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Billboard Japan’s Women in Music initiative launched in 2022 to celebrate artists, producers and executives who have made significant contributions to music and inspired other women through their work, in the same spirit as Billboard’s annual Women in Music celebration that has continued since 2007. This interview series featuring female players in the Japanese entertainment industry is one of the highlights of Japan’s WIM project.

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The eight members of CUTIE STREET sat down with writer Rio Hirai for the latest installment of the series. The J-pop girl group’s debut single, “Kawaii dake ja dame desu ka?” (which roughly means, “isn’t it enough to just be cute?”) took off on social media and hit No. 1 on Billboard Japan’s Heatseekers Songs chart, then went on to peak at No. 2 on the Japan Hot 100. The members — Risa Furusawa, Aika Sano, Kana Itakura, Ayano Masuda, Emiru Kawamoto, Miyu Umeda, Nagisa Manabe, Haruka Sakuraba — come from different backgrounds, including not only those who aspired to be idol performers from the beginning, but also those who started off being an influencer, actor, dancer, and student. The women shared their thoughts on the message of their debut single and what it means to be an idol.

You all come from different backgrounds. Why did you decide to become an idol performer, and what does being in this line of work mean to each of you?

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Risa Furusawa: I’ve wanted to be an idol performer since I was eight years old. I loved AKB48 and would dance along watching TV and buy their CDs to show my support. My mother knew this and encouraged me to go in for auditions, but even though I took part in many, I couldn’t get a chance at becoming an idol for quite some time. I worked as a model and influencer before making my debut as a member of CUTIE STREET, so it feels like my wish has come true and the second chapter of my life has begun. Being an idol is something I’ve always wanted that I’ve now miraculously achieved.

Kana Itakura: I’ve been taking dancing lessons since I was little and think that’s where it all began. Dancing led to doing modeling gigs and I used to upload videos on YouTube. Before becoming involved in CUTIE STREET, there was a period when I was a bit worried about what I should do in life, but was given a chance to take part in the audition just as I was thinking about what I could do with the dance experience I’d gained up to that point. I have friends who work as idol performers, but being one had never crossed my mind until then. So being a member of CUTIE STREET is a challenge for me.

I always aspired to “be cool” (before joining the group) and “cute” (kawaii) was something I looked at from the outside to find comfort. After becoming someone who expresses “cuteness,” I realized that there were many elements packed into that one word. Everyone is cute, but they all have different colors. Right now, I’m trying to find what my cute is.

Emiru Kawamoto: I began longing to become an idol who sings and dances on stage after seeing the anime Pretty Rhythm when I was little. AKB48 was also popular at the time and idol groups were all the rage in Japan. My dream has always been to be an idol performer, and I’ve lived my life determined to not give up on that. In reality, stanning your favorite someone or something isn’t essential for life, unlike things related to food, clothing and shelter, but it’s something that colors your world. It was for me, so I do what I do hoping that I can add color to someone’s life too.

Miyu Umeda: I was already an idol performer before joining CUTIE STREET. I got involved in this line of work after being offered the position and became more passionate about it as I kept at it. It was really fun. But that group disbanded before I could do work that satisfied me. I couldn’t give up on my dream of being an idol, so I took part in the CUTIE STREET auditions. After actually trying it, I thought, “This might be my true calling!” I think being an idol is meaningful if someone sees what you do and becomes motivated, like, “I’ll hang in there tomorrow too.”

Nagisa Manabe: I’ve always liked singing and dancing, but never really took the plunge. But the COVID pandemic made me take a fresh look at my life and I decided to try doing things I really want to do. That’s when I encountered CUTIE STREET. I’ve always been the curious kind and the things I wanted to do have changed a lot over the years. Now that I’ve started my idol career, it feels like it’s something that allows me to express the things I want to express and also the core of who I am. I’m totally hooked on it. Being an idol performer is the first thing that’s made me feel strongly, “I really I want to do this!”

Aika Sano: I used to perform in plays and musicals. I discovered the joy of singing and dancing there, and thought, “I want to do more of this,” so I took part in the CUTIE STREET auditions. Now that I’ve actually started working as an idol, I sometimes think, “I didn’t really understand idols before.” I’ve discovered how fun it is and now want to work even harder at it. As an idol, you have a closer relationship with your fans, and you might hurt them with your actions but you can also make them happy. Being able to directly feel that you’re being a support for someone or that you make them happy is encouraging.

Ayano Masuda: I also belonged to the same idol group Miyu used to be in. I met many fans during my time in that group and when we disbanded, they told me things like, “I was happy (to support you)” and “Let’s hang tough together from now on, too.” Because of those fans, I wanted to do better at my performances and work harder on social media posts so that more people got to know us, and I changed a lot. Being an idol performer is really fantastic and my life became a lot more fun.

Haruka Sakuraba: I think being an idol requires strength, both mental and physical. Being drawn to the strength of other idols has personally saved me in the past. Idols have the power to help people, to be a source of inspiration for someone, to give someone the energy to live, so I want to be an idol like that.

What’s the message being conveyed by your song, “Kawaii dake ja dame desu ka?” (“isn’t it enough to just be cute?”)

Kawamoto: The phrase “Isn’t it enough to just be cute?” might sound a bit pushy and harsh, like, “It’s good enough to just be cute, isn’t it?” In fact, we’ve received comments saying, “Of course just being cute isn’t enough” and “That’s not acceptable in society.” But I think that what “isn’t cute” for one person may be cute for someone else, and that the lyrics convey the message, “Let’s accept and love all the things about ourselves that aren’t cute.” There are lots of positive phrases in the lyrics, like, “I can be really cute if I go all out” and “play up your strengths” and “compared to my big dreams, these mistakes are small.”

How did you feel when the group received this song?

Kawamoto: Our concept is “KAWAII MAKER,” a group that has come together to create “kawaii” and share it with the world. This song conveys the message that there are many different kinds of “kawaii,” so I thought it was perfect as our debut single.

Being a woman is one of the central themes of this interview. How does being a woman affect your life?

Itakura: I preferred cool things over cute things since I was little. That’s probably why I don’t like being told what to do because I’m a woman… I don’t think that just because you’re a woman you have to be cute, and that just because you’re a man you have to be cool. I think people who pursue what they like regardless of gender are wonderful, and I’ve come this far thinking it’s fine to do what you want to do and be who you want to be.

How have you resisted conforming to values that tell you what to do because you’re a woman or a man?

Itakura: I think I’m the type who doesn’t get swept away easily and have stuck to my own beliefs. When I used to upload videos to YouTube, there were more male YouTubers than female, but I thought that women can do it, too. Even now, I belong to a female idol group, but I want to make an effort to compete equally with other groups, regardless of gender.

Sano: I’ve always wanted to be born a woman again in my next life because I enjoy the variety in makeup and fashion, but nowadays it’s normal for men to get their nails done and gender differences are becoming more irrelevant in that sense. 

When considering your future career, is there anything you’d like to see happen to make it easier for women to thrive in your line of work?

Masuda: If being a woman is affecting how I work now, I think it’s probably my physical strength. Men tend to be bigger than women and I admire the power and impact of their performances. Even off the stage I sometimes have to ask male crew members to carry heavy loads, but I want to be able to carry them myself. Maybe I should start doing some strength training. [Laughs] Improving our strength is one of the issues we’re facing as a group, actually.

So not only will CUTIE STREET “just be cute,” but you’ll also be stronger from now on as well! Are there any women who give you courage and empower you?

Manabe: There’s a calligrapher, Shoko Kanazawa, who I recently learned about in class at school. She has Down’s syndrome, but became completely independent at 30 years old and has a career as a professional calligrapher. I think she’s someone who also personifies the advancement of working women in society. After learning about her, whenever I feel that I can only do something up to a certain point, I now think maybe it’s not my own abilities that are holding me back, but that my own preconceptions are making me feel that way. Although it’s not as prevalent as before, the idea that “a woman can only do so much” still exists, so I hope I can change that through my own actions and words.

—This interview by Rio Hirai (SOW SWEET PUBLISHING) first appeared on Billboard Japan