Kobayashi Yui Interview (EX Taishu 11/2019)

Interviewer: I’d like to ask you about the Tokyo Dome concerts that took place on September 18th and 19th. The 40 days between when they were announced and when they took place seems short. How did you members feel about that?
Kobayashi: We only fought out about it a little before it was announced to the fans. Performing in Tokyo Dome only three and a half years after debut seemed fast and we were in a flurry because of how much time we had to rehearse.
Interviewer: Your rehearsals started after your concerts in Fukuoka from September 4th to 6th. The setlist for Tokyo Dome was completely different from that used on the tour, so I imagine that was hard.
Kobayashi: I had been filling in for Hirate as center up until that point and the songs the 2nd gens performed changed so there was a lot we had to do during rehearsals.
Interviewer: How did you feel about the compilation setlist?
Kobayashi: The way we put a dance track in-between each song at the beginning was similar to the summer tour and how we performed using the stage that extends into the audience was like Keyaki Republic, so it felt like a production that was a coalescence of the concerts we’d been doing until then.
Interviewer: You even used water like at Keyaki Republic.
Kobayashi: There was an emphasis on the world view of songs like “Student Dance” and “Kimi ga Inai”, and I hope we get to use water again in the future.
Interviewer: How was it dancing during “Student Dance” with water spraying out?
Kobayashi: I could sense the fans’ reactions so the performance felt easy to convey.
Interviewer: Was it a coincidence that your hairstyle was similar to Ishimori Nijika’s?
Kobayashi: Yeah~. More members have been showing off their foreheads recently. (laughs) I end up sweating and we use water in some songs, so I figured it’d be annoying to have my bangs down and chose to go with my forehead out.
Interviewer: There seem to be some girls who think it’s embarrassing to expose your forehead, but you aren’t one of them.
Kobayashi: If worrying about my hair is going to have an effect on my performance then I think it’s better to just show my forehead.
Interviewer: So you prioritize the performance over making yourself look cute?
Kobayashi: I think I worry about both. (laughs)
Interviewer: The set included a piece that went with the line about a pedestrian walkway in “Sekai ni wa Ai shika nai”.
Kobayashi: Wearing the uniform from that time and doing the choreography with the umbrella from the MV… I’m happy we got to perform in that situation like I’d wanted to.
Interviewer: You used the walkway extending into the audience for your formation during “Futari Saison”.
Kobayashi: We danced while keeping in mind not to leave out the people far away from the stage.
Interviewer: You appeared to really floor the accelerator in the second half with “Ambivalent”.
Kobayashi: We went all out like were using every bit of our remaining stamina. We went out and performed thinking it would be great if we could recapture the “high” feeling we had during the “Ambivalent” MV shooting.
Interviewer: The way you got the fans worked up during “Abunakasshii Keikaku” over the course of the tour drew attention.
Kobayashi: Fufufu. I’ve been in charge of getting the crowd worked up during “Abunakasshii Keikaku” a lot of times, but I was in charge of it every time this tour so I went out there and yelled with the idea that I wanted the crowd to have it drilled in to them that “Kobayashi Yui = getting excited.”
Interviewer: You yelled different phrases during each concert, didn’t you? Did you think them up on the spot? Or did you plan them beforehand?
Kobayashi: I came up with them beforehand.
Interviewer: Including during the second day in Fukuoka when you said “We can get dumber than Nijika, can’t we?!”?
Kobayashi: That’s right. Fufufu.
Interviewer: Your “You guys are the best!” during the second day of Tokyo Dome was incredibly wild and is a far cry from the image you had when you first joined.
Kobayashi: I always saw myself that way, I just never showed it. (laughs) Since the Keyakizaka46 mobame application started I’ve learned to be more natural with the people who like me and I think “Abunakasshii Keikaku” has given me the chance to show my true self to even more people.
Interviewer: You also performed “Fukyouwaon” for the first time in a while during the encore.
Kobayashi: Us members had talked about how we wanted to do “Fukyouwaon” so we were happy we got to.
Interviewer: During the first day the moment the intro came on the fans let out a deafening roar. Could you hear it too?
Kobayashi: I could hear it really well. I thought the fans would be really happy, but they cheered louder than I expected and it gave me a kind of “high.” (laughs)
Interviewer: I could feel an intense enthusiasm from “Fukyouwaon” performance.
Kobayashi: We performed with the intention of using up every last ounce of energy we had.
Interviewer: “Fukyouwaon” on the second day appeared to be even more intense. Was it easier to get into it after doing it on the first day?
Kobayashi: On the first day we didn’t know how the fans would react and we lost ourselves in the performances so it was hard to pace ourselves. But on the second day I think we were able to perform while staying conscious of all the little details.
Interviewer: Did you feel a sense of accomplishment after the two day?
Kobayashi: Once the concert was over it really hit me that I was standing on the stage in Tokyo Dome and all that comes with that.
Interviewer: During the Tokyo Dome concerts you girls performed songs from units such as Aozora to Marry and Goninbayashi but there weren’t any Yuichanzu songs. Is there a possibility that you could sing Yuichanzu songs alone in the future?
Kobayashi: I don’t have a real desire to sing them alone, but there are a lot of fans who love Yuichanzu songs so if there’s an opportunity… That’s how it stands.
Interviewer: Do you follow the activities of Imaizumi Yui, who graduated about a year ago?
Kobayashi: I saw she was going to be in a drama and though “that’s amazing.” I want her to do her best. I hope we can both succeed.
Interviewer: It seems like you’ve had more opportunities to speak with Hirate-san since the year started.
Kobayashi: Yes. I’ve had quite a few more.
Interviewer: Was there some event that led to that?
Kobayashi: Hmm. At the end of last year Hirate couldn’t perform on music shows so I was in the position of center. She had some thoughts on that. This year we’ve talked a lot about our “Kuroi Hitsuji” performance. I guess it started there.
Interviewer: I hear you spoke to Hirate-san about the group while at a yakiniku restaurant.
Kobayashi: We had a serious talk about Keyaki. Hirate has a lot of ideas of her own so she told me about those, and I’m glad I could share the same goals as her. Of course I talked about various things too.
Interviewer: For your 9th single that’s going to be released this winter the time has come to change to a senbatsu system.
Kobayashi: We’re changing to a senbatsu system, but I hope it goes well enough that in the end people look back and are glad we changed to one.
Interviewer: Were you able to accept this new senbatsu system immediately?
Kobayashi: Ever since the 2nd gens joined I predicted that we’d change to a senbatsu system eventually so when it happened I thought “so it’s happening now, huh.”
Interviewer: From the outside it feels like a drastic change.
Kobayashi: I think there’s a gap between what we in the group feel and what the fans are thinking. That’s why I share the concerns of “I’m worried about whether the fans will go along with this” that Hirate expressed on a show. But we’d resolved ourselves so we accepted the senbatsu.
Interviewer: What were you referring to when you spoke about a “sense of responsibility” when the senbatsu was announced?
Kobayashi: I’m sure there are fans who have a hard time accepting the senbatsu system. I feel a “sense of responsibility” to make sure that we don’t make those fans think “senbatsu really was a bad idea.”
Interviewer: Did you also feel this “feeling of stagnation” that Sugai-san mentioned?
Kobayashi: That’s right. I think everyone felt it. That maybe we should go back to feeling like newbies when it comes to our work. I think changing to a senbatsu system will allow us to focus our minds again.
Interviewer: A lot of second generation members made it into senbatsu. Do you feel like you need to take a show them the way?
Kobayashi: Yes. I think the 2nd gens will grow by watching us 1st gens. Of course we need to continue to mature as well.
Interviewer: During the Tokyo Dome concerts there were duets with the second generation members. Is there any advice you’d give the second generation girls?
Kobayashi: The 2nd gen members quickly fill the positions that open up, learn the choreography in a short time, and do a lot of other amazing things, so I hope there’s something I can do to help them. They ask me things such as “How should I make this transition?” so I need to give proper answers. It’s wonderful how everyone tries so hard without giving up.
Interviewer: Do you have high hopes for the 9th single with the new senbatsu system?
Kobayashi: Hmm. I’m more of a doer so I don’t like to get my hopes up. I want to take action and lead the group in a good direction. We decided to aim for things like Kouhaku Uta Gassen and Tokyo Dome and we worked tirelessly and overcame those trials. But I hope going forward we can say “we want to perform here” and have the group grow as we work towards that goal.
Interviewer: Do you have any desire to do more solo work?
Kobayashi: I do. It feels like Hirate is the only one who is well-known on an individual level, so I’d like for more members to get known. By doing that we should be able to lessent the burden on Hirate. First I think we need to become more sought after.
Interviewer: Years down the road when you graduate from Keyakizaka46 would you like to continue in the world of entertainment?
Kobayashi: Hmm. Your feelings change as you continue to work, so I won’t know until that time comes. Fufufu.