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A world where minorities are not disregarded - What RINA thinks about her experience of growing up in a single-mother family of five siblingsShe wants to be an artist whom you can tell just by looking at them does whatever they want to. What are RINA of SCANDAL's sustainable development goals?
All-girl band SCANDAL, who continues to unleash new charms, is celebrating their 16th anniversary this year. Garnering attention for her expressive playing of the drums and gorgeous presence, RINA shows a wide range of activities that defy the boundaries of being a musical artist. What moved her to continue spreading ethical messages was herself—a little girl who grew up in a single-mother family of five siblings.The differences in awareness compared to Japan, felt during their overseas tours
RINA is part of the all-girl band SCANDAL, who has always been paving their own way since their debut in 2008. She traveled overseas every year from their indie days to before the pandemic in 2020 to tour. From early on she felt a difference in sustainable and ethical practices in Japan and abroad.
"My awareness has clearly changed," she says, recalling their 2018 "Special Thanks" tour that went around to six cities in the United States and Mexico.
"Since then it's become the norm to use reusable bags overseas, and everyone has been putting into practice campaigns to reduce plastics, and encourage physical movement and eco-friendly efforts. When performing concerts to people who live lifestyles like that, I thought about how it was wrong to use more plastic bottles and disposable straws than necessary. We thought we'd start with something we were able to do, and we changed our on-stage drinks to tumblers and straws to stainless steel ones that can be used repeatedly. I think it's really nice being able to get the audience to notice things like that, and to get them to be aware of it along with our music, so we still continue to do all that."Enjoying the same clothing for a long time and presenting them in different ways
"It's also important to make things with sustainability in mind," says RINA. The brand FEEDBACK that is handled by SCANDAL also came out with original eco-bags and eco-bottles in order to create opportunities to learn about eco-friendly initiatives. RINA likes the items so much that she still uses them on a daily basis. In everyday life, her perspective of choosing clothing has changed.
"We've often worn casual outfits as part of our stage outfits, so I used to think that I'd want to wear a different outfit every time. But now I think it's okay to present the same clothing in different ways. Your feelings also change by wearing clothing after learning about the sustainable efforts of various brands."
In Japan where there is little information about sustainability, RINA continues to send out messages such as "being as conscious as possible"—however, she won't change everything in her life just because something is eco-friendly.
"I'm from Nara and was raised by a single mother alongside four other siblings. I don't think I can say to my mother, who is busy with all the children, that she should consider the earth as she lives her life. But, I think it is important to live your life while being aware of that. Cherishing things, wearing cute clothes... Even if those things are limited, there should be a big difference depending on whether you're aware of your efforts or not. Though there's a limit to what each person can do, I hope that more people will be able to live their lives while being conscious of what they can do."Starting activities to help child-rearing/womens' support due to thoughts for her mother
Realizing that "there are things that I can share because I'm a musician," RINA started "MAKE A WISH DAISY PROJECT" during the pandemic. A big reason why she started this project was because of her thoughts for her mother.
"As the eldest of five siblings, I've seen my mother get hurt and work hard alone. She deserves happiness, but her work and children became hurdles, and she couldn't reach the point where she'd think about her own happiness. It was painful for me to see that as a child. That's why I always wondered if I could be some kind of help. From a young age I had a strong desire to fulfill my dreams, so I joined the band in middle school and made my major debut in my second year of high school."
Having grown up in that kind of environment, she always thought, "Someday I want to support in some way those raising children alone, or to deliver feelings of happiness to them."
"I didn't know how to tell the fans about this sensitive topic, so it remained untouched. But when quarantine happened due to the pandemic, I thought, 'Mothers are going to have a tough time.' Moreover, there are those who are living in difficult situations due to DV. I felt that it must be hard for those living completely different lives to be made to follow one rule."
Then, she decided to launch the project with her friend and model Seina who shared the same sentiments. The motto of "DAISY PROJECT" is to have fun, and they make cute items that cheer you up when you pick them up. Proceeds are then donated to households in need of support.Finding a support destination on their own and delivering the donations directly
"We also search for support destinations by ourselves, call each one, and choose places where support can be directly delivered to those we want to convey our feelings to. It is important to make the project bigger, but I think it's also important to keep things very domestic. Packets of curry are given to houses that need them, and school bags are given to children that need them. We think that having that directness is important, so we do as much as we can without leaving it to others. We enjoy sending out things while making items that'll make purchasers feel that they were able to help out. It would be great if we could create a system that would keep the money going around."Wanting to deliver music that can boost everyone's self-esteem
Currently, the child-rearing/womens' support activities have gotten to the point where it makes her say, "We have a good cycle that makes us glad we're doing this" with a smile. "We're groping along, but that's fine" - The most important thing is "to continue to do this, which is the hardest thing to do."
"I don't think that those in the minority should be ignored. There are so many times when you get hurt by someone telling you, 'It's usually like this, right?' This is something that we experience as an all-girl band. How we feel about things completely differs among our four members. Even if the other members aren't hurt by something, I sometimes am the only one feeling uncomfortable. So I started to think that I shouldn't put up with something or not say something just because I'm in the minority. Everyone has moments when they're a minority in different situations, when they feel themselves wearing thin, and when they feel down, wondering if things are okay as is. I want to make music that can affirm that, and I want to be that kind of person."
Now in her thirities, when asked about her "ideal self" in the future, she gave a powerful glance and said, "I want to be an artist whom you can tell just by looking at them does whatever they want to."
"Personality, gender, sexuality, lifestyle... I want to be an artist who has various personalities and qualities, and that'll make you go, 'If you look at SCANDAL, you can affirm yourself.' To that end, I think it's important for me to live how I want to. It would be great if I could do what I like, do what I should do, and show how things are changing. I hope I can leave my life behind like that along with my music."
https://www.womenshealthmag.com/jp/culture/a40111605/rina-20220530/
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