Ozono Rei in B.L.T. July 2024 edition

Q It’s been a while ago, but the performance and production of “Guuzen no Kotae” at Kobayashi Yui-san’s graduation concert was wonderful. Do you mind if we talk about that first?

Rei: Thank you very much (laughs). I’m glad you thought of it that way. 

Q It’s a song that is centered by Fujiyoshi Karin-san, but when you performed it at Kobayashi-san’s graduation concert, the stage production featured Kobayashi-san and you as well. Please tell us about when you found out you would be doing it. 

Rei: There was a meeting regarding the concert. The seating arrangement was random, and everyone could freely sit anywhere, but at that time I just happened to sit beside Yui-san. When I looked at the setlist that was handed out for reference, I saw that Karin-chan, Yui-san, and I would be featured for “Guuzen no Kotae”. When I asked Yui-san “What does this mean?”, she replied, “It means this is a song for me and you” (laughs).  I was happy at that point, but I never expected that we would be walking down the long runway together. I only found out about it after rehearsals started. 

Q Just walking that long distance seems more nerve-wracking than doing choreography. 

Rei: That was when I was the most nervous. At first, it was planned to have choreography right after we started walking, but the director said, “Let’s just further the distance you two are walking together”. The interlude doubled in length from there, and that moment was born. 

Q That wonderful moment was born from the attention to detail of many people right until the last minute. What were you thinking of during rehearsals?

Rei: During rehearsals, I was acting in the position and with the feelings of my real self and Yui-san, so I ended up crying, and I thought I might cry during the actual performance too. Just before the performance, TAKAHIRO-sensei came to the dressing room and said, "As you walk, take one look at Kobayashi," I felt a little embarrassed so I said, "I'll do it if I can," but he emphasized, "I really want you to do it."

At the time, I thought I would try doing it, but most of all, I wanted something to be conveyed to the audience, so I wondered if the feeling of love could be conveyed just by looking at her, or by the movement of my neck… So I decided to try to hold her hand. But I was going to decide whether or not to actually hold hands while walking during the performance…

The first time I participated in "Guuzen no Kotae" was when I was allowed to be in Watanabe Risa-san's position after her graduation. I remember Yui saying something like, "I’m particular about us not touching, even if it seems like we’re about to touch"... I wanted to hold her hand, but I thought it would be more appropriate for the world of the song if they didn’t hold hands, so I stopped myself.

Q The attention to detail and the intricacy of the movements, which were too detailed and delicate to be called choreography, and even the hesitation over whether to include them or not, coupled with the worldview of the song and Kobayashi-san's graduation, all seemed to crystallize and show on stage.

Rei: On the first day, Yui-san probably didn't know anything, so I don't know if she saw the video and realized I was trying to hold her hand, but on the second day, when I reached out my hand, she sensed it and reacted with her face just a little. That made me happy too."

Q It seems like your feelings were truly connected. Following Kobayashi-san's graduation concert, I went to see the Kanagawa performance of the 4th tour, and I was more captivated than ever by Ozono-san's performance, or rather, the expressions on your face while performing. Did your experience on that stage influence your current expression?

Rei: "After the concert, TAKAHIRO-sensei came running up to me and said, 'Ozono! You've won!!' I answered I won?! It's my first time winning!' (laughs). I was so happy when he said, 'You're the grand grand winner!' Up until then, I'd never been so free to do what I wanted, so I was really happy that he accepted that and validated it. It made me feel a lot more confident.

On this tour, the members spread out all over the stage, and many performances allowed us to be in a position where the people in front of us or the people who could see us enjoy themselves, so our goal was to "never do the same thing twice". Even when the camera panned to us during interludes or solo dances, we tried to think about changing something each time while performing."

Q During the 2nd tour, there was a scene where you came out on stage alone and read a book before "Samidare Yo". I remember when I asked you about that scene in an interview you said, "I imagined something different each time I turned the pages."

Rei: "Thank you very much for remembering (laughs). Even recently, during the period of 'Ikutsu no Koro ni Modoritai no ka?', every time we performed on a music program, TAKAHIRO-sensei would tell us, 'I want you to do something different each time,' so I think that has really been ingrained in my mind. It's true that if I were the audience, I'd want to see something new every time, so I've become more conscious of it now."

Q Finally, please look back on your last performance at Tokyo Dome and tell us about your enthusiasm for performing at Tokyo Dome for the second time.

Rei: I think there are some members and fans who felt disappointed about the last Tokyo Dome concert, but we, who joined Keyakizaka as the new second-generation members, were still trainees when the group first stood at the Tokyo Dome, so (Sugai) Yuuka-san was concerned about that. I remember her telling the six of us, 'Tokyo Dome is a very big place, and I want the new second-generation members to see that view too.'

As a result, there were some empty seats, but I was happy that Yuuka-san was able to fulfill her promise at the end. In the year and a half since then, we have tried performing overseas last year and made a comeback at Kohaku at the end of the year, which are experiences I am grateful for. We ourselves felt that we were able to accelerate as a group over the past year, and we are also happy to be able to perform at fully packed venues during our 4th tour.

Furthermore, with the Tokyo Dome coming up in June, if people could wonder what else we will show them in the future, there is nothing that would make me happier than that. In this way, we want to continue creating things that everyone can enjoy, and of course, we will do our best, but rather than the Tokyo Dome being our goal, we want to make it a time that makes people want to see even more after that.

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Raw: Kiryu

Translation: keishi

QC: tmi