Interview with Endo Riko - BUBKA June 2023 edition

Interview with Endo Riko: Rebellious period in full swing

ーEndo-san, what kind of child were you?
Endo: I used to play tag and hide-and-seek with my good friends outside, but basically I was shy (laughs).

-You said that you were a child who didn't smile, was that true?
Endo: It might be misleading to say "a child who doesn't smile". I can usually smile in front of my family and close friends, but because I'm shy, people in class thought of me as a "quiet child," and I got the impression that I didn't smile.

ーDid you go to every lesson?
Endo: I quit piano, English conversation school, basketball, Kumon, and swimming school as soon as I entered kindergarten (laughs).

ーDid you say that you wanted to learn the piano yourself?
Endo: My older brother and sister were taking lessons, so I asked them, "I want to do it too." When I was little, I used to imitate my older sister.

ーMr. Endo, did you admire your older sister?
Endo: Yes. It's embarrassing (laughs).

ーWhat do you like about your sister?
Endo: I like how hardworking she is. She can play the piano and guitar, sing well, and studied hard in high school.

ーHave you ever thought that you don't like being compared to your older sister?
Endo: It wasn't like that. Unlike me, my sister is not shy, so I always thought it must be nice.

ーDid you overcome your shyness when you became a junior high school student?
Endo: I may not be able to overcome it, but I've become more cheerful and talkative than when I was in elementary school.

- Please tell us how you started speaking.
Endo: I became interested in idols when she was in the first year of junior high school. Because of my older brother's influence, when I started watching idols, everyone was sparkling and they became someone I looked up to. I wanted to be like that, so I became a talker.

ーDid you talk about idols with your classmates?
Endo: There weren't many people around me who liked idols, so I kept it to myself.

ーWho was your favorite idol back then?
Endo: Of Nogizaka46, I especially liked Saito Asuka. I admired not only the beauty of dance, but also the fact that she had a core that was not swayed by others.

ーWas Endo the one who was swept away?
Endo: I keep getting washed away (laughs). Like Asuka-san, I want to be someone who doesn't get carried away.

ーPlease tell us how you met Sakurazaka46 or Keyakizaka46.
Endo: Nogizaka46-san got me to know about the Sakamichi series group. During that time, I naturally became attracted to Sakurazaka46's performance.

ーPlease tell us why you decided to audition for Sakurazaka46.
Endo: When I saw the documentary film, I began to admire the way people gave courage and energy to others through their performances even in the harshest of circumstances. Isn't it amazing how they can make other people feel positive even though they definitely having a hard time themselves?

- Did your mother agree to become an idol?
Endo: my mother also admired the world of performing arts, so she kindly accepted. However, my father objected, saying, "The entertainment world is a steep road for me...". I think he wanted me to havea stable job.

-Do you talk a lot with your mother?
Endo: No, I'm not talking, or rather, I don't want to talk.

-Are you in a rebellious phase?
Endo: Well, that's how it feels (laughs). I'm not the type to talk in depth, but I don't talk much. It's embarrassing to talk about nonsense (laughs). She let me talk and I'm sorry I'm stuck (laughs).

ーHow did you feel standing in front of the fans at the “omotenashikai”?
Endo: Before the performance started, everyone formed a circle and shouted in their own voices, and I was surprised to hear a huge cheer from the audience. When the live started, the scenery dyed with penlights that we could see from the stage was really beautiful, and I was so happy that there were so many people who welcomed us!

ーPlease tell us the song that left an impression on you during the live performance of “Omotenashikai”.
Endo: "BAN" left an impression on me. We worked hard to understand the meaning of the lyrics in our own way during the training camp, so I have a deep affection for "BAN." At the time of the training camp, I practiced with the goal of ``to get the MV'', but when I performed it for the fans for the first time at the Omotenashikai, I realized that this is what it means to deliver the song.

ーWhat kind of idol do you want to be, Endo-san?
Endo: I want to become an attractive person who admired by someone because I can be a little brighter and changed myself by admiring idols. Even after joining Sakurazaka46, things have changed. At school, I was the type to worry about how others looked at me, and I was afraid of being hated. But now I am able to express my feelings. Thanks to the kind members.