Airi Suzuki talks about Hong Kong, songwriting and what it really means to be an idol in LIKE JAPAN interview
During her recent visit to Hong Kong for her tour Suzuki Airi LIVE 2026 ll:Bias by us:ll, Airi Suzuki sat down with LIKE JAPAN for an extensive interview covering her return to the city after ten years, her relationship with anime, the direction she wants to take with her music, the personal story behind some of her newest songs and what more than two decades as an idol have taught her.
Note : As the original interview was video-only, the translation below has been slightly edited and reorganized for readability while preserving Airi’s answers and intended meaning !
Returning to Hong Kong ten years later
Airi’s previous visit to Hong Kong had been with ℃-ute in 2016, and despite the decade that had passed, she said the memories of that concert remained surprisingly vivid.
Before I knew it, it had already been ten years since I was last in Hong Kong. I still remember so much from the last time I came here with ℃-ute, especially how incredibly passionate the audience was. The fans also prepared surprises for us, holding up things like banners and fans telling us that they would always be cheering us on from Hong Kong. I still remembered all of that ten years later. Even though I hadn’t been able to come back and see everyone for ten whole years, there were people who had been supporting me since back then, as well as people I was meeting for the very first time. It made me really happy to think that even when we’re so far apart, maybe something I’ve been doing all this time has still managed to reach people here.
Her circumstances in Hong Kong were quite different this time. While her previous visit with ℃-ute came during an emotionally significant period for the group, her 2026 stay was disrupted by a typhoon.
This time I came in the middle of a typhoon, so I didn’t really get to explore Hong Kong. I pretty much only saw the airport, the venue and the hotel. But I got to eat some delicious food, talk to everyone and have people teach me some Cantonese, so in a way I think I got to see a different side of Hong Kong from last time !
How animes became part of Airi’s musical career
Asked about anime, Airi immediately connected the subject to music.
When I think about it, one of my very first connections with anime was singing songs for Shugo Chara! with Buono!, and then ℃-ute getting to sing “Ookina Ai de Motenashite” for Kirarin Revolution. So I think the anime I’ve actually been involved with through music are the ones I’d most like people to watch.
She also mentioned her long-running musical connection with Kaguya-sama, which has included songs such as “DADDY! DADDY! DO!,” “Heart wa Oteage” and “heart notes.”
I have so many memories connected to Kaguya-sama. I’ve been able to participate through several different songs, so those anime that I’ve been involved with musically are especially meaningful to me.
The influence of those older works was still visible at her Hong Kong concert.
Yesterday at the live show, there was even someone dressed as Su from Shugo Chara!. People kept saying “Unlock!” to me. Everyone was so cute.
Turning photography into an everyday habit
Outside music, Airi said photography has recently become a much bigger part of her daily life.
I’ve always liked taking pictures, but recently I got a compact digital camera, something small and light. Before, taking pictures with a proper camera was something I’d only do whenever I happened to feel like it. Now it’s becoming part of my everyday life.
Even Hong Kong’s stormy weather gave her something she wanted to capture.
It was raining really heavily in Hong Kong last night, but the city looked incredibly beautiful in the rain, so I took some pictures of it. I really love photography.
Cover songs, “Bibideba” and respecting the originals
When the conversation turned to the songs Airi has covered, she said choosing a single favorite would be impossible. For her, covers have not simply been another opportunity to sing. Each song has introduced her to new music and sometimes new anime, while forcing her to discover different ways of using her own voice.
I really can’t choose just one. Every song gave me an opportunity to discover the anime connected to it, and each one also helped me add something new to the way I sing. So I’m genuinely grateful for all of them.
When the interviewer mentioned having replayed Airi’s cover of “Bibideba” the most, Airi enthusiastically agreed that she loved the song as well. Asked whether any of the covers had been particularly difficult, her answer was simple: all of them.
They were all difficult because they weren’t my own songs. Whenever I sang them, what I always tried to keep in mind was respecting both the original artist and the anime itself.
Why she still wants to hold a microphone
Airi has explored dance music, band-oriented songs, cute pop and many other styles throughout her career. But as she thinks about continuing music into the next stage of her adult life, she has increasingly found herself questioning not simply what she wants to sing, but why she wants to continue holding a microphone at all. Her answer is becoming clearer.
I want to share the energy I have and the way I think about things, and hopefully help the people who discover me live happier, more positive lives. That’s something I really want to do through music. I want to write more lyrics myself. I want to properly put my own words into music and deliver them almost like letters. That’s something I want to do much more from now on.
Why “Uso da yo” spent three years waiting to be released
One example of Airi letting more of herself into her music is “Uso da yo”, released digitally on April 1, 2026. The song had actually existed for around three years before its release. Airi recalled repeatedly thinking that she wanted people to hear it, only to keep holding onto it.
There were so many moments during those three years when I thought, “I want everyone to hear this song already.” But we kept taking such good care of it and holding onto it, and before I knew it, three years had passed.
Songs have a certain freshness to them too. As I got older, I was a little scared that the feelings I had when the song was created would gradually become more distant from me, to the point where I might no longer understand them in the same way. I started thinking, “This is probably the last moment when I can still really understand this feeling. We need to release it soon.”
Its music video also gave Airi a very different experience from her usual artist shoots. The director had recently worked with her on the drama “Fuyu no Nanka sa, Haru no Nanka ne”, and the filming reflected that connection.
A lot of my music videos until now have involved dancing or singing, with my makeup completely done and me switching fully into “artist mode.” But for this one, I approached it completely in “actress mode.” I barely wore any makeup. It felt less like being on the set of a music video and more like being on a movie set, which was really refreshing.
Writing “Hakuendan”, “Glass no Prima Donna” and “Hakushu wo”
Airi also spoke about the three new songs introduced during her 2026 tour: “Hakuendan”, “Glass no Prima Donna” and “Hakushu wo.” All three feature lyrics written by Airi herself, making them an especially personal part of the tour. “Hakushu wo” in particular came from a difficult period in her life.
I wrote it based on notes I had made about a year earlier, when I was going through a very negative period mentally. Everyone has difficult moments. Life isn’t only made up of fun things. Sometimes you’re going through something painful that nobody else can see, and you’re just fighting through it inside your own head. I didn’t want it to be about needing somebody else to encourage you. I wanted to write something that would let you encourage yourself, almost applaud yourself, embrace yourself, while still being something you could scream out. That’s how I wrote that song.
There were times in rehearsal when I started crying and couldn’t sing it. But this tour was the first time everyone was hearing the song. If I said, “Please listen,” and then immediately burst into tears, nobody would even know what they were supposed to be listening to! So at every show, I really tried hard to hold back the tears while I sang it.
For the tour, Airi allowed fans to film part of “Hakushu wo.” In the future, however, she hopes that same section can turn into something even more meaningful.
This time, people were filming during the song, so obviously nobody was singing. But as the song grows in the future, I’d love for that part to become a huge singalong, a moment where we support each other through our voices. I hope this is a song we can continue growing together.
When the interviewer suggested that everyone could sing it together the next time Airi visits Hong Kong, she immediately agreed.
Please do. I’d be happy if we could all keep living while supporting one another.
Music remains the center of what she wants to do
Since beginning her solo career, Airi has deliberately tried not to turn down opportunities simply because they were unfamiliar.
Since going solo, whenever I’ve been given an opportunity or seen something that might have potential, I’ve tried as much as possible not to say “no.” I’ve challenged myself to try everything, and I think all of those individual steps are what brought me here.
Her activities now range from music and acting to television, radio and variety programs. But with 25 years in the entertainment industry approaching in 2027 and the 10th anniversary of her solo career following in 2028, Airi said she knows which part of her career she most wants to protect.
I want to continue acting as well, but I also want to make sure I protect my music career and really put my energy into it.
“Why do you want to become an idol?”
The interview ended with a question aimed at the growing number of people in Hong Kong who hope to become idols. Airi, herself described in the question as the “idols' idol”, was asked what advice she would give them. Her answer began by rejecting the idea that there is only one correct image of an idol.
I think there are so many different ways to be an idol. It’s not just about being cute, and it’s not just about being cool either. Does simply putting on a frilly outfit make you an idol? I don’t think so. In the end, the most important thing is having a strong sense of who you are.
She also stressed that the glamorous image seen from outside does not necessarily reflect the reality of the profession.
From the outside, this world can look very glamorous and sparkling, but once you’re actually in it, it’s almost like being part of a sports club. It takes a lot of physical work, and you need to build up a strong mentality too. If you’re thinking about becoming an idol, I think you should first really ask yourself: “Why do I want to become one?” There may come a time when you’ve achieved that dream, but things become incredibly difficult. If you have a reason strong enough to make you think, “I already made up my mind back then, so I can keep going,” then I definitely think it’s worth pursuing.
Despite knowing firsthand how difficult that life can be, Airi said she has no regrets about choosing it.
I chose this path, and I really feel it was the right choice for me. There are experiences and moments in life that you can only have because you’re an idol. And being able to feel that what you do can mean something to someone else… I think it’s a wonderful job. So if any of you are hoping to become idols, I’m looking forward to the day we might meet somewhere on a stage.