3rd Single BACKS LIVE!! members' thoughts on choosing their Center songs

Uemura Rina

The 1st and 2nd single songs centered by the members in the previous BACKS LIVE!! left a huge impression on me, so I chose a song from the 3rd single.

Ozeki Rika

For this BACKS LIVE!! I got a chance to perform as the center in “Buddies”.

I received a lot of warm words from many people when I took a break. I wouldn’t have been able to stand on the stage again if it wasn’t for the Buddies.

I chose this song because I wanted to express my gratitude to everyone who came to watch the show and I wanted to convey the lyrics that were linked to my feelings.

I’m so glad to be able to meet you Buddies~!!   

Koike Minami

This time I nominated myself for the center of "Nagaredama", and after it was decided that I was to center the song, I read the lyrics over and over again and sorted out what I wanted to convey in my mind.

Though I would also feel hurt from becoming aware of, receiving, and accepting the blades of words in various forms from people I can’t see, I thought I’d like to go with the style of "So what's the point?” “What's wrong with being myself?”.

But there was also a feeling of anger in it.

Even if the people I can’t see won’t understand or accept it, I also wanted to make sure that those feelings reach them directly.

Because I care about words so much, I also wanted to tell those who are in the same situation, who are pushing themselves and making themselves suffer, "Don't lose yourself”.

It may not have had any of the craziness that is important in this song, but I hope that those feelings have reached the hearts of as many people as possible, and have given them courage and hope...

Saito Fuyuka

Thank you for your predictions in “My Best Scrum.”

I was chosen to stand in as the center of “Hanshin hangi” this time. It may have not have felt fresh since I was an original member for it, but from performing it so many times last year, it became a song that I thought about how to express in a way that would make it a more enjoyable performance that could show the audience a new Sakurazaka46 for.

I’m happy that I was able to show everyone my own take on “Hanshin hangi.” 

If I get the chance, I’d love to hear the reasons why everyone predicted it in “My Best Scrum!!”

Harada Aoi

I chose this song because when I was watching “Kimi to Boku to Sentakumono” performance during the nationwide tour from the monitor, it seemed fun that Run-chan was doing many different kinds of things at the end each time, such as a takoyaki pose in Osaka!

I was thinking it would be great if it made the Buddies, who were watching, smile. So how was it?

It would make me happy if I was able to deliver a heartwarming time, just like the song!

Inoue Rina

While the previous BACKS LIVE!! was a concert I gained a lot from and received a lot of complimentary words like “It was great!” for, it was also a concert where I lost my confidence and had things that I couldn’t come to terms with in my mind.

After that, I had the chance to perform “Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte” on our tour, and this song warmly supported me at the time.

I chose this song in the hope that I would be able to become someone’s support too, just like this song and all of you Buddies.

Endo Hikari

Personally, “BAN” is a song that I had mixed feelings about, and I faced the previous BACKS LIVE!! without organizing my thoughts, and it ended without me being able to clear it up.

That’s why I thought that by taking on “BAN” at this BACKS LIVE!! and confronting the feelings that I couldn’t sort out, I could organize my mind and perhaps initiate a change of some kind in myself.

I chose this song because I wanted to not only give the dance a try, but also take on the challenge of expressing my emotions.

By using this concert as an opportunity to express myself in a way that I hadn’t been able to show before, I performed with the intention of changing my image and how things are now.

Ozono Rei

I was the center of "Microscope".

I was the only one who didn't participate perform “Microscope” in the last BACKS LIVE!! and had to learn the dance moves from scratch, but that's why I wanted to challenge myself.

To me, BACKS LIVE!! = challenge, so I was also happy that many of the members said "Microscope is unexpected!”

I wanted to show you the difference with my solo part in the dance track, which was an intense dance challenge, so I took it on!

Onuma Akiho

Because I love the powerful lyrics and performance of “Nagaredama” and I thought that if I give this song a try, I could change myself in an even stronger way.

I was really scared to nominate myself for this song, but I thought that I shouldn’t run away from myself here.

Because people are fragile, we must have love for each other, “Without love, the world is going to end”, I put these words into the performance with everything I had.

Kousaka Marino

My reason for choosing “Dead end” is because when I heard it for the first time, it instantly captivated me and I fell in love with it. 

I’ve always thought that if there was going to be another BACKS LIVE!!, it would be great if I could do “Dead end” as my center song. 

And since “Microscope”, the song I centered in the previous BACKS LIVE!!, had cute lyrics and dance, I wanted to compete with a song that’s the opposite of that this time so I chose “Dead end”. 

Seki Yumiko

The reason I chose "Mugon no Uchuu" this time is because within me, there are also feelings that I want to convey to everyone, feelings that I want to get across, but would be a waste to describe it by words alone. 

I am not very good at expressing myself, and I am not good at putting my feelings into words. That's why I chose this, hoping that I can convey the feelings I wanted to convey through "Mugon no Uchuu".

I would be happy if I was able to deliver a performance that conveyed the meaning to everyone. 

Thank you for watching!

Takemoto Yui

I picked it for the same reason I picked “BAN” last time, the song that could best represent what I wanted to say or what I’m thinking in my stead at this moment in time.

Also, for “Nobody’s fault”, since in the past year I had spent an overwhelmingly long time facing the song as Sakurazaka46, I was able to conceive it in my mind to some extent.

Fujiyoshi Karin

I was given the opportunity to Center “Naze Koi wo Shite Konakattan darou?” and “Dead and”*.

I hope that these songs were able to reach as many people as possible.

And more than anything, for one to feel even more that music is wonderful through this concert.

I hope that we can continue to walk far together while sharing music with you.

*T/N: mistake came from the og

Masumoto Kira

Because I like to perform while locking eyes and smiling with everyone.

It’s already fun to dance with a lot of members in my original position, but I also wanted to see even more of the whole picture, the perspective of the center in this song!

♪ Let’s walk a different path than yesterday, right?

Matsuda Rina

Actually, I also nominated myself for “BAN” last time.

I have always been inspired by Morita, who centered the song, so that's why I wanted to give this song a try.

I also wanted to make use of this experience I gain from performing “BAN” for the future.

Moriya Rena

“Guuzen no Kotae” was one of the songs that I also nominated myself for in the previous BACKS LIVE!!, and I’ve always liked this song ever since the first time I heard it and kept listening to it.

I have never expressed a sad song like “Guuzen no Kotae” before, so I wanted to express myself honestly with the way I felt at the time, with my own interpretation and feelings.

I chose this song because I thought I wanted to convey it with care.

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Translation: sunsetrider, kouzaka35, Nira, peezy, Cirrus, tmi, Anika, keishizaka, shirobear

Overall QC: Nira, Cirrus

Source (3rd Single BACKS LIVE!! special page)