Hamaura Ayano
Interview
(note: this interview was done by a manager for Hello Pro Kenshuusei who has managed Hamaura for most of her time in KSS/Eggs)
-First Part-
Hamaura: I'm in your care
- Who were your senpai when you first joined the Hello Pro Eggs (Kenshuusei)?
Hamaura: Like, Takeuchi Akari-san, Miyamoto Karin-chan and Takagi Sayuki-chan and Katsuta Rina-san and Kudou-san and...
- What was the atmosphere like when you joined the Hello Pro Eggs?
Hamaura: It was tense (lol) like, a scary feeling, completely silent in the dressing rooms. (lol) My senpai were scary!
- You had two others who joined at the same time...?
Hamaura: Mmm... I didn't really talk to them.
- With whom were you closest?
Hamaura: Tagucchi
- What memories do you have of the event at your first live at Shiodome AX?
Hamaura: At that time I didn't know anything, and didn't even know any of the greetings. I thought people would be looking at their pamphlets and be like, "Who is that?"
- What thoughts do you have from your first time on stage?
Hamaura: It felt like there were so many people there, and so I couldn't really think of much of anything. I was nervous, and like, "Where should I be looking?"
Miyamoto Karin-chan came to talk to me.
- In her high voice?
Hamaura: (lol) Yeah!
- And then you started a full slate of lessons...
Hamaura: I wasn't really conscious of things, and I would go to the lessons, and songs and such... Um, since I didn't know how to follow the rhythms, they taught that to me as well.
- What was the idol image you aimed for at that time?
Hamaura: I wanted to shine like Morning Musume-san.
- What made you aim to become an idol?
Hamaura: On TV I saw that they were holding 9th gen auditions for Morning Musume, and so I thought that was a chance and auditioned.
- What do you remember from the first time you were chosen for a challenge act?
Hamaura: I was happy, but since the level of Karin-chan and such was so high, I was worried whether I'd be able to follow them. And so, I worked hard with Taguchi to be able to get to know our senpai.
- In contrast, how did you feel when you weren't chosen?
Hamaura: Seeing my contemporaries get chosen, but not me, was very frustrating.
- What about when you got your first original song?
Hamaura: Mmm... there were so many first-time things, so I didn't know what to do very well.
- For example?
Hamaura: When we got our first choreography and such, I would be like dancing the wrong direction, and didn't know what I was doing.
- How about now?
Hamaura: I've properly been doing the things YOSHIKO-sensei taught me, and work hard so that girls from their homes can watch the videos and memorize it as well.
- How did you feel when even though you'd gotten to the finals of the Morning Musume 11th gen auditions, you didn't pass?
Hamaura: I was incredibly bad at singing at that time, and so though I wanted to pass, for the member that did I was like, "I knew it", and after I got the call about it I quickly called Makino Maria and we empathized with each other about not passing.
- Why didn't you go to the celebration for Oda Sakura passing the audition?
Hamaura: Mmm... I was frustrated, and didn't want to see her. (lol)
- How did you recover yourself after that shock?
Hamaura: Since I really felt that at the time of the 11th gen auditions my singing wasn't good, I worked really hard so that I'd become a better singer.
- After that, Juice=Juice was formed. What were your feelings when the names of the chosen members were read?
Hamaura: When listening to it I was wondering who had been chosen, and thought that those who had been at the Osaka performance would be chosen since it was a smaller number of members then usual. So I wondered if I had been chosen.
- But in the end you weren't chosen...
Hamaura: It was incredibly frustrating, but once Juice=Juice started being active I saw how each of them had such good points so wondered that if I had been with them, would I have been good enough.
- What are your honest feelings about it?
Hamaura: It was tough seeing my kouhai debut.
- Through all that, how did you maintain your motivation?
Hamaura: (begins tearing up) Mmm.... Every time I sing these songs I feel like I become a bit better, and so while I'm becoming better and having concerts, the fans keep supporting me. (starts crying) And so I felt like continuing to work hard. I kept following Juice=Juice and thought how they after all were working so hard, so wanted to work hard myself as well. So I tried to be happy with what I had and do my best.
As I thought, my skill level is still low, and I figured I still had to work to improve it.
- Though after that you were saying, "I'll become center for the Kenshuusei!!"
Hamaura: I started wanting to be able to pull the Kenshuusei along just like Miyamoto Karin-chan had. Everyone... um... all my senpai started disappearing, and I ended up at the top... (can't completely catch what she says her through her crying, but I think it's about how she had to keep being the best she could)
- Without keeping your worries just to yourself, keep joining forces with your generation mate Taguchi and working hard, okay.
Hamaura: Yeah.