Uemura Rina interview from MARQUEE vol. 146
Sakurazaka46’s 4th single "Samidare yo" has been released!
With “BACKS LIVE !!” and "Samidare yo" as starting points, we will take a closer look into the personality of Uemura Rina.
Uemura Rina, with her sweet mask and transparent character, was fittingly described as a "fairy.” Strangely enough, when I read the interviews she had so far, I felt that many of the questions were about the group's situation or about the other members, and there were not many articles that delved into her, personally. This time, she talked about her performance at "BACKS LIVE!!" which was performed exclusively by the members of the third row of the song formations, and the 4th single "Samidare yo", which was her first shot at becoming a title song member after becoming Sakurazaka46. The 10,000-character interview lasted about an hour. She is surprisingly straightforward, and honest, and doesn't try to use fancy words. The more I tried to get to know her, the less I understood who she was. It was such a mysterious time.
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Intro
Today’s main topics are “BACKS LIVE!!” and the 4th single, “Samidare yo!”
Uemura: Understood. I’ll be in your care (smiles)
I want to ask you something before we get into the main topic. During Keyakizaka46’s 1st generation audition, you sang Nishino Nanase’s “Hitoriyogari,” why did you choose that song?
Uemura: I chose that song because I like Nogizaka46. I thought of singing the first Nogizaka song I knew, but the group’s songs have a fast rhythm, and there are many words in the lyrics, so I chose a solo song that wasn’t difficult to sing. I decided to sing “Hitoriyogari” after listening to various songs.
In a way, did the lyrics resonate with you?
Uemura: Ah, that was not the case at all (laughs)
Is that so! “Hitoriyogari” is a song about picking up various things and the determination to make one’s dream come true, so I thought it might have been a reflection of your state of mind.
Uemura: Fufu… That was not the case. I was attracted to the melody and atmosphere, so I sang it.
Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte
The reason I mentioned the audition is that "BACKS LIVE!” was a candidacy system in which each member had to decide the song they would like to sing as the center. And in the first “BACKS LIVE!,” you chose “Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte.” Did you have any thoughts about that?
Uemura: What do you mean?
The girl who performed "Hitoriyogari" at the audition, who left many things behind to pursue her own dream, became an idol and sang "Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte" six years later, saying "I have no expectations for the rest of my life," it felt like you were confronted with the reality that lies beyond dreams, and after going through many things, I thought I felt that you chose that song after going through a lot of things.
Uemura: Eh! That’s the first time someone mentioned that to me (laughs).
But in fact, it was quite misguided thought (wry smile).
Uemura: No, maybe in a way it is...
What do you mean?
Uemura: When I first heard "Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte", I thought it sounded like my past self, and that's why I chose it.
Your past self?
Uemura: It was around the second year after I became a member of Keyakizaka46. It was for a broadcast of “Keyakake” (Keyakitte, Kakenai?), but in order to decide which member would go on location to USJ, we were asked to fill in the words in parentheses of "I want to go to ( ) right now”.
It was a matter of writing, "I want to go to (USJ) now," and they would take you to a USJ location shoot, wasn't it?
Uemura: Yes. I didn’t know that was the objective, so I wrote, “I want to go to (a place where not even one person knows me) now [1]”. There were lyrics in “Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte” that go like “I want to go to a world where there is no one”. I had thought “Was I out of my mind back then?” I thought it was similar, or that there was a time when I thought the same way.
[1] Keyakitte, Kakenai? EP107
What caused you to feel that way?
Uemura: I jumped into this world without knowing anything. Working in the public is a more difficult place than I had imagined, with the fear of people knowing who you are and all that. So I wanted to go somewhere where not a single person knew me. But I'm out of that mode now.
I guess you chose "Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte" partly because you were able to break out of that mode.
Uemura: I guess so. I remembered my past self so I sang it.
Speaking of which, right before the song ended, you smiled and said "you can do it" without it being heard through the microphone, didn't you? I was surprised there too because "Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte" is not a song where you smile and say “you can do it.”
Uemura: Fufufu, yes
I could understand if you said, “thank you.” But I wondered who you were addressing when you said, “you can do it”
Uemura: I said that in the hope that through my performance, I could give a push to those who are struggling.
While overlapping the songs with your past self, you sang to those who are suffering from the same problems.
Uemura: Yes. I sang it while conveying the feeling of “you can do it too.”
In the second “BACKS LIVE!!”, what did you have in mind when you chose "Utsukushiki Nervous" as the song you would like to be as the center?
Uemura: I couldn't choose the songs from the 1st or 2nd singles because those songs have a strong image of the girl who was at the center in the first "BACKS LIVE!," so I chose a song from the 3rd single, but I couldn't make up my mind… It was probably more of a gut feeling than something I thought a lot about.
After the second “BACKS LIVE!!”
What did you feel going through the second "BACKS LIVE!!”
Uemura: In the first one, the major challenge was to learn the choreography by ourselves, which made me realize how grateful I was for the environment in which we had been taught. Then, the staff told us, “Since becoming Sakurazaka, it has become possible to see more of each individual. That is why no matter who gets captured by the camera, you have to show off not only your dance moves but also your facial expressions.”
I was never very good at smiling, but I worked on it quite consciously. To begin with, the first "BACKS LIVE!" had a lot of songs that I had not participated in before, so I think I enjoyed it and naturally smiled. Also, in the second one, I was more impatient and anxious because there were more songs than in the first one, and there wasn’t much time to practice.
The practice time was short, right?
Uemura: That's right. It was also the time to practice for the Kohaku Uta Gassen, so we had to learn the Kohaku choreography and also practice for "BACKS LIVE!!" It was a tough time for all of us, but "BACKS LIVE!!" was a great opportunity to get along with the new second-gen members. We chatted a lot in the dressing room, ate meals together, and encouraged each other, which brought us much closer together.
By the way, while the rehearsal for the first "BACKS LIVE!!” was ongoing, I heard you were interviewed individually for the video and was asked, "What is the meaning of your existence?" When I talked to the members in the previous two issues of "MARQUEE," Endo Hikari, Ozono Rei, and Onuma Akiho answered with, "How do I answer this?" and "Can I find the meaning of my existence by being a BACKS member?" They couldn't answer the questions because they were thinking about so many things. Do you remember what you said, Uemura-san?
Uemura: Umm… maybe the question wasn’t “what is the meaning of your existence?” I believe it was “what is your significance to the group?” What did I say back then? Anyway, the interview was quite scary. The interviewer didn't smile, kept a straight face, and didn't respond to my answers. Some of the members were crying because of the heavy atmosphere… it was scary (wry smile).
Ozono-san said she cried.
Uemura: I think I also cried too. I was asked a lot of questions that I wouldn't have been asked about if I was just a normal person, so it was quite a mental challenge for me.
What else were you asked aside from what your existence in the group is?
Uemura: They asked questions like “why do you think you are in BACKS?” or “what should you do so you wouldn’t be in BACKS?” Anyway, it was all BACKS, BACKS, BACKS.
When Uemura-san was not a title song member for the first time in "Nobody's fault", there was a time when you were not seen with the other members on music shows and blogs. I am sure that before "BACKS LIVE!!” you have been thinking about the reason for your existence in the group for some time.
Uemura: I had been thinking about that since I was in Keyakizaka. But I thought it was disrespectful to the people who supported me to think negatively like that, so I stopped expressing it outwardly.
When I read the interview, I was a little surprised. Uemura-san was the kind of person who could say such a thing.
Uemura: Other members who were not chosen for the title song also said, "I feel the same way," just not saying it openly.
How long did the period of negativity last?
Uemura: I wonder… no, I would watch the shows that the members have appeared in. I felt frustrated after watching them.
For about a year and a half after renaming as Sakurazaka46, you continued to carry that frustration with you.
Uemura: Yes, I also had the same feeling with the third single, "Nagaredama," but it was not as bad as it was with "Nobody's fault”. In fact, by the third single, I had to check the music shows to learn the original choreography, so it wasn't that painful, but there was still a sense of frustration.
4th Single, "Samidare yo"
With the release of the 4th single, “Samidare yo,” you became a title song member. How do you feel about it?
Uemura: Of course, I was happy. It was a surprise.
I think the selection was due to your daily efforts, but what has supported you to this day?
Uemura: Of course, it was the words from my fans, and even though it was hard, just seeing their smiling faces was enough to support me.
What was your impression when you heard “Samidare yo”?
Uemura: I don’t have a better word, but I thought that it's the kind that I like!
Very simple!
Uemura: It was slower than the other title songs, and it was exactly the kind of music I like. I looked up some words I didn't know about the lyrics. When I searched for “Samidareshiki,” I found out that it means “dragging on and on,” so I thought “So it has that meaning!”. I wondered if the phrase, “I am falling in love on and off, just like the early-summer rain” meant that you’re falling in love in a slow and steady manner.
Do you have any stories from the music video filming?
Uemura: It was my first time being filmed with a film camera, and when I checked the images, it felt strange as if I was watching an old movie. It was also my first-time riding on a crane with a cameraman to shoot over a grassy field. Overall, it was a strange sensation.
What did you think when you finally saw the completed music video?
Uemura: The texture of the video left a strong impression on me, and it felt nostalgic. It felt like I was watching a movie rather than a music video.
How is the choreography this time around?
Uemura: There are a lot of hand gestures, and the dance was designed to show the meaning of the lyrics and the song with our hands. As for the 1st and 2nd choruses, we have a downcast expression, it was only in the last chorus that we looked forward.
You also participate in three other coupling songs, what do you feel about each song?
Uemura: I loved “Boku no Dilemma” on the first listen! I thought the lyrics, tune, and choreography were idol-like. I like “I’m in” because the chorus is bright, and the lyrics, “I want to be a part of it too” felt BACKS-like. And “Koi ga Zetsumetsu suru Hi” uses a lot of English so I thought it was something new.
The person named "Uemura Rina"
I have asked the main question I told you at the beginning, and now I would like to ask you about your personality as well.
Uemura: Yes, got it (laughs)
How do you think Uemura Rina is seen by the public?
Uemura: Fufu… my public image? I think people don't really recognize me, to begin with.
No, no, I think they know you!
Uemura: Come to think of it, people say I seem to be quiet. The other day I did a radio segment where I had to speak louder.
That’s a very simple segment (laughs).
Uemura: I was able to see comments and tweets in real-time during the broadcast, and a viewer said, "I've never heard Uemura-san speak so loudly before.” Also, a TV staff member asked me, “Don’t you ever frolic around, Uemura-san?” Certainly, my tension didn't go up and down as much as I thought. So I think people see me as a quiet person (laughs).
For TV and radio, to make it easy to understand, you cut out a part of the character and show "this is the kind of character she is”.
Uemura: Right.
Is there a side of you that you would really like people to see, or is there a side of you that has not yet been revealed to the world?
Uemura: Eh… I wonder what it is? I don’t know, fufu.
In the interviews I've read, and the performances I've seen, I've sensed a core behind the sweet mask. It is something passionate.
Uemura: Since I was a child, I have always been the type of person who continues with lessons and club activities for a long time, so I have an attitude of not giving up halfway through. I think I was born with this personality (laughs).
You also said in an interview with "MARQUEE" that you "hate crookedness”.
Uemura: I can't lie or cheat, and I don't really like people like that.
During our talk today, I really got the sense that you cannot lie.
Uemura: Fufufu… I cannot lie or cover things up.
Have you always been unable to lie?
Uemura: I think so. That's why they're so quick to find out when we play the werewolf game, and I’m not very good at hiding things either.
People like that are trusted by those around them.
Uemura: I wonder if they are, but I don’t know (laughs)
But the rate of support among your juniors is extremely high.
Uemura: Eh, that’s not true (laughs)
Many members have told me that Uemura-san talked to them when they were crying, or that you were the first person to come when they needed help.
Uemura: I just get worried. If someone cries or doesn't show up, I wonder "Why is she crying?" or "Why is she absent?
I think you're also very considerate of others, and you have a strong interest and concern for other people.
Uemura: I think I’m also the kind of person who can't keep quiet, so when it’s on my mind I tend to want to ask about it. I also think that a mature person probably wouldn’t say “what’s going on?” even if they wonder, but I end up wanting to know everything about things I’m curious about.
A natural attitude
I don't think there's any difference in expectations, but is there a distinction between Uemura Rina, the person, and Uemura Rina, the idol?
Uemura: Hmm, I think they are the same.
In general, what kind of person do you think you are?
Uemura: Hmm… I think I am an ordinary person.
Hahaha, that is not true!
Uemura: In this line of work, I think that people who are strange, unique, or have different ideas from those around them are more likely to have their questionnaire answers used and have more interesting things to talk about. I think I am a boring person because I am not that different from the people around me (laughs).
On the contrary, there are not many people who can be so natural.
Uemura: I really can’t keep up appearances. Even the cameraman said, “You can’t lie, right?”
I wonder what you see that makes you think that way.
Uemura: A cameraman I often meet for photo cards and app shoots told me, “You can’t lie, so that’s something good about you.” In short, I am bad at making up smiles, right?
That’s not it! (laughs) I think it's because you give us your honest opinion.
Uemura: When I was told that, I thought I was not good at acting.
I think you’re a very unique person, including what you say, your live performances, and your TV appearances, but surprisingly, you think you are an ordinary person. What is this gap?
Uemura: Eh, I don’t have a personality!
No, no, you have one!
Uemura: I would like to be a member who says unusual things, but I have trouble coming up with the idea of making such unusual statements, fufu.
I'm curious as to why you think so, given the high specs so far.
Uemura: Umm… Maybe it’s my lack of confidence that makes me think that I don’t have a personality.
I didn't even know there was such a thing as “antis” in the world, to begin with.
I think you deserve more attention. This is a big question, but is there anything in your mind that you "cannot compromise on"?
Uemura: Perhaps being punctual and following the rules. I can't compromise on those things. I also don't want to be scolded. When I was a child, I would see students getting scolded by their teachers. I was scared when I saw that, and I spent my life thinking that I didn't want to be scolded, and I think that's how I developed my personality (laughs).
You have ever been scolded since childhood?
Uemura: I think so. My parents never scolded me, and I was talking to them yesterday, and they said, “Rina was the easiest to handle.”
What made such a quiet type of person go into the world of idols?
Uemura: I just really like idols.
But there is a risk of being exposed to the eyes of many people.
Uemura: I had no idea what it was like to be an idol, so I didn’t even look on the internet when I auditioned. I didn't even know that there were any "antis" in the world to begin with.
What a pure world you live in
Uemura: Fufufu… I really cluelessly joined the group, so I think I should have thought a bit more before auditioning (laughs).
It's been seven years since you became an idol, but what was the time like for you if you put it into words?
Uemura: I really think that a lot of things happened. But as time goes by, I think about how much fun it was and how good it was, and now I think about Keyakizaka a lot. I am sure that as time goes by, Sakurazaka will become an even happier memory than I feel now.
Surely, fun is an emotion you have after it's over. While the group is going on, there is so much more to do than meets the eye, and it is probably not fun.
Uemura: That's right. Thankfully, there is always more to do, so I can't be objective just yet!
I like idols, but I only looked at their faces, so I didn't think about how great it would be to perform live there.
By the way, if I may ask about the lyrics of "Saishuu no Chikatetsu ni Notte," what are your expectations for the rest of your life, Uemura-san?
Uemura: I wonder? I guess it would be nice if I could live happily.
Do you mean as a human being?
Uemura: As a human being. If I had to talk about "my past life" and "my future life" as an idol, I would say that the latter is definitely shorter. I heard a person who graduated from an idol group say, "I never felt that I have completed my idol career," and I think that may be true. That is why I am trying to live happily in the present.
I see! I had seen many idols and thought they had graduated because they had done their best.
Uemura: I wonder what it means to finish what you started. For example, if my dream was to become an idol and perform live at the Tokyo Dome, I could graduate after standing there. But I didn't have a goal or a desire to stand on that stage, so I don't know where I would feel I have completed my career.
In previous interviews, you have been asked countless times, "What are your goals and dreams?" What was your answer?
Uemura: I think I answered, "I want us to be a group that can continue to perform in music shows and events that we were once able to perform in.”
Then you didn't say something like, "Until I get to this stage...".
Uemura: Yes, that's right. I didn't know what kind of venue was available in the first place (laughs). I mean, I had no idea that Tokyo Dome was an amazing place. I like idols, but I only looked at their faces, so I didn't think about how great it would be to perform live there.
The more I ask, the more I think about how rare you are.
Uemura: Rare? (laughs)
I think you are a very rare type of idol.
Uemura: If there is one word to describe it, what would it be?
Hmmm... I've asked a lot of questions, but when it’s time for me to be asked, I'm troubled.
Uemura: Ahaha! After all, I'm just an ordinary person (laughs)
Everyone: That’s not true!
Uemura: I consider my fans like friends. There are many fans whose faces I remember, and I just don’t know how to contact them, but they are the ones who have always been there for me.
By the way, you turned 25 the other day. Has your way of thinking changed compared to when you were a teenager?
Uemura: In the beginning, I was working so hard that I didn't feel like it was a job yet. Of course, it was not a club activity, but I was just doing it desperately. After a few years, I started to realize that it was a job.
I think there is a change after all, and once you are in your twenties, you can see what is going on around you and you realize how many adults are involved.
Uemura: That's very true! Also, when I first started, I cried about graduations as if I was saying goodbye to them for the rest of my life. I am still sad about it, but I feel a little lighter now that I know that just because they have graduated, it does not mean that I will be separated from them for the rest of my life.
The way you look at your departing colleagues has changed, as well as the things you carry.
Uemura: That's right. After being an idol for this long, isn’t it too early for me to be graduating now? So I have come to understand the feelings of those who are graduating. Maybe that is something I have learned over the course of my career.
May I ask you one last question? Uemura-san, you describe yourself as an "ordinary person," but if you had to describe yourself in a larger sense, what kind of idol would you consider yourself?
Uemura: Eh!?
If you had to name your strength throughout your seven years of activity, what would it be?
Uemura: It’s not a strength, but it’s how I have an ordinary feeling.
So you are saying that “ordinary” is your strength. Indeed, it is a great strength to be able to think that way.
Uemura: Maybe I should act more like a celebrity, but I consider my fans like friends. There are many fans whose faces I remember, and I just don’t know how to contact them, but they are the ones who have always been there for me.… How to say it? I guess in that sense I'm the idol closest to them.
I'm sure there are lots of people who are saved by being told by the idols they support that they “remember” them.
Uemura: The fans don't believe me when I tell them (laughs). I can't just lie about that either, so when I am asked, "Do you remember me?" and if I don't know, I would honestly say, "Sorry, I don't remember you!" I can only tell people who I know that I remember them.
That’s wonderful. People who tell the truth are the best to support.
Uemura: So when I feel like falling apart, the faces of those who are supporting me come to mind, and I can hear them, or rather hear in my mind the words they told me. That's how I've been able to do my best.
Uemura-san, you’re happy, right?
Uemura: I truly am! It's like I have a lot of allies.
I have always loved idols, I still love them now that I am an idol, and I will always love them.
I already said "last" earlier, but can I ask one more question?
Uemura: Fufu… of course!
How was today's interview?
Uemura: I considered myself ordinary, but some people had told me I had a personality like today, so I thought I would like to find something more special from now on.
(While Uemura-san was signing a polaroid photo for a reader gift, I said to her manager) Manager-san, may I ask you something? Would you say that Uemura-san is ordinary?
Manager-san: No, I don't think she's ordinary.
Uemura: Eh! Which part is not?
Manager-san: Of course, there are many unique members, but when it comes to fitting each person into a mold, there is also a mold where Uemura-san fits… or so. No one is in the same mold.
Uemura: That might be true.
What kind of person is Uemura-san from your point of view?
Manager-san: As you talked about earlier, she is really straightforward. For better or worse, she can't lie.
And I thought it was fascinating that you didn't seem to be saying "ordinary" out of modesty, because you'd have to have a strong heart to say that in the first place.
Uemura: Ah, is that so?
After all, the "I have to say something good" switch is turned on.
Uemura: It makes me wonder how other people answer. What do they say?
Many of them answer, "I want to be a one-of-a-kind idol," or "I want to be someone who can make everyone happy."
Uemura: Oh... I see. I didn't audition because I wanted to be an idol, but because I like idols. That's why I couldn't find my goal, and I didn't have any aspirations to become someone like this or that.
That's good! While there are plenty of people who answer "one of a kind" or "make everyone happy," like it seems there is only one fixed response, there is originality in Uemura-san's unadorned words. Like not wanting to be an idol, but loving idols instead are wonderful words.
Uemura: Fufu, thank you very much. I have always loved idols, and I still love them now that I am one, and my feeling of love for them will never change!
Do you perhaps want to be a model or actress in the future after being an idol?
Uemura: I don't think so (flatly).
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