. I’d run away from my teacher and they’d get mad at me and kept yelling: “Sakamoto!“ (laughs) I also fooled around in class. When the teacher asked me for an answer, I’d think about a silly one. I understand it was bad on my part, but I thought it was more fun than bad! I just wanted to have fun anyway! And the classroom was filled with laughter.

— At the end of the day, it made you happy so it was a good thing.

Sakamoto: Either way, if you can’t answer a question, it’s more fun if you say something silly. Just answering, “I don’t know“ isn’t fun.

— Usually, when you don’t know the answer, you dread having your name called, but in your case, hearing, “Sakamoto!“, must have made you think like, “Yes, finally!“?

Sakamoto: “My turn! Time to say something!“ (laughs)

— Did you feel you weren’t in class, but on a variety show? (laughs)

Sakamoto: Definitely! What I had in mind was: “Let’s go! I’ll make them laugh! I’ll leave my mark!“

— You were more motivated than anyone else. (laughs)

Sakamoto: The more serious and strict the teacher, the more I wanted to make them laugh. I would get scolded for that, but I really liked the teachers so I’d go and chat with them happily. I wasn’t good at studying, but I was confident. I still am.

— What do you mean?

Sakamoto: I don’t know where I get this confidence from. I basically never listened in class so my grades were bad of course, but I didn’t leave any question blank on tests. For example, in a math test, I’d do calculations in my own way.

— Did you get them right?

Sakamoto: I didn’t! Teachers were confused, like, why does this girl who doesn’t listen in class, can’t study and might get zero on the test, have this much confidence and find answers? (laughs) But it all came to me somehow. I’d go, “Yes that’s it! Boom,” and write down. The other kids in remedial class would be told to use specific formulas like normal people, but for me, teachers would just say: “Sakamoto, I know you’re enthusiastic. But you got everything wrong.“ (laughs) On my answer sheet, they’d write the same generic comments like: “Sakamoto is enthusiastic.“ “Where did you get this formula from?“”I don’t think that’s what happens when you add this and divide it by that.“ “This is wrong. “

— This reminds me of Edison, when he wrote 1+1=1. His reasoning was that when you put two pieces of clay together, you don’t get two pieces of clay, but one. Maybe your way of thinking was similar.

Sakamoto: Well, maybe I’m Edison!

— You might come up with amazing innovations in the future. (laughs)

Sakamoto: My Japanese classes were like this too, “How did the author feel?“ Aren’t you the author when you write something, though? So I’d answer, and every single time, my teacher would say: “Sakamoto, that’s not how the author felt, but how you felt!“ (laughs) I’d reply: “I’m the author of these words, and this is how I felt!“ I’d fill all the lines too, but they were all wrong as actual answers. If I was asked, “In the text, who said this?“, I’d write “This person!,“ but they’d say, “Sakamoto, this person doesn’t appear in the text. There’s no such character.“ I know for a fact that I’m “this person”.

— You might actually be a genius.

Sakamoto: Really? I feel confident, though, when I do all this and manage to get zero. When I do get a good grade, I lose confidence because I got like 20%.

— Perhaps you think doing good work is better than having good grades.

Sakamoto: Maybe. (laughs) It depends if I’m satisfied with the answers I wrote.

Sakamoto Hazuki

— While going to school, you were also starting idol activities. How did you feel about debuting as an idol?

Sakamoto: I thought singing, dancing and hearing all that music on stage was very exciting, but off the stage, I was so shy with the members that I didn’t know what to say to them.

— You weren’t your natural spontaneous self.

Sakamoto: I was just shy. In school, we’re all the same age, but in an idol group, there are seniors and people of different ages. I couldn’t act as usual, like when I was doing MCs. I wondered why I was supposed to introduce myself, when all these people were there listening and looking at me? (laughs) Or when we had special events, I shook people’s hands and didn’t speak a single word. I knew I was weird, but this made me realize I was even weirder than I thought. I’d talk to the other members and I was the one who stood out. I had to fit in…

— You had to face the real world and couldn’t have as much freedom…

Sakamoto: I managed to fit in, but by doing that, I couldn’t say what I thought anymore. I believed that whatever I would say, I was wrong and no one would agree. Speaking worried me, but with my personality, it didn’t bring me down all that much because I do like Wasuta and the members and the work itself is fun. Only after a year did I finally start speaking even if I thought other people wouldn’t agree. Before, when something didn’t sit right with me, I’d keep it to myself because it was just my own opinion. Now I just say what I think. For example, if the members were hesitating between two options, we’d talk it out and picked one, but I didn’t agree with either. Before, I’d pick the one that sounds a tiny bit closer to what I want, but now I just say, “I’m not down with these, I’d rather do this instead.“ 

— So you bring a third option to the table.

Sakamoto: They may not go with my option, but since I brought it up, it may be considered a little in the solution, and that’s what I want. What pushed me to think this way was when live show staff asked every member for their opinion and ideas and they were intrigued by mine. I was under the impression that my opinion was always wrong, but staff would tell me:“Now that’s something that didn’t cross my mind. Sounds fun, let’s do it.“ They acknowledged me. There’s no right or wrong answer; I can say whatever sounds fun to me!

— You have a vivid imagination and were acknowledged for it. That was definitely a big turning point for you. What may be “wrong“ and overlooked on a test may be “fun” in the art world.

Sakamoto: Right, and that’s how I started forming my own opinions. I have a lot of fun thinking about ideas for live shows. If I were to perform in a bigger venue, I’d love to sing on a trolley. I’d make it move with my feet, all the way!

— Did you know Oda Kazumasa sang while riding a bicycle?

Sakamoto: Ah! I’d want to sing while riding a tricycle myself. (laughs) And with Wasuta, my dream is doing a world tour. I’m studying Spanish right now and I’d like to work overseas more often. I want us to be able to hold solo concerts overseas. If we’re performing in Spain, I’d like to get a laugh from the audience by speaking Spanish. Then, in Japan, I want us to hold solo concerts in every prefecture… My head is full of dreams. Every member has her own style, so I want us to shine separately too, and I’ll support all four members if possible! I love all the members and I’m glad I can spend time with the four of them. I have a lot of ideas for myself and I want to keep having fun with Wasuta. Coming up with ideas doesn’t cost a thing, but I’d be great if I could bring each of my ideas to life too.

— What kind of idol would you like to be?

Sakamoto: An idol who’s like an average person. No matter how popular I get and how well I sell, I want to buy food at the supermarket. I love sales and stuff. (laughs) I want to keep buying clothes in stores as I wish. I’d like fans to say: “Whatever she does, Hazuki is like an average person.“ I’d like to be on people’s side no matter how far my work takes me. I’ll hear and answer fans’ concerns, chat with them and be friends with everyone. Actually, fans come to me to talk and they feel like friends. So I don’t believe we should have an idol and fan relationship. We’re all people just the same, so it’s only right that we should be friends. That’s very important to me and I’ll hold on to this thought no matter how big I get.

Oda Sakura: Idol Philosophy and Morning Musume Theory

This is a translation of an article that was originally published in the March 2018 issue of Top Yell.

Oda Sakura is one of Hello! Project’s top singers. We had planned to only discuss her singing, but we realized it was too superficial of a topic for her. Oda’s thoughts on idoling and Morning Musume are unbelievably deep.

Aiming for world peace: Morning Musume can achieve it

— Could you tell us exactly what sets Hello! Project apart from other idols?

Oda: The deep devotion that precedes us joining the group, which is the source of our rich history. Morning Musume was initially a group of girls who failed an audition. We’re different from groups that were formed with the intention of debuting a new exciting group. We’re rough, unpolished, and we’re girls acting boyish. This part of us hasn’t changed in the past 20 years. We’re burning so hot, we’re kind of uncool.

— So intense, you’re uncool?

Oda: Yes. Uncool. And I think that’s wonderful. Being cute is extremely important for idols, but sometimes, we’re putting our cuteness away and singing our heart out. I think the fact that we’re a girl group going so hard in an uncool way is super charming. You can relate to us: “So there are girls this intense!”

— Hello! Project members, including Morning Musume, come across as very self-aware. Is this true?

Oda: In my case, when I joined, I didn’t ask myself what was an idol. All I knew was that Michishige Sayumi’s presence was extremely strong! Michishige really, truly loved Morning Musume. She would cut down on her sleep for Morning Musume. She devoted her entire self. “I love Morning Musume” was her cause… or maybe it was love. When I looked at Michishige, I started thinking naturally that I had to really love Morning Musume too.

Oda Sakura and Michishige Sayumi

— You auditioned, doesn’t this mean you loved Morning Musume in the first place?

Oda: Well, the group was created before I was born. It’d be disrespectful if I were to say to fans who have been supporting it for 20 years: “Sorry, I don’t know this song, it was released before I was born.” So, to love Morning Musume properly, I needed to study the group in depth from its beginnings. As I was doing this, I feel the way I thought about Morning Musume changed.

— What do you mean?

Oda: I used to go on thinking, “Let’s smile, have fun and work hard together with love!”, but as juniors joined the group, I had to tell them when they did something bad. I couldn’t always be smiling when something bad happened because it’d be like avoiding it. If I really loved Morning Musume, I had to tell them off even if they ended up hating me. We’re not friends, you know. We don’t need to be good friends, but we should be able to depend on and respect each other. We’re a professional group, so we can’t just chat like friends while ignoring warnings from staff. That’s out of the question.

— During Morning Musume’s ASAYAN days, the members were going off at one another.

Oda: Honestly, there are still juniors who want to have fun while working, but I can’t blame them. I was like that too.

— You can’t do anything about it, really.

Oda: We talk about our dreams together, like going on a world tour, but I’m thinking we should reflect on the reason why we want to go worldwide. I feel only a few members have thought about it. Is it that we want people around us in Japan to pay attention to us and say: « Morning Musume toured all over the world? That’s impressive! »? Is it right to have such a small goal?

— Do you have bigger ambitions?

Oda: I often think about it when we’re doing concerts. Morning Musume fans are really full of love and so nice. It’s always the same in every country we visit. In other words, if more people like Morning Musume, more people will be nice, and if that happens, we could achieve world peace. The reason why I want to do a world tour is for world peace.

— That sounds like Tsunku’s worldview in his lyrics, like in Kono chikyuu no heiwa wo honki de negatterun da yo! (I’m really hoping for peace in this world!). 

Morning Musume – Kono chikyuu no heiwa wo honki de negatteirun da yo! (2011)

Oda: Exactly. (laughs) Music can cross all borders. It may be known as J-POP, but through music, you can really spread a message that you can’t through speech. Not only this, but Morning Musume has made a name for themselves overseas as Japanese idols for the past 20 years. I really do believe we, out of all people, have the power to achieve that goal. I also remember Tsunku telling us he only made music by overseas standards. We’ve come along this far, so why aren’t we doing it, then?! Well, I might be the only member who’s aiming as high as world peace. (laughs) I’m sure Michael Jackson sang with world peace in mind too.

Not for myself, but to make others happy

— Current Morning Musume are mostly popular because of the quality of their performances, but back in the Morning Coffee and LOVE Machine days, no one really cared about their dance skills.

Oda: This certainly changed a lot in the last 20 years. Basically, all the girls joining Hello! Project right now grew up watching and liking Morning Musume ’14: the formation dance era. They like Morning Musume for their formation dancing, good singing and cute looks, but in my opinion, they’re somewhat missing the point. Formation dance looks all pretty at a distance, but if you get closer, you see us looking intense as we’re panting and moving frantically in position. This intensity is what makes Morning Musume charming, wherever we go. We’re not a cool group that can vary its intensity, we’re always peaking. At our core, we haven’t changed a bit in 20 years.

— Do you feel a generation gap as the members are all over the place age and career-wise?

Oda: Younger members joined because they admired the cool Morning Musume, not the intense one, so I want to be cool too. For example, in the outro to The Peace!, we’re dancing and looking silly over and over again. It’s only right to be intense in this part of the song, even if we look “ugly”. The kids who grew up watching the cool Morning Musume, though, are doing it in a stylish way. Actually, I realized that as we were taught by Natsu Mayumi not too long ago.

— So you had Natsu Mayumi teach you something?

Oda: Yes, it was for the 20th anniversary version of Morning Coffee. I learned so much! Natsu Mayumi is a dance instructor, and the first thing she told us was that we aren’t dancers. We have to sing, we have lyrics to convey and we need to express the meaning of our songs with our whole body. Let’s say we’re touching our cheek with our hand. What are we trying to show? We need to capture the nuances in lyrics like “I’m embarrassed,” but if we were to dance in an energetic way, nuances would be lost.

— Given that Natsu Mayumi is involved in this project, it must really put you in a 20th anniversary mood.

Oda: Thanks to Natsu Mayumi’s words, I fully understand the reason why Morning Musume aren’t just cute idols. The members who were instructed by Natsu Mayumi back then expressed lyrics like “Japan’s future is, (wow wow wow wow)” (LOVE Machine) with their whole body. Do their moves look cute? Cool? Certainly not. I couldn’t have understood that just by watching the music video.

Morning Musume – LOVE Machine (1999)

— It made you realize the importance of history.

Oda: If I had joined a group that didn’t have a long history, I would have a different point of view. Worst case scenario, maybe my goal would have been for classmates to tell me: “Hey, you were on TV yesterday.” (laughs) Still, being on TV is part of achieving world peace. You could say I’m an idol not for myself, but for other people.

— Idols don’t usually think like this! They want to sell well and be the centre of attention.

Oda: Selling well… I do think it’s for self-satisfaction after all.

— You know that, if you don’t sell well, you can’t achieve world peace.

Oda: Personally, what I want to do is to bring happiness to people who listen to our songs. It’d be nice if the world were more peaceful thanks to music. I do want us to sell well for that reason, but not for being rich and leading a carefree life… Sometimes, I stop and think about the reason why I sing. I only found the answer recently, and it was all written in Tsunku’s lyrics.

— Now I’m curious. Oda Sakura, why do you sing?

Oda: For world peace, that’s why. You can achieve world peace not only with songs like Happy Daisakusen and Be Alive, but even with heartbreak songs. There are songs that comfort people who are hurt and have thoughts like: “My life is over. I want to disappear.” Heartbreak songs can reach them at the very bottom and lift them up. That’s a happy result, and it’s the first step towards world peace. I strongly believe music exists for a reason, so I have to sing the songs we’re given properly. If I didn’t care about them because I don’t have solo parts, it’d be the end of me as a singer.

— Is this what you mean by “singing for other people”?

Oda: When we go on tour, we’re performing a similar set list every day in 30 different venues. From an outsider’s point of view, you might think performing the same songs day after day is nothing special. It couldn’t be further from the truth. The people who come and watch us are different every day. Also, as concerts are live, no performance is exactly the same. That’s why we must sing with all our heart. I learned this from Tsunku; no doubt about it. A basic element of his philosophy is that the stage is for entertaining people. Performers must also feel entertained and express their gratitude by performing properly. If you can do this the right way, everyone will take you seriously. I’m confident this way of thinking is engraved into my heart deeper than anyone else.

Technique isn’t as important as expressing

— I was sure you’d be a bit more focused on technique, but you’re actually a singer who cares about expressing feelings more than that.

Oda: It’s fine if you can’t sing well, let’s say it plainly!

— Isn’t this something you can say just because you’re a good singer?

Oda: It really isn’t! If you’re a good singer, you absorb yourself in your own singing. You sing while thinking: “I reached those high notes. My technique is great. Praise me.” This is wrong; expressing is what you should be focusing on! To tell you the truth, I was very much focused on technique for some time myself, which is why I know it isn’t right.

Oda Sakura

— Why did you change your focus?

Oda: Someone told me directly that I sang like I was asking them to listen to my singing, and that’s all they could hear. To be honest, I really was singing while thinking: “I want you to listen to my singing.” My perspective changed when Tsunku stepped down as producer of Hello! Project. Tsunku himself couldn’t sing anymore, so Morning Musume had to convey his words. There was no way around it.

— He’s not involved with Hello! Project anymore?

Oda: And what’s more, the number of younger Hello! Project members who never worked with Tsunku keeps increasing. He only remains as Morning Musume’s sound producer. That’s why I believe we, Morning Musume, have to sing in Tsunku’s stead. Our voice is only a musical instrument. The type of instrument isn’t very important, but the performance we do with it is. Our voice is just a means, and if we’re absorbing ourselves in it, things can sound weird.

— That’s such a wonderful way of seeing things. Still, I didn’t expect you to say “it’s fine if you can’t sing well.” I thought you were still set on improving.

Oda: Yes, I do want to improve my singing skills, but it doesn’t have the same meaning now. I wish I didn’t have to worry about unnecessary things, like when my pitch is a bit off and stuff. If had perfect intonation and rhythm, then I could focus solely on expressing. I should get good at singing to build a foundation for that. Tsunku is very particular about rhythm and I truly understand why, too.

— Really? Could you explain?

Oda: It’s about the ensemble. Musicians playing in an orchestra follow the conductor. It’s the same thing for us; what we do is making music, you know. Music is a combination of drums, bass, guitars, piano, and other instruments. Of course, vocals are an instrument as well. If you were to let your guitar roar or play your cello freely without paying attention to the conductor, it would sound incredibly unpleasant. In our case, if we want people to be mesmerized by our songs and avoid that, all the members have to keep the same rhythm.

— Amazing! I don’t think anyone can formulate Tsunku’s thoughts as well as you do.

Oda: Japanese people are used to a 4-beat rhythm, but music has to follow a 16-beat rhythm to be accepted by world standards. We’re far from world peace now. (laughs) Anyway, I consider it our duty to convey our songs properly. I’ll put all my heart into it.

Asakura Kiki: Roots of Hello! Project-ism

This interview was first published in IDOL AND READ Vol. 24 (October 2020).

—How were you as a child?

Asakura: I was mommy’s little girl. I couldn’t do anything if my mom wasn’t with me. I went to daycare and kindergarten on my own, but cried every morning. I liked my dad too, but I remember him scolding me and making me cry, so there was this distance between the two of us.

—Why did he get mad at you?

Asakura: I told white lies. He scolded me, saying lying was bad, and made me cry. He also got mad when I did things wrong, so thanks to him, I can tell when I’ve messed up.

—You said you have a younger brother. Could you tell us about him?

Asakura: He’s seven years younger than me so I was in first grade when he was born. I was still stuck to my mom at that time. I thought he was snatching her away from me, which made me feel sad and lonely. (Laughs) I couldn’t bond with him at all back then, but about three years ago, I started feeling I had to watch over him. We used to argue about every little thing. My family made it a point to call me “big sister” because my little brother grew up calling me just “Kiki.”

—Now that’s interesting!

Asakura: It was kind of odd. I had no choice, it’s like he didn’t want me to play my role as his big sister.

—So you were always following your mom. Were you a shy kid?

Asakura: I was extremely shy. I only had two or three friends and they were the only ones I could open up and talk to. I couldn’t get into big groups. Even now, I only have a couple of friends. (Laughs)

—You also played piano.

Asakura: I took piano lessons from daycare to the first grade of middle school, which is about seven or eight years. I’m not completely sure, but I think I asked to take lessons myself. Instead of taking private lessons, I had five or six people in my group and we learned how to play the electronic organ. It was fun so I kept going.

Asakura Kiki (2020)

—Were you interested in anything other than piano?

Asakura: In first or second grade, I got into Buono! after hearing their songs in the anime Shugo Chara!. I learned their dances and mimicked their singing. I did this for five or six years. I never took lessons, but I liked dancing.

—When you talk about your starting point, Shugo Chara! comes up a lot. Why did you like it so much?

Asakura: At first, I was into the anime and wanted to be like the characters. They were cute and had nice clothes. The story was interesting, and the opening and ending songs by Buono! caught my ear. I dreamed of singing and dancing like them. Gradually, I became more interested in the songs than in the anime itself. The show stopped airing when I was in fourth grade, which made me think Buono! ended too. In my mind, they just disappeared naturally.

—You were just a kid, so you didn’t know how to research things.

Asakura: I didn’t have a cellphone and couldn’t keep up with news. I didn’t even know they had new songs. I found other things to get into, like Shonen Jump’s Tegami Bachi (Letter Bee), but eventually came back to Buono!.

—What led you to Buono! again?

Asakura: I got my first cellphone in sixth grade. I looked them up and saw they were active. I came across Buono!’s latest music video (“Hatsukoi Cider”) and found Morning Musume and S/mileage in related videos. I fell down the rabbit hole. (Laughs)

—Did you go to concerts and events?

Asakura: I did. Once, I went to a Berryz Koubou release event. My CD came with an application for the event, so I asked my parents to apply for me. When I arrived at the venue, I didn’t have a clue about seat numbers and assumed I could just sit where I wanted: in the front row. As people came in, I realized they were looking at their seat number. I checked mine, and you’ll never guess, but my seat was down in the very back row. (Laughs) It was extremely bold of me to sit in the front row.

—Those events have a handshake session, right? How was it seeing Berryz Koubou in the flesh?

Asakura: They had silky skin. (Laughs) I couldn’t believe the idols I saw on TV were in front of me. They were radiant. I was also the last person in the handshake line, but they still told me I was cute. (Laughs)

—They must have been happy an elementary school girl came by. You were a real wota at that time too.

Asakura: I collected merch. I have a vivid memory of my first trip to the Hello! Project Official Shop. I was in heaven. The store was full of the stuff I loved. (Laughs)

Buono!’s “Hatsukoi Cider” (2012)

—As time went by, you wanted to be a performer yourself.

Asakura: That’s how it turned out. I always enjoyed dancing. I fell in love with Sayashi Riho’s sharp moves when she centered Morning Musume’s “One Two Three.” I wanted to be on stage with her. I applied for Morning Musume’s 12ki Mirai Shoujo audition, but I was rejected. I tried again for Morning Musume ‘14’s Golden Audition, but didn’t pass and ended up joining Kenshuusei.

—You started middle school around that time. How did it go for you?

Asakura: There were many kids from other elementary schools and my friends started meeting more people too. I finally managed to communicate. (Laughs) I joined a large circle of friends.

—Were you in a club?

Asakura: I was in band. I joined Kenshuusei in my second year of middle school and continued my club activities until then. I’m more into music and art than sports. There was a trial period for band, and my senior was amazingly kind. That’s what made me want to be in the club.

—Was Morning Musume the first time you auditioned for something?

Asakura: Yes, and it was nerve-wracking. After I passed the first document screening, I was asked by the company to come. We had to sing a couple of lines, and I sang Buono!’s “Hatsukoi Cider”. I thought I did well, and I was right because I passed that round. The next round was also focused on singing, but I didn’t feel it as much at the end. Next thing I knew, I had failed. I was so nervous, I put on a fake smile and choked while answering questions. My nerves prevented me from showing my personality, and as expected, I was rejected.

—You failed your first audition. What motivated you to try again?

Asakura: I’ve never liked losing. For example, at a graduation ceremony, I had to play piano with two other girls. During rehearsals, they couldn’t play at all and sobbed. Our teacher started panicking, and I just said: “I’ll learn the songs.” I spent the entire weekend learning my song as well as the two songs the girls were supposed to play. They managed to play their songs for the show, but I felt I should learn and play them in case they couldn’t to prove to them I could do it. When I wasn’t eating, I was practising piano. I had stiff shoulders for the very first time. (Laughs)

—You were just a kid, but you pushed yourself so hard, you got stiff shoulders. (Laughs) You’re the kind of girl who doesn’t give up after failing once.

Asakura: It lit up a fire in me. I really wanted to pass. I was lucky they held another audition a year later.

Final round (training camp) of Morning Musume ’14’s Golden Audition

—How was your second audition?

Asakura: I was confident, jumped right in and made it to the training camp. Of course, I failed. (Laughs)

—You had a feeling it didn’t work out, and you were right.

Asakura: Yes. For the final round, Tsunku watched us sing and dance, and I burst into tears after that. There was a part where you had to raise your hand to improvise funny lines and nothing came to me. Everyone raised their hand and I just stood there in silence.

—Wow, the bar was high, asking you to come up with jokes on the spot. (Laughs) The training camp must have been a unique experience.

Asakura: At the end of the day, I wanted to call my mom, but they took away our cellphones. (Laughs) I stayed up late to practice. I was used to sleeping at 11 p.m., so I was surprised I could stay awake this late. That’s how much I didn’t want to lose.

—You were probably against more experienced girls.

Asakura: Some had taken singing and dancing lessons before. I came in not even knowing about stretching. I thought it was a dance move, like stretching your arm. (Laughs)

—Even after going through all of this, you failed for a second time.

Asakura: It was a hard pill to swallow and I cried. I knew I didn’t do well, but I had a glimmer of hope until they told me I failed. I was in a slump, and for the first time ever, I didn’t want anything to do with Hello! Project. I loved it so much, but I was disappointed and had to take a step back.

—It made sense not to want to listen to their songs for a while. You were invited to join Hello! Project Kenshuusei, though.

Asakura: My mom convinced me to give it a shot. She said it’d allow me to understand where I stood and work from there. As a Kenshuusei, I might have new opportunities too. I was only a beginner at singing and dancing and it was the best way to learn about idoling. Besides, I liked Kenshuusei. (Laughs) I followed Hello! Project as a whole and working with Kenshuusei sounded awesome.

Asakura Kiki and Onoda Saori as Kenshuusei (2015)

—How were you doing in Kenshuusei?

Asakura: I was brimming with confidence. At the training camp, while I had trouble keeping up with songs and dances, I still had a blast doing it. I thought I had my stuff together. At our first Kenshuusei recital, my generation mate Onoda Saori and I weren’t sure if we could perform in large group songs as we were new members. The two of us learned the songs and positions and we were allowed to perform those songs. The thing is, it was Morning Musume 12ki, Country Girls, and ANGERME new members’ last Kenshuusei recital and they didn’t take part in every performance. I was pumped to fill in their shoes. (Laughs) I was confident I’d be chosen because I had what it took. Looking back, I was overconfident, but I felt I could sing and dance better than anyone else.

—You really didn’t have any kind of inferiority complex.

Asakura: I often felt I couldn’t follow the rhythm when I watched my seniors during lessons. That was just during lessons, because when I actually performed, I made sure I didn’t look like a newbie. I was on fire. My dad told me: “You have to go for it so hard, they’ll regret making you fail that audition.” (Laughs) We were both just as eager and intense. I, too, had a burning desire to make them pay for not choosing me.

—You were friends with Onoda Saori from the start.

Asakura: She was my only generation mate and we had a friendly rivalry during the audition. I was really glad to start my activities with someone like her. I felt that, if Saorin was working hard, I had to work hard too. She was both a good rival and a friend.

—Kobushi Factory were formed shortly after you joined Kenshuusei. How did that make you feel?

Asakura: At that time, my seniors like Kaga Kaede and Kishimoto Yumeno broke down in tears. I knew how it felt not getting picked as I failed auditions, but they had already experienced this several times. I thought showing my disappointment would be disrespectful to them. I was bummed too, but I sucked it up.

—Less than 4 months after that, Tsubaki Factory were announced as a new group. I’m sure it was a big surprise to you.

Asakura: It was. They told me I had to record a few words for a TV show and when I arrived, the other members were there. I was wondering if all of us came for the same job. Suddenly, Berryz Koubou’s Shimizu Saki came in and asked us what we were doing. My heart skipped a beat because the real Shimizu Saki was in front of me. (Laughs) Then, she made the announcement. I was surprised, but actually, something that happened earlier finally made sense to me. That morning, my mom said I should dress better for my job. I was like: “What’s up with her, complaining about my clothes?” (Laughs)

—Looking back, she was acting weird.

Asakura: My mom knew and let it show. (Laughs) I only realized it later as I really thought I was just recording a comment before the announcement. I couldn’t believe it. Kobushi Factory had just been formed and they were already announcing a new group. I was also shocked we had a similar name. One surprise after another.

Tsubaki Factory’s first indies single: “Seishun Manmannaka!” (2015)

—Let’s talk about Tsubaki Factory before your major debut. What were your thoughts during that period?

Asakura: At the beginning, we were doing everything for the first time and it was exciting. Six months and a year passed, and we had no idea where we were headed. All we knew is that after our major debut, a door to a whole new world would open. We’d go on tour and our CDs would be sold in stores. Since nothing had been confirmed, we were trying to figure out how to proceed and worked hard at the jobs we had.

—Kobushi Factory were formed just before you did and things were sailing smoothly for them. At the same time, Tsubaki’s ship was rocking.

Asakura: Kobushi Factory were powerful and had strong singers and a cheerful image. On the other hand, Tsubaki Factory were gloomy and quiet. (Laughs) We came across like that on stage. We did try to be cheerful in our own way, but you could only tell if you were 1 meter away from us.

—You were trying your best, but it wasn’t enough.

Asakura: That’s it. People said we were like that, but we didn’t understand why. Maybe we looked like that because we didn’t know what to do to reach the next stage. Still, we had the opportunity to perform in two plays during that period. One of them was Thank You Very Berry featuring all of Tsubaki. I loved that play, personally. We worked with stage actresses who had experience all over the industry. It was our first time working with people outside of the company and it expanded our horizons. I fell in love with stage plays. It was a joy seeing the theatre come to life with all these people supporting us. I felt something was missing from my life when it ended.

Tsubaki Factory welcoming new members (2016)

—After that, three new members (Ono Mizuho, Onoda Saori, and Akiyama Mao) joined Tsubaki Factory. What was your reaction?

Asakura: I had a hunch. Other groups got new members, so why not Tsubaki Factory too? It wasn’t that surprising. I thought maybe it wouldn’t work out if nothing changed. Some members were startled, but I was pretty calm. I was actually happy because it meant things could change. Staff thought about Tsubaki Factory’s value and wanted us to improve.

—Your friend Onoda Saori ended up joining you.

Asakura: Right from the audition, we wanted to be in the same group. She seemed really upset I debuted before her and it was awkward between us, sadly. We were always chatting in Kenshuusei, but she wouldn’t even contact me after that.

—So you were estranged for a while.

Asakura: For about six months. Tsubaki still performed at Kenshuusei recitals, so we were often together. I managed to talk to her little by little, but I was scared she had somewhat of a grudge against me. That’s why I was really glad she joined. We even talked and laughed about those days on a DVD Magazine, in the part where we’re riding a Ferris wheel just the two of us. I’m like: “We were a bit awkward together back then, right!”

—It must have been a relief for you. Immediately after the new members joined, your major debut was announced.

Asakura: The announcement came as we were having our first performance with nine members. It made me happy, but we hadn’t done anything together yet. I felt the only reason why we could debut is because the three of them joined. I was under the impression that we had to perform with nine members and show our growth to deserve a major debut, but we didn’t have to prove anything at all. I, and the other five original members, wondered was even the point of six-member Tsubaki. Sorry for sounding spoiled, but I was a bit disappointed. I still think about it today. Thanks to that, though, we’d get nice songs, go on tour and take on different jobs. We’re like this now because we had our major debut at that time. Maybe it was our fate.

Tsubaki Factory’s major debut single: “Hatsukoi Sunrise” (2017)

—Everything changed after your major debut. It was just like in Othello (Reversi), when you turn over a piece and make it your own colour.

Asakura: I couldn’t have said it better. (Laughs) “Hatsukoi Sunrise” is such a stellar song. I knew many people would love it and get to know us through it. I was ecstatic to debut with a wonderful song like that. My dad was also very pleased. (Laughs) We had release events and performed for a lot more people than usual. The audience got closer to us too; we could hear them cheering and getting excited for Tsubaki Factory. I started enjoying live performances at that point.

—It took you a long time to enjoy them. (Laughs)

Asakura: It really did. (Laughs) I didn’t pay attention to the audience because I was self-conscious from head to toe. My dance moves and my expressions were so stiff.

—Things were going well for you and Tsubaki Factory until you injured your back and had an herniated disc. Would you mind sharing your experience?

Asakura: Sure. It happened in summer 2017. I just thought: “Why me?”. We just had our major debut and our second single was announced… I didn’t tell anyone, but I was preparing for our new music videos by toning my body because my face was so round in our first single. (Laughs) I tried to get in shape and look better for our second single, and that’s how my disc slipped. Because of that, I was often stuck at home. We shot the “Hanamoyou” music video around that time and my face looked terrible. I tried so hard to look good. It’s a video that will live on forever, yet I looked like that… It’s like I had changed as I was resting and it made me very frustrated. I couldn’t take part in the dance shot for “Hanamoyou” and had to stay in the waiting room while the other members were filming. I saw Tsubaki Factory working without me for the first time. I wasn’t with them, but they pulled themselves together and carried on. I felt miserable.

Tsubaki Factory’s second single: “Hanamoyou” (2017)

—I can understand that. How did you feel coming back?

Asakura: I was glad, but I had a feeling it wasn’t like before. The group was carrying on and in my mind, I was out of place. The members did try to make me feel I belonged, but deep in my heart, I felt isolated. It made me worry.

—Was it because you wanted to clear your mind that you cut your hair?

Asakura: No, I believe it was about a year after I came back. Everyone had long hair back then except for Kishimoto Yumeno. She said she was trying to grow her hair so I realized no one in Tsubaki would have short hair anymore. I had long, thick black hair and wanted to change it up. I asked if I could have a short bob, and once they approved it, I found the courage to cut my hair. I thought it would change my image and spice things up.

—It did make you look different.

Asakura: I was told it made me peppier. I’m glad so many people noticed me and started liking me after I cut my hair. “Konya dake ukaretakatta” came out around that time and it’s a cool, upbeat song. It gave me the opportunity to showcase my boyish side as opposed to the clean, quiet, and pure image I had. I thought that was the only way for me to go before, but the truth is, I’m into rock and stuff too. Showing those parts of me I kept hidden was great.

Tsubaki Factory’s fourth single: “Konya dake ukaretakatta” (2018)

—In May 2019, your herniated disc pain came back and you were forced to take another break.

Asakura: I was frustrated, of course, but this time, I knew feeling down about it wouldn’t change anything. I had to keep going and move on. I did strength training and other exercises for my back. I tried my hand at things I was interested in, like learning how to use a computer. I’ll admit I felt down on some days, but I got over it. Fans sent me heartwarming messages. Every time I updated my blog, they told me: “I’m waiting for you.” Apparently, a lot of fans wore my t-shirts at Tsubaki concerts to support me even if I wasn’t there. It made me feel I was able to come back somehow. They cared about me more than I did.

—And you were back again.

Asakura: When I came back in November 2019, I was obsessed with my looks. (Laughs) I was away from the public eye, so I spent less time in front of the mirror. I have a job where people look at me, yet I felt I was becoming a regular girl. What if fans thought the old Kiki looked better, even if I put on my outfits and makeup? It’d suck. I beat myself hard and worried about fans’ opinion until I came back. Once I was on stage again, I found the same supportive environment I left behind and everyone welcomed me back. It was emotional.

—Just as you were starting your activities in 2020, the coronavirus stopped you in your tracks.

Asakura: I know, but I didn’t let that time go to waste. I practised songs and watched plenty of dramas to work on my expressions. I studied how actors’ eyes, body language and appearance change depending on the mood so I could learn and apply that. The Hello! Project ballad concert tour was a huge motivation for me as I became aware of my own voice. I don’t think highly of my singing and I was detaching myself from it. Thanks to those concerts, I realized I had to take action. Having a nice voice and skills is good, but what I want now is to get in touch with my emotions and sensitivity to convey feelings in my singing.

Asakura Kiki’s “Nagoriyuki” cover for Hello! Project’s The Ballad concert tour (2020)

—What’s your vision for the future?

Asakura: When we can do live performances again, it’d be great if Tsubaki Factory could perform in bigger venues. As for my personal goals, I want to improve my singing skills and get more solo jobs. Doing your best is important, but I’d like to deliver every single time.

—Do you ever think about what you want to do when you’ll take different paths, like Kobushi Factory?

Asakura: It’s been on my mind ever since our major debut was announced. I’ve been pondering over what I should do if Tsubaki Factory were to end their activities. I haven’t figured it out yet, but my dad told me I’d find it along the way. I’m waiting for that moment. For the time being, I’ll just keep working hard.

Kaga Kaede: All my hard work in one planner

This article was originally published in the Hobonichi Techo Official Guide 2019 (August 2018). Full disclosure: I own a Hobonichi Techo Weeks planner, which I love and use every day. Still, this isn’t a sponsored translation and you won’t find referral links.

Learning life lessons from daily thoughts!

After training for around 5 years, Kaga Kaede joined Morning Musume as a 13th generation member in December 2016. She started using a Hobonichi Techo planner in 2017 for her Morning Musume work.

“I had a planner when I was a Kenshuusei, but when I joined Morning Musume, I started working a lot and realized planning activities between jobs was important. Also, I wanted to write more details and things other than my schedule. I thought I would never find the right planner, until one day I noticed my mom’s Hobonichi Techo. The perfect planner was in front of me, all this time. (laughs)”

Kaga Kaede (August 2018)

Every daily page of Kaga’s planner is filled with information, as she writes more than just her schedule. “I write my thoughts for the day. For example, I write about what I noticed during concert and play rehearsals and small things my seniors told me. I often go back and read my planner. Sometimes, those little words become big wake-up calls that I keep in mind as I’m going forward. Because of this, I try to write my feelings as honestly as possible for my future self.”

“When I have time between jobs, I grab a bite and sing anime and Vocaloid songs at karaoke. (laughs) Maybe next year I’ll have an anime planner?! I watch a lot of anime every day and storylines get confusing. (laughs) I should write summaries and my thoughts on them!”

Kaga Kaede’s schedule (May 20 and 21, 2018)

“In my second year in Morning Musume, I had a clear picture of my life.“

“My performance schedule goes on the left side and rehearsals go on the right side. Writing in different colours (black, red, and blue) makes things easier to see at a glance. By the way, my performance schedule is by the minute. On my days off, I take care of my body. My senior Nonaka Miki is a health nut and gives me plenty of tips.”

“At the beginning of every month, I make sure to write important events as well as my goals and thoughts to prepare for them. I get energized when I look back at these.”

“Isn’t my handwriting pretty nice? I press hard! I like adding random colours when I’m writing, not just in my planner. In school, people would tell me my notes looked nice, but my tests, though… (laughs) I like my tip as thin as possible. I’m using a 0.38 mm FriXion Ball 3.”

If you’re interested in buying the same planner and accessories as Kaga:

Pilot FriXion Ball 3, 0.38 mm (Black, tri-color: black/red/blue)

Hobonichi Techo Planner Cover (Mother 2: This is Magicant.)

Hobonichi Techo planner (Original, A6)

Wada Ayaka: Living in 2021

This interview was first published in the May-June 2019 issue of CDJournal.

For this month’s CDJournal, we conducted a solo interview with Wada Ayaka just before her graduation. Enjoy this in-depth interview with ANGERME’s leader!

— First off, let’s talk about ANGERME. How is ANGERME now that Oota Haruka and Ise Layla joined the group?

Honestly, while I’m still with them, it’ll be hard for those two to bring their own colour to ANGERME. They’ve only been around for six months. Personally, I thought our previous 10-member line-up was amazing. We’ve had a wonderful time together and each of us brought something different. We created a group in which diversity is welcome. With them joining, I hope ANGERME will be more colourful rather than just changing shape.

— You don’t think the group’s image has changed much?

Wada: Right. We’re all in the same group, but we took different paths to get here. It became more obvious to me after they joined and became the youngest members. The environment we had with 10 members wasn’t the same, but I feel we’re getting more colourful. However, it doesn’t mean things haven’t changed after they joined. The biggest part is that we’re learning about how society works. I haven’t felt this way in a long time, so it’s exciting. They don’t know anything and I’m having fun watching them. They both came to Tokyo from Hokkaido and don’t spend as much time with their family as they did before. They aren’t used to this lifestyle and they’re just working and working. They’re learning and feeling a burden. Sometimes things went wrong, but they overcame that in those few months and so did everyone else. I have the feeling we’re finally starting something new.

— Things don’t always go well, and not just on stage.

Wada: Of course. Neither of them knew how to use honorifics. When you’ve been doing this for years, honorifics are second nature. I’ve seen them mess up and get frustrated. As a group, we were scrambling to find solutions.

— Have you felt frustrated in the past yourself? Did you ever look at 2ki members and think, ‘why?!’?

Wada: I still do, even now! They’re all kids. (laugh) I’ve often asked myself why they don’t get things, but you know, the fact that they don’t understand brings out the best of them.

— You never see something as either black or white, it can go both ways. It’s interesting listening to you.

Wada: It’s hard expressing this stuff!

— I agree and if I cut your words, you could be misunderstood. You often say that while you think something, this other way of thinking is valid too. That’s why I won’t cut things abruptly and I’ll make sure to write down your thoughts as much as possible. Moving on, you said you’re not thinking about how ANGERME will turn out after your graduation?

Wada: I don’t think about it. I just trust them and they should do as they please. I’ve come to think about myself more in the past year. I used to think about the group’s future, but now that I know it’s not in my control, I started having enough time to care about myself.

— So you’re thinking about your own future.

Wada: Yes. Now I’m living in 2021.

— You’re a woman of the future.

Wada: I am, but we’re still in 2019, so I have nothing on my plate but ANGERME now. I feel I should take it easy and enjoy it.

— What will you be doing in 2021?

Wada: I’ll be going all out and working actively. My mind is full of things I’d like to do.

— You’ve said before that you wanted to continue with ANGERME forever, but when you thought about the members’ future, you realized you couldn’t. You must have been disappointed. How did you come to terms with that?

Wada: I was disappointed as if I woke up from a dream. It was sad, but obvious, though. Nothing lasts forever in this world and there was no guarantee I could always be active with these members. Naturally, I knew we all have our own lives, but I really took peace for granted. (laugh) I closed my eyes and lived away from reality thinking we could go on together forever. It was a great shock to me, but thankfully, I thought about the things I wanted to do and focused on that.

— You thought about other members’ lives.

Wada: I did, and I can’t take on this responsibility. I can’t go that far. I’m sorry, but they have to think for themselves.

— That happened two years ago. I understand you’re always living two years ahead.

Wada: Finally, I feel at peace. I’ve come to terms with reality. I’d like to dream again, living in real life.

— You want to dream again, and continue on your own.

Wada: Yes.

Wada Ayaka (2019)

— You’re making it a point to say that you want to keep working as an idol.

Wada: I am, for a reason.

— While considering your life after graduation, you wanted to continue as an idol. How did you realize that?

Wada: Hmm… I wonder how. Essentially, I like being an idol, and there’s no reason for me to go all the way and stop being an idol. As for how I realized that, I’m not sure.

— You’re restricted when using ‘idol’ as your job title, though.

Wada: Of course, and it might be what frustrated me the most. I ‘had’ to be ‘like that’. I debuted in 2010, and as new idols started appearing, the clearer it was to me. I felt stuck at times. Can I talk about this in detail?

— Sure, go ahead.

Wada: Generally speaking, a typical idol is conventional and cute with natural make-up. I started believing it was fine for an idol not to be like that. I like art and there are many artworks that make you think about what it means to be a woman. In the past, women had to stay at home and many couldn’t work. Artworks were created during those times, and I realized it was part of real life. Reflecting on this, there were many aspects that overlapped with my own work as an idol. A new path opened before my eyes, leading me to think it was fine seeing things the way I did.

— The way you saw idols and thought about them changed.

Wada: The more I followed that path, the more I felt restricted. We have to think about this more and give everyone the opportunity to be who they want to be. I strongly believed that I had to break that mold while I’m active. Age might be one thing, but to put it simply, I just wanted to go beyond that. Not only this, but we need to think larger. Idols themselves don’t even know some things are possible for them. They don’t have an interest, and there are no opportunities for them in the first place. They have to think and take responsibility for themselves. I’m sure I can have a strong influence on them by being an idol and showing things I’m interested in through singing and dancing.

— Actually, it seems as if you’re talking about gender issues rather than the image of idols.

Wada: You’re not wrong.

— It didn’t take you long to reach that point.

Wada: Fufu. (laugh) I got there fast.

Wada Ayaka (2019)

— It was with a different angle, but you could express your views clearly in musicals like Mode and Yume miru Television.

Wada: Still, those stories felt a bit dated with women who couldn’t be working in some environments. I don’t think you could be influenced directly by that, but you can reflect about your surroundings and see many connections. When you’re on the production side of idols, you’re holding on to an image unconsciously. It’s hard changing that. Not only the receiving side, but the production side has a responsibility. If this side isn’t saying anything, nothing happens so the other side isn’t discussing it.

— That’s for sure. You won’t deny there’s a fantasy aspect to idols.

Wada: I won’t.

— Do you think it should be closer to reality?

Wada: It should be. It’s really hard to do, but it can be done. When you can’t tell a story only with reality, adding a bit of fantasy can actually make it resonate more.

— Reality and fantasy can coexist without conflicting.

Wada: That’s how I see it. When you do that, you want to change things, or really, spark a conversation. You want to talk about a current issue with everyone else.

— It’s strange how there’s a rumour that you have to leave a group at 25 when some idols graduate at a younger age.

Wada: I don’t take it badly when I’m told things like that. I don’t think about it myself, so when I hear that, I’m like, ‘Oh, really?’. I have no clue why it’s a thing, why some people choose this time to go.

— It has to be a coincidence.

Wada: I can’t think of anything but that. They thought about that time. However, there are girls who want to get married. Girls dream of that. I’m not against it; it’s a wonderful thing. If it’s their wish, they should go for it. You’re bound to think this way, because you know, you’re considered old if you get pregnant after 35. If you keep working as an idol, then you can’t fulfill your dream, sadly.

Wada Ayaka (2019)

— Let’s go back to a previous topic. You said that art often opened your eyes to the world?

Wada: In many ways. I learn about things mostly through art. It starts with passion, then I get a huge shock.

— You have deep thoughts. What made you want to express them openly?

Wada: It started about a year ago. Even if I feel something, I can’t say ‘it’s like this’. We all have different ways of thinking in the group. I don’t want to brainwash the new members, it’d be weird. That’s why I don’t say anything while I’m with the group, ANGERME could see it wrong. Since I announced my graduation, I’m answering questions like ‘What will you be doing?’ alone and I see them as an opportunity to talk. As I’ve said before, I’ve been thinking about myself more. I deepened my reflection, or really, I’m more convinced. (laugh)

— You said on your blog that the members were excited about possible Banksy art in Tokyo, but you couldn’t tell them that if it really were Banksy, his goal was to send a warning message to Tokyo. You’re always considering the members, refraining from saying things and choosing your words to have the right impact.

Wada: I do consider them. Some things should be said, really, but if I told them, it might create a strange atmosphere. I talk if I can, but not with the members. I’m scared I might put my thoughts into someone’s mind unintentionally. They’re young, so they’re sensitive to topics, especially the youngest ones.

— I see. You also learned French because of art, right?

Wada: My favourite painter is Manet. I read books for school, but I have to know French.

— So you can check original documents.

Wada: That was the point, but also, I just really had to go to Paris, where Manet painted. I learned French because of that, but now I keep studying it because the language itself is fun. (laugh) It all started with Manet, but I’d like to see social movements and such over there too.

— You’re also heading in that direction yourself.

Wada: Right. People from different countries are living in Paris, and I want to see that for myself.

— It seems you’re thinking about living there.

Wada:…Yes. (laugh) I’d like to live there permanently at 60 years old. I’m thinking about staying there for a short while, but I love Japanese idols, so I’ll come back after all. I’m sure about this. I’m not walking away from my surroundings. It’d be easy to leave, but I won’t. I’m having fun so I can’t.

— You grew up as an idol, so there must have been times when you thought about stopping, right?

Wada: Well, sometimes learning choreography was too hard. (laugh) But dancing is fun, and so is singing.

— Do you feel your body has changed? Michishige Sayumi often said that she started getting leg cramps in her 20s.

Wada: Oh, I actually haven’t felt that, except I got hay fever like a week ago.

— So only from this year!

Wada: I’m still not sure if it is. I recorded songs with a nasal voice. (laugh) It’s just light hay fever, so it’s fine.

— You haven’t felt changes to your body, but your mind has certainly matured.

Wada: I matured, right! (laugh) I’m often told I’m mature, but it seems I’m talking too much and too honestly, so I need to be more careful.

— I’ve always had this impression of you as someone who speaks honestly about everything. Aren’t you already being careful, choosing your words with the members and all?

Wada: I tend to overthink. I guess I woke up from my dream too abruptly. After I realized everyone has their own life, I got a bit scared.

Wada Ayaka (2019)

— Was there anything that happened which made you reach that conclusion?

Wada: When I heard the members talking about their future and I felt a gap. They were following a different path from mine. Also, the new members are 10 years younger than me. When I was still dreaming, I thought the new members shared the same dream, but when I thought about it, I realized that it’d be an issue if their dream changed in 10 years. We were supposed to have the same dream, but it might be different then.

— You thought you were a group with a common destiny.

Wada: I thought we were like that, but after 10 years, chances are members would want to follow a different path.

— And you realized that…

Wada: …Through everyday chat.

— Then, you woke up from your dream and decided to work as an idol alone from scratch.

Wada: I don’t know who I am completely yet either, so I’ll figure that out after graduating.

— You’re going to find your true self.

Wada: Once I find it, I’ll put it into words.

I haven’t put myself out there yet

— Have you decided what you want your graduation concert to look like?

Wada: My priority right now is showing everyone how awesome ANGERME is. That’s what I want the concert to be about. I’d be happy if all the members could shine.

— That’s very much like you. When I asked you about the tour a while ago, you questioned whether it’d be good to add a lot of S/mileage songs to the setlist. You really wanted to showcase current ANGERME.

Wada: The past is behind us. If I don’t make current ANGERME members shine, there’s no point to this concert. Basically, current members are the present. At the same time, it’d be nice to look back a bit because there won’t be any original S/mileage members left after me, but I’d do it for only for three minutes or so.

— That’d be too short. (laugh) Besides, aren’t you looking back in your song Yume mita 15?

Wada: Back to back. (laugh) The song is all about throwbacks.

ANGERME – Yumemita 15 (2019)

— When I listen to it, I just feel emotional.

Wada: …Same for me. (laugh) It made me feel emotional after our first performance. Before then, the lyrics meant something to me, but there were parts I couldn’t sing with my own emotions during recording. When we performed it live, my emotions and the audience’s came together and it finally resonated deeply with me. Everyone ended up sobbing. I appreciate that, so I want to cherish and sing it for everyone.

— So listeners’ emotions completed the song for you.

Wada: Yes, and the fact that it’s an upbeat song too. You have all those emotions and you’re singing them positively. It’s all the more touching.

— It reminds me of Country Girls. Also, you have a new song (Kaeritakunai na) written by Tsunku. Will this be a graduation song too?

Wada: It’s not a straight-up graduation song, but I relate to it and love it. It’s like that song he wrote when Meimei (Tamura Meimi) graduated, Koi nara tokku ni hajimatteru. You can sing it like any other non-graduation song, but it fills you with sadness. When I recorded it, it brought back many feelings to the surface. It’s like magic.

— I’m excited to hear this song. Do you feel like it’s your last single personally?

Wada: Not really, it’s just Koi wa Accha Accha.

— It just came down to that.

Wada: So much suspense. (laugh) There are a lot of elements from Indian culture and it hits you hard, but when you read the lyrics, you realize that they were trying to do something similar to 46okunen LOVE. You see that they’re connected and the intention of people behind it. To be honest, when they told me it had an Indian theme, I thought it’d be a perfect fit for me. (laugh) The outfit suits me the best out of everyone. (laugh) I’m often mistaken for someone from another Asian country, so I thought I’d be the best in that role.

ANGERME – Koi wa Accha Accha (2019)

— Do you feel sad as your graduation is approaching?

Wada: I sure do. There are days I don’t feel as energetic, but as soon as I’m with the group, my day becomes brighter because they’re all really silly. (laugh) It makes me sad thinking I’m going to be missing that in my life. Thankfully, after that, I’ll have an opportunity to show myself at last. I haven’t put myself out there yet.

— It seems like it. I look forward to talking to you during your solo activities too.

Wada: Now I have to hold myself back so I won’t say too much. (laugh) Let’s talk again in 2021.

Hyadain x Nakajima Takui: Songwriting for Hello! Project

This interview was first published in the June 2016 issue of OVERTURE (Vol. 7). Thanks to Crests (@xiaoaishiteru) for providing me with screenshots!

Since Tsunku stepped down as general producer in 2014, different lyricists and composers have been working on Hello! Project songs. Among these are Nakajima Takui (ANGERME’s Taiki Bansei) and Maeyamada Kenichi, also known as Hyadain (Kobushi Factory’s Chotto Guchoku ni! Chototsu Moushin). The two musicians had an open discussion on their songwriting process and the source of Hello! Project-ness.

— Is this your first time meeting each other?

Nakajima: Yes, it is. I don’t really get called by media like this in the first place. I’m not on TV. I don’t even have a lot of friends. (laughs)

Maeyamada: Oh no, that’s… I’m looking forward to speaking to you today! When Taiki Bansei came out, I heard Takui-san’s version and I was like, “Ah, this is awesome, both versions are cool”. After hearing °C-ute’s Tsugi no Kado wo Magare, I thought you had an outstanding knack at creating melodies.

— Takui-san, what’s your impression of Maeyamada-san?

Nakajima: Usually, I write songs for myself to sing. I’m a solo artist, but my style is similar to a band’s. I’m not someone you could call a professional songwriter. As for Hyadain-san, he writes songs for a lot of different people and often appears on TV. In other words, I have this image of him being a celebrity.

Maeyamada: Thank you. (laughs)

— So, today we’d like to have a discussion on songwriting for Hello! Project. First, how do you get requests?

Nakajima: There are two different cases for me. When it comes to Taiki Bansei and Tsugi no Kado wo Magare, to tell you the truth, I wrote them for myself. They changed the key and the arrangement so they could be sung by Hello! Project groups. Last year, I got a request to write two songs for Juice=Juice (Ai Ai Gasa, GIRLS BE AMBITIOUS). I met with their manager, and they told me: “Here’s how the 5 members are feeling right now. Could you put this in the lyrics? This member likes this kind of food, and she’s into this stuff right now.” We had a chat and looked at the members’ profiles carefully. After that, I was asked to write about love from a girl’s perspective. But you know, I’m from an all-male household. I didn’t have a mom and was raised by my dad so I don’t know anything about girls’ feelings. (embarrassed) I only have experience with straightforward love.

Maeyamada: Straightforward love?

Nakajima: I moved to Tokyo directly after graduating from junior high and worked while playing in a band. I haven’t properly dated or even went to a party. I’ve never been through all the steps of love, it’s like, you’re into me, OK, if not, next! So I can’t write stuff you often hear in popular lyrics, like: “Secretly loving him, in the corner of the classroom”.

— Then, how did you do it?

Nakajima: Well, I love movies. I wrote what came to my mind while thinking about movies like Chiisana koi no uta. So when I write for Hello! Project, I have to change my mindset completely, especially when it comes to lyrics. In comparison, I only draw from my own experiences when I write songs for myself.

ANGERME’s Taiki Bansei (lyrics and composition by Nakajima Takui)

— Hyadain-san, what’s your process?

Maeyamada: So far this year, I’ve only been asked to write one song. Many years ago, I was involved in writing a few songs for Kirarin Revolution. It’s weird talking like an expert when I’ve only written one song…

Nakajima: Just say what you want. (laughs)

Maeyamada: You know, there’s this thing called Hello! Project-ness. I wrote the lyrics with set phrases in mind.

Nakajima: Did you learn this from studying Tsunku’s work?

Maeyamada: I’ve learned this naturally because I’m a fan of Hello! Project. It’s hard creating while thinking about how Tsunku-san would write something, but I can do it if I think about words that Tsunku-san wouldn’t use. I filter out words that wouldn’t appear in Tsunku-san and Hello! Project songs.

Nakajima: What do you mean by set phrases, expressions like “Chototsu Moushin”?

Maeyamada: That’s part of it, but also changing words like “tomodachi” (friend, casual) to “yuujin” (friend, formal) or “okaasan” (mom) to “ryoushin” (parents).

— What about the sound?

Maeyamada: I can’t go too hard in the chorus. The idol group I go the hardest with is Dempagumi.inc, and you can feel I’m going overboard in the chorus. If I were to do this in a Hello! Project song, Hashimoto Shin (UP-FRONT WORKS chief director) would cut it.

Nakajima: Oops, you name-dropped someone. (laughs)

Maeyamada: Hashimoto-san would probably say: “Tone it down a notch. This isn’t Hello! Project”. He has a very objective understanding of Hello! Project.

Kobushi Factory’s Chotto Guchoku ni! Chototsu Moushin (lyrics and composition by Maeyamada Kenichi)

— There were people who thought Chotto Guchoku ni! Chototsu Moushin sounded like a “Hello! Project song,” but not like a “Hyadain song”. Did you consciously avoid using your signature sound?

Maeyamada: That’s funny, because I didn’t try to sound like Hello! Project. It’s just “Hello! Project magic,” as I think the production team played a huge part in it. I only created the melody and the lyrics, and the arrangement and demo vocals turned it into a Hello! Project song. The team are experts who have been doing this for decades. Technically speaking, they can turn anything into a Hello! Project song. Unlike what everyone thinks, I didn’t mean to write a Hello! Project-like song.

— Now that’s interesting. After writing the lyrics, the melody and the chord progression, how are you involved in the arrangement process?

Nakajima: Hmm, it depends on the song. In my own particular case, the recording data I create is often used as a basis. They raise the key of my demo vocals, cut out unnecessary sounds and then add some. Every time, they raise the key and the tempo for sure, and just by doing that, the song sounds quite different from the original.

— Basically, you’re not involved with the final arrangement process?

Nakajima: No, I’m not. I let them do it, but with LoVendoЯ, I was involved in launching a song. Another time, they asked me to make an accurate demo.

Maeyamada: Ah, that also happens in the process.

Nakajima: But I can’t do solo guitar shredding, because I don’t do metal. Then again, the girls aren’t doing hardcore hard rock. If they want a solo that’s full of nuances, I’ll just make a guitar sound with my mouth, like “werowerogwiiin”. You know, LoVendoЯ’s Uozumi Yuki and Miyazawa Marin are so serious, they copied my mouth guitar solo perfectly. (embarrassed) My mouth sounds were just there to tell them to play freely, in a nuanced way.

Maeyamada: So talented! If you can do that, it means you’re skilled, all three of you.

Nakajima: No, I’m not, I still can’t read a music score and I can’t use Pro Tools. At most, I can use Garage Band a bit, but when I’m in the studio, I’m basically telling musicians what I want with my mouth.

LoVendoЯ’s Iin janai? (lyrics, composition, and chorus by Nakajima Takui)

— Some musicians aren’t satisfied unless they do everything themselves from scratch…

Nakajima: I’m like that with my own music; I want to do everything myself. When you’re making music for someone else, you want to hand it over to them. If others were to complain about my music, I’d be upset, so I respect others’ work and don’t say anything. You know, deep down, I don’t want to care about what people feel.

Maeyamada: What do you mean by that?

Nakajima: People’s feelings are very hard to understand. If I start acting according to someone else’s feelings, I don’t know what the heck I’m actually doing. After all, if I don’t understand something myself, I can’t move others. Imagine if I were to go on stage and sing a song while thinking: “Man, I recorded this song, but I’m not satisfied with it.” I wouldn’t be able to stir emotions.

Maeyamada: I guess so.

Nakajima: I give my very best when I work on my part, but when I’m done, I let go and completely trust others with the rest. Earlier, Hyadain-san was saying that his songs are just turned into Hello! Project songs. I really feel the same for my own work.

— It seems that when external songwriters like you are writing songs for Hello! Project, a lot of them have a funky sound. Don’t you feel like writing kayoukyoku songs closer to Platinum era or Daite HOLD ON ME?

Nakajima: This funky sound is one element from Tsunku-san’s work. I’ve never been asked to write a funky song specifically. To put it this way, I just write good melodies and lyrics, and the team dresses up the songs with nice clothes. Sometimes, the clothes may be funky.

Maeyamada: Tsunku-san is also writing EDM-like songs. I don’t think we can do them better than him. Only Tsunku-san can pull off this fantastic sound.

— Maeyamada-san, you’re writing songs for a wide range of acts, from Johnny’s to anime. How is Hello! Project different in terms of direction?

Maeyamada: It’s very precise. I get a million requests for revising songs, but I absolutely don’t feel bad about that. I really agree with them. The team is full of genuine music lovers. They’re absurd, in a good way.

Nakajima: I couldn’t have said it better.

Maeyamada: One of my very first jobs was for Kirarin Revolution. It was a song for Milkyway, a unit with Kusumi Koharu. It was my first time being in charge of an entire song, down to the arrangement. I revised everything in that song over a hundred times. I kept rewriting the lyrics, the arrangement and the composition over and over again. It was such a rocky first experience that it made all of my next jobs look like a piece of cake. (laughs) That’s why I’m grateful to them. I would certainly get mad if I were asked to make unreasonable changes, though. Still, I’ve been working with teams for a long time, not only Hello! Project, but Dempagumi.inc, Momoiro Clover, Ebichu… and I always get reasonable requests. I could be asked to rewrite all the lyrics in the verse, for example, but I don’t take it badly at all. I agree with absolutely everything and do my part.

Milkyway’s Tan Tan Taan! (lyrics, composition, and arrangement by Maeyamada Kenichi)

Nakajima: I’ve had to rewrite songs over and over too, but revising over a hundred times is out of this world.

Maeyamada: Towards the end, we were really running out of time, so Taisei-san came over to the rundown shoebox I used to live in. He waited for me patiently on the sofa, the kind that if you sit on it, you get bitten by mites. I was barely conscious, but I had fun. It was the first time I felt I was needed to create music. I don’t know if I would do it again today, though…

Is Tsunku a God? From a creator’s standpoint, he’s one-of-a-kind.

Nakajima: While he was producing Hello! Project, Tsunku-san was also running his company, TNX. He asked me to write songs for TNX idols. Like I said, I don’t use music software at all. So before I worked with Tsunku-san, I requested that he brought a guitar to our meeting. Then, I asked him: “What kind of song do you want?” and we played chords to check if it was right. This process left a big impression on me. We went back and forth, going like: “Should we add a minor here?” and “We don’t need a major 7th in the bridge”.

Maeyamada: Ah, it sounds like Tsunku-san would enjoy this process.

— According to you, what makes Tsunku-san special as a creator and producer?

Maeyamada: The biggest thing for me is that he’s always evolving. He works with new people, new genres, fresh arrangements… It’s not that he tries to be unique; he’s consistent at it. He’s craving freshness, but he’s also studying the past and exploring sounds like rockabilly and kayoukyoku. He’s not rehashing things.

Nakajima: So true! He’s embracing the punk way of life.

Maeyamada: He’s the kind of person you can imagine saying something like “let’s rock?” with a grin. Tsunku-san is always rocking. For example, Morning Musume released a single called Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago, which Konno Asami-san and Michishige Sayumi-san centered…

Morning Musume’s Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago (production, lyrics, and composition by Tsunku)

— Their vocals are…

Maeyamada: Exactly, they’re not good vocalists. Namida ga tomaranai houkago is also a medium tempo ballad (keeping their vocals in mind). When I met Tsunku-san, I told him: “You must have cut a lot for the single.” He replied with a smile: “I wanted to release the song without correcting the pitch, but when I listened to it, it was a bit too rock. Then, I might have released it as is.” (laughs) Anything works if it’s interesting, he’s refreshing like that. No doubt that, at his core, he loves and understands performers.

Nakajima: You can feel he’s always looking for new things. He’s someone who wants to create fresh stuff too, so to me, he’s just like a punk.

Maeyamada: Tsunku-san himself says he’s “rock”, but he’s doing “punk” things.

— Tsunku-san could release something a ton of songs like LOVE Machine if he wanted.

Maeyamada: He could, but it wouldn’t be interesting to him. He’s probably get tired of it.

— Still, normally, you’d be asked to follow a successful path. Maeyamada-san, do you often get requests like “make me a song that sounds like this”?  

Maeyamada: I do. Inside, I’m thinking: “How can you do the same thing? “… but I do it for the money. (laughs)

Nakajima: Of course. (laughs) I worship the Beatles, and while they were only active for 7-8 years, they changed tremendously during that time. Look at the speed of their evolution, and at how they destroyed themselves, quickly overthrew the rules and reached a state of anarchy… No matter how you cut it, it’s punk. I think the path created by the Beatles’ leads to all genres. If I may say so, Tsunku-san’s creative energy is the Beatles themselves. Breaking yourself constantly is punk. But you know, you only live once. In my opinion, you had no choice when you’ve done something again on purpose.

— It’s like your character as a creator.

Nakajima: I guess. That’s why my music doesn’t sell! I don’t do what fans want. I can’t make the same popular song twice or thrice.

Maeyamada: I’m not that extreme. (laughs) Still, even idol groups that follow one path never ever say : “let’s make it like this again”. It’d be rude, even towards me.

— Do you mean they don’t go along with fans’ wishes?

Nakajima: If you go along with fans’ wishes, you’re not rocking… It’s just not it. When creators want to please fans, they’re not creating music. You know, classical music is very punk. It usually has a lot of modulation and tempo changes.

Maeyamada: True! I think the exact same thing. There’s no such thing as classical music “having to sound a certain way”.

— Let’s finish this off: where is Hello! Project headed now?

Maeyamada: I made it clear in this interview that if their team is involved, the songs will keep being quite Hello! Project-like. It was like this for Takui-san’s Taiki Bansei, and even for Tsuno Maisa-san’s Utakata Saturday Night. You can say that as long as they’re looking over the production process. This Hello! Project-ness can be created precisely because of Tsunku-san and the staff’s long experience with it. Conversely, someone else can write a song and it can become Hello! Project-like, as if it were an automated process. An important aspect is that Tsunku-san is pushing the team forward as a creator. Even now, this Hello! Project-ness is updated because of Tsunku-san. If I could ask him anything, it’d be: “Tsunku-san, please be active and keep working forever”. Just that. I want more weird songs like Oheso no Kuni Kara Konnichiwa. It’s also my wish as a fan.

Nakajima: I’ve had more opportunities to write songs for Hello! Project lately. Honestly, I thought that they were interested in having people from a different genre, like me, writing songs for them. Then, I understood that no matter what I did, their exceptional team would use their ability to make songs Hello! Project-like. Hello! Project isn’t so fragile that by having us write songs, Tsunku-san’s influence would decline. Hello! Project is unshakable. Tsunku-san wants to bring in new blood, and by following his idea, I believe Hello! Project will become even more interesting.

Source: OVERTURE No.007, June 2016.

Wada Ayaka: Forbes Japan 30 Under 30 Interview

This interview was originally published by Forbes Japan on October 21, 2020.

On their shiny stage, idols sing and dance with a big smile, but when they walk off, they’re just people. They might want to date someone they like or paint their nails in dark colours. They might be in a bad mood when their period comes. Yet, those who don’t conform to the norm are strongly restricted by the unspoken rules of the idol industry.

On August 1, 2019, the day she turned 25, Wada Ayaka made a statement that didn’t go unnoticed on her blog: “I’m the one who gets to choose my own future. I’m a woman and an idol.”

Wada Ayaka is the former leader of Hello! Project idol group ANGERME. After graduating from the group, she called herself an idol. She promotes art by reviewing and commenting on modern art exhibitions and Buddhist art and contributing to literary magazines. She’s an outspoken advocate and a member of the #NoBagForMe project, raising awareness about different menstrual hygiene options and knowledge. In addition, Wada performs live and explores new possibilities to express herself.

Wada stepped into the idol world when she was 10 years old. After getting into art, she realized something was wrong in her environment, which made her want to change the image of idols. As one of the people selected for Forbes Japan’s 30 Under 30, she talks about gender issues, her memorable meeting with art and the future she envisions.

She didn’t want unpainted nails. She wanted to paint them black.

We met in a studio somewhere in the city. Wada sat across the table. Her smile made the entire room feel peaceful. We started the interview with this question: “Why are you calling yourself an idol even after graduating from an idol group?”

She replied firmly. “I thought I’d be an idol, not for someone else, but for myself.”

She further explained: “Being an idol for someone else is straightforward: giving energy and courage to fans. I’ve always questioned this relationship. Like in a hierarchy, idols are “giving” and fans are “seeking.” Don’t you think “giving” implies that you’re looking down on them? I want to be on the same level as fans. I want to be an idol that lives alongside fans and has a cozy relationship with them.”

She questioned this relationship, but also the social structure surrounding idols.

“It’s not just about violent and obvious discrimination. Even around me, I noticed there’s inequality and gender discrimination.”

The idol world looks for “feminine” features from a man’s point of view, which means being proper and pure is important. Wada was scolded for wearing bright red lipstick. She wanted to paint her nails black, but adults told her she should stick to unpainted nails. She could never breathe in an environment where she was required to be the way an idol should be rather than herself.

She didn’t notice inequality and gender discrimination at first, since she started at a young age. “I came to realize something was strange thanks to art.”

Finding art and her place to be

Wada’s life changed when she was in her first year of high school. She went to an art exhibition about 19th-century painter Édouard Manet with her mom. She was mesmerized by one of his works, L’homme mort.

Édouard Manet’s L’homme mort (The Dead Man)

After this encounter, Wada put her heart and soul into studying fine arts and went on to graduate school while working as an idol.

Not only do artists create impactful work for the world to see, but they provide a new perspective on issues related to gender and feminism. Wada looked at the idol world through this lens. She opened her eyes to a male-centred society as she examined the design process of the outfits, makeup and live performances.

She grew uncomfortable in this environment and became deeply troubled.

“I questioned my sexuality. I doubted values related to love and marriage and came to the conclusion that my own sexuality wasn’t clear.”

Wada lost her way and was gripped by anxiety. Art saved her again, when she saw a video of artist group Dumb Type’s S/N that shook her beliefs.

Excerpts from Dumb Type’s S/N

“S/N”, which comes from audio terminology, is an abbreviation of “Signal/Noise” and symbolizes binary opposition. In this show, performers go on stage to come out about their own sexuality. Some of them are gay or HIV-positive and change into drag queens. They’re tackling modern social issues head-on with their fresh and bright performance.

Wada recalls: “Watching S/N made me realize living in a colourful way was a good thing. The vague anxiety I had was gone. From the bottom of my heart, I felt that I had found where I belonged! “

Living in a more colourful way

Through essays and media appearances, Wada shows the meaning of art works deemed “too hard to understand.”

While advocating for idols, she finds new creative possibilities as a performer. “I don’t want to create entertainment, but culture. Doing a show where I’m the centrepiece makes me uncomfortable. I want to create a world where performers, staff and viewers are all on the same, flat level.”

Wada’s main medium is live shows, and she’s very particular about the setting of her performances. As she wants to break down barriers between the stage and the audience, she performs in factories and forests. During her performances, Wada carries out the role of a “person who creates meaning.” She creates her own world, her own space and her own lyrics and sings on stage accompanied by reliable musicians.

Wada is slowly changing the image of idols. She’s looking to contribute not only to the idol world, but to a society where people with different experiences can live freely.

“My goal isn’t just changing the image of idols, but increasing options. When I call myself an idol, you’re judging me based on your own image of an idol.

If I make you feel uncomfortable because I’m different from the traditional image of an idol, then, I believe I have a reason to speak out. I strongly hope people can have different views on what an idol is and live in a more colourful way.”

Source: https://forbesjapan.com/articles/detail/37668/1/1/1