Juice=Juice Miyamoto Karin talks, "My rival is MoMusu.'14 Oda Sakura"

Juice=Juice Miyamoto Karin talks, "My rival is MoMusu.'14 Oda Sakura"

Juice=Juice's 3rd single 'Hadaka no Hadaka no Hadaka no Kiss / Are Kore Shitai!' went on sale on the 19th of March 2014.

In 2013, from their major debut up until they received the New Artist Award at the Japan Record Award, the girls had gone through a spectacular year. Juice=Juice is known as Hello!Pro's ultimate weapon and are proud of their ability to perform; what are they thinking of now, what do they have their eyes on? We'll listen to what Miyamoto Karin has to say.

 Please tell us about the new songs 'Hadaka no Hadaka no Hadaka no Kiss/ Are Kore Shitai!'. 'Hadaka no Hadaka no Hadaka no Kiss' is an impressive, exotic song with a Latin tempo provided by flamenco guitars.

I was surprised when I saw the title for the very first time, but when I listened to the song, I thought that this style of singing would be cool.  Since there aren't that many Latin tempo songs within Hello! Project's discography, I was really glad. But compared to the songs we've done up to now, the level of this song is way higher, so generally speaking, it was difficult.

Which part was difficult?

Since the song is relatively delicate, when it's being sung live, it's difficult to maintain the awareness to tie it all together, and you end up slipping out of rhythm. Also, it's easy to fumble at the part where I go, "Wearing clothes that reveal my cleavage, recognise the signs I'm giving out (Munamoto no aita fuku wo Kita Watashi no SAIN ni Kidzuite)"~. When we were doing the recording, we had to redo it countless times since I couldn't say it well.

The sexy, passionate lyrics are impressive, but wasn't it difficult to put your emotions into lyrics that have such a mature world view?

I really couldn't empathise at the very beginning. But, I tried imagining it in my mind, and while thinking of scenes I'd seen in movies, I thought, "Would it feel like this?" I think that the girl sung of in the song, she appears to be strong at first glance, but she's also going through these feelings of anxiousness,  "Why is it, I'm not being told by the other person that they like me?" In truth, aren't there weak parts hidden inside herself?

The dance and costumes are extremely sexy. Are there any particular points to look out in the performance?

I think the dance for this one is the most difficult among the songs that Juice=Juice has had up to now. It's a precise and bewitching dance, but if we slip up at the point where we raise our hands and clap, or mess up the timing when we have to draw circles with our hands, it no longer looks beautiful. On the other hand, there are a lot of times where the timing doesn't exactly match the moves for this song. Something like... the first person moves, then the following people, then the 3rd set of people. When those moves are pulled off precisely, it looks really cool. The choreography at the prelude is the highlight, we did our best to dance it stylishly!

For a complete change, 'Are Kore Shitai!' is a cute song.

 Though it felt like we were stretching ourselves for 'Hadaka no~', I think 'Are Kore~' presents life-sized versions of ourselves. We're also right at graduation season, it's a song that's packed with the atmosphere of graduation and being excited at beginning a new life. Since there are 3 of our members, including myself, who are graduating, I think that it's a song that just hits the spot for us at the moment.

With your major début last year, you made leaps and bounds throughout the year and received the Japan Record Award New Artist Award. What sort of activity does Juice=Juice have in their sights for this year?

 I our current goal is to have a tour by ourselves! There are parts where we're still insufficient, and though we still have to develop, I think that through experiencing a tour, we'll face all sorts of challenges, and we'll be able to develop. More than anything, we want to go and meet all of the fans!

Is there any place that you'd like to try going to?

 I'd like to try going to Ishikawa prefecture. It's the home town of our leader Miyazaki Yuka-chan. Leader has mentioned before, "It's kinda sad since it's rare for idols to come to Ishikawa prefecture," so I'd like to have a live performance at Leader's home town. Besides that, if we get to go to Okinawa on tour, I think I'd like to do a collaboration with 'Eisa'~. It's something I've witnessed before when I was small, and the intensity of the taiko was amazing! It would be great if that dream could come true someday.

You'll turn into a senior high student in the spring, is there anything you're looking forward to?

 Once I become a senior high school student, in the mornings, I'll make some time before going to school. Therefore, I have to wake up really early, and I'll be able to dance!

You'll wake up early in order to dance!?

 Yes! I love dancing in the morning. It's refreshing, and wakes me up (laughs). I wake up, I drink some water, and then I dance. It seems that it'll expend calories when done before you eat breakfast. I stick some film on the mirror in my room, for things like Juice=Juice's choreography or songs of the Hello! senpai, and dance to them, and I dance until I break some sweat (laughs).

In the mornings, you're unable to sing?

 Since your voice doesn't come forth in the mornings, suddenly singing could end up hurting the throat. When I sing, I gargle natural water for about 10 minutes before singing. It makes the soft palate become tender, and then I perform vocal exercises which make the flow of my voice better

In order to pull off a good performance, continuous dedication is important. Miyamoto-san has this image of being a stoic, hard worker; don't you feel like you want to play around more?

 Rather than playing around, I'd rather have more time to practice. I keep finding places where I'm still lacking. This, that, also the other thing... something like that (laughs). Watching the performances of the senpai, I'm definitely far from a match for them. There really is much more for me to do. I'd like it if Juice=Juice were the very best!

Is there anything you'd personally like to challenge yourself to do?

 I went to watch a musical the other day, and it felt like the scale of the performance was completely different. I think it was amazing how they were able to transmit their whooooo~~shing power to thousands of the guests. Watching that, I strongly felt that "I don't want this to come to an end." I was thinking that "I'd like to end up there too!!"

You're aiming to be a musical actress, is that it?

 No, no (laughs). Their acrobatics were amazing, and I thought, "I want to do it too!" Being able to do a backward somersault on stage was so cool. Though that isn't an unusual dream (laughs). Actually, there are acrobatic movements in our indies second single 'Samidare Bijou ga Samidareru,' and at the time the sensei asked, "You can't do backward somersaults or cartwheels?" We could barely do cartwheels, but it wasn't pretty when everyone performed it...... In the end, we ended up going for something jump-like, that was something that was extremely mortifying.

Not compromising on perfection is one of your principles.

 That isn't the case. I dislike things like clearing up my room, and usually I'm the slovenly type. My mother gets mad at me if I do nothing (laughs).

For Miyamoto-san, is there any member in the same generation that makes you think, "That girl is amazing", "I don't want to lose to that girl"

 Yu~p, my rival is Morning Musume. '14's Oda Sakura-chan. We're both the same age, and we both come from the same background of the Hello! Pro Kenshuusei. Even from when she was a Kenshuusei, her expressiveness when singing was amazing. It's not about winning or losing, I think I'd like to polish myself to that level of expressive power. Also, though Hello! Pro Kenshuusei Danbara Ruru-chan just just joined, but she's really good at singing! Though she's still in primary school, her voice is mature. I was surprised with how remarkable good she was, were I to compare with myself when I was in primary school, I'd be no match for her. But, with my feelings of wanting to surpass those two, I think I'd like to do vocal training every day.

Is there anyone you don't want to lose to from the dancing aspect?

 Sato Masaki-chan. Her sense of rhythm is extremely good, and even when she's singing, she doesn't slip out of rhythm. When it comes to the aspect of rhythmical sense, I want to work hard in order not to lose to Masaki-chan.

You'll be appearing in the 29th March 'HinaFes 2014 ~ Full Course~'. What sort of performance would you like to put on display?

 This time we'll be putting forward full performances of our songs. Among the fans of the other groups, I think that there may be those who'll only have listened to Juice=Juice's songs up to the 1st part, or people who have only glanced at our music videos. When they listen to our full songs up to the 2nd part, I think they'll make discoveries like, "This girl sang for the 1st part, but that girl is singing the 2nd part," and I think it would be great if at that time, something would start and we could firmly win them over .

For the solo song performances, unfortunately, no one from Juice=Juice was selected.

 It really was unfortunate. Everyone looked at the slips of paper saying that we had missed, and we talked about the fact that "We didn't have any luck..." But, I think that it's a sign from above that " We should focus on performing our own songs," so I think we have to do our best.

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