°C-ute is a Japanese pop girl group signed under Up-Front Agency and part of Hello! Project.
Members[]
Current Members[]
- Umeda Erika (梅田えりか)
- Yajima Maimi (矢島舞美, leader)
- Nakajima Saki (中島早貴)
- Suzuki Airi (鈴木愛理)
- Okai Chisato (岡井千聖)
- Hagiwara Mai (萩原舞)
Former Members[]
- Murakami Megumi (村上愛) - graduated October 31, 2006
- Arihara Kanna (有原栞菜) - graduated July 9, 2009
History[]
°C-ute was formed on June 11, 2005, and featured the seven members of Hello! Project Kids who weren't selected to become part of Berryz Koubou. On January 2, 2006, Arihara Kanna (from Hello! Pro Egg) made her debut as a member of the group, making eight members in total. On May 6, 2006, °C-ute released their debut indie single, "Massara Blue Jeans", and three more indie singles followed that year. However, on October 31, 2006, Murakami Megumi had suddenly left the group and Hello! Project without a graduation ceremony, the official reason stating that she wanted to focus on her studies.
°C-ute made their major debut on February 21, 2007 with the release of "Sakura Chirari". Up until the release of their second single, they had presented a cute, youthful image. They quickly transitioned to a stronger, mature image in their third single, "Tokaikko Junjou", which is still °C-ute's highest selling single. °C-ute won the "Best New Artist Award" at the 49th Japan Record Awards on December 30, 2007. On December 31, they performed for the first time on the 58th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen along with Morning Musume and Berryz Koubou.
The main vocalists for °C-ute's singles are Yajima Maimi and Suzuki Airi. (Murakami Megumi was also a main vocalist when she was still part of the group.) In such singles like "Namida no Iro" and "FOREVER LOVE", they would sing the majority of the song, but most recently, the other members will receive singing lines as well.
In early 2009, Arihara Kanna went on medical leave and is currently on hiatus from all activities in Hello! Project. Most notably, she is absent from the group's eighth single, "Bye Bye Bye!" & also the group's 9th single Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu, and the group's 2009 Spring concert tour.
Discography[]
Singles (Indies)[]
| No. | Title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | まっさらブルージーンズ (Massara Blue Jeans) | 2006.05.06 |
| 2 | 即抱きしめて (Soku Dakishimete) | 2006.06.03 |
| 3 | 大きな愛でもてなして (Ooki na Ai de Motenashite) | 2006.07.09 |
| 4 | わっきゃない(Z) (Wakkyanai (Z)) | 2006.07.29 |
Singles (Major)[]
| No. | Title | Release date | First week sales | Total sales | Highest rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 桜チラリ (Sakura Chirari) | 2007.02.21 | 23,827 | 26,595 | 5 |
| 2 | めぐる恋の季節 (Meguru Koi no Kisetsu) | 2007.07.11 | 23,810 | 26,785 | 5 |
| 3 | 都会っ子 純情 (Tokaikko Junjou) | 2007.10.17 | 27,943 | 38,085 | 3 |
| 4 | LALALA 幸せの歌 (LALALA Shiawase no Uta) | 2008.02.27 | 29,086 | 31,650 | 6 |
| 5 | 涙の色 (Namida no Iro) | 2008.04.23 | 30,008 | 33,422 | 4 |
| 6 | 江戸の手毬唄Ⅱ (Edo no Temari Uta II) | 2008.07.30 | 27,805 | 35,789 | 5 |
| 7 | FOREVER LOVE | 2008.11.26 | 26,603 | 29,144 | 5 |
| 8 | Bye Bye Bye! | 2009.04.15 | 24,882 | 27,918 | 4 |
| 9 | Sochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu | 2009.07.01 | 27,798 | 33,613 | 5 |
| 10 | EVERYDAY Zekkouchou! | 2009.09.16 | 23,747 | 27,750 | 2 |
| 11 | SHOCK! | 2010.01.06 | 18,665 | 18,665* | 5 |
Studio Albums[]
| No. | Title | Release date | First week sales | Total sales | Highest rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | キューティークイーン VOL.1 (Cutie Queen VOL.1) | 2006.10.25 | 13,402 | 15,752 | 15 |
| 2 | ② mini～生きるという力～ (2 mini ~Ikiru to Iu Chikara~) | 2007.04.18 | 7,991 | 9,388 | 21 |
| 3 | 3rd～LOVE エスカレーション！～ (3rd ~LOVE Escalation!~) | 2008.03.12 | 13,780 | 17,099 | 10 |
| 4 | ④ あこがれ My STAR (4 Akogare My STAR) | 2009.01.28 | 11,327 | 13,724* | 13 |
| 5 | SHOCKING 5 | 2010.02.24 | * | * | * |
Single V DVDs[]
- [2007.02.28] シングルV「桜チラリ」 (Single V "Sakura Chirari")
- [2007.07.18] シングルV「めぐる恋の季節」 (Single V "Meguru Koi no Kisetsu")
- [2007.10.31] シングルV「都会っ子 純情」 (Single V "Tokaikko Junjou")
- [2008.02.13] シングルV「LALALA 幸せの歌」 (Single V "LALALA Shiawase no Uta")
- [2008.05.14] シングルV「涙の色」 (Single V "Namida no Iro")
- [2008.08.27] シングルV「江戸の手毬唄II」 (Single V "Edo no Temari Uta II")
- [2008.12.10] シングルV「FOREVER LOVE」 (Single V "FOREVER LOVE")
- [2009.04.22] シングルV「Bye Bye Bye！」 (Single V "Bye Bye Bye!")
PV Collection DVDs[]
- [2006.09.06] ミュージックV特集1～キューティービジュアル～ (Music V Tokushuu 1 ~Cutie Visual~)
Concert DVDs[]
- [2006.12.06] °C-ute Cutie Circuit 2006 Final in YOMIURI LAND EAST LIVE ~September 10 is °C-ute's Day~
- [2007.04.18] °C-ute Debut Tandoku Concert 2007 Haru ~Hajimatta yo! Cutie Show~
- [2007.07.18] °C-ute Concert Tour 2007 Haru ~Golden Hatsu Date~
- [2007.11.21] °C-ute Cutie Circuit 2007 ~MAGICAL CUTIE TOUR & September 10 is °C-ute's Day~
- [2007.12.19] °C-ute Live Tour 2007 Aki ~Houkago no Essence~
- [2008.07.02] °C-ute Cutie Circuit 2008 ~LOVE Escalation!~
- [2008.07.09] Berryz Koubou & °C-ute Nakayoshi Battle Concert Tour 2008 Haru ~Berryz Kamen vs Cutie Ranger~ with °C-ute tracks
- [2008.11.12] °C-ute Concert Tour 2008 Natsu ~Wasuretakunai Natsu~
- [2008.12.17] °C-ute Cutie Circuit 2008 ~September 10 is °C-ute's Day~
- [2009.07.22] °C-ute Concert Tour 2009 Haru ~A B °C~
Theater DVDs[]
- [2007.09.05] 劇団ゲキハロ第2回公演「寝る子は℃-ute」 (Geidan Geki Hello Dai 2 Kai Kouen "Neru Ko wa °C-ute")
- [2009.01.21] 劇団ゲキハロ第4回公演「携帯小説家」 (Geidan Geki Hello Dai 4 Kai Kouen "Keitai Shousetsuka")
External links[]
- Hello! Project Official website: Profile page, Discography page
- J-Ongaku: C-ute
- English Wikipedia: ℃-ute
- Japanese Wikipedia: ℃-ute