White Scorpion Serialization: Final Episode – Aoi’s Dream Begins at Last

After a six-month audition process called the “IDOL3.0 PROJECT” starting in April 2023, the idol group “WHITE SCORPION,” produced by Yasushi Akimoto, was formed.

They made their debut on December 7th, 2023, with the digital single “Gaze Sniper.” Releasing a new song every month, they dropped their 4th digital single, “Loneliness in the Crowd,” on March 7th, and their 5th digital single, “Satisfaction Graffiti,” on April 7th.

In this special series, we delve into their personal lives.

For the final installment of the series, in the 11th edition, we present a long interview with AOI!

Heart Captivated by =LOVE Music Videos, Aspiring to Become an Idol

── What kind of girl were you when you were little?

“I started learning classical ballet at the age of three, and I always looked forward to the recitals. I think I was a girl who loved expressing myself on stage in front of people. My mother also loved the stage, so I was exposed to musicals a lot during elementary school. I have memories of going to see Takarazuka Revue and Shiki Theatre Company’s performances with my mother.”

── Did you have a desire to become a sparkling presence on stage yourself?

“I loved singing and dancing, so I wanted to pursue a career performing in front of many people in the future. That’s why I attended a training school from the 5th grade of elementary school to prepare for the entrance exam to Takarazuka Music School. However, I didn’t grow much in height during those four years until I was in the 2nd year of junior high. I was taking supplements every day that were reputed to help with height growth, but it didn’t seem to work as expected! (laughs)”

─ ─ Is there a height requirement for the entrance exam?

“There wasn’t a height restriction, so even petite individuals could apply, but the teachers at the school told me, ‘We think you would shine brighter on a different path.’ So, in the end, I gave up on applying to Takarazuka. That teacher also suggested that I might be better suited for visual arts, so I tried auditioning for dramas and movies, but I couldn’t achieve good results.”

“I think I was going through a period where I had lost sight of my life goals and was feeling down. While casually browsing YouTube, =LOVE’s music video caught my eye. It was for the song ‘Want you! Want you!’ The glamorous thumbnail image drew me in, and I clicked the play button. I was captivated by the members dressed in cute costumes singing and dancing, and my heart was stolen in an instant.”

──Were there any =LOVE members that caught your attention in particular?

“At first, I was drawn to Nagisa Saito’s cuteness, but as I watched more of their music videos, I noticed that there were other members who were not only skilled dancers but also had incredibly expressive facial expressions. After looking into it, I found out it was Eruha Naguchi. When I watched more of their videos, I couldn’t believe it was the same person. Eruha’s ability to show various expressions overwhelmed me, and before I knew it, I was completely immersed in their world. If I hadn’t watched =LOVE’s music videos at that time, I don’t think I would have pursued becoming an idol.”

──Did =LOVE inspire you to audition for idol groups?

“I applied for many auditions. I tried for the 48 Group, Sakamichi Series, Hello! Project, and even voice actor idol units. However, although I made it to the final auditions in some cases, I didn’t pass. I often found myself wondering, ‘What did I do wrong?’ or ‘What am I lacking?'”

─ You must have experienced many setbacks.

“There were times when I thought maybe I should give up on my dream of becoming an idol. I felt really hopeless, and I couldn’t even follow =LOVE’s activities anymore because it made me feel down. So, I distanced myself from idols for a while. But when I was about to graduate from high school, I found out about the ‘IDOL3.0 PROJECT’ and the audition for WHITE SCORPION. I thought, ‘I can’t stay like this. As long as there’s a possibility, I’ll give it a shot!’ So, I decided to take the audition.”

 

── What did you emphasize during the audition?

 

“There were two public auditions, and for the first one, I wanted to look back on my upbringing and explain why I decided to pursue becoming an idol. But I realized that wouldn’t have much impact, so I decided to introduce myself in a monologue style like in musicals. However, I came up with that idea right before the public audition, so I had to hurry to write a script and memorize it! (laughs)”

(Laughs) ─ Perhaps it was his passionate monologue that struck a chord with the judges.

“I was the first one to audition, and I heard some impressed murmurs from the audience. For the second public audition, I sang our debut song ‘Gaze Sniper’ with modified lyrics as my self-introduction song. It was well received, but my fellow members still tease me about it occasionally! (laughs)”