Since beginning their activities as Ever!BE Mayowanaide!! over a year ago, the charming duo made up of Natsukawa Aoba and Momoha Airi are moving forward after wrapping up their tour to promote their debut EP, #Ebimayo.

In the midst of the worlds current issues and its slow repair, both Aoba and Airi have continued to work hard as idols to create hope for their fans, whilst also taking on their own challenges as performers. Be it writing their own lyrics for the first time or preparing the choreography for their music, Ebimayo’s Aoba and Airi are starting a journey that will hopefully lead them to success the more they pursue this path they have undertaken.

Now after the successfully wrapping up their first CD release tour, Beyond Senpai were lucky enough to have a chat with the members of Ever!BE Mayowanaide!! to get to know the idols behind the music, and to find out what it was like working alongside the cute noodle loving mascot, Udon-Nou.

BS: Thank you very much for joining Beyond Senpai for this interview! Please introduce yourselves to the readers.

このインタビューのためにBeyond Senpaiに参加するためにありがとうございました！ 読者にあなた自身を紹介してください。

Aoba: I am the light blue mayonnaise ‘wanwan’ member, Natsukawa Aoba! I like the show ‘Okaasan to Issho’, and other anime. My smile is my charm point! It is nice to meet you.

夏川）水色マヨネーズわんわんっっ　夏川葵羽です！！！おかあさんといっしょという番組とアニメが好きです。笑顔がチャームポイントです！！！よろしくお願いします。

Airi: Today and tomorrow, I am your girlfriend❤️ I’m Momoha Airi and I love pigeons and seals. Please take care of me.

桃羽）今日も明日もあなたの彼女❤️鳩とアザラシが大好きな桃羽あいりです、よろしくお願いします。

BS: First of all, could you please tell us about the concept and theme of Ever! BE Mayowanaide!! ?

まず、Ever!BE 迷わないっ!!のコンセプトやテーマについて教えてください。

The concept is ‘Loose China’.
The music is mainly techno-pop.

コンセプトはゆるチャイナ
楽曲はテクノポップが中心です。

BS: Thank you very much for explaining the concept. Recently, Ever! BE Mayowanaide!! released their major debut single. Congratulations! How did you feel when the new single was completed?

どうもありがとうございました。先日、Ever!BE 迷わないっ!!がメジャーデビューシングルを発売しました。おめでとうございます。

ニューシングルが完成したときのお気持ちはいかがでしたか？

Aoba: I was worried about how it would turn out, but in the end I was happy that we were able to create a loose feeling that was unique to us, including in the way we sang.

夏川）どんな風に出来上がるか不安だったけど歌い方など含めて自分たちらしい緩い感じにできて嬉しかったです。

Airi: This is the first time that my own lyrics have been released into the world on a CD, not to mention that our voices can be heard together as well, so I was really happy.

桃羽）自分たちの声がCDになったことはもちろん、自分の作詞した曲が世に出るのは初めてのことだったので、本当に嬉しかったです。

BS: And you are both a part of the creative process for Ebimayo, right? Were you nervous about creating the lyrics and choreography for each song?

そして、お二人はえびまよの創作活動にも参加されていますよね。それぞれの曲の歌詞や振り付けを作るのは緊張しましたか？

Aoba: Rather than being nervous, I was actually worried because I had never choreographed before.

夏川）緊張というより作ったことがなかったので不安でした。

Airi: I wasn’t nervous. There were some difficulties of course, but I was able to write the lyrics rather freely.

桃羽）緊張はしなかったです。大変なところもありましたが割と自由に作詞できました。

BS: Can you tell me what the most challenging part about creating this single was?

今回のシングル制作で、最も苦労した点を教えてください。

Aoba: I was in charge of the choreography, so I had a hard time expressing the singing style in conjunction with that when we were in the process of making the CD. It was difficult to make myself sound inorganic.

夏川）私は振り付け担当なのでCD製作時は歌い方の表現に苦労しました。無機質な感じにするのが難しかったです。

Airi: The hardest part about writing the lyrics was trying to match the lyrics to our image. I didn’t want to write conventional lyrics, but I wanted to write lyrics that valued our uniqueness, so I had to think long and hard whilst writing them.

桃羽）作詞は自分たちのイメージに合った歌詞を書くということが大変でした。ありきたりな歌詞でなく、らしさを大切にしたかったので、頭フル回転させながら書きました。

BS: The single itself is very fun, and the lyrics were really interesting to read! Were they written from your own thoughts, feelings and experiences?

シングル自体がとても楽しく、歌詞もとても興味深く読ませていただきました。ご自身の考えや感情、経験をもとに書かれたものですか？

Airi: It’s not really based on my own experience, but there many parts that I wrote based on my imagination and what the two characters of ‘Ebimayo’ would think or do. Also, I wonder about what I would do myself in a situation like that.

桃羽）自分自身の経験、という訳では無いのですが、「えびまよっっ」の2人だったらどう思うかな、どうするかな、とか想像や妄想をもとに書いた部分が多いです。あと、こんな時私自身がどう思うかな、とか。

BS: There was also an opportunity to work alongside Udon-Nou for the first single! The song is really good, but can you tell us what it was like to work alongside such a cute character?

1stシングルでは、うどん脳と一緒に仕事をする機会もありました。曲はとても良いですが、このようなかわいいキャラクターと一緒に仕事をした感想を聞かせてください。

Aoba: I didn’t know about Udon-Nou beforehand, but I thought that his surreal cuteness was perfect for a collaboration with Ebimayo.I am happy that I was able to work alongside Udon-Nou, who is overwhelmingly well-known in Kagawa Prefecture. Also, he is so cute and very kind!

夏川）私はうどん脳ちゃんを知らなかったのですが、シュールなかわいさがえびまよっっがコラボさせてもらうにはピッタリだと思いました。香川での圧倒的知名度を持つうどん脳ちゃんと一緒にお仕事ができて嬉しかったです。あとめっちゃ可愛くて優しかった！

Airi: I’ve always loved local, prefecture based characters, and I have even met some of them through events I have attended, but Udon-Nou is like an idol to me, so I was really happy to finally meet him!

Truthfully I never thought that I would work with Udon-Nou, so when we began working together I was desperately trying to keep my smiling face in check (laughs).

桃羽）昔からご当地キャラが大好きで、イベントに参加したりしていたので会ったこともあったのですがうどん脳は私にとってはアイドルみたいな存在で、会えた時は嬉しくて嬉しくて仕方がなかったです！
まさか一緒にお仕事できるなんて思っていませんでした。お仕事中もにこにこを抑えるのに必死でした(笑)

BS: You also recently finished your tour to promote the single. Do you have any fun memories from the tour that you would like to share with us?

また、先日、シングルのプロモーションのためのツアーが終了しましたね。ツアーでの楽しい思い出があれば、教えてください。

Aoba: It was really hard to gather an audience in Tokyo, but it was really fun standing on stage with Udon-Nou while many people watched us perform in Kagawa Prefecture.

夏川）東京では集客には本当に苦労したけど、香川でたくさんの人が見てるなかでうどん脳ちゃんと一緒にステージに立てて楽しかったです。

Airi: I was happy that I could enjoy the live performances with the locals of Kagawa Prefecture. Also, the rice in Kagawa was delicious!

桃羽）地方のライブでは、現地の人と一緒に盛り上がれたのが嬉しかったです。あとご飯が美味しかったです！

BS: Ebimayo is just over a year old, and already you have both experienced so much. What has been your greatest achievement together so far?

えびまよつつは1年以上活動しています。 一緒に、あいりさんと葵羽さんはたくさん体験しています。あなたの最大の達成は何ですか？

Aoba: I don’t feel like I have achieved anything yet. I will continue to do my best to produce results with the new Ebimayo, which started with our one-man live.

夏川）まだ成果というものは感じていないです。ワンマンライブでスタートした新えびまよっっで成果を出すためにがんばります。

Airi: I haven’t reached the point where I can feel the results yet, either. The number of people that have seen us perform is still small, so I will do my best to get as many people to see us perform as possible!

桃羽）私も成果を感じるまでには達していないです。まだまだ見てくれる人の数は少ないので、これから沢山の人に見て貰えるようにがんばります！

BS: What currently motivates you both as idols?

現在、あいりさんと葵羽さんのアイドルとしてのモチベーションは何なのか？

Aoba: When the fans ask to see me, I feel like I can do my best.

夏川）ファンの方に求めてもらえた時もう少し頑張ろうって思えます。

Airi: It’s the fans who push me that motivate me.

桃羽）あいりを推してくれるファンの存在です。

BS: Do you have any plans for the future, such as a new single or performing on a bigger stage?

ニューシングルのリリースや、より大きなステージでの公演など、今後の予定はありますか？

There will be a guest appearance at Udon-Nou Expo, held on October 10th, 2021 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Udon-Nou.

It will be held at Takamatsu Symbol Tower.

The English title is:

UDONNOWW EXPO
AT TAKAMATSU SYMBOLTOWER

https://www.udonw.com/

うどん脳万博にゲスト出演します
2021年10月10日
うどん脳万博・うどん脳10周年記念
高松シンボルタワー

https://www.udonw.com/

BS: Before we end the interview, can you please recommend a song from your new single to the readers?

インタビューを終える前に、ニューシングルの中から読者におすすめの曲を教えてください。

Aoba: For me it’s ‘Yamiranian’. I want girls to hear this song.

It is a good song to listen to especially when you can’t sleep. If you like that cute and slightly poisonous worldview, then this song is definitely worth repeating.

夏川）ヤミラニアンです

女の子には聞いて欲しい

特に寝れないとき。可愛くてちょっと毒のある世界観が好きな人はリピート確定だと思います。

Airi: I like ‘Ko nodo Ibunshi-teki sekai’. I want people who don’t like to live in a conventional way to listen to this track. I feel like you will become stronger after listening to it.

桃羽）私は高濃度異分子的世界です。

型にハマった生き方を嫌う人に聴いて欲しいです。聴き終わったあとになんだか強くなれたような気がします。

BS: Thank you very much for your time! Please give a final word to the readers so that they can feel the ‘Ebimayo’ spirit, too!

お忙しい中、ありがとうございました。読者の皆さんにも「えびまよ精神」を感じていただけるよう、最後に一言お願いします。

Aoba: Just like when the air has been released from a balloon, you can experience the feeling of ‘Loose China’. Please love us loosely!!!

夏川）ゆるくチャイナ。風船の空気が抜けたときみたいな。まじめにゆるい私たちを好きになって下さい！！！

Airi: You’d better push us before we become popular♡♡

桃羽）人気になる前に推しといた方がいいよ♡♡

Beyond Senpai extend our thanks both Aoba and Airi of Ever!BE Mayowanaide!! for joining us in this interview!

You can check out and support the members of Ever!BE Mayowanaide via their official website and social media accounts.

Ebimayo Official Website
Ebimayo Official Twitter
Natsukawa Aoba Twitter
Momoha Airi Twitter

Udon-Nou Official Twitter
Udon-Nou Official Website

You can purchase #Ebimayo on CDJapan, and listen to it online via Spotify.

Interview by: Kelly
Edited by: Kelly