Uemura Rina interview in MARQUEE Vol.142

 

It was earlier than expected. Sakurazaka46 will release their 2nd single "BAN" in April and no time has passed since the first single was released on December 9 last year. The title song "BAN" with Morita Hikaru as the center, "Guuzen no Kotae” with Fujiyoshi Karin as the center, and "Omotta yori Sabishikunai" with Yamasaki Ten as the center will be released in the same formation as the first single.

So far, Sakurazaka46 has changed the color of each of its three centerpieces. This reflects the diversity of the group and seems to indicate the direction of Sakurazaka46. In this issue, we asked Uemura Rina, who has been a regular contributor to our magazine since her days as a member of Keyakizaka46, about the second single, changes in the group and herself, and what to expect in the future. She had a lot of bright things to say, and I'm looking forward to the future of Sakurazaka46.

Q: That was fast, the 2nd single (is already here).

Uemura: I’m happy to be able to release a single at this pace!

Q: How is the situation in the group?

Uemura: Due to the influence of Corona, we don't spend much time together, and we have separate dressing rooms, so I don't know how everyone is doing (laughs).

Q: What about you, Uemura-san?

Uemura: I have a lot of thoughts about the title song since I’m not (participating) in it, but I'm more than happy that we're moving and working as a group.

Q: Your blog was updated continuously from the end of last year to this year. So I thought you’ll also continue this year too (laughs).

Uemura: There are times when I’m mentally ready to update and times when I’m not (laugh). But it’s not like I was very happy about renaming and updated my blog. I was just trying to do my best (laugh), but there wasn’t much information I could share yet. I spent all of February working (on the production), so I wondered what I should write about. The photos (I took) were before the details of the single were released, so I couldn’t post any of the costumes.

Q: The Corona period has changed the way you do your activities, especially handshake events. Do you like handshake events, Uemura-san?

Uemura: I like it but I’m still not very good at “fishing”. I like ordinary conversations, but I can’t really handle that kind of thing [fishing] (laughs). But I’m still happy to be able to talk with the fans directly in person.

Q: As an alternative, the online meet & greet is now available. What do you think of this one?

Uemura: It’s totally different. I feel that both have pros and cons. There were a lot more people with poor reception than I expected, and sometimes when I couldn’t see or hear them, I would [be really upset] and be like “ah~”. I wondered if the fans thought I didn’t speak, but I couldn’t hear them. Also, is there a profile? A place where the fan can enter a name or message. Some of the fans write about three lines, so I don't know if I should read it, look at their faces, or look at what they’re showing on the screen within the limited time (laughs). With all that the time is already over. There were a lot of people who showed me [things, goods, pets, etc.], but they weren't on the screen or got cut off, so I could only read the first sentence and it just passes by (laugh). There is a lot going on, so meet & greet is more difficult.

Q: In the middle of all this, you gradually resumed live performances. Right after Keyakizaka46’s Last Live, there was the unveiling of Sakurazaka46, but the experience of starting another group with the same members is not something that usually happens.

Uemura: In a way, it was like a second debut for the 1st generation members. There is no such thing as being able to experience two different groups, so I feel like I’ve really joined an amazing group. I was really looking forward to seeing the group colors and what kind of costumes we would wear. As for the songs, Takahiro-sensei said that with Keyaki it was “I (Boku)”, but the title song of Sakurazaka’s first single was “I (Ore)”, and the coupling songs changed from “me” to “us”.  When I was told that there will be 3 protagonists, or rather there will be various characters, I thought, “That’s true.” I felt that the lyrical style has also changed. I don’t think there have been this many love songs among all our songs that everyone sings together. I think that’s something that has changed.

Q: Are you happy with the changes, Uemura-san?

Uemura: It’s fresh. When I first listened to “Buddies”, I was surprised. “Eh?” there are too many “Yo!” (laughs). There were a lot of songs that surprised me.

Q:  The range of song types is getting broader, isn’t it?

Uemura: Yes, I think so.

Q: Is this what you hoped for?

Uemura: I suppose it is.

Q: I feel that Sakurazaka46 will take a multi-perspective form since the first single had three different types of songs.

Uemura: In the past, (the center) had to carry things on their back alone, but now when we became Sakurazaka, there are now three. By having several centers, even if one gets sick, there are other centers for more than half of the songs. So I think the burden [from being center] has decreased.

Q: I think the atmosphere of the main program (SokoSaku) has also changed since you became Sakurazaka46.

Uemura: Well, it’s hard to be objective when we’re doing it ourselves (laughs). However, the color of the studio itself has changed, so the atmosphere seems to be brighter. The costumes are bright, too.

Q: Do you think you can now objectively look back at Keyakizaka46?

Uemura: When I was in Keyakizaka, I could never look at our own work. I would remember the painful things at that time. Both the MV and the live video. I always thought I would [only] watch it after I graduated. But after the renaming, I was able to look at them, and when I watched it together with all the members, we looked so bright even though it was a difficult time for us back then (laughs). We were like, “Wasn’t that amazing?”, “That was great”, or “We did a great job” (laughs). We talked about this among the members. We were really thinking, “Even though it was so painful at the time.”  But now maybe I’m feeling a little better about it. Although I feel like I’ve got a different problem again. The fact that I’m not on the title track is a big deal to me.

Q: What do you think about the formation?

Uemura: I thought that it would never change since the first single. I wondered if there was even anyone who can be changed since I don’t think the “[Sakura] Eight” have any weaknesses. When I say “drop”, it’s like I can’t imagine them not being in “eight.” I thought about the same thing when I was in Keyaki. Like, I could never imagine the members in the 1st and 2nd row dropping to the 3rd row. I figured that since the people in front of me were so amazing, they couldn’t be replaced, and they weren’t (laughs). When I thought this girl would be the next one to move up from the third row, she was, so I think I'm starting to understand and predict formations (laughs).

Q: After all, it’s the title track, but I don’t think the coupling songs are weak. The types of songs are too different.

Uemura: Indeed. But not being included is a big deal. I really feel that there is a huge difference.

Q: I’d like to look back a bit, but what were your honest thoughts when the 1st single came out?

Uemura: I thought it also was an amazing song. I thought “Silent Majority” was a great song [when it was released]. No one knew what to expect at first, but it turned out to be a great song later on, so I could say that this is our debut song. I felt the same way as I did with Keyaki. During my time in Keyaki, I didn’t listen to Keyaki’s music, but since becoming Sakurazaka, I’ve started to listen to our songs. Maybe because it’s easy to listen to (laughs). I don’t really listen to heavy or dark songs. I listened to Sakurazaka’s 1st single while in the car because it was mostly bright songs.

Q: What was your impression of the song “Hanshin Hangi” in which you participated in the 1st single?  

Uemura: “Buddies” was all smiles while “Hanshin Hangi” was cooler. It was still the first single, so I don’t know what was Sakurazaka-like. Initially, I just had the impression that it was a completely different type of music.

Q: All 3 songs have different tendencies, so for instance, if you were to do a live performance, you would have to change your expressions for each song, which might be a challenge.

Uemura: That’s true. But the times we have to smile is the majority, so on the contrary, it is difficult. When I was in Keyaki, I wasn’t asked to smile, so I just smiled naturally, but for “Buddies,” I had to smile so hard that it was almost funny.

Q: The other song you participated in “Buddies”, how was it?

Uemura: The first time I heard it, I thought it was my favorite. Among Sakura’s songs, this is the one that makes me feel cheerful whenever I listen to them.

Q: It really does make you feel better, even more so at a time like this. This is the song I’ve personally been listening to the most this year. The center is Yamasaki Ten-san. I’d like to ask you about your objective view of the Sakurazaka46 members, and I’d like to ask you about the 3 centers of the 2nd single, Morita-san, Fujiyoshi-san, and Yamasaki-san. Let’s start with Yamasaki-san.

Uemura: Cool songs suit Ten. I haven’t seen her smile much before, but it was great when she smiled brightly and confidently in “Buddies”. It was impressive since generally the girls who become the center cry because of anxiety, but she probably did not cry even once. She is smiling and energetic all the time (laughs). Her expressions really draw you in. Even though she is young, we have a lot to talk about. There is still a lot that she doesn’t know, but her heart is already mature. She would make an effort to encourage everyone (laughs) like an older sister. Whenever I cried because I was exhausted during rehearsals, she would say, “It’s okay” then rub my back. So there is a huge gap.

Q: How about Morita-san?

Uemura: I saw all the music program recordings of “Nobody’s fault” and I really think her expressions were amazing. I think that people who become the center of the group are very talented, have the impression of being the sole one, and I think are amazing. I wonder where she learned how to express the song's emotions so well. It’s only been a little over two years, but I think there are things that only the center can understand, so I wonder if she could handle it. I wanted to make sure that she wasn’t keeping it all to herself.

Q: And Fujiyoshi-san?

Uemura: The most mysterious. The one who I don’t know the most (laugh). She had already been a center as a 2nd generation member, so I thought she must possess that something. I thought she’s also cool like Hikaru, but she showed a great smile in the song. I think she has a great gap.

Q: I’d like to hear your thoughts on the 2nd single. I’m still in the dark about the songs. [at this point, not all the songs have been released.]

Uemura: The MV that I shot with is a sad song and it has feelings that are not in the 1st single.

Q: What do you think about “BAN”?

Uemura: It’s a fast song (laughs). It doesn’t sound like a Sakamichi [song]. Ah, but I guess it’s Keyaki-like.

。

Q: "Nobody's fault" also had a sense of rebellion in the lyrics, a strong feeling of not being swayed by other people's opinions, and I'm sure Sakurazaka46 has inherited that part of the song as well.

Uemura: I wonder if the protagonist is a strong, unyielding person.

Q: By the way, what are your thoughts on the continuation of tendencies from Keyakizaka46, Uemura-san? 

Uemura: I sympathized with the lyrics in Keyaki so much since I don’t like anything that isn’t fair. The members said, “Akimoto-sensei understands our feelings.” Sakura has only just begun, so there are still some things that I don’t know.

Q: In that sense, Sakurazaka46 seems to have a variety of protagonists. It’s like you have a role and each of you plays it.

Uemura: About the protagonist, there are a lot of patterns being tried, I guess. This is why there are 3 (centers), or conversely, there are 3 so there could be a variety of protagonists.

Q: But that’s probably how you’re growing. A part of you must be at ease now that Keyakizaka46 has come to an end, what are your feelings about this?

Uemura: I’m not at ease (laughs). On the contrary, the more Sakurazaka we become, the more competitive it will feel since the number of people in the room has increased. So not at all, personally.

Q: It’s true that there are new members who just joined recently.

Uemura: 6 people. There has been Corona ever since the new 2nd generation members joined, so I feel really sorry for them. They said that they never met any fans and they’ve only joined online concerts. “Eh?” I thought. I realized they have yet to do what idols do, which is to interact with real fans. But on the other hand, what's more amazing is that they have so many fans even though they haven't met them in person. I mean, the TV shows, blogs, MV, and so on have already conveyed their charm. I think that's really amazing.

Q: In fact, it may be difficult for them, that gap.

Uemura: If you're not good at variety, you won't be shown much on TV. That's why when the 2nd generation members came in, I thought, "Everyone has a strong personality.” When the new 2nd generation members came, there were also many girls with strong personalities. Some girls said, "My personality will be destroyed”. Everyone says things like, “That’s so peculiar” (laughs), and I said, "That's true." But girls like that are really important for variety, aren't they?

Q: Somehow, that’s objective.

Uemura: That happens when you’ve been in variety for 5-6 years (laughs).

Q: Hahaha. From the beginning, Uemura-san has always liked idol-like or cheerful songs, and she also likes girly things in terms of clothing. But in the days of Keyaki, that didn't really come true. You had a couple of songs, but not much as a group. In that respect, did it become easier when you became Sakurazaka?

Uemura: I'm so happy every time I wear the uniform. I was like, 'It's white!” The shoes also have heels. Every time I change into it I’m like “It’s so cute”. In the first uniform, the older members wore ribbons and the younger members wore ties. The second uniform was also like that, so I was like, "A ribbon!”. Oze [Ozeki] and others said, "Look! It's a ribbon! (laughs).

Q: But I think you’ll be able to show that side of you in the future. There may be songs like that [idol-like/cute] coming. And if a song like Keyakizaka46's comes along, you’ll be able to show off another side of yourself. If that's the case, it means that Sakurazaka46 itself has become a form where everyone can go forward, hasn’t it?

Uemura: That's right. But Takahiro-sensei said that "Hanshin Hangi" was the closest to a dance song among the 7 songs of the first single. I was a bit surprised that I was placed in such a song. Endo Hikari-chan and Fuu-chan who used to dance and are good at it, and other girls who danced or are good at dancing are in the song, so I understand that, but I guess l was that type too. (laugh).

Q: Is the new song with Uemura-san a ballad?

Uemura: It’s in the sad category. We were told to “make a sad face.”

Q: Do you consider yourself good at that, Uemura-san?

Uemura: Better than smiling. There's a difference between a photo and a video, isn't there? Actually, it's really difficult to smile. It's hard to dance while laughing and singing (laughs).

Q: Are there any other songs that you recorded?

Uemura: Yes. I thought, "Here comes another great one" (laughs). It's a song that makes you go, "What?”. The song has no intro, or maybe just about 2 seconds. Rather it immediately starts with the lyrics. It's an amazing song from the beginning. It’s an energetic song that makes you feel like skipping. For that, I thought that we got a different type of song.

Q: It seems like the group is always challenging new types of songs. So that's what this group is, both Keyakizaka46 and Sakurazaka46 (laughs).

Uemura: I think it's because we don't have units yet, and because all the songs are [performed] by all the members, that we're all trying out different styles.

Q: Are there any types of songs that you would like to perform, Uemura-san?

Uemura: I liked “Kaleidoscope”. I like refreshing songs like “10gatsu no Pool ni Tobikonda" 

Q: I’m surprised you didn’t choose songs with “the cute idol” vibe.

Uemura: I don’t have the confidence to pull it off (laughs)

Q: Haha, but you like those “The cute idol” types of songs too, right?

Uemura: Yes. Even today I was watching Miruki-san [ex-NMB48 member] on the way here. It’s fun watching it. I think I’ve gone around in circles [with what type of songs that I want to perform] (laughs). Even fans tell me that I suit dark types of songs more than the cutesy ones.

Q: That's because of the image of Keyaki, isn't it? Objectively looking at yourself, don’t you think you look like an idol?

Uemura: I can't figure it out on my own (laughs)

Q: Of course, I still don't know what will happen in such a period of time, but if there will be a single, then surely there will be live performances, right?

Uemura: I haven't been told this, but I think all our songs being performed by all members is setting us up for a concert.

Q: Everyone has been working on a lot of projects lately, so is this the only time you get together?

Uemura: That's right. Before we used to like travel packed on a bus, so we used to chat on the bus, but now that we're far away from each other, we can't do that anymore. When we were working on a project, we had a lot of waiting time, so we would play games or something like that and become closer to each other. However, now we don’t have the time.

Q: So you haven't had much contact with the new members?

Uemura: But since everyone approaches me, so I talk to them. And in the first single, the ones on both my sides were the new members. When we were doing "Buddies," three of them were with us. It's not that we don't talk much, because we do talk when we work together.

Q: Have things changed with the second and new second-generation members coming in?

Uemura: I think it has changed. First of all, the singing voices are completely different (laughs). I've been told that it became brighter and higher.

Q: You've already taken the cover and artist photos, right? And is it different from the first album?

Uemura: It was like the center together with the third row of each song, which is the same (as the 1st single), but I thought the location was something we’ve never been to before. I also thought the costumes were really cute (laughs). Although it's not really the cutesy kind. But after all, Sakurazaka's group color is white, so I thought we'd go with white as our base color. It's the same as the first single, isn't it? White really gets everyone excited.

Q: What other Sakurazaka46 topics have Uemura-san been talking about lately?

Uemura: I was also happy to finally be able to participate in TGC (laughs). But it was totally different from before because it was only broadcasted. There were no cheers or anything. But I was happy. I’d like to do a live concert with an audience, even if it’s only half (of the venue). Of course, a tour too. If we could have a handshake event, I think people would be like, “I finally got to meet you!”

Q: I’m sure the fans would agree.

Uemura: In my case, I feel like my fans have been my friends for a long time. Even when we didn’t release any singles during the self-restraint period, I wondered how they were doing. When I receive fan letters, I think, “so their name was like this?”. Or if there is no face in the photo, I wonder if it’s this person. But when the meet and greet started and I saw their faces, I remembered them even though it had been two years. When I told them I remembered, they were like, "No way!” It was like a friend I hadn’t seen in a really long time. I’m glad to see everyone was doing fine.

Q: I hope things will recover around the second half of this year.

Uemura: It would be nice if we could do something like a birthday concert in December.

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Translation & Raw: sunsetrider

QC: yumi