Morning Musume ‘23 【Kitagawa Rio, Okamura Homare, Yamazaki Mei】The 15th generation’s period of remarkable growth. What Do You Want To Do Your Best Towards the 30th Anniversary?
For the second VOCE x Morning Musume ‘23 25th Anniversary Collab, Kitagawa Rio, Okamura Homare, and Yamazaki Mei of the 15th generation are here. As they joined 4 years ago, the 3 of them discuss topics they have come to know about each other since they are in the same generation like, their growth is crazy! I can’t take my eyes off them! And they speak fully on things like, what they want to do to liven up the group.
–What kind of person is Kitagawa Rio-san?
Okamura Homare: She’s very mature and classy. She is the reliable older sister in the 15th generation. From my point of view as a generation mate, she is a little out of the loop and is mischievous at times; those are things that make her cute! She eats in a way where it looks delicious (laughs).
Yamazaki Mei: She has a pure and lady-like atmosphere. She’s good at studying, she has it together, and has the feeling of being a reliable older sister but, she has parts you want to poke fun at that are funny, and she’s a tsundere. Her singing voice is also really pretty, she is very good at dancing with her hair. She has taught me various detailed things about makeup.
–What kind of person is Okamura Homare-san?
Kitagawa Rio: She has a very cute baby face but she combines an overwhelming style and coolness in her performances. She is a kind girl with a personality of putting others first before herself. There is a bit of gyaru-like quality to her, she feels like an active high school student! (laughs)
Yamazaki Mei: Her face is small and her limbs are long, in any case she has excellent style. She looks and sounds really cute, such that she feels like a sparkling, shiny, idol! We’re in the same grade in school but since she is reliable, if Mei were twins with her she would be the older sister. Homare also loves make-up and is a bit gyaru-like!
–What kind of person is Yamazaki Mei-san?
Kitagawa Rio: It's not an exaggeration to say that she was born to be an idol, her idol power is amazing! She loves pandas, and can activate her “panda-san power”! When she is performing, she has an eye-catching presence; I'm always surprised by the strength of her idol power.
Okamura Homare: Yamazaki Mei-chan is everyone's little sister! Her really energetic smile is cute. Since we’re the same age, I feel calm when we’re together, she has a reassuring presence. She also has a surprisingly matter-of-fact side, I like that part of her the most.
–What is your most memorable memory from the 15th generation so far?
Kitagawa Rio: The 3 of us are always talking about wanting to go somewhere and this finally came true in August last year! We went to get shaved ice. I once again felt how our relationships have deepend these past 4 years; I met these 2 via work but we talk like we’re friends in private; from the heart, I’m glad that I’m in the same generation as them.
Okamura Homare: Our dance lessons shortly after joining. We were trying to learn the choreography before joining our seniors, we were together as the 3 of us the whole time; it was a dense period that had a lot of fun and tough moments. At first we were so caught up in ourselves that we weren’t in the mood to get to know each other but, once the 3 of us sat down and got to know each other, we became able to discuss anything. I think it was a really important time.
Yamazaki Mei: The ‘15th Generation Fan Club Event’. The 3 of us played a game where we had to match each other's answers but it was funny because we weren’t able to match for even 1 answer! Our live corner where we were singing together is an unforgettable memory. Next time, if we get the opportunity again, I want to perform in groups like, Rio-chan and Homare-chan, Rio-chan and I, Homare-chan and I!
–What are the other 2 in the 15th generation like to you?
Kitagawa Rio: We’re friends, coworkers, and rivals. I’m older than the other 2, and there are times when they feel like younger sisters. I think that we are the only 3 people who can have so many different relationships with each other.
Okamura Homare: Although each of us have different personalities, when the 3 of us are together, it's mysterious how we feel like we fit each other perfectly. I think we have good balance, I can feel at ease when I’m with those 2.
Yamazaki Mei: I feel at ease when we are together, we can speak plainly. They feel like a second family or sisters. Rio-chan is the older sister, next is Homare-chan, and then 3rd is Mei, in that order.
–The topic of the growth of the 15th generation has been “amazing”! Please tell us what you keep in mind when performing.
Kitagawa Rio: Dancing big without looking out of place! Not forgetting to stand out. The dance teacher taught me “Dance like your limbs are twice their length,”. I couldn’t really grasp the feeling of it at first but, recently I’ve really come to understand it. But, as long as we’re working as a group, I don’t think I should be the only one standing out so, while looking around me, I’m studying putting my own personality into my dance.
Okamura Homare: I’m really thankful for kind words, but I want to be humble at all times, and not take them at face value. I’m always thinking “I have to do more than I’ve done till now!” with performances but, I also think I shine the most when I’m enjoying myself, and I think people who watch it will enjoy it, so I also cherish having fun.
Yamazaki Mei: Performing where my expression matches the song and not just grinning and smiling, but making cool expressions as well. I’m getting to sing more of my graduated seniors' parts, so I want to add my own personality to it while referring to the expressions my seniors made. I don’t think anyone will have fun if I don’t look like I’m having fun, so I firstly want to have fun so everyone can enjoy themselves.
–Please tell us what you would like to do to make Morning Musume more exciting towards the 30th Anniversary.
Kitagawa Rio: I want to become the catalyst for knowing about Morning Musume. I know that there are people who come to like Morning Musume through gravure work; I want to increase the number of Morning Musume fans on my own! I think that I have to!
Okamura Homare: This year I turned 18; from now on, new members will be joining so I want to be able to look around and not just look towards myself. Also, I want to become more mature so that I can react calmly when things happen. In terms of performance, up until now its been sad as we have been in a period where we’re not able to cheer but, from now on I think I’ll be able to give a performance where I’ll stir up everyone’s voices, I want to say things like “SAY!” and “COME ON!” a lot. I want to do my best to give a performance that excites everyone.
Yamazaki Mei: Less than a year after joining we had to stay at home due to covid-19, since we were only able to do activities on our own; from now on as Morning Musume, I want a lot of experiences with live tours and fests! There are many things to learn from my seniors during the tours; I’m also discovering a new me, so I want to experience more and more things and increase my appeal.
–Please tell us what you would like to challenge as an individual
Kitagawa Rio: Work related to food and cosmetics that I love! I’m the type of person who really researches things once I’m interested in them; I think it would be nice to delve deeper into food and cosmetics with a serialization. I love Odagiri Hiro-san's hair and makeup, and I often watch him on YouTube; It's my dream to have my makeup done by him someday. I want to ask him various things about cosmetics and beauty.
Okamura Homare: This year I started a serialization about stationary, so I want to show off the appeal of stationary more. Also, since joining Morning Musume, I’ve grown more than 10cm so, working in fashion where I can make the most of that height, I would like to try out cool makeup that I don’t know how to do myself!
Yamazaki Mei: Work relating to my favorite Panda-sans! Since I love the sweets from my hometown of Hokkaido, I’d like to do work relating to that, too.
–What is one piece of advice you would give to the 17th generation members who will be joining soon?
Kitagawa Rio: Its, “practice 100 times more than you think you need to,”. When I joined I was inexperienced in dancing so, the hurdle I had imagined for myself was actually much lower than for those who had experience. Even when I thought I had practiced, I experienced many times where I was at the level where it looked like I hadn’t practiced at all when the teachers and seniors would watch. Even now I think, “let's practice 100 times more than I think”. If you practice to your limit you’ll feel better about it later on, like “my future self will thank the past me,”.
Okamura Homare: If I were to give advice to the new members, try to meet everyone you meet with a cheerful greeting. I think there will be many things that are confusing or that you won’t understand but, “if you can first greet others properly, it’ll be alright because you’ll make a good impression,” is what I want to convey.
Yamazaki Mei: I want you to value your individuality. With your seniors that you admire, you may feel that you love them so much that you want to become so much like them but, I’d like you to absorb their good qualities while not erasing your own and keeping your personality alive.
https://i-voce.jp/feed/2570666/
