(TRANSLATION) Airi Suzuki - "No matter what people say, I think it's a good thing to know yourself the best." (June 2021)

Airi Suzuki has been interviewed by Real Sound for her appearance in AbemaTV's drama "Black Cinderella". There are many questions she was already asked in previous interviews that I've skipped, and I kept the most interesting ones.

Link to the original article
文・取材＝Nana Numoto、写真＝池村隆司

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Q. Your character Rui has experienced painful feelings in the past. Incidentally, in your career so far, have you ever accomplished something great and then suffered the repercussions in the same way?

Airi : I've been in this industry since I was in the second grade of elementary school, and at first I entered the entertainment world because I just loved to sing. But there are good things about doing what you love as a career, and there are also times when it is hard to be appreciated by others. There were many times when I wanted to quit, scared to come to hate singing even though I loved that deeply. It was hard, but I overcame it. Rather than feeling "I hate everything", I think Rui's character got tired of continuing to shine. I think it's very difficult to keep shining since high school. Although my environment is different from  hers, I understand that kind of unique pain. Also I felt in resonance with her as I know how it is to be positive when you've experienced negative experiences.

Q. The positivity that comes from overcoming challenges is a little different from just being a cheerful person, isn't it?

Airi : We talked about it when we were reading the script. There is a difference in the sense of positivity between people who are completely positive and those who have experienced negativity once. I was very happy to have this role because it was something that I had also felt. It became a place where I could act as myself.

Q: In "Black Cinderella", there is a message about appearances. In your career as an idol, you probably couldn't separate yourself from dealing with your appearance.

Airi : I was a member of Hello! Project, and there was a rule that children in junior high school and older had to do their own makeup. After I was in high school, I started to be able to express "this is how I want to be" in music videos and other productions. When I changed my make-up, some fans would say, "You've become really cute lately," and I could see their reactions. On the other hand, when I changed my hairstyle, some people would say, "I liked it better before". I did worry about that, but I think it's not a bad thing. Being able to listen to the opinions of people who are looking at you objectively is a good thing, so I am personally grateful for that.

But there are members who worry too much about it, and I think they need to find some balance. Recently, I've finally gotten used to the way my face looks when it's made up by someone other than myself in beauty and fashion magazines. When I was an idol, I used to self-produce myself. At first, I was afraid of what people would say about me, so it was hard to change, but now I'm finally able to admit that I'm doing what I want to do because I think it's healthy for me to evolve and be myself. It's so difficult to face these things at such a young age, but I've finally been able to find the keys. The battle against your complexes comes with age, but I believe that makeup and fashion can help you in a good way. I think the healthiest and happiest way to live is to look the way you feel is right for you. No matter what people say, I think it's a good thing to know yourself the best.