Kato Shiho & Sato Shiori & Imaizumi Yui (Nikkei Entertainment 2017)

Kato Shiho

A sharp-looking girl aiming for a solo song after managing to improve her singing ability…

We can say that Kato Shiho’s charm point is the gap between her sharp looks and henyo-henyo speaking style. In Keyakizaka46’s 1st album “Masshiro na Mono wa Yogoshitakunaru”, her high-level singing ability on the track “Chinmoku shita Koibito yo”, however, has drawn people’s attention. In recent handshake events, most of her fans have expressed their surprise.

Singing isn’t my strength, I was really bad at it. When I was in high school, I used to  karaoke with my friends, where we only sang Nogizaka46’s songs for 5 hours. Singing their concert setlist, waving our hands as if riding on the truck. Despite doing such a thing, my singing couldn’t get any better. That’s why since joining Hiragana (Keyakizaka46), I’ve been struggling with voice training. I don’t like speaking loudly in the first place. It feels like, throughout my life, the only time I’ve shout is when I’m riding a jet coaster. I can’t even do the lip rolls where I have to jiggle my lip, it started from that point.

I was so surprised when I heard that I would sing the first part of “Chinmoku shita Koibito yo”. I wondered why did it have to be me. I was overflowing with confusion, but I was really happy as well. During the recording session, we were told that this song has a Nogizaka46-ish vibe, and I got very excited as soon as I found out Sugiyama Katsuhiko-san was the composer.

I never properly listened to my singing voice before, so when I listened to this song, “So this is my voice”, that was the first time I heard my own voice. Whenever I speak, my intonation becomes weird, but my singing voice doesn’t have such a problem, so it made me excited.

I didn’t have much confidence. I was very anxious singing “Chinmoku shita Koibito yo” at the concert, however, it feels like I’ve started to sing more consistently.

Members and fans even told me, “I like your voice”, it made me go from disliking my own voice to liking it a little bit. However, when people commented “Please sing for us” on SHOWROOM, I still don’t have enough confidence, I can’t sing straight away without any preparation

I have a dream that someday I would be able to sing my own solo song. It might be impossible, but I think that making a declaration is important, so I will keep saying that. I’ve often said that I really like Naako-chan, and so when we could finally do a magazine photoshoot together, I came to realize that making a declaration is an important thing.

Not only in singing, but people often say “You have sort of a gap” in other things. I think many people already knew it from “KEYABINGO!”, that I’m a fast runner.

I’m a high-spirited person, but I have trouble showing it. I’m such a coward, I can’t even say my opinions during evaluation meetings with members and so I always stay silent.

During September, Kato became the first member of Hiragana Keyakizaka46 to walk on the “GirlsAward” runway. Also, her individual jobs, like appearing in fashion magazines, are increasing. For Hiragana Keyakizaka46 that had just entered a new phase after Nagahama Neru’s kennin cancellation and 2nd generation members joining, her existence must be big.

When I heard that I would be appearing on GirlsAward, I had mixed feelings about it, “What should I do?” and “I’m very happy”, I couldn’t stop crying. I was so anxious during the event since there weren’t any Hiragana members there, but Habu (Mizuho)-san and Berika-san (Watanabe Rika) approached and talked to me, “Kanji members are so kind”, I was touched.

I was really frustrated as I couldn’t make use of the things I learned in my walking training. I was taught how to walk in the coolest way, but I was so nervous that it made me really want to go to the toilet, and I ended up looking like a creepy person.

Habu-san has beyond-model sense of fashion, she also walked magnificently in such a cool way… Since it’s difficult to get taller, I want to show better expressions and get revenge on it.

When I first heard Nagaru’s (Nagahama Neru) kennin cancellation, I was so sad and wondered “Why?”, however, I was relieved when she told us the reason a day before the Zepp Sapporo concert. If she hadn’t tell us the reason, even though it was already decided, I would have said “It’s lonely without you”, and I would be crying. Without our ace Nagaru, I thought that we would face big troubles, however, since we have the 2nd generation members, I can move on and say “Let’s do our best”.

I don’t even know how a shy person like me could get along quickly with 2nd gen member (Watanabe) Miho. I can’t think of the 2nd gen as my juniors. I have to behave more like a senior, and I hope I can communicate with them naturally without overthinking.

Sato Shiori

A pessimistic art college student that transformed into an optimistic one…

Because of her pessimistic thinking, Sato Shiori always experienced troubles since her debut, but she has been able to start thinking positively since 2017. The main factor of that transformation is the existence of one member.

Thanks to Fuuchan (Saito Fuyuka), I could change myself drastically. When we just started our debut, I was worried with such trivial things like “Why was I not called to magazine interview?” or “Why did I get that senbatsu position?”. Fuuchan ever said that me at that time has “super negative aura” (XD). My home and Fuuchan’s are on the same direction, we often come home together after the lesson ends, she often listens to my troubles. She always listens to it seriously and says “Nothing to be worried”, she always gives me positive words. Slow but sure, being together with her made me become more positive. My 2017 goal is “to live freely”, lately I always feels optimistic, it feels like an achievement to me.

During “National Arena Tour 2017” on August, I often shared a hotel room with Ozeki (Rika), we talked about many things. We shared about each other self-reflection, we also discussed about how to show more unity in the concert, we always discussed things until late. We’re already good friends, we’re close to each other. We’re similar in many things like our thinking and our anxious mind. We talked about many serious things at that time, I thought our friendship got much deeper. Since I was always with members almost everyday, I love Keyakizaka46 members even much more. I never experienced things like club training camp, so it’s my first experience always doing so many things together,  like moving together from one place to another everyday or just having lunch together, it was so fun. It’s often said that “the longer you being together with someone, the more you know their ugly side”, but I can’t find things like that, I just love them even more everyday.

We often say that it’s the busiest summer in our life. In our “National Arena Tour”, there is one act in the last day of Makuhari Messe that is so memorable to me. Before we performed “Fukyouwaon”, we did an act which we tore each other shirt apart. At the last part, I tore Techi’s shirt, it’s really important role. I was really enthusiastic “I’m gonna tear your shirt in cool way!”. We also performed the first song “Eccentric” with that shirt. Since we wore that shirt so many times, we couldn’t tear it on rehearsal, so we tore it as hard as we could on the real act. Then, I tried to tore Techi’s shirt off as hard as I could, but it wasn’t torn at all. “Ah, it’s game over” (XD). That day, I felt nothing but frustration.

Every single day, I myself decide to do anything perfectly until the end. It is called perfectionist, isn’t it? I’m a student of art college, I had so much troubles balancing my college life and Keyakizaka46. I did both things halfway, it feels like I have 2 consciousness. But, both are things that I started myself, I didn’t want to give them up halfway. Lately, I finally got used to that situation, I realized that both of them made good impact to me, so I want to do both things seriously. My magazine photoshoot job has increased, and thanks to that, I got interested in photography, so I recently started learning about camera on the college. Thanks to my major in graphic design, I was entrusted with the task of creating VJ video of “Bokutachi no Sensou” that displayed on the concert. Don’t you think it really fits me?

Also, on May this year, I was given the opportunity to participate in Lotte XYLITOL 20th Anniversary Project and to create the design of its gum bottle. When I asked the reason, they told me that I was chosen because I am active student of art college and my age is also 20 years old. I choosed this major because I want to work in design, so this opportunity gave me so much fresh feeling. I had read Imaizumi (Yui)’s interview on certain magazine, she said “The worth of my existence in this group is nothing but singing”, so I decided that the worth of my existence is art. I want to do more individual works in the future by making the best use of my art, so in the end everything I do will benefit Keyakizaka46.

Imaizumi Yui

Since her 4-and-half-months hiatus until her return now, she continues her activities with brighter smile…

Around the beginning of filming of “Tokuyama Daigoro wo Dare ga Koroshita ka?” that broadcasted on summer 2016, Imaizumi’s physical condition started getting worse. After going through so much trouble, she discussed with the staffs, and decided that she would be taking a hiatus by the end of “Keyakizaka46 Debut 1st Anniversary Live” that held on April 6th this year. And since her hiatus announcement on April 13th, the Diva of Keyakizaka46 had disappeared from our eyes for a while.

When my physical condition getting worse, I had to take a rest from my job. It might be better if I take a rest for a while rather than doing a job in half-assed condition. However, I couldn’t find the right timing, and finally decided my hiatus right before our 1st Anniversary Live. I was worried that “If I return, I won’t have a place in the group anymore”, however I always have determination that I won’t stop singing despite taking a rest for a while. Singing and dancing are two things that can make me being myself.

I have started writing a diary since my hiatus. Since I want to try writing songs in the future, I think it’s gonna be useful. I have a note which I keep writing lyric phrase on it, someday I want to make it a song. I kept doing voice training (during hiatus), however since I never danced again, my physical strength got weaker. As example, I already felt exhausted around 2nd part of “Silent Majority”, so I started running to overcome that. I’m bad at running though (XD).

On the 1st album “Masshiro na Mono wa Yogoshitakunaru” (released on July 2017), we can hear Imaizumi’s singing voice from her solo song “Natsu no Hana wa Himawari dake janai” and Yuichanzu’s song with Kobayashi Yui “1-gyou Dake no Air Mail”. We can also see her appearance with short hair and skinny face on the album booklet. When the opportunity of her comeback was getting higher, on the first day of Tokyo Stage (Makuhari Messe) of “National Arena Tour 2017”, Sugai said “Next one is a song which we are always waiting for”, Imaizumi then stood on the stage and sang “Natsu no Hana wa Himawari dake janai”.

Staff told me, “Whether you will be participating this tour or not, the decision is up to you”, so I decided to make a comeback at the final of the tour. I didn’t participate since the beginning, so I was worried about it, but I thought that I should participate because the timing was right, I already prepared myself to step forward.

On the “Natsu no Hana wa Himawari dake janai”, I’m able to make the best use of my voice quality. During my hiatus, I was able to accept my voice as it is, my way of singing already changed.

I thought I wouldn’t have a problem, but I felt nervous as soon as I stepped on the stage, my head went blank. I want to apologize for not being able to sing properly, I’ve reflected on it. On the second day (August 30th), I could relax a little, I thought I was able to put more feeling on my singing better than the first day.

I was worried that people would think “Other members did their best for a month, but Imaizumi only participated at the final”, but as soon as I appeared on the stage, I was surrounded by yellow penlights from the audience seats, I was touched when I saw it. I can’t forget that scenery.

On the encore, I also participated in “Silent Majority” and “Futari Saison” (released on November 2016), but I struggled following their movement since it was my first performance with them after a long time. However during my hiatus, I reread all Keyakizaka’s lyrics, it enabled me interpretating differently. As example, instead of showing “no smile” expression, it’s alright to show different expression in “Silent Majority”. I could perform with different feeling at that time.

At the Makuhari backstage, Yuipon (Kobayashi yui) said “Good Luck!” to me, but I was very nervous, I couldn’t response properly to her. To be honest, I only told Yuipon about my hiatus, but I can’t speak to her properly since my return, I want to apologize properly to her someday.

I’m a person that easily worrying and overthinking, I always feel pessimistic more than anyone. I can’t change my basic personality, but recently I begin to think “well, whatever”. I think I can laugh much more often than before.

On the 5th single “Kaze ni Fukaretemo”, my position is in the middle of third row. I am very happy since I always expected that I would be removed from senbatsu. As a professional, I can’t let people feel that I’m being left behind by the other members, so I will be working hard to catch them up.

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Original translation by hunter934, reporsted with permission

QC by Seri & Han

Raw 南宫坂; Anti-lover & 大哥 @weibo