Emotional Eyes (Watanabe Risa, b.l.t graph vol. 40)

Awareness promotes growth, and growth awakens further awakens. The feelings gained by a new experience changed the look of Watanabe Risa.

In the four end of year music program of 2018, “Ambivalent” was performed with center changes. Risa-san also stood at center, what kind of instruction were given from Takahiro-sensei, the choreographer?

Risa: In the version where I served as Center, is that while having the feeling of wanting to dance with everyone, there are times where i have to go out by myself, but in the end I want to stay with everyone else, such is the “Ambivalent” that I am to express, as Takahiro-sensei taught me. For the other Centers, I went toward where Habu (Mizuho)-chan is and reached and turn the Center’s hand from behind, but in for my part I turned her hand instead, the part where Hirate (Yurina) did the cartwheel are also difference each Center, for my part everyone did the same choreography as I do, and after expressing “being together with everyone”, in the “thousand hands” part we separated into each other, and expressed the how I am in somewhere different from everyone else.

And how does Risa-san digest that feeling?

Risa: I tried not to think too deeply, but I do not want to break down the world view of the song, so I thought that i want to show off a me-like “Ambivalent”

What did you feel about standing at the center?

Risa: I felt how that the fans who saw the (Suzumoto) Miyu Center version in MSta (Music Station) will be expecting more. The tension and uneasiness was different from the time of 2nd Birthday Live… I knew I had to do something with those feelings so I decided to keep it in for myself without sharing it with everyone else.

I wonder if the culmination of such expressions was the shout-filled performance during Kouhaku Uta Gassen?

Risa: I feel that my way of thinking have changed after experiencing the changing the centers in each program, from “Hirate pulling everyone” to “Everyone supporting the Center”. Kobayashi Yui was appointed as the Center for Japan Record Award and Kouhaku Uta Gassen, but in the pressure of performing on a big stage, I thought how nice it would be if we have the feeling of “Let’s do this!”, and danced with that feeling. At the circle in the interlude (during Kouhaku), we all shouted “Uwaaaaa~~!!!”, but actually the dancers also shouted together with us. The power on that stage was something I never felt before.

And based on that, please tell us your thoughts on the new song “Kuroi Hitsuji”.

Risa: It has an atmosphere that we never had before in single songs, and the lyric soaks into one’s heart. It feels like we are laying everything bare… And then, you can feel how much the protagonist in the story have grown since “Silent Majority”. But, they are still unable to understand everything, and they want to think more about it. 

The MV seems to be heavy and dark at the first sight, but since it’s something that has never been done before, i hope people can watch it over many times. It’s not something fierce, and the dance is not like that too, but the conflicts and troubles are drawn into the story telling, I think that various kind of sufferings will be conveyed in an easy-to-understand manner. 

I’m not a person who likes says “This MV is amazing!”, but i was surprised in a way “So it could be shot in this way!”. The video matched with the music, when i watched the MV with everyone, there is no end to tears and snot (laughs). I think that there are quite a few members whose heart are moved by this song. I think it’s big how I was able to switch my feelings from performing “Ambivalent” at the end of the year into “Kuroi Hitsuji” world atmosphere, I think that this is something that can be conveyed by the current Keyakizaka.

Last year, the new 2nd gen members have entered. What did you think of their existence?

Risa: To be honest, before, I thought that it is best for us to quit if we can’t continue with all 21 members, but my way of thinking have changed so much i was surprised by it myself. While we are doing the nationwide tour in summer without a complete member line up, I felt how the reality is not that sweet. And when we performed at the end of year shows with the 2nd gen members, I received a lot of stimulus. 

With the change, I became aware of our responsibility as a member, and I thought that if I stayed as it is then I would not be able to show anything to the 2nd gens. Everyone (1st gen members) who have been spoiled for a long time now received a little sister, and there is a feeling that everyone are showing their older sister side, so I thought how cute that is (laughs).

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Translation: tmi
QC & Raw: numes

Edit: b.l.t released an extra in their website, here to read the quick translation of it