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4 Idols Came Armed with Something Completely Different: IDOL NEWSING LIVE 1.5 Report
全く違う物を武器にした4組のアイドルが集結：IDOL NEWSING LIVE 1.5レポート
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Nice to meet you, I’m Rika Mizuki. A long time ago I was an idol for around 5 years, and since about a year ago I’ve been working as a photographer focused on shooting idols. Recently I’ve been taking shots of idol CD jackets, and despite quitting the idol business, I’ve actively continued to be involved with idols. I plan to publish a photo book in August, and have been working hard on it day after day.
初めまして美月リカです。私は大昔に5年程アイドルをしていて、1年前からアイドルを中心に女の子を撮るフォトグラファーをしています。最近ではアイドルのCDジャケットの撮影をしたり、アイドルを辞めた今も積極的にアイドルに関わり続けています。8月には写真集も出版される予定で日々邁進しています。
When I was doing idol concerts, and even appearing at them now, I observed many things. Although originally I became an idol without any dislike for idols, I came to know how amazing they are through attending their concerts, and so I thought I would write a report taking an advantage of my own backbone, that no one other than me could write.
アイドルのライブは自分がやっていた時、そして今現在自分で足を運んで、色々と見てきました。元々アイドルが好きでもなんでもなく自分がアイドルをしてアイドルの凄さを知ってライブに足を運ぶ様になったので、私は自分のバックボーンを活かした自分にしか書けないレポートを書けたらと思っています。
That’s the reason I went to the IDOL NEWSING sponsored event held on April 12th, IDOL NEWSING LIVE 1.5. Even though it was held at Daikanyama LOOP in the middle of the afternoon, it was completely filled to capacity with 300 people! Although advance tickets had sold out, people there were rows lined up for a scant number of day of tickets that had been announced.For this event four groups of idols were performing, but because it hardly ever happens that different styles of idols come together for an event like this, I was just as much looking forward to it as the full live house audience.
そんな訳で今回は、4月12日に開催されたIDOL NEWSING主催のイベント「IDOL NEWSING LIVE 1.5」に行ってきました。会場の代官山LOOPはお昼前という時間なのに300人のキャパが超満員！ 前売り券もソールドアウトということで、若干数が出るとアナウンスされていた当日券に並ぶ列も。今回は４組のアイドルが出演していたのですが、こんなにも違う趣向のアイドルが一つに纏まっているイベントもなかなかないので、満員のお客さん達同様、私も楽しみにしていました。
Top batter, Rinne Yoshida, started things off.
Although had known and been paying attention to her name and visuals since way before, it was my first time seeing her on stage. In a word, I was completely floored by her. At only 14 years of age, she hides an unwavering strength as a singer and charismatic nature. She’s like a Japanese Matilda (or quite the personality double of Natalie Portman from the film Leon) with handsome looks, and appearing to be very adult-like from an angle, yet angelic and charming from head on. Much like a kaleidoscope that changes with every second, under her ephemeral impression she retains an image of unbalance in every way. Aware this was a concert of the battle of the bands, her MC was amazingly good.
まずトップバッターは吉田凜音。
名前とビジュアルだけは前々から知っていて注目していたのですが、今回ステージを見るのは初めて。結論から言うと凄まじい衝撃が走りました。14歳という若さの中に秘める揺るぎない歌唱力とカリスマ性。和製マチルダ（映画「レオン」のナタリーポートマン。個人的にかなりダブる）の様な端正な顔立ちとスタイルは見る角度でめちゃくちゃ大人っぽい、なのに正面から見るとまだまだあどけなく愛らしい。万華鏡の様に1秒1秒変わって行く、そんな刹那的な印象の中で全てがアンバランスなイメージを持ちました。対バンライブを意識したMCも凄く良かったです。
I wondered if her un-staged talent, visible upon first glance, was her own genius, and think that if she had that girlfriend charm and focused more on major status, she could be a diva just singing genre songs, but considering how all the grown ups had intentionally chosen songs that, “only a 14 year old girl now could sing,” her staff understood her very well considering the long term, and was moved by their support. To say it bluntly, that we’re at a period where this girl walking around like that stage while working as an idol, a “real” girl, could actually and repeatedly do concerts in such close range, is nothing short of a miracle. Without any hesitation, I ask you by all means to please go see one of Rinne’s concerts.
初見を置いていかないステージングが彼女の才能なのだろうなあと思うのですが、彼女ほどの実力があればもっとメジャーな層を意識したジャンルの曲などを歌ってもサマになると思うのですが「今、14歳の彼女にしか歌えない歌」を大人たちが意図的に選曲している気がして、スタッフさん達も彼女の事を長い目でとても理解しているんだろうなと背景にまで感動。乱暴な言い方するとそこら辺を歩いてる様な女の子がアイドルやってる時代でこういう「本物」の女の子が地道に、まだこの至近距離でのライブを重ねているのは奇跡だと思います。迷ってる暇ないです、是非皆さん凜音ちゃんのライブに足を運んでみてください。
Up second was Maison book girl.
This was there first concert since new member Rin Wada joined the group. Wearing glasses with their neat black hair in half-dos, the girls stepped out looking like the THE LITERATURE GIRLS that always spend time alone by the library window reading, and further solidified more than ever the book girl image of their namesake.
2番手はMaison book girl。
ブクガは新メンバーの和田輪の加入から初のライブ。眼鏡で清楚な黒髪のハーフアップ、まるで図書館の窓際でいつも一人ぼっちで本を読んでいる様な「THE文学少女」な出で立ちの彼女が入って、より一層、ブックガールという名前の印象が強くなりました。
Although it was their usual solid performance, their vocal quality was higher than ever before, and it felt like the second to none worlds in their songs, created by producer Kenta Sakurai, really came together. It was a stage that makes me highly anticipate what they’ll do next. While I was watching book girl’s concert, all I could think about was how I had never seen anything like it from any other idol. I was allowed to stay during their after performance sales, and as one would expect their CDs sold even without a handshake ticket.
肝心のパフォーマンスなのですが、今までより声質が高めになりプロデューサーのサクライケンタの作る唯一無二な曲たちの世界観が纏まった感じが。今後に期待を感じさせるステージ。ブクガのライブを見るたびに他のアイドルで見た事ないなあと思う事だらけです。終演後、お願いして物販に立たせて頂きましたが、接触券のついていないCDが売れていくのも流石。
Next was BELLRING Shoujo Heart (BELLRING Girls Heart).
The air radically changed as soon as they took the stage, and not just because of how long we waited. It was my first time seeing them since adding new members, and I already felt their presence in a way that made me want to shout out how great the members that joined are~! Every time I see the group perform, it’s with a sense of ecstasy and treachery, and with their new line-up they come off even more polished. Even though their black feathers under the red spotlight and the yell-like calls from the guys in the audience fit the idol concert of the battle of the bands well, their set finished without any member introductions or MC. The group didn’t leave the audience in a disagreeable mood. They were completely cool.
そして、BELLRING少女ハート。
待ってましたと言わんばかりに、ベルハーの登場で空気ががらりと変わる会場。新メンバー加入後に見るのは初めてでしたが、良いメンバー達入ったなあ～！と叫びたくなるほど既に存在感が。いつ見てもベルハーのステージは「恍惚感」と「堕落」を感じるのですが、新体制になってさらに磨きがかかった様に思います。黒い羽根に赤いスポットライト、そして男達の叫び声の様なコールがよく似合う「アイドル」は対バンライブだというのに自己紹介とMC無しでステージを終えていきました。そこにいけすかなさを感じさせないのがベルハー。純粋にカッコ良かったです。
Last was Idol Renaissance.
Fascinating like an intense light, the royal idols were the last to appear. In contrast to how BELLING Shoujo Heart dressed in all black, Idol Renaissance’s pure white look, with their songs and performance, was completely the opposite. Their singing and dancing could compete with any idol in the media forefront. Contrary to BELLING Shoujo Heart who gave the impression of fighting something unseen, Idol Renaissance steadily fought something we could visualize right in front of us. I can’t say which was better, but as for me personally having sang and danced in the past, Idol Renaissance’s performance was easily the one that moved me the most that day. You didn’t have to imagine the amount of effort that went into their staging quality; you could see it. The girls’ effort was priceless and shone so clearly that I couldn’t take my eyes off of them for even a second.
最後はアイドルネッサンス。
溢れんばかりの「光」を魅せてくれる王道アイドルがトリで登場。全身真っ黒のベルハーに対して全身真っ白のアイドルネッサンスは曲やパフォーマンスもベルハーと真反対。メディアの第一線で活躍するアイドルに負けないレベルの歌唱力にダンス。目に見えない部分で戦っている印象を受けるベルハーと相反して、アイドルネッサンスはしっかり私たちの目に見えるもので真っ正面から勝負をかけてくる。どちらが良いかなんて答えないのですが、私は個人的に自分が昔歌って踊っていたので純粋にアイドルネッサンスのパフォーマンスにこの日一番感動しました。あのクオリティのステージングにどれだけの努力があるかが想像ではなくわかるからです。その彼女達の頑張りが尊くてキラキラ輝いて一瞬も目を離せずにいました。
Idol Renaissance included an introduction of a “Meikyoku Renaissance” (“Hit Song Renaissance”), and all of the songs they chose were great. It appears this was their first time to appear last in a battle of the bands concert, but the highlight was the way they were consistent throughout their performance and the ‘encorenaissance’ until the end. Their carefree smiles over made-up expressions were enigmatic, and not only was the quality high, indicated the presence of each girl armed with her own weapon, as a group full of reaffirming hope.
アイドルネッサンスは「名曲ルネッサンス」と称してカバー曲を披露するのですがその曲目のチョイスもとても良いものばかりです。対バンライブでトリをつとめるのは今回が初めてだったそうですが圧巻のパフォーマンスでしっかりアンコールネッサンスまで最後をしめていました。計算された表情ではなく屈託のない笑顔も魅力的で、ただクオリティが高いだけではなく、それこそが彼女たちの武器でありアイドルという存在の指標なんだなと再確認させてくれる希望に満ち溢れたグループでした。
Rinne who shined full of genuine, real talent, Maison book girl, who walks their own unique path and showed us a world not expressed by any other group, BELLRING Shoujo Heart, who breaks apart the concept of what an idol is, and Idol Renaissance, who restores the idol existence. These four groups came together armed in completely different ways for IDOL NEWS ING vol.2. I feel that this event gave a true glimpse of the epitome of diversity within the Japanese idol scene.
稀有な本物の才能で輝く吉田凜音、完全に独自の道を歩み他グループにない世界観を見せるMaison book girl、アイドルの概念を破壊するBELLING少女ハート、そしてアイドルの存在を再生するアイドルネッサンス。全く違う物を武器にした4組のアイドルの集まったIDOL NEWS ING vol.2。このイベントに、多様化する今の日本のアイドルシーンの縮図を垣間見た気がします。
Related links
Rinne Yoshida Official Site : http://www.5project.co.jp/rinne/
Maison book girl Official Site : http://www.maisonbookgirl.com/
BELLING Shoujo Heart Official Site : http://bellringgirlsheart.com/?aid=335
Idol Renaissance Official Site : http://idolrenaissance.com/
Idol Newsing Official Site : http://idolnewsing.com/
Rika Miduki Twitter : https://twitter.com/miduki_rika
Translated by Jamie Koide
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Rika Miduki
Former idol and now photographer taking pictures of girls, especially idols. She believes that the only way for world peace is to make more girls happier. Twitter : https://twitter.com/miduki_rika
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