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Meme Tokyo NENE, who also writes lyrics, dreams of a global scale

2023.9.15

#MUSIC

A circle of friends connected by gut touch! The “FIST BUMP” corner of the radio program “GRAND MARQUEE” features people who live and enjoy Tokyo in a relay format.

On August 2, NENE of the idol group “Meme Tokyo” appeared on the show, introduced by two members of the brother-sister unit Peropero Kyande. We asked her about her unexpected debut, how she joined Meme Tokyo, and her grand dreams for the future.

High school days when I played the guitar because I couldn’t do my nails

Takano (MC): NENE, yesterday the two members of Peropero Kyande said “Hitori Powerpuff Girls”.

NENE: That makes me incredibly happy.

Takano: Celeina, you like Powerpuff Girls, don’t you? You must be really looking forward to it.

Celeina (MC): Yes! I would like to know a lot about you, NENE. You auditioned at the beginning of your career, didn’t you?

NENE: Yes, I did. I like Western music a lot, so I wanted to cover it and write songs with that kind of atmosphere. When I was in my third year of high school, I wasn’t sure whether to go to New York or Tokyo, but I thought I might be able to climb the ladder faster if I absorbed the Japanese culture I had and then went abroad, so I auditioned for Tokyo first and was told, “You got in, so come,” so I went.

Takano: That was sudden (laughs). Was that like an idol audition?

NENE: No, it was half like a school. There is a place where you study and do various activities, and I auditioned there.

Takano: Now you are doing a lot of things like dancing, aren’t you?

NENE: I have been going to a dance studio since I was in the third grade, and I was involved in dance battles.

Celeina: What genre of dance do you dance in?

NENE: I have always been a rock dancer.

Takano: Besides dancing, did you also play musical instruments?

NENE: Yes, I did. When I was in high school, I couldn’t do nails yet, so I played guitar. When I graduated, I was able to do nails, so I went to …….

Takano: So you have nail standards (laughs).

NENE: I wanted to play the guitar, but I thought I couldn’t because I couldn’t do my nails, so I thought I could play the piano.

Celeina: It’s difficult when it comes to chords (laughs).

NENE: That’s how I got started as a trackmaker. With the piano, you can record one chord at a time by playing it and recording it, then playing it and recording it. I could also do chords by pressing my fingers one at a time.

Takano: You can also cut and paste.

Celeina: I see, so you started track making because you wanted to get your nails done (laughs).

Takano: That’s a good reason (laughs).

Celeina: But, NENE, you said you can’t play guitar with nails. I play guitar but I want to wear nails. I keep my nails short only on the left side to hold down the strings, and I extend the right side for finger picking and stuff.

NENE: (touching her fingers) Cute.

Takano: They are touching each other’s fingers.

Celeina: Sorry. I was doing a gal (laughs).

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