What is Cool? LaLuce's current lineup discusses 5 themes
There's an introduction that briefly mentions the Last Idol Audition Show on TV Asahi, and the release date for "Everything will be all right" on 10.24. It goes on to talk about the Producer Battle on Abema TV and how LaLuce, who sang the 1st Single "Bandwagon", was victorious in the 2nd Producer Battle. They also mention Goto as the Producer. The highlight of the song is supposed to be LaLuce's powerful dance. In the interview, the members will be asked about the theme of the song "Being Cool", the members opinions on 5 themes, and the setbacks and glory they experienced throughout the Battle.
Theme 1 - What is "Cool"?
The core of the theme for this single "Everything will be alright" is "Coolness". When LaLuce approached this song, what was your definition of "Cool"?
--Even if I say "Cool" matter of factly, I think the definition will differ depending on the person. For example, some people will say "people who lie are bad". However, there is also the idea of "gentle lies" (*White lies).
Airi: I see. If people think that you are cool, then you will be respected by everyone. Perhaps you could say that being cool is earning the respect of other people. There are many people who respect Actors and Artists. Also, since I became an Idol myself, I've noticed things I didn't before, like how wonderful the choreography of Idols can be. AKB48, Nogizaka48...the respect I have for those groups has increased. They've had an influence on me and you can see it come out in my performances. Someday, I want to become an Idol that others can look up to.
Midori: Yes, my way of thinking is close to Airi-chan's. In other words, people admire people who are cool. Of course, what's inside is also important, but that's not something people will be interested in if your appearance or visual doesn't create a good first impression. So, if you think "that girl is cute", it may be the first step to becoming cool.
Haruka: "Cute" can also be "Cool"...
Midori: That's right. If you're an Idol, appealing to fans with cuteness is your job.
Natsumi: Well, there are various pattern when thinking about what's cool. I think that people who don't give up are cool.
Airi: Someone who doesn't give up?
(*Natsumi used the word "Megenai Hito". It's kind of hard to translate. I means something like "someone who won't give up and tries their best through hardship". There's another meaning that might mean something like "Having a crush on someone" from the perspective of a girl. Airi seems a little confused, so I don't know how common Megenai is)
Natsumi: Even if a person's feelings drop, they will never give up. I wonder what I should say...specifically, someone like Airi-chan.
Airi: What!? That's so sudden (laughs).
Natusmi: This is the truth. During the 2nd Last Idol Producer Battle on Abema TV, Airi-chan became depressed.
--Because some people may not have watched the broadcast, could you explain the situation at the time?
Airi: At that time, I was dealing with some private things, and my mental state had dropped. It was something that had nothing to do with LaLuche or the Battle on the program, but I brought those feelings with me onto the broadcast. I tried to change my feelings, but because I was upset, I knocked over the mic stand...I was impatient and it died in the middle (laughs). We were defeated in the Battle because of me and I was very depressed.
(*A little context for what Airi said in the 2nd to last sentence. When she says "It died in the middle" , the word she uses is "Kokechatta (コケちゃった)". This is an abreviation of "Kokechaimashita (こけちゃいました)". This phrase was said by Japanese long distance runner Taniguchi Hiromi (谷口浩美). He was a favorite at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. However, he fell halfway through and managed to lose a shoe in the process. This cost him 30 secs. He managed to catch up, but finished in 8th place. After the race, he commented that "It died in the middle" and "I was lucky. I did it with allot of precision". I'm guessing he was making a joke. I'm not familiar enough with this to know how relevant it is in Japanese Pop Culture, but since Airi used the quote, it must be well known.
If you want to delve deeper into it, here's a clip. At 1:25 you can see Hiromi fall and lose one of his shoes.
Part of LaLuche's choreography for "Everything will be alright" during the Producer Battle had Abe and Airi using mic stands. They would sing into the mic and dip the stand forward. It's been a while since I watched it, but there must have been an early perf where Airi dropped her mic stand)
Natsumi: Oh, no. We were already laughing about it next week. I thought that switching up the feeling was really good.
Airi: Really! I'm so happy you said that. At the time I was only able to recover because all the members supported me. I'm not cool, I just got help from everyone.
--Having a humble attitude is also cool (laughs). What about you Haruka?
Haruka: I think that people who don't show weakness are cool. No matter what happens, they'll give 100% up on the stage. Before I became an Idol, I watched a live performance of Yumemiru Adolescence (*an Idol group) and was deeply moved. I thought "They're really the best!". However, at the time, Shida Yumi had a high fever of 39 degrees (*This would be 102.2 degrees Farenheit). I learned later on that she received an injection so she could stand on stage, so I was really surprised. I didn't get the feeling that anything was wrong. I was in awe that "This is the world of professionals".
--Shida-san always gives the impression of someone who isn't serious, so it's even more surprising, isn't it?
(*Shida Yumi has become a model and actress, so she must be well known enough for the interviewer to make this point)
Haruka: That's right! I think that kind of gap is cool, so that might be a good point, right?
(*When Haruka says "gap", she either means the difference between someone who wouldn't perform while being sick and someone who would perform no matter what, or how someone who isn't very serious can surprise you by pushing through a high fever and perform well)
Abe: Everyone has their own idea...For me, I think "Cool" is when someone does something that I can't do. Also, I think that someone who does something for the first time is cool (*She might mean a trendsetter or someone who is innovative). I'm working as an Idol now because I wanted to be just like my favorite Idols. However, these Idols aren't imitating anyone. They have there own individual personality. That's why I want to create "the one and only Abe Natsumi". Recently, I started to think I can really do that.
Theme 2 "Performance Discussion/Evaluation"
"Last Idol" is different from other Idol groups. You have to Battle on a weekly program and receive a clear Judgment of victory or defeat. For LaLuce, what is your "ideal flow for an Idol performance"?
--First off, I think there's a problem of "where do you put the merit (quality/superiority) within an Idol performance?" (*Where are the best qualities within an Idol performance?). I think the members will be divided on this assessment.
Midori: That's a difficult question!
Haruka: I think the ideal form of an Idol is that "in a group, the individual personality of each member can be seen well".
Everyone: (applause)
Airi: Althought no one objects to Haruka-chan's opinion, if I would add something, I'd say that we'd like to "draw feelings from everyday life". It's not just about competing in a stage performance. For example, the expression when the members eyes meet on stage, I don't know how our everyday relationships come across. It's supposed to convey to the audience a feeling of friendship through the act of smiling. The ordinary relationships that we have in the dressing room, what we do in our private time, all these things come out during the performance.
--Airi-san is very flashy to look at, but her remarks are like the morals in a textbook (laughs).
Airi: Definitely. I think I'm really serious even when I'm by myself (laughs).
Natsumi: I think each person evaluates the performance aspect differently. For me, when I'm watching an Idol, I'm impressed by the gap. "While it's cool during the performance, when it comes to the MC, it's becomes more amusing/funny". It's that kind of contrast, right? I adore you so much...(looks longingly at Airi).
Midori: I've seen this all before (laughs). There is that kind of gap for Idols. Who's a good example of this?
Natsumi: Yasuda Airi-chan from the group called LaLuce (laughs). This is embarrassing. All I'm talking about today is Airi-chan...
Midori: I think the kind of performance required for Idols is different from that of other Artists. Of course, singing skill is important, but in the case of an Idol, there's a quality like "the charm of being okay to make mistakes". It's more important to convey the overall message of the song than to have perfect pitch. Thinking carefully about the meaning of the lyrics and how to present that. Depending on the song, it can be difficult to express our emotions. Even so, it's still important to convey the emotions well to the audience. It's said this kind of Idol performance is top notch, isn't it?
Abe: That's right. I feel the same way as Midori-chan. As much as you want someone who can sing and dance well, an Idol isn't good unless they can convey something else. People who watch you feel better or gain courage. If you don't have that kind of influence, you can say there isn't much significance to it. That's why, as Midori-chan put it, it makes sense to add meaning to the performance.
Midori: I speak very passionately, don't I?
Abe: Also, the transition from song to song, the chang of formations inside the song...that's part of the performance too. When I'm watching other Idols, I pay close attention to this. Singing and dancing are only good if you do them firmly and tell a story. When I'm on stage, I can't escape this feeling.
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