Ishiguro Aya
May 12, 1978 — Hokkaido
1997/09/14 ~ 2000/01/07
Ishiguro: Apparently, according to the other members, I received quite a bit of preferential treatment. Even with “LOVE Machine,” I alone got to wear colored contacts and I’d frequent a tanning salon — just because the staff said “fine” when I asked if I could do so. Looking back, they may have been a bit careless in regards to how they treated me. (laughs)
— You had quite a unique air about you from the beginning, what with the nose piercing and all. You had been studying fashion in school prior to applying for the auditions, right?
Ishiguro: Had I not gotten into this line of work, I would’ve wanted to become a really, really fun home economics teacher. I mean, you don’t really see home ec teachers who are all super energetic and stuff, right? I wanted to be the first one. (laughs)
— You ended up not going that route, however, when you applied for the “ASAYAN Female Rock Vocalist Audition.”
Ishiguro: It’d been my dream since I was little to one day be a singer. However, my parents had a policy: they weren’t going to let me move out of the house until after I’d graduated from high school. So my plan was to apply for an audition after my high school graduation. The first one I took part in was the “Komuro Garçons” one on “ASAYAN.” I made it as far as the studio audition on that one, but ultimately I didn’t pass. At the time, I hadn’t seen anyone make a third appearance once they’d failed two auditions, so I felt that the next one was going to be my last chance.
And so I took part in the “Rock Vocalist Audition.” I’d spent all three years of high school in bands, so I had confidence in my singing. You know how everyone is so self-absorbed at that age? Even before the auditions, I’d be constantly thinking about good excuses to give to my band mates for when I passed. Like, “sorry guys, it looks like I alone have been invited to become a professional.” (laughs) I wasn’t taking things very seriously around this time… I was just constantly daydreaming.
