Interview: Jin Akanishi Press conference
オリ☆スタ(Ori-suta) 28/02/2011, No8-1578 translated by momoedgewood@wordpress
Q: I would like to ask you, Akanishi-kun, to make the announcement.
Akanishi: My first single to be released in the US has been decided.
Q: You look like the President today.
Akanishi: Yeah, isn’t it amazing!
Q: It is amazing. Were you the stage director today, Akanishi-san?
Akanishi: No (laughs). Um, they were the ones who got it together for me. It…feels good.
Q: (laughs) Surely you must be having some sentimental feelings about your first single, but you’ve also been able to meet a very special person, is that right.
Akanishi: Ohh, yes. I’m hoping to release an album by autumn though. But while I was choosing songs for it, the guys at Warner gave me a demo song to listen to, and we talked about it, and chose Jason Derulo’s song. Then he said he liked it after listening to a recording.
Q: What’s the song like?
Akanishi: We’re still making it and I think there’ll be a few changes on the way so I can’t say too much…but it’s probably going to be a pop song. I’m working with a producer called J.R. Rotem at the moment too.
Q: So it is a collaboration.
Akanishi: It’ll be a collaboration between Jason Derulo and me.
Q: I understand your dreams are coming true one at a time now, but did you ever imagine it going this smoothly?
Akanishi: I feel like I’ve been working towards this, or that I happened to end up here.
Q: Is it beginning to be all you had hoped for?
Akanishi: I want to work in places all across the world so I feel like I’m taking the first step.
Q: Your first step.
Akanishi: My first step.
Q: What did you think of Jason’s work? He’s amazing isn’t he.
Akanishi: I didn’t know he was 21, I thought he was older than me so when I heard he was 21 I was like, “what!”. And he was a nice guy in person too so…it was a double surprise for me (laughs).
Q: No third surprise?
Akanishi: I think my third surprise is coming soon.
Q: Did you get along with him?
Akanishi: It was okay. We talked about things.
Q: I’ve noticed everyone is “J” something.
Akanishi: J.R. Rotem, Jason, Jin…oh right.
Q: And Johnny-san.
Akanishi: Oh yeah, and Johnny-san. That’s right.
Q: You went on exchange for six months but were you able to learn a lot of English?
Akanishi: The same as everybody else I think.
Q: How did you study?
Akanishi: Talk. As much as possible! And ask when I didn’t get something.
Q: What’s your advice when it comes to studying.
Akanishi: Ehhh! You’re asking the wrong person. I’m the one who’d like to know if there’s a good way of studying.
Q: Where will be your home now?
Akanishi: I’m not sure at all. My schedule gets planned at short notice. But I’d like to stay at the place where I’m working, and then go home to Japan…something like that.
Q: So you will work in Japan too.
Akanishi: Japan is my foundation so, yes.
Q: Now, Kis-My-Ft2 who used to be back dancers for KAT-TUN just got news about their debut…
Akanishi: Ooh! I heard about that. I heard about it!! I heard about it just before.
Q: They got told during their concert yesterday, but what did you think?
Akanishi: Oh yes. We were just talking about how good it was.
Q: If you could say something?
Akanishi: I’ve got nothing to say (laughs).
Q: Whereas KAT-TUN took five years (from their formation) to debut, Kis-My-Ft2 took seven. It’s the longest period a group’s been in Jr. before their debut.
Akanishi: Oh, the number of years they were in Jr. Ohhhhh. (extended silence) What!?
Q: (laughs) But being in Jr. for five years must’ve been tough.
Akanishi: I mean, we never thought of things like that…like debuting.
Q: If you could send them a congratulations message.
Akanishi: Congratulations…actually, I think I’ll call Kitajima since I know him quite well. I happened to talk to him yesterday but he didn’t mention anything about it. Then I heard about the news before and I was like, “whaaat”. Oh, wait, it wasn’t yesterday, it was the day before yesterday.
Q: They got given an envelope on stage that had a letter inside saying they were going to debut. Apparently they had no idea until that moment.
Akanishi: That’s Johnny’s entertainment for you (laughs).
Q: Who do you want to thank right now?
Akanishi: Everyone. Of course my fans, staff, family, friends. Everyone.
Q: Can you send them all a message, please.
Akanishi: Ummm, please continue to support me in the future!
rest @ source
source/translation by: MOMOEDGEWOOD@WORDPRESS