2017-03-13

(2017-03-13) PICK UP IDOL

New members Kaga Kaede and Yokoyama Reina
Talks about their various "first time".


PHOTO / Koga Yoshiro   INTERVIEW / Tanaka Hiroyuki

― It was the first Hello! Project tour for both of you, Morning Musume。'17 13th generation. How do you feel about that? 

Yokoyama Reina : I was very nervous about the idea to do performance next to my senpai who are so strong. It was a dream.

― Kaga Kaede participates to Hello! Project tours since 4 years now as a Kenshuusei. How did you deal about that difference ?

Kaga Kaede : This Hello! Project tour was the ninth I participated in. It's completely different as a Kenshuusei. I had a lot more to do: when I participated as Kenshuusei, I was just a backdancer. Here, I had to realize real performances, in addition to dancing I had to sing my parts and I had more positions to remember.

― Morning Musume。'17 spring tour is going to start this month. This is your first tour in the group. 

Yokoyama : I'm not worried about the next tour. It's true that some dance changes depending on the performance, but I feel pretty confident about it...

Kaga : There are several songs that we are going to realize that I already had to learn during my Kenshuusei time, so somewhere I had to work less than Yokoyama. But in another sense, it means that we expect more from me, surely. The other day, Oda Sakura-san told me something that stood out to me ; "training is always important, maybe you can find another way to do the dances".

― As I was told last time, when you're part of Kenshuusei, the important thing is to give the best of yourself. But once you get into a group, the challenge is to be aware of your place in the group to keep a balance in the group.

Kaga : It's more or less that. When I was Kenshuusei, I tended to bet everything on my dance without measuring my physical strength too much. I gave everything during the first performance to achieve and when it was the turn of the second, my physical capacity was already drastically diminishing. I breathed little, I just moved. I felt a bit sucked in front of the other members, like those who entered in Kobushi Factory, who literally managed to do everything. I tried to work on this, but even on the Hello! Project, it was difficult to string two songs together for me.

― After all, there is a great rivalry between Kenshuusei members, isn't it?

Kaga : Although we're a team, we all want to debut as soon as possible. Now that I have arrived in a new team, I must become aware of the new members around me and integrate myself into this team.

― Yokoyama-san, what are your feelings about the next tour?

Yokoyama : I have absolutely no confidence in my physical abilities, this is something I need to improve on. My biggest weak point is just focusing on dancing or singing and forgetting the rest. I have to manage to coordinate myself.

― The 13th generation debut single entitled "BRAND NEW MORNING/Jealousy Jealousy" was released on March 8. Tradition has it that when the group welcomes new members, they are put forward a lot during their debut single. The clips also give an idea of the capabilities of these new members.

Kaga : I'm happy with this first single, but I want to do even more! "BRAND NEW MORNING" is a song which marks the 20 years of the group and which shows a new face of what Morning Musume。can be. However, I remain skeptical on certain points, since we only started 3 months ago.

Yokoyama : I stress a lot constantly. There are a few points where I'm strong and it makes me happy to be aware of it anyway, but I have big gaps in terms of rhythm... I have to do my best very quickly to improve on that , to achieve perfect synchronization.

― Recently, some Kenshuusei members have been able to obtain several new areas of idol activities. What do you think Yokoyama-san?

Yokoyama : Personally, I have trained a lot on dance, but it is true that the main activity of Kenshuusei remains all what's related to the art of performing.

― Yes, that's why they remain only beginners. Your period in Kenshuusei is not even half a year, so that means you're promising. In contrast, Kaga-san spent four years with the Kenshuusei before being promoted. How did you experience staying in the Kenshuusei for so long, seeing your rivals being promoted to other groups?

Kaga : It was tough. I have seen a lot of members being promoted. I started to think about my future when I saw Makino Maria join the 12th generation. I had told my manager last summer that I was thinking of giving up, to which he replied that "Life is full of surprises, everyone lives as they see fit". After discussing it with my parents, I set myself until December to get a concrete future. In the meantime, it was decided that I would join Morning Musume。. In December, on the date I had set myself, I was announced to the public as a new member. It was just awesome.

― There was the announcement of the 12th generation, but also new members in ANGERME, Country Girls, the formation of both Kobushi and Tsubaki Factory...

Kaga : It was already hard to know that I wouldn't be in Kobushi, but when we were told about the formation of Tsubaki, I was devastated. I was the oldest of Kenshuusei after that.

― But is this promotion still not catchy? For members like Ichioka Reina-san or Inoue Rei-san, it shows that "if we do our best, there will necessarily be a positive result"?

Kaga : As a Kenshuusei member now in Morning Musume。, I want to show that all of the Kenshuusei members are promising, that we have energy to spare, that we are worth something! I want to give the best of myself, constantly.

― But not all members are from the Kenshuusei, are they?

Kaga : No, but we have treasures like Fukumura Mizuki-san that was part of it. Ikuta Erina-san were not but she's as amazing as the others members. I want to be as amazing as they are.

My biggest dream is to "Do a worldwide tour!"
And "To do outdoor concerts!"

― Can you introduce your new song "BRAND NEW MORNING" ?

Kaga "BRAND NEW MORNING" is the Morning Musume。new song which welcomes the 13th generation members and which at the same time celebrates the group’s 20 years. We both got a solo part that, somewhere, comes together. The first sentence is sung by Yokoyama "ねぇ なんにも持たざる私に何が出来るの?" (How can I do if I have nothing?) which represents a discouraged and negative girl. The second sentence is sung by me "ねぇ 信じて 思い描いてる未来の方が" ("Believe it, the future we imagined is coming") which supports the first girl, her partner. I really find that the two sentences come together. I sing this line with this conscience in mind, that's how I interpreted this song.

― "BRAND NEW MORNING" is not a song Tsunku♂-san worked on. However, I have the impression to find his work there.

Kaga : I would always use what I learned from Tsunku♂-san about rhythm, even if it's not his job.

― That's right, Kaga-san is part of a generation who received direct advice from Tsunku♂-san as Kenshuusei.

Kaga : At the time of the performances of "Nama Tamago Show!", Tsunku♂-san said "Kaga's dance is flawless". This is something that marked me a lot.

― Then there's "Jealousy Jealousy" that Tsunku♂-san worked on.

Yokoyama : I think it's a song that everyone can enjoy, that everyone can relate to as well. The lyrics "綺麗になりたい" ("I want to be pretty") are more for girls, I think all girls have thought that at least once in their life. There is also a surprising part with the rap.

― Do you recognize yourself in this song?

Yokoyama : Of course. I'm a person who expresses jealousy very quickly, so I really liked this song.

― An example of your spontaneous jealousy?

Yokoyama : Facing Kaga, when I look at her, I wonder why she dances so well, why I'm not as good as her. I'm also a little jealous of Kudo Haruka-san, who gets along with literally every member. I would like to become like her.

― I think the difference in abilities between you and Kaga-san is normal since she has more experiences. What do you think?

Yokoyama : Of course this is normal. But I'm her rival, so I don't want to lose!

Kaga : I too feel a lot of jealousy towards Yokoyama. We both have good singing and dancing skills, but Yokoyama has better expressing abilities. I didn't realize it until I knew her, but it's true that this is an important point. She makes me want to surpass myself even more.

― What are your dreams as Morning Musume。?

Yokoyama : I would love to do a worldwide tour! Morning Musume。'16 went to Taiwan, but I think a lot of overseas fans don't know the 13th generation well enough. That's why I want to go to as many countries as possible to represent us!

Kaga : I want to do outdoor concerts! Some productions hold events only in open spaces. Carrying out our performances with the fresh air and the sun, that must be so great. The sound is also different, surely more powerful. I would like us to have fun all together like this.

Kaga Kaede
Born on November 30, 1999
To Tokyo

Yokoyama Reina
Born on February 22, 2001
To Saitama

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