Nagahama Neru blog: The work of an idol

Random Thoughts,  205

Nagahama Neru
2017.06.03

Good evening~

There's a show I love.
It's NHK's "Job Discovery," in which
Entertainers try out different occupations.
It's not being broadcast now, however...

I watched it when I was in middle school,
And realized that
There were all kinds of work in the world
I had the vague feeling that they all were worth doing
But also had their disagreeable aspects.

"Ah, I want to go to work soon," I thought.

(Better to see this from an elementary- and middle-school point of view!!!)


Now it has somehow turned out
That I am working as an idol
(I'm intentionally presenting "idol" as an occupation.)

Although we today
Are not in the image I used to have of idols as
Beings above the clouds who may or may not exist.

Here in an age when all kinds of media are so developed,
Some kind of information is coming out every minute, every second.




There is no way that indirect media
Can present us 100% as we are.
 
And the distortions of reality
Are upsetting: "It's not really like that."
But sometimes even we don't want anyone to know our real selves.


Exposing one's true self
Can't help but make people feel disappointed, can it?
I'm always being driven toward that feeling of doubt.

It's hard being an idol people get to meet,
I sometimes think.


But my enjoyment at meeting everyone and doing this work
Is a hundred times -- no, ten thousand times -- greater.

The thing that makes idol work worth doing
Is definitely all of you.

"Because of Keyakizaka I studied harder."
"Listening to your songs makes me happy." And so on.

Everyone's feelings of that kind.

Because there is a place where you come to meet us,
We have a luxurious abundance of opportunity to hear your voices directly.
It's impertinent to say so, but you lift our spirits.


Of course, there are people who don't come to handshake events and concerts,
But support us from their homes
Your thoughts can reach us, too. ( ⸝⸝⸝･_･⸝⸝⸝ )



It's not just singing and dancing,
It's variety programs and acting, literary work,
Fashion work, traditional arts, etc.

They are all things that are beyond me,
But I have been given many different things to do
And I feel both gratitude and pride.

I love the work of what's called an "idol."



I can't do anything,
And yet the adults around me have given me these dream-like experiences,
And all of you watch us and support us.

From the bottom of my heart, I thank everyone.

My parents included, of course ( ˆ ˆ )



Even I myself don't know the real Nagahama Neru,
So I guess I'll just work hard at being Keyakizaka46's Nagahama Neru.

I'll do more and more kinds of work,
And speak with all sorts of people.



Turning 19 is just ahead of me.
When the future me looks at the present me, she will definitely feel regret.
"She should have worked harder."
"She should have had more fun."

I think about these things.


But I want to praise the 16-year-old me who took the auditions:
She made a brave decision!

Because the circumstances of my entering the group caused everyone so much trouble,
I can't say much about the 17-year-old me...



The auditions have begun
For adding new members to Hiragana Keyaki.

I think any reason to take them is a good one.
Even just going with the flow.

From my heart, I am waiting for all of you.
I think you will have many wonderful encounters.
It is an extremely enjoyable occupation.

Unbelievably lovely light.

This got a bit too long. And hard to read.

Truly, I thank you very much for reading.

Nagahama Neru
_____________________________________________________________ 170603  22:33h

I added the first photo, which is from a few months ago. I thought it showed Neru in a very alive moment, taking interest in things around her even as she was posing for a photo. The "beautiful light" photo is from backstage at the Christmas One-Man Lives, shooting through one of those fans to see the many Keyakizaka46 green penlights of the audience (and not a few of Neru's own purple lights).

This post is an excellent way of presenting idol work to those who might be considering entering the auditions.

Here's the original post. I'm not perfectly sure of some of the translation, particularly translating 勢い as "going with the flow." This is one of Neru's longer and more complicated posts. She is thinking fairly deeply about being an idol. "Even I don't know the real me, so I'll just work hard at being the me of Keyakizaka46." This may be true of most of us: there may not even be a "real self," apart from the selves we create as we live in the world.

Neru will turn 19 on September 4th. 

This belongs here -- the TV ad for the Hiragana auditions, narrated by Neru:




There is strong positive reaction to this post (posted about six hours ago now) on 2channel and Twitter. People say they cried reading it.