Nakae Yuri: No longer a stand-in, I'll be taking over (LoGiRL)

As part of LoGiRL's 2016 feature on Tokyo Joshiryu, they had solo interviews with each of the girls. The interviews have the girls looking back on their tumultuous 2015 - in which they declared that they were 'artistes', and lost member Konishi Ayano - as well as touching on their thoughts about the future.

Here are some translated excerpts from Nakae Yuri's solo interview.

2015 was a year where Tokyo Joshiryu went through all sorts of incidents. Let's start first with your (5th January) 'Artiste declaration'.

While starting off the year with that announcement on Ustream must have been a huge shock for the fans, it was a huge shock to us members as well. At the very start, I felt like 'What's up with this?'

And what did you mean by 'what's up with this?'

It's not like we'd declared that 'We are idols' before that, so I was questioning if there was any need to expressly make such a declaration. The way we'd been going, there wouldn't have been any problems if we were seen as idols, nor would there have been any problems if we were thought of as artistes. I'd be happy if people thought of us as artistes in the future, but to expressly make such a declaration, it kind of leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Our first music ~ Tokyo Girls' Style talks about memorable spring songs~

Music and Tokyo Girls' Style

──What got all of you first interested in music and singing？

Shoji Mei　I've enjoyed dancing ever since I was small、 I would listen to songs until the very end in order to dance to them。 I never really paid attention to singing until I entered TGS （laughs）。 Ever since I started with TGS activities、 I've taken the initiative to listen to music、 and watch music programmes。

Nakae Yuri　Just like Mei, I enjoyed dancing since I was small as well、 I danced following the rhythm of the music、 feeling the flow of the rhythm with only my body。 I started getting interested in singing when I sang as TGS。

Arai Hitomi　It started with my grandmother （laughs）。 My grandma taught me nursery rhymes、 and we sung them together。

Konishi Ayano　Even before I was aware of things, I was dancing and singing in front of the television。 I've always yearned to be a singer。 I've been singing ever since I could stand。

Yamabe Miyu　The only one who wanted to become a singer was Ayano （laughs）。 When I joined Avex in my 5th year of primary school、 my ambitions at the time were to become a model or an actress。 I was strongly aware that I wasn't good at dancing nor singing、 and it was tough when I was just starting out with TGS、 but my interest in music gradually surged as we continued on with our activities。 It's thanks to TGS that I came to like music。

Tokyo Girls' Style on Konishi Ayano's graduation

Below are translations of the blog posts from the Tokyo Girls' Style members upon the announcement of Konishi Ayano's graduation.

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Yamabe Miyu blog: To everyone who has always been cheering us on

It's been officially announced
That our member Konishi Ayano
Who has been working together with us since we made our debut
Will be graduating from Tokyo Girls' Style
And retiring from the world of entertainment.

 While Ayano was taking a break,
 The members and staff continued on with activities
 Thinking that Ayano would return
 That we wanted Ayano to return.

Time and time again
She discussed it with the members and the staff
But it ended up with Ayano no longer being with us
And we truly feel that it is inexcusable
To everyone who has always been cheering us on

Even for us, who discussed it over with Ayano
We're filled with sadness
But we didn't want Tokyo Girls' Style to end just here
So us members
Would like to still work hard as Tokyo Girls' Style

All of us think
That it's truly heartbreaking
But the 4 of us will still be doing our best
And be continuing with activities
So that we'll be able to
Stand once again on the Nippon Budokan stage
And thus, we beg for your kindness from now on as well

Tokyo Girls' Style Yamabe Miyu