Watanabe joined Hiragana Keyakizaka46, now Hinatazaka46, in August 2017 and made her acting debut a month later in the group's drama Re:Mind.

[10] In July 2020, Watanabe became a co-host for the basketball program Toriaezu NBA Fan ni nattemiru?

[11][12] In January 2021, Watanabe played female lead Nasa Kotosaka in the television drama adaptation of the romance/science fiction novel With You, Who Wanted to Be A Star [ja], alongside Gordon Maeda.

[13][14] In 2022, she played female lead Remi Watanuki in the action web film Good Morning, Sleeping Lion.

[16] In that single, she served as center (lead singer) for the "aggressive, rock-sounding" track "Koishita Sakana wa Sora wo Tobu",[c][17] and the music video for "Hikōkigumo ga Dekiru Riyū"[d] is about the closing of a dormitory named "Hidamari", a reference to her aforementioned photobook.

[18] Her "graduation" ceremony took place on June 28 at the Tokyo International Forum, Hall A;[19] recordings of the concert were included in Type-A and Type-B of Hinatazaka46's 8th single "Tsuki to Hoshi ga Odoru Midnight".