palet started their 2017 by welcoming three new members and formed as 8-member style. Senkou Roadshow is going on to their 6th one-man concert and having their 6th one-man concert. These two groups will be performing on February 12, 2017 (Sun) at Hatsudai The DOORS.

Hatsudai The DOORS is a memorable venue for palet, since they have been performing there since their debut. Senkou Roadshow also started to perform there when they were FYT’s trainee and also the stage was the place where their unit debut had announced.

This venue is the “starting line” for the two different groups. We have asked their present and their future before their concert.

s170121TGU-143

– palet’s Koiso-san and Ichinose-san were announced to join palet from December, 2015. And for Onuma-san and Yamamoto-san also started Senkou Roadshow about the same time. We actually have gathered the members who are in the second year for the group.

Haruka Koiso (palet / following as Koiso): Ohhhh, that is right!

– By becoming a second-year for palet, do you feel the group’s positive-ness again?

Koiso: It really gained the freshness when the three new members joined. It really made to gain that vibe of the classic “Pure-idol” and made me realize that group’s concept again.

Rito Ichinose (palet / following as Ichinose): The group has become more powerful as the new members joined. And palet’s songs are very nice to listen to, because its really classic. I’m confident that everyone who listened to our songs would feel they’re good songs. I really like to watch music programs and I think I was still in elementary school, that I heard palet’s song from TV and it really left an impression to me.”

– Elementary school?! That’s a surprise. For Senkou Roadshow, what would be your strength as a group?

Ayana Onuma (Senkou Roadshow / following as Onuma): I think our character lies with our concept of “movies,” that our songs and lyrics are inspired by that theme.

Kokona Yamamoto (Senkou Roadshow / following as Yamamoto): Our choreography is have the “movie” elements as well.

Onuma: Like our costume is a cape.

– So is it unusual to have a cape as a costume for idols?

Koiso: I don’t think I’ve ever seen it.

Ichinose: I really like Senkou-san’s costume of having a cape. I really think it’s cool.

Koiso: Yes, when they turn, like whoosh. (Cutting air with a hand)

Onuma: It’s more cool-type than of cute, for our songs and costumes.

– It’s a really good contrast, that there are different appeals than I expected. What are your impressions to each other?

Onuma: I really love palet-san! There are so many cute songs like “Ichigo Kibun,” and “You are My Miracle.”

Ichinose: Contrary, I sometimes think to do something cool as well. What is it like to have “movie” as the whole concept?

Yamamoto: Some of the movie’s lines are in our lyrics, and the title also sounds like the film title. The members also watches movies too. Our title for the live concerts are also punned with movie titles as well.

Koiso: That is so interesting! Isn’t it fun to think of those?

Onuma: Hmm…but I think that cute is nice too. I want to say “I want to color you!” too! (Laugh)

Ichinose: We envy each other after all. (Laugh)

s170121TGU-107

s170121TGU-117

– Onuma-san and Ichinose-san are close even during private. Have you known each other before?

Ichinose: I only knew her from Twitter, and I just greet as an idol about a year ago.

Onuma: Last year, we were together at an event in Sekigahara, and we got to talk more there and little by little.

Yamamoto: I was actually at the same acting lesson with Rito-chan as well! I didn’t get to talk but I realized it was Rito-chan.

Ichinose: What? You knew me?

Yamamoto: Through Twitter. (Laugh)

Ichinose: Twitter. (Laugh) That reminds me, I actually saw FYT Trainee Teacher at Platinum B1!

– Wow, you’re the long-time fan! (Laugh) After that, both of you started to be active in your current groups, so how do you feel reflecting back a year ago?

Onuma: I think it’s incredible that debuting at Akasaka BLITZ.

Ichinose: But we were panicking just to introduce ourselves. Really.

Koiso: I stood up during rehearsal, when there weren’t any of the people, I even felt that the venue was so big. So when it started, the venue was packed with so many people and felt people were minimum (?).

Onuma: We didn’t have that kind of experience of CD debut all of a sudden, so there were only surprises.

Yamamoto: The members, the name, and the debut were announced on the same day.

– How did you feel when you were announced to be an idol?

Yamamoto: I was like, “Oh my god, I’m going to be an idol from today!”

Koiso: Actually I really didn’t feel that reality at that first moment. More like, “Oh, an idol, oh, okay.” But when we performed at joint live couple of times and felt more comfortable, made me realize at that moment.

Onuma: I also have that switch too.

Ichinose: When do you put in on? When you get dressed?

Onuma: I don’t think it’s on when I get dressed.

Ichinose: No? (Laugh)

Yamamoto: I guess at SE, it turns on.

Onuma: It’s an “Idol Switch.” You become a different person when starting to dance.

s170121TGU-235

s170121TGU-177

– Come to think of it, right after a year of your first performance, palet renewed group formation.

Ichinose: I thought I could understand those new members because they are the same age and nearly close timing to join. So I wanted to do something that made me happy, to those new members as well.

Koiso: I did feel nostalgic, thinking back “I was like that.” But I wanted to teach them many things I learned from a year. But since they also have strong characters, I also felt I can’t lose too.

Ichinose: Although there is that one-year gap, we really feel we can’t lose too. Recently, when I saw the video of our new group announcement that we had at Akihabara Cultures Theater, and I was like, “oh no, maybe will be pushed away.”

– That sounds something new, of that feeling “can’t lose” as the experienced member. In fact, I have the impression that two of you are rather being in front more than getting pushed behind.

Koiso: We are really worried that they will get ahead of us!

Ichinose: It’s actually good for us that we’ve got to rethink about ourselves and what we want to be on stage.

– Not only the members, but there are more original songs. There are nine songs now?

Yamamoto: There were so many times to perform new songs at one-man live and it kind of piled up from there.

– How do you feel when you listen to the new song for the first time?

Onuma: I feel simply, good. It actually have that different accent to it when we actually sing.

Yamamoto: Accent, yes, definitely.

Onuma: There were more cool-type of songs recently, so I really want those cute kinds of songs. The cute song that we all can get excited to.

Koiso: How about writing songs on your own? (Laugh)

Onuma: “Smile to the Future!”

Koiso: No, not that. (Laugh)

s170121TGU-94

– Each and every one had their own year, and as of February 12th, there’s going to be the performance at Hatsudai the DOORS.

Yamamoto: That day will be my graduation, really the very last live concert. We always have been setting our goal for our one-man concert to be sold out, but we still haven’t achieved that goal. I really want to see Hatsudai the DOORS to be full.

– The start for Senkou was from the DOORS as well.

Yamamoto: Yes, we are going to be back!

Koiso: It’s something very emotional.

Onuma: This live concert’s set-list are made by the members. And we have been tweeting everyday with video announcements!

Koiso: Video’s so good. We can feel that it’s moving and talking! It’s fun to voice out “Please come!” and “It’s tomorrow!”

Ichinose: I’m just so excited that we get to do an even with our new group formation. Right now, we just want to think how we can make each and every venue full, with our current one-man concert and our usual performance. Last year, we have done our second one-man concert at Mt.RAINIER HALL and had our first performance as a new group formation Mt.RAINIER HALL too. We have started out new at our second performance there, so we hope we can perform at somewhere bigger, bigger than last year’s Shinjuku BLAZE. Since we have grown as a group, I’m hoping we can achieve something bigger.

Onuma: For us, we want our Hatsudai the DOORS to be sold-out. And we also want to contribute our skills improved from our individual activities to Senkou’s activity too. Since we are already 20. (Laugh)

Yamamoto: I currently am performing as an actor on stage, called “13 gatsu no Onnanoko.” I want people to see the non-idol part of me too, and I hope I can bring back achievements from that stage to Hatsudai.

– I think that Senkou Roadshow has that unique, non-idol-like characteristics to each and every one.

Onuma: I think everyone has unique personality.

Yamamoto: Every one really is unique. Our personality don’t really overlap each other.

Koiso: I think having uniqueness as a strength is good. We hope we can do our best with our individual activities too.

Ichinose: For palet, Yuichi-san acted in the movie, and Miyuccho-san on stage as well. We also want to challenge ourselves to do something new this year.

Koiso: I also want to cherish interactions with our fans too. Like a Bus tour!

Onuma: We also got to push ourselves not to lose.

Koiso: It’s on~

Ichinose: As group rival, we hope we can push each other for the best.

Koiso: That sounds good, let’s all work hard!!!

Two different groups with two different characters. On February 12 (Sunday), Senkou Roadshow will be performing at noon, and palet will be performing at night at Hatsudai The DOORS. We have felt each of their self-determination as the 2nd year member for their group. There might be fusion on stage with different members appearing from different group, that might cause the new chemical reaction to color their performance.

A day that we can feel the two, contrasting group, who are there to leave their footsteps. I am just looking forward to the fullest, for this day to come.


Photo Gallery






Author
Kenji Harada

The venerable Japanese word "kawaii" is not the adjective "cute"; it is just a word used to communicate the state of mind of feeling love for something.

Sponsored links
comments powered by Disqus