Aya EightPrince (Former BiS) - First Solo Interview

*This Interview was originally published by Billboard Japan on 2019.8.16

Aya EightPrince Acting Debut Interview "So Close, Yet So Far Away"

"I had nothing, but I wanted to give people hope"

Aya Eight Prince has been focusing on her new direction ever since the 2nd Generation of BiS disbanded on May 11th. This Summer, she made her acting debut in the Twitter Drama "So Close, Yet So Far Away", and taken a step in a direction no one expected. I spoke with Aya about her story and vision for the future. Days after the disbandment, Aya couldn't walk on her own, and suspended activities due to her poor condition. She was touched by the support she received, and had her first experience as an actress. In her first solo interview, she talks about her feelings on music and singing.

"I think the next thing I do will have a huge impact on my life"

--How did you spend your days over the 3 months after BiS disbanded?

In the first month, I took voice training lessons at Gamushara, and I was able to work with the same Teacher at almost all of the lessons...I just didn't want to have any free time. When I made my debut, I was always busy, so if I suddenly had time to myself, I didn't know what to do. I get scared during the time when there's nothing to do.

(*I believe Aya's referring to her debut in BiS, not her acting debut. Her fear of having nothing to do must have continued after she left WACK)

--How did you feel right after disbanding?

At first, I didn't really feel like we had disbanded. A new BiS was beginning, former members joined new groups, and my new activities were gradually starting. But now I've made my debut as an actress in the Twitter Drama "So Close, Yet So Far Away", and I'm moving in a new direction, so I think I can move forward.

--However, there was an interval until the release of this Twitter Drama. It would have been nice to get another job offer...

Thankfully, I received allot of job offers, but I thought the next thing I do would have a huge impact on my life, so I considered each one carefully. I wanted to be able to meet with fans quickly, but I didn't want to jump into something that wasn't a good fit...and the issue was that my health was in poor condition.

"I couldn't walk, so I had to use a wheelchair and was just miserable"

--Can you talk more about that?

I was in the worst physical condition of my life, and it really effected me. I started suffering from a disease called Ulcerative Colitis early in the Summer. I was also suffering from Gastroenteritus (Stomach Flu), and there were various theories about the cause. One is that it was caused by something I ate. Another is that it was caused by fatigue that had accumulated. I showed signs of hair loss, which is one of the symptoms of alopecia areata, but these symptoms appeared later on, so they might not have been connected. I think that's why I felt so sore. Pour-chan (Pour Lui) told me, "are you possessed by something?" (laughs).

--How bad were the symptoms?

I slept so much, that it felt like my brain was melting. Recently, I've been doing calculation drills to help improve my memory.

--If it really melted, you wouldn't be talking now, so those calculation drills are amazing.

Also, when I was only suffering from colitis, my fever wouldn't go down, and my stomach made it too painful to walk. I didn't even talk a bath for about 5 days, so I was really shabby...Even when I went to the Hospital for intravenous fluids, I couldn't walk and needed a wheelchair. That's why my Mother came with me...it was just no good, and I cried. Normally, it's the reverse. If my parents got sick, I'd have to take care of them. I'm an adult...I was in such a miserable state, but my Mother was kind.

In my despair, I thought "what am I going to do?" and cried allot. When I was active in the group, it was troubling, and I worried allot. I quarreled without listening to what was said, and had to leave the house and live on my own. However, after getting sick, for the first time I thought "I'm glad I chose to be the way I am now". Because I couldn't go to the Hospital without my Mother.

(*This paragraph was a bit tough to translate, so I don't know if I made it clear enough. It sounds like Aya had been living at home with her Parents when she was part of WACK. The stress she was under must have caused problems between them, so she moved out. Her illness must have brought her and her Mother back together)

"Pour-chan's connection to the Drama 'So Close, Yet So Far Away'"

--With the help of your family, you were able to make your debut with the Drama "So Close, Yet So Far Away", but how did you decide to appear in this project?

Pour-chan connected me. An acquaintance of hers was working on the Twitter Drama, and the new Director of the Drama contacted Pour-chan and said "I'd like Aya to play a role". So that's how I ended up appearing in it, even though I'd never acted up to that point. My memories bad (laughs). When the Director asked me "can you act" and I responded "I don't know". However, I applied for some monthly fortune telling from Getters Iida-san and he wrote "taking on many challenges this year is better". I've always had a fondness for watching musicals and plays, so when I received this opportunity, I decided to accept the challenge.

(*Getters Iida started out in a Comedy Duo in 1999. They broke up in 2005, and he focused on various entertainment activities appearing regularly on television as a Fortune Teller. He started holding Fortune Telling parties and Fortune Telling Masquerades which became popular among Married couples. He's in charge of several Fortune Telling columns and even has an official mobile site)

--What about performing in a Play?

The leads, Tano Yuuka and Fujita Tom, have been acting for a long time, but I'm an amatuer, so I felt like I was coming from a place of "what is acting?". The Director and Crew have been very patient with me. They'd told me things like "You don't have to put so much effort into it/you don't have to try so hard. It's okay if it feels rough". As a first time performer, I'm grateful they created such a relaxed environment. It was fun doing my own research. I should be signing up for more Workshops in the future, and I want like to study acting more and more.

"I love the image of Airi Suzuki ~ For me, singing is my life"

--I'm looking forward to see your future as an Actress, but what do you want to do as a Singer and an Artist from this point on?

I want to sing. I'm definitely doing it! Of course I'd like to do my best with Acting and Modeling, but deep down, at my core, I'm a Singer. An easy image to use as an example is my favorite, Airi Suzuki-san. I'm taking on many challenges, but isn't singing the main one? Also, since the 2nd BiS disbanded, I began wondering what singing really means to me. At first, I heard the voices of fans saying "I want to hear you sing", and I have no reason to retire as a singer, so that's why I thought it was natural to continue singing. Since then, I've been doing allot of other things, and I started thinking "is singing what I really want to do?". I came to the realization that, for me, continuing to sing is "my reason for living".

--Being life itself.

If there were no songs in this world, I might be dead. I can't think of life without music, and I can't imagine not singing, so of course I want to sing. I'm just a normal person. I can't do much more than ordinary people. But if I sing, maybe I can make someone happy and they might believe "the world can change ". I want to be someone who can give people hope by singing more and more in the future.  I had nothing, but by singing this way, I've become the person I am. You can do it too. I want to show that to people.

http://www.billboard-japan.com/d_news/detail/79010/2

Momoiro Clover Z, Natalie 5th Album Interview - Part 2

"Seeing yourself at 30"

--In March, Momoclo made a surprise appearance at "S ★ Spicy Last Live", an event for Stardust's Older Sister Unit. At the event, Kanako told Kurita Moe "It's cool to be an Idol at 30 yrs. old" (*There's a link to the article covering this event). This year, the oldest member, Reni, will be 26, so Momoclo could realistically reach that age.

(*S ★ Spicy is a stardust Idol Group representing the "Charm of Older Women" and treated as the Older Sister Unit for all Stardust Idols. They've never been part of 3Bjunior or Stardust Planet, but were active as a general Section 3 music artist. The group debuted in 2009 and there have been 4 Generations in total which they call Phases. The event was S ★ Spicy's 10th Anniversary and final performance before disbanding. Kurita Moe was one of two remaining members in the group and 30 at the time)

Shiori: I'm starting to see myself at 30 yrs. old.

Reni: Because 2 out of 4 of us are "around 30".

Kanako: Iya! I'm still 25 this year.

Shiori: Isn't "Around 30" after 26? I still have 6 yrs left until I'm 30.

(*I put "around 30" in quotation because Reni uses the abbreviation "Arasa (アラサー)" which means around 30. It's become a popular way to convey a general age without being specific. There are versions for all other milestone ages like "around 40", "around 50", etc. The model Gisele popularized it mid last decade)

Reni: That's so convenient for everyone. They won't admit it, but we're all essentially "around 30".

Arin: That's not it! (laughs)

--I think your sense of time will become faster from now on. In all honesty, are you worried about getting older?

Kanako: My 20's turned out differently than I imagined, but I'm looking forward to growing older.

--Did you think your 20's would be more adult?

Arin: I heard the rumors. "Even when I'm in my 20's, things don't change much". When I was a child, I thought "I want my 20's to come as soon as possible". But once I got there, I thought "Nothing really did change".

Reni: That rumor is true.

--I don't think you'll change that much at 30. This goes especially for the 4 of you.

Arin: I want 40 to come as soon as possible.

--Why is that?

Arin: 30 is too real (laughs). I want to be like a Mother who has overcome their obstacles.

(*I'm not exactly sure what Arin means here. She uses the term "ひと波越えた". I got confirmation that it means “to overcome or go through ones problem/obstacle”, but I'm still unsure of the context. Maybe because 40 is a milestone and by that point you've overcome allot of obstacles. If you had children young, they'd almost be adults by then)

Kanako: I recently asked a friend who's the same age as me "why isn't it completely different?"

Reni: I want to hear this one.

Kanako: "Why don't I feel like an adult at all?", "Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing?". My friend said it's because the image of the old Momoclo is strong in people's minds. I'm not aware that I haven't changed, but together we can stay this way. I'm scared it will continue like this into my 30's and 40's.

Reni: It would be really scary if I was still like this at 40 (laughs).

Shiori: I think Reni-chan will be.

Reni: Iya, I don't think any of us will change (laughs).

Arin: I think if we were living separately, the 3 of us would be more like adults, but Reni-chan would still be like this.

Reni: What an image! (laughs) I might be like a madam!

(*I think Reni's saying she would be like a refined lady)

"The Diamond Four" had the same impact as "Kaitou Shojo"

--Please tell us about the songs included on the 5th album "Momoiro Clover Z". "The Diamond Four" was used in the title for the performance at the Tokyo Dome. Now, it's also being used for the lead single which was composed around rap as it's core and finished as a pop tune. When I watched the video, I expected a more aggressive song, but it's very bright.

(*The MV for "The Diamond Four" is embedded here)

Reni: Did it defy your expectations in a good way? I thought we were going to do a much more mature song. It was a different melody than I imagined, but it's a really good song.

Kanako: Some of us have the feeling that the lead single from an album is a song that runs ahead (*I think Kanako just means that the lead single gives an impression of the upcoming album and sets the tone). I think I've been able to enjoy making this song as the lead single because of all the various experiences I've had growing into adulthood. Up till now, it was like a strong call to "Follow Me!", but "The Diamond Four" has a more relaxed atmosphere, so now it's more like "Let's get allot of people involved and dance together happily". That's our new color, so I want to get our fans involved at the lives.

Shiori: When I first heard it, I though it was similar to when we released "Ikuzze! Kaitou Shojo". When we made our major debut with Ikuzze!, I hadn't listened to it much. However, gradually it became a song I couldn't get out of my head. The Diamond Four had a similar impact. Through practicing, recording, and shooting the Music Video, it has a melody that can't be forgotten.

--I see.

Shiori: Also, with "Kaitou Shojo", the history of Momoclo has been shaped by the lyrics little by little almost like a pun, and "Mononofu" has casually been added to the lyrics. Various aspects of ourselves are included in the Rap because it's something that's rare for us to do, so I think it's fun to listen to while looking for something that feels like a Hidden Mickey.

(*A Hidden Mickey is a representation of Mickey Mouse that has been inserted subtly into the design of a ride, attraction, or other location in a Disney theme park,  Disney properties, animated film, feature-length movie, TV series, or other Disney product)

--There have been several Momoclo Rap songs. How was it recording this one?

Reni: I struggled a bit. The first recording just wouldn't end. Because of my personal struggle, it deepened my love for this song. If we had recorded this song 5 yrs after we formed, I don't think we could have finished it. With the exception of The Diamond Four, we can sing all our other songs because we've been preforming them for 10 yrs. We can firmly send out our new color in this song.

"The joy of working with the same generation"

In addition to "The Diamond Four" you recorded a variety of song for the album. Do you have any favorites or ones that impressed you?

Reni: Yes, there's allot of good songs. However, I'd especialy like you to listen to the 13th song, "The Show". It's the first time I've tried to cover an Enlgish song translated into Japanese. It changes the way we sing, and I think it's a song that shows the unique flavor of Momoclo.

Shirori: For me it's 2 songs, "Revival" and "More We Do". Both songs were composed by people from our generation. It makes me realize that we're getting older.

--"More We Do" is a number that was composed by CHAI, right?

Shiori: Up to this point, most of the people who've written songs for us were older, so it feels fresh. Being close to our age, there's allot of things that come through in that song. The staff and co-stars around us, the people we work with have gotten closer to our age, and I have the pleasure of creating things with people from the same generation.

(*When Shiori says co-stars, I believe she means other talent that they work with, like on Variety Shows. It's also possible she means people who appear as extras in MVs and other projects)

--There used to be some conflict between the members who were children and the staff who were adults. Your Producer, Kawakami Akira, shook things up in many ways. But all 4 children have disappeared. From now on, I think there will be more opportunities to work with younger people.

Reni: It's scary.

Arin: It's surprising that, starting this Spring, people the same age as me will become new members of society.

(*I assume Arin's referring to College Graduates)

Reni: When I hear Arin talk about people who are younger, I wonder "Is she okay not having gone to school?".

https://natalie.mu/music/pp/momoclo21/page/2

This band recorded and epic tribute to Beethoven's 9th Symphony

The YouTube rabbit hole runs deep. You never know where it will take you. One thing led to another and I ended up in 1997.

I'm somewhat of a fan of the Manga "Hell Teacher Nube". I have several volumes of the newer "NEO" series, and have been wanting to find more information about it. The original Manga started in 1993 and ran until 1999, with a couple more series following afterwards, including the aforementioned NEO.

The basic premise revolves around Nueno Meisuke (nicknamed "Nube"), an Elementary School teacher, who has a powerful demon sealed in his left hand. When strange supernatural events happen around the school, usually the result of meddling by Youkai, Nube uses his Demon's Hand to exorcise them.

It was adapted into a 49 episode Anime series by Toei Animation that aired for one year from 1996 - 1997 on TV Asahi. This led to 3 movies, 3 OVA episodes, and a live action Drama starring Kanjani 8's Maruyama Ryuhei.

They even released a game for PlayStation.

This might seem like I'm just espousing on my appreciation for Nube, but bear with me, I'm about to get to the real topic. While searching for info, I found a video for a new Pachinko machine. I liked the music that they used so I tried to find it. I didn't have any luck, but I came across the ending theme for either the Anime or one of the Movies/OVAs. One more search...

And that led me to this. I had no idea what to expect, but the over 2 million views at least gave me the impression it was popular. Nothing could have prepared me for the 5:25 of epicness that would follow.

"Bari Bari Saikyou No. 1" was the 7th single from Progressive/Groove Metal band Feel So Bad. It was used as the Opening Theme for the Hell Teacher Nube Anime and was their biggest hit, reaching #35 on Oricon. The intro was inspired by Beethoven's 9th Symphony "The Song of Joy", and the melody is used liberally throughout the song. It's one of those songs that you can't describe. Words don't do it justice. You just have to listen it and experience it for yourself.

I love these kinds of moments. When I started out looking for things related to Nube, I never expected I would end up discovering this amazing song by a band I was unfamiliar with. And they're still active! It made my day.