Morning Musume's Takahashi Ai, Kamei Eri and Jun Jun were recently interviewed by online music magazine Hot Express, and we have the full translation for you here.
It's quite an in-depth interview, where they talk about topics such as the "new" Hello Project following the Elder Club Graduation, Morning Musume's maturing sound, and their upcoming trip to America. There's even a small acknowledgment that a new audition *might* be forthcoming. It's a must read for all Morning Musume fans.
Morning Musume is Undergoing Changes
On March 31, the Hello Project Elder Club members (Abe Natsumi, Yaguchi Mari, Matsuura Aya, etc) all graduated. It was a new beginning for the junior members. What might be called the core of Hello Project from now on, Morning Musume, under the leadership of Takahashi Ai, may be approaching an ideal time right now as the group undergoes these changes. We spoke with Takahashi Ai, Kamei Eri, and JunJun.
-- Of course, I'd like to talk about "Shouganai Yumeoibito" today, but first, I'd like to discuss this February's Hello Project concert and Elder Club Graduation Special. What kind of a day was that for Morning Musume?
Takahashi Ai: It felt like a graduation ceremony, but because it was our elders graduating, it didn't feel real. It felt sad reading the farewell speech, saying, "We may never get a chance to sing together again..." But it didn't mean we'd never see each other again. It's still a strange feeling today.
Kamei Eri: When I open up the mobile site "Pocket Morning", I can still see the graduated members' faces anytime. So it feels like they're still Hello Project members. But when I think about it more, it's just Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, °C-ute, Mano (Erina)-chan, and the Hello Project Eggs.
Takahashi Ai: I'm sure there will be more Hello Project concerts, and it might feel more real then. But (former Hello Project leader) Nakazawa (Yuko)-san has handed the baton off to me, making me feel like, "I have to work hard now."
-- With the Elder Club gone, who is currently the oldest in Hello Project?
Takahashi Ai: That's me. But ever since we started the separate Elder Club and Wonderful Hearts concerts, I was the oldest in Wonderful Hearts. So, it doesn't really feel special now. (Looking at Kamei) There's not much difference. The age range has narrowed. Amongst Berryz Koubou, °C-ute, and the 5th generation of Morning Musume, our histories are about the same.
-- By the way, before the three of you joined Morning Musume, was there any Hello Project member you admired, or maybe one member you respected once you'd joined?
Takahashi Ai: Goto (Maki)-san really touched my heart. She graduated just after I joined. It was the first graduation ceremony that the 5th generation took part in. So, even though we didn't work together that much, I learnt a lot from her in that short time. Even though she was so cool, she said, "I grew by watching Yagucchan (Yaguchi Mari), so you should probably watch her or something." She didn't talk about herself instead. That's what really moved me.
Also, Yoshizawa (Hitomi)-san. When she became leader, I really started respecting her more and more. Before that, she was a lone wolf and a bit reckless. So it was like, "Where did that Yoshizawa-san go?" (laugh) She became leader so suddenly, so I'm sure she had a lot of worries. But she looked after us so well. It was similar to how I became leader, so I really feel like, "I want to be the kind of leader Yoshizawa-san was."
Kamei Eri: Before I joined Morning Musume, I really liked Yagucchan. I thought, "She's so tiny, so how can she stand out like that?" or "How can she be so energetic on TV? It's amazing." Also, she was a bit gal-ish. There was a time when I wanted to be a gal, too. (laugh) I really admired her cute makeup and hairstyles. But once I met her after joining Morning Musume, she taught me something important.
When I was debuting, I had a really quiet voice and that made a lot of people angry at me. (laugh) I didn't understand why I needed to be louder. But there was a moment when that part of me changed. When we were making the dance lesson video for Sakura Gumi, we each introduced ourselves at the start. But I said, "I'm Kamei Eri," so quietly. That's when Yagucchan said to me, "You're supposed to say 'I'm Kamei Eri!' so that everybody can understand you. You have to raise your voice and sound confident." That's when I thought, "I'm still a beginner and I don't know much, so I have to try harder."
Jun Jun: Before I joined Moning Musume, it was Goto-san. She's really popular in China. I discovered Morning Musume because I liked Goto-san. Also when I first joined, I played futsal with Fujimoto (Miki)-san.* And at first, I was really scared. (laugh) When we were stretching together, she casually asked me, "Are you used to Japan yet?" It made me realise she was a good senpai. Also, I think Nakazawa-san has such powerful expressiveness. I really look up to her, like, "She's a perfect senpai." ...But I love bananas, and she really hates them!
*[Note: It had been rumored that Jun Jun practiced with the Gatas Brilhantes futsal team when she first joined Hello Project, although she never actually played in a game. This seems to support that theory.]
-- (laugh)
Jun Jun: So, I can't tell her I love bananas. When I do talk about bananas, it's always when she's not around.
-- Now that those members you look up to have graduated from Hello Project, what kind of future do you hope for Hello Project and Morning Musume?
Takahashi Ai: They're the ones who created Morning Musume and developed Hello Project, and I'm sure we took parts of it for granted. So, from now on, I want us to treasure the parts that they all created without taking it for granted. I want to work hard so that we'll have chances to show more people the current Morning Musume and Hello Project. We have a concert in LA in July, so I want more people to find out about us.
-- I'd like to hear about that, but first, is there some image you have of Takahashi Ai's ideal Morning Musume?
Takahashi Ai: In 2008, we had concerts in Shanghai, Taiwan, and Korea. We were aiming for an Asia tour, and when we achieved it, we started saying, "Next time, we want to aim for the world." And this year, we're going to LA. Music goes beyond national borders, you know? Even if they don't understand the words, something gets across, and they can start crying. So that's the kind of music I want to sing. And we're always dancers, performers, and entertainers, so I want to use all of that to make ourselves known across borders. I want to be the kind of group that foreigners can listen to normally, as though it were western music. It'll take a lot of hard work, but that's what I'd like to do.
-- So you aim to become global. What about you, Kamei-san?
Kamei Eri: This is just a short term goal, but I think that most people see Morning Musume as having a "cute, idol, slightly girlish" image. But lately, our songs, our dancing, and our makeup have all become more stylish. I think those who come to our concerts can tell, but the level of our dancing has been steadily moving up and up. Compared to when Junjun debuted, we've really grown. So, I want people to know that "The Morning Musume of today is this stylish" and that we're not just cute.
-- It's obvious from your current concerts that you're trying really hard to overcome that image.
Takahashi Ai: Compared to the songs from when we first started, we've tried moving on with different styles, both in singing and dancing. That's what I really want people to know. Morning Musume's iconic song is definitely "Love Machine", and that bright, hyper, and cheerful image is what people think of when they think of Morning Musume. That's important to hold onto. But, like Eri was saying, I want people to see the parts that show "We can do this too." Not long ago, we had concerts in the hometowns of about four of us, and I invited friends that I hadn't seen in around six years to see us. They all said things like, "You looked so cool." That made me really happy, and I want to work hard so more people will think that way.
-- I saw the current Morning Musume in concert last May, where you sang all 36 singles for "Morning Musume Concert Tour 2008 Spring ~ Single Daizenshuu! ~", and it was really moving. I could feel that Morning Musume was a group where everybody would keep running happily towards their goals, no matter what happens.
Takahashi Ai: Thank you very much.
-- But I'm sure that both at work and in private, there are things that you don't like. It must be difficult to have to keep on smiling and give a 100% performance despite any of that.
Jun Jun: That's right. At concert rehearsals, I get yelled at a lot. (laugh) But if you can't work hard in rehearsal, you can't enjoy the actual show, and then the fans won't enjoy it.
Takahashi Ai: There are a lot of things that can help, though. There are times when you realise, "I have to smile," and need to try harder. But also seeing the fans' smiles is enough to completely switch your mood, and it makes us smile deep from within. You forget the bad things.
-- That's a good story. So why do you think Morning Musume is able to continue making people happy?
Takahashi Ai: We've come out with so many songs, this one being our 39th single. It even surprises us, like, "We've done so much!" This is the 12th year that the group has existed, and Tsunku♂-san has written so many songs, given us so many CD releases, allowed us to do so many concerts... It's hard to put it into words, but because we're needed, we can work hard. I want to keep on singing as much as possible.
Kamei Eri: There are people in the world who want to do things but can't, and so many who want to make their debut but can't. I was lucky enough to pass my audition, but there are a lot of people who didn't make it. So it's like I'm carrying all that on my shoulders in Morning Musume, and that's what keeps me working hard. And above all else, having so many people watch me sing and dance the songs I love, it makes me truly happy to be in such a great place. When I can make the fans or my family smile, that makes me even happier. I want to really treasure those moments. It's a little embarrassing.
-- (laugh)
Takahashi Ai: But it's true.
Kamei Eri: That's what I like. And I think it's really great that people will pay money to come and see us.
Jun Jun: If you think about it, most of the fans work all week, every week, Monday to Friday. That must be really hard, but when Saturday comes, they always come to our concerts and can laugh and make their tired work faces disappear. When I think of it that way, it makes me want to try harder.
-- With Morning Musume chasing after their dreams no matter what like that, you've just released a single that embodies that philosophy. It's called "Shouganai Yumeoibito" [hopeless dream chaser]. What kind of impressions and thoughts do you have from creating it?
Takahashi Ai: This time, the maturity level is high. Tsunku♂-san said it's about someone roughly my age, so everybody had to act a little bit older for it. It's a song about someone who's close to her lover. It seemed like it would be difficult to explain the meaning of the lyrics to Junjun and Linlin, so I explained the meanings while we were in the car. That's why it feels less like we're singing sympathetically, and more like we're acting the part, really getting into it.
Kamei Eri: In that way, it's easy to get drawn into the world of this song. It's easy to visualise it specifically.
-- "How could you express such complicated feelings in your singing and in your expressions from the video?" It seems as though that was the theme here.
Takahashi Ai: That's right. When we started recording, I was thinking, "How do I sing this?" It would be strange to sing it too intensely. That was my concern, but the music was quiet and echoed in my heart, so I just expressed that. The "shouganai yumeoibito" part sounds like something you'd hear in the Showa era (laugh) Also, I think that it depends on the person whether you would forgive the man in the song or not.
-- Then let's explore that. Do you like the kind of guy who would chase after a dream forever? Or would you want someone who has a more realistic view?
Kamei Eri: Huh!? Um... But I'm personally the indecisive type. I'm the type who'll keep dragging something along. So, I think I'd want someone who would do the same. I'm the romantic type though, so I think I'd forgive him if I loved him. But I don't know about the ironing though.
-- You mean, "When I iron your clothes, the tears fall on my hands"? [a lyric from "Shouganai Yumeoibito"]
Kamei Eri: Yeah, I don't know if I'd go that far. (laugh) But I think I'm the forgiving type. Well, I'm the total opposite of Ai-chan!
Takahashi Ai: Really!? But when I think about the story of this song, I think he's going off to join a band or a theatre company. An uncertain job. It's a fine detail (laugh) but that's how it feels to me. So, it's like I really want to calm him down and say, "Don't chase after this dream." But I want him to follow his dream. So, I don't think I'd stop him. Because a person really shines when he chases a dream, and I admire that. So, I'd want to leave that alone. And if a person gives up on a dream, they might change completely.
-- What about you, Junjun?
Jun Jun: I think it's good to have a dream. People with dreams work hard. But if it's someone who's only thinking about the dream, the dream, the dream, the dream, the dream, I'd be thinking, "I'm here too, you know." I think I'd work hard for his sake. But if he didn't look my way at all, I think I'd be sad.
Takahashi Ai: It's like, "It's fine to follow your dream, but look at me, too."
-- It's a balance.
Takahashi Ai: That balance is important.
Kamei Eri: It's all about balance.
-- It seems that this was a pretty heated topic, it got you talking more passionately than any other. Am I right?
All: (big laugh)
Kamei Eri: That's about right.
-- And as for the coupling song, you recorded a funky number called "3, 2, 1 Breakin' Out!" What were your thoughts and impressions from that one?
Takahashi Ai: That song really feels like a Morning Musume song. It's really easy to get into, and is the completely opposite image of "Shouganai Yumeoibito". The rapping part was pretty funny.
Kamei Eri: It made it more interesting having Morning Musume singing something that feels like it goes to the whole world. We've had a lot of sad songs lately, so it was fun to have an upbeat song like this for a change.
-- This song is going to be the official song of "Anime Expo 2009" at the Los Angeles Convention Centre. With the concert being held at this event, what kind of show would you like it to be?
Takahashi Ai: Well, I'm really going to do my best! This is our chance. I'm psyched.
-- Will you greet everyone in English?
Takahashi Ai: I think, in English... I'll try my best.
Kamei Eri: Please do your best!
-- What about you (laugh)!?
Takahashi Ai: Really!
-- You won't be there?
Kamei Eri: I will! It's just that I can't even imagine what it'll be like. But with "3, 2, 1 Breakin' Out!" as the theme song, I want to create the impression in America that, "This song is Morning Musume." I want everyone humming it.
Jun Jun: I can't really believe it. I'm too happy, so it just feels like, "Really?" And when I first heard "3, 2, 1 Breakin' Out!", I thought it was definitely something that foreigners would like. So, I'm sure it'll be a good show. And the food sizes are so big in America, so I'm sure I'll get fat. I should probably slim down before we go.
All: (big laugh)
-- With your first American concert, Morning Musume is surely going through changes. What else is in store for the group this year?
Takahashi Ai: I'd like to make things new. So the new members...
Jun Jun: She said it!
Kamei Eri: Do you know something?
Takahashi Ai: I don't. It's just that the current lineup is the longest Morning Musume has ever gone without changing. About two years. So I think it's about time something happened.
-- Okay, we're almost done. Each of you please give a message to the readers.
Jun Jun: With our new single "Shouganai Yumeoibito", Morning Musume has really grown and we're more like adult women than ever before. Even as we remember the importance of cuteness and energy, we sing with the feelings of an adult woman. Anyway, please listen to it!
Takahashi Ai: Our elders graduated on March 31, and now we in Morning Musume have to forge ahead with energy. We're going to keep doing concerts, so even though it may take some courage for someone new to come to a Morning Musume concert, why not give it a try? Or something like that (laugh) This new song has a mature feeling, so I hope you'll try it out once and listen to it.
Kamei Eri: Morning Musume today is really made up of different individual personalities. If you want to find out more about those personalities, we do radio shows, magazine articles, TV appearances, and lots of individual activities. I won't say quite what Ai-chan said, "Try coming to one of our concerts." But if you have the time, check out a radio show or something. I'll be happy if you can get a little closer to Morning Musume like that.
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