Sugai x Moriya x Habu Interview (BLT 02/2020)

Interviewer: It’s been decided that Keyakizaka46 will be ending 2019 by performing at “Kouhaku Uta Gassen”. On the other hand there are a lot of things to consider right now… I would like the three of you to tell us your thoughts.
Sugai: Honestly, I thought it might be difficult for us to get on “Kouhaku” this year. So I’m especially grateful that we are being allowed to perform on New Year’s Eve again. We didn’t get to perform with everybody present last year, and saying we’ll get our revenge may not be the best way to put it… but I hope we can put on the best performance the current Keyakizaka46 is capable of.
Interviewer: It was a year in which the group performed a large number of concerts, and it seems like the members’ individual work has expanded as well.
Habu: I think the strengths of each individual member influence the group as a whole, so I spent the year tackling my solo work while thinking I personally need to do my best too. As a group we got to do a concert in the Nihon Budoukan for the first time and we had the amazing experience of achieving our goal of performing in Tokyo Dome, so it was a year that made want to aim even higher “more and more”.
Sugai: Us members talked about it saying, “It won’t end with just this one time, we want to perform here all together again.” For me the next goal is to be able to play at larger venues on tour.
Moriya: In the sense that we’ve accomplished the things we’ve wanted to do, like Budoukan and Tokyo Dome, I think it was a productive year. But, while it might be presumptuous of me to compare us, I think Nogizaka-san’s group activities are a lot broader than Keyaki’s. We’ve each got our different styles, so it’s not that I want to be the same as Nogizaka-san, but going into 2020 I do want to broaden our group activities.
Habu: There’s a thick Keyaki tree, but I want us to increase the number of branches. When they all gather together it’ll make an even thicker Keyaki. Something like that.
Sugai: A Keyaki? (laughs) But I think I understand what you’re trying to say.
Habu: I think, rather than relying on others, taking action myself will change the group. So first I’ll change.
Interviewer: It’s true that if you each individually get stronger when you come together your combined strength will be higher.
Sugai: Habu-chan leaves wise sayings here and there. We also talked while taking a long bath together not long ago. (laughs)
Moriya: Eh, you mean you had a long phone call?
Sugai: Yeah, while looking up at the night sky in a place with an open-air bath…
Habu: We talked about the future, didn’t we? Along the lines of “If you have this kind of dream, what you should do in the future will probably come into focus soon.” It was fun just chatting like that, and it really felt like the way I approached my work after that changed, so I think it’s important to talk about your dreams.
Interviewer: It really is important. So, have the captain and vice-captain talked about anything…?
Sugai: I get the impression that me Akane spoke a lot in the first half of the year.
Moriya: Because we had a lot of concerts.
Sugai: We also talked when we went to eat oysters.
Moriya: That was nice~. You seem to know a lot of good places to eat…
Sugai: That’s because I know you so well. (laughs)
Moriya: We went for oysters because we had a bit of a long break between jobs and the two of us weren’t sure what to do. So we decided to go eat some delicious food.
Sugai: It was really good~!
Moriya: Once there we talked a lot about the group. It was right about when “Kuroi Hitsuji” came out and we discussed how the song might be taken as really heavy. After that we talked about various aspects regarding Keyaki.
Sugai: In the choreography there’s a part where I become the “villain” and the lyrics were heavier than ever before, so it seemed like it might be hard on the members with sensitive personalities… There was even more acting in the version we performed at Budoukan, so we talked about how some mental health support might be necessary.
Interviewer: Personally I think part of Keyakizaka46’s charm is how you create a different performance for each concert by assimilating with the songs. I would like to know what you members think about that subject.
Sugai: Ideally I’d like to always deliver a stable performance and I think we need to. And it’s frustrating that that isn’t necessarily the case.
Habu: I don’t want to make the fans worry about whether our concert will go alright any particular day, so I’d like to change that.
Sugai: But I can definitely tell that when we step foot into a territory that even we don’t fully grasp that it can give rise to something truly fascinating. When I think about how there are people who think that’s part of our charm, I lose confidence in whether or not being completely stable is a good thing or not… But I think that as we’ve acquired experience over the years that maybe we’ve also learned to control it quite a bit.
Interviewer: Perhaps the ways you’ve all matured as people as you’ve gotten older are having a positive effect.
Moriya: It’s true that most of the 1st gen members entering there 20’s might be a large part of it. When I look back over the four years since the group formed, there are so many things that make me think about how we were so immature…
Habu: I feel like I’ve learned to look at things with a calm head. Like the fact I can calmly think “If I do this in this situation it’ll turn out like this” shows that I’ve become more composed.
Sugai: Thinking back to the very beginning, I think we’ve all changed a lot. We don’t all just immediately say whatever comes to mind.
Habu: Even amongst the members we’ve gotten quicker at switching from push to pull and back.
Sugai: You mean we’ve learned to take a step back and take the other person’s feelings into consideration.
Interviewer: I certainly think that objectivity is a sign of maturity.
Moriya: My desire to have others listen to what I was thinking used to be stronger. But now I’m often the one doing the listening. I think the 2nd gens joining played a role in that.
Interviewer: Moriya-san, you’re the eldest of three sisters, aren’t you?
Moriya: I don’t really think about that, the 2nd gens are just so cute and pure. If she hadn’t joined Keyaki, the age difference would have definitely made it impossible for me to do things with Ten-chan. She’s even younger than my youngest sister… Thinking about it calmly, it’s pretty shocking. (laughs)
Sugai: There’s a ten year age difference between me and Ten-chan. (laughs)
Habu: It doesn’t feel like we’re that far apart. Because Ten-chan is mature.
Moriya: But we aren’t all that mature. When we have a day off we end up talking about going to Disneyland. That hasn’t changed at all.
Sugai: That’s because it’s a place that makes people dream, regardless of age.
Habu: That kind of time is very precious.
Sugai: Such as taking quick trips to Okinawa? (laughs)
Moriya: Come to think of it, hasn’t everyone gotten more active than before? I have this impression that people like Pe-chan are going on trips when they find time now.
Sugai: Recently Yuipon has been saying she wants to go somewhere, too. I invited her by saying, “Eh, then I’ll take you somewhere next time.” (laughs)
Moriya: But with our limited days off wouldn’t you actually get more exhausted trying to take trips with our crazy schedule? If you’re going to do that there’s always the option of spontaneously taking a load off somewhere nearby.
Habu: I actually get anxious when I have too much time off. Don’t you?
Sugai: I do. If I have two days off in a row I start wondering if that’s okay.
Moriya: Having said that, when I don’t do anything on a day off I start thinking about all sorts of things, so I strive to fully enjoy them. While I’m doing that I can forget about the things that make me anxious.
Interviewer: So you’ve also gotten skilled at using that kind of time and switching modes.
Habu: I don’t think it’s good to stay in vacation mode at work, so on days off I take a breather and properly switch modes. Doing that makes me feel like everything will turn out all right.
Interviewer: I don’t mean to ask in direct relation to that, but regarding the release date of the 9th single being changed, do you feel that anything has changed…?
Moriya: I feel really bad for the fans and it’s frustrating for me too, but I think the only thing we can do is make a product that more than makes up for how long we made them wait. We’re making them wait, so I want us to deliver a product that was worth it, and I’ve switched to thinking that I’ll come at this earnestly and optimistically.
Habu: I think this was also a terribly difficult decision for the staff. But I think they made that decision because of how seriously they’re thinking about Keyakizaka and I can tell that they want to make it an even higher quality product… And I want to respond to those feelings.
Sugai: I understand that the title song will become representative of the group and that the timing of the release is an important chance to have lots of people know about it. That’s why, even though it’ll take a little more time, I’d be happy if everyone could have faith and wait while we do our best to change it into a product that everyone on “Team Keyaki” is happy with and that will satisfy our fans as well.
Habu: There’s also a long blank period of time between handshake events now, and we feel the pain of not being able to meet our fans in person.
Sugai: Delivering our songs in single form is so very, incredibly important to us, so I want people to know that we also want to release it even a little bit sooner if possible.
Habu: We’re only able to exist in the first place because of our fans, so I’m honestly worried about what we’ll do if the wait becomes longer and our feelings start to grow apart. So I want to expand our activities and reduce the “Keyaki loss” time even a little.
Moriya: On top of that, I want to deliver a product that makes fans think that it was worth the wait.
Interviewer: I can tell from your words that you’re using this time to “polish” the product further. I’ll believe in you and wait.
Habu: I’m happy to hear that. That’s why I’ll try not to waste this lost time and change my mindset.
Interviewer: Habu-san, you’ve reminded how over the last four years you seem to have become one of the most positive members.
Habu: I start feeling bad if I always think negatively and I think it makes me uglier.
Moriya: I know what you mean! That’s something I’ve learned in my four years in Keyaki.
Habu: The outside reflects the inside.
Sugai: When I look at photos I took when I was being negative, I regret it. (laughs)
Habu: That’s why I want to start by making my inside pretty~.
Interviewer: Oh, that was a nice line.
Sugai: See, Habu-chan’s wise sayings come out when you least expect them. (laughs)
Interviewer: But because you Keyaki members are living incredibly fulfilling lives for people in their early 20’s, I imagine your growth curves to be rather dramatic.
Moriya: Over the years I’ve started thinking about my life. I wonder why. Maybe because of my age.
Habu: That’s how it goes, isn’t it? Being female idols, it doesn’t seem very realistic that we can stay in this line of work into our 30’s or 40’s, so we have to think about our lives as we do things, and before you know it time has passed you by… That sort of thing can happen. And if you’re working while having a goal the course of your life comes into focus, doesn’t it? Like “I should do this during this period.” I’ve started thinking it’s important to think about the future, so that you don’t waste your time.
Interviewer: What time span do these goals of yours cover?
Habu: My image is like “I want to accomplish this this year” or “I want to be like this by the end of the year”. More immediately, I improve things like how I think about updating my blog. Achieving even small goals gives you confidence.
Moriya: I’m still pretty irresponsible when it comes to the future. I think things like “I want to be like this”, but I don’t think through the details. I read in the newspaper that there are people working as idols who went as far as turning down jobs at companies for it, which made me feel like I’m really blessed to be able to take on all kinds of different things as a member of Keyakizaka46. When I consider that my activities giving me a lot to think about is a rather luxurious concern to have, it makes me feel like I should do my best while enjoying it. I’ve started thinking that way recently.
Sugai: I turned 24 recently, but I’ve honestly felt the panic of having less and less time to be an idol for a while. But seeing my senpais who are older than me be successful as idols on the front lines gives me a lot of courage. Nonetheless, I honestly don’t know how long I can remain an idol. But as long as I’m a member of Keyaki I want to grow as a person and think about personally learning to exhibit some depth, while still being equivocal. I want to be able to express new sides of myself as I become an adult, so I can’t stay a ditzy character forever. (laughs) And so, while I’m 24, I want to work hard towards my goals of increasing my communication skills and increasing my vocabulary so I can get better at talk segments. I’d like to pay more attention to the news and what’s going on in the world and spread my wings into areas hitherto unknown to me. By doing that I hope to increase my resourcefulness and tie it to my future life.
Interviewer: You humbly said you were equivocal, but you came off as thinking about it very seriously. There is a tendency for idols to become pessimistic as the years pile up, but I think it’s valuable for you as a person.
Moriya: But recently, or maybe over the years, I’ve really felt my stamina dropping. (laughs) I’ve become aware that it’s clearly dropped since I was a teenager.
Sugai: I think that a lot. I really am different from last year when it comes to stamina. The tour this year was hard on me in terms of stamina. I also think it’s partly because we have more songs though…
Habu: Our bodies aren’t keeping up with our feelings.
Sugai: Doing “KazeFuka” at the end was pretty rough. (laughs)
Moriya: It’s been two years since it released which means we’ve aged two years too. That’s pretty rough.
Sugai: That’s why we need to take care of ourselves. (laughs)
Habu: Yeah, but if we think “it’s impossible” then that’s the end. I make sure to tell myself, “I can do it!”
Sugai: Autosuggestion is necessary, isn’t it.
Moriya: But the day after the Tokyo Dome concerts, even though my mom came over, I had no energy and just slept the entire day. I usually think it’s a waste to stay home on a day off, so I try to pack my schedule full… But I burnt myself out and the exhaustion wouldn’t let me get up. (laughs)
Habu: But it’s important to rest.
Sugai: I don’t have any memory from the day after Dome either… In that respect you have stamina, Habu-chan. You go to the gym.
Habu: I go up to four times a week.
Interviewer: Similarly, if you think of it as Keyakizaka46 having been tempered by this year, then you can see a future where you’re stronger as a group.
Sugai: We had 1st gen graduations, but there’s also a sentiment that we were able to overcome this year thanks to the 2nd gens being here. Moreover, the nine of them really love Keyaki and I could sense those feelings making the group stronger. It’s been a year since the 2nd gens joined and we’ve got a solid foundation now, so I hope we head in an even better direction in 2020.
Moriya: At the party after the Dome concerts we talked about wanting to perform abroad someday, and I know it won’t be easy, but I want to make that one of our future goals.
Habu: To achieve that I want us all to approach each of our activities seriously and become an even thicker Keyaki tree.