Precious Time (Watanabe Risa, blt graph vol 50)

“If I can manage to go forward keeping up with the things I’m able to do now, I believe I can grow more.”

What’s important is “Now”. Even if you understand the concept, through your age and experiences, you truly understand the way things are for the first time. “This year it became ingrained in me,” she muttered.

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Keyakizaka46 is going through a period of change. During this turning point, I want to hear how Risa is feeling.
From the 9th single onwards the senbatsu system has been used but, I felt like this would be necessary eventually, so now I’m looking at it positively. These are only my feelings but, compared to our first 1-2 years since we debuted, honestly, it feels like the momentum of the group is weakening. I couldn’t understand why that is the case......This change, it became an opportunity to change that situation, I really hope that the group will move forward in a better direction.

Does that mean that Risa also felt this so-called “stagnation” feeling?
Honestly, I felt it. Certainly we’re still moving forward but, as I felt us slow down, I had frustrating thoughts like “Is it okay to keep going like this?” When (Sugai) Yuuka said the word “Stagnation”, it really hit me.

The activities of the 17 members of the senbatsu also increased, have you thought about this?
I’ve thought about it from various points of view. The second generation members were asking “Why was I chosen?”, I guess it was because they had a hard time accepting it too. That’s why, with the first and second generation girls that were chosen for senbatsu, I think we can make a shining environment while enjoying this time’s activities without holding back. But, I didn’t think I would get into the senbatsu myself, honestly. For me, I had many things to think about during the activities of the “Kuroi Hitsuji” period, I experienced emotions that I hadn’t felt up to that point, because it was a period when I was struggling a lot with many troubles. During the commentary that was recorded right after the senbatsu announcement, various emotions ended up overflowing out.

What kind of things were troubling you?
About my future. 4 years have passed since the formation of Keyakizaka, so I am no longer in a position where I can be called a newcomer......What do I want to accomplish in such a situation, I thought about what I want to do and what I want to become from now on. Regardless of my age, I came to think about this a lot.

Has the image of your future become clear?
There isn’t anything I haven’t found, but it’s also not enough for me to say it’s become perfectly clear. Even as an individual, even as part of Keyakizaka, although my motivation to “Try things out” has been getting clearer, when I think about it, it changes depending on your situation and environment at that time, so I can’t put it into words just yet. Is it okay for me to answer that this is a conversation for another time so please look forward to it? (laughs)

Well then, I will look forward to that time (laughs). By the way, how did you realize that you evolved during this past year?
If I hadn’t entered Keyaki there would honestly be so many things I wouldn’t have experienced, but this isn’t something to be taken for granted. So because of that, if I can conduct myself feeling like I can manage to keep up with the things I’m able to do now, I believe I can grow more...... Basically, I have a positive feeling. There are also some moments when I get sick of it (laughs), but the main thing that comes first is that I don’t want to make the fans concerned, so I’m careful not to make them worried.

This is related to you entering your 20s but, do you feel that you have become more reliable?
When I became 20 the feeling of “Wow, I reached adulthood, I’m an adult” made me very excited but, when I became 21, I thought “This is bad, this is bad, I can’t be spoiled anymore.” I started to feel impatient, or more like I had acquired a sense of crisis. In addition to the second generation, from now on even younger members will be entering (the sakamichi trainees). There’s no match for that ‘fresh’ appeal, that’s why when I am told to be someone reliable, I’m still completely childish, so I’ve been thinking I’d better become more of an adult.

Also, a new year is starting once again. What kind of year do you want it to be?
In ‘19 we couldn’t release many new songs, it was a year that made the fans feel disappointed. With the 9th single I would like to regain our momentum and do something that overturns the feeling that we’re stagnating. Compared to “Kuroi Hitsuji”, it’s a song that has a different impression, so I want to be a year in which we can betray expectations in a good way, and revitalize our image.

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Translation: SatoneShichi
QC: fuyupz, toomuchidea
Raw @ weibo