Country Musume

Country Girls
Native name カントリー・ガールズ
Also known as Country Musume, Kan Musume, Kan Musu, Country Musume ni Rika Ishikawa, Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto
Origin Japan
Genres
Years active 19992014 (Country Musume)
2014 (Country Girls)
Labels zetima
Associated acts
Website Profile on Hello! Project Official Website
Members Momoko Tsugunaga
Risa Yamaki
Chisaki Morito
Mai Ozeki
Nanami Yanagawa
Musubu Funaki
Mai Satoda (Supervisor)
Past members As Country Musume:
Asami Kimura
Miuna Saito
Miki Fujimoto
Asami Konno
Rika Ishikawa
Rinne Toda
Azusa Kobayashi
Hiromi Yanagihara
As Country Girls:
Uta Shimamura
Manaka Inaba

Country Musume (カントリー娘。 Kantorī Musume), is Japanese female idol group within Hello! Project.

On November 5, 2014, Country Musume was renamed to Country Girls (カントリー・ガールズ Kantorī Gāruzu).[1]

History

Country Musume was formed in 1999 and was billed as "Country Girls from Hokkaidō". The initial group consisted of members and Hokkaidō natives Rinne Toda, Azusa Kobayashi, and Hiromi Yanagihara.

Shortly before release of their first single in July 1999, Yanagihara died in a car accident. After the tragedy, Kobayashi departed from the group and Toda carried on as a soloist, releasing two singles under the "Country Musume" name by herself. In summer of 2000, Asami Kimura was added to the group and the duo released one more single.

Their popularity rose when Morning Musume's Rika Ishikawawho is from Kanagawa and is not from Hokkaidōwas lent to the group in April 2001; Country Musume had their first charting single in Japan with the release of "Hajimete no Happy Birthday." The trio, under the name "Country Musume ni Rika Ishikawa", released two singles and an album. Early in 2002, Mai Satoda was recruited for the group although she initially auditioned to be a Morning Musume member.

The quartet released one single before Toda (the remaining original member) bid farewell at the end of 2002. Afterwards, Kimura, Ishikawa, and Satoda released one more single.

In mid-2003, Country Musume had a major shift in its roster. Miuna Saito, who is from Shizuoka, was recruited into the group. Instead of Rika Ishikawa, the group featured Asami Konno and Miki Fujimoto, both from Morning Musume and are Hokkaidō natives. Under this new formation (named "Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto"), the quintet has released three singles as of date. In 2004, Country Musume (except the featured singers) participated on the fifth edition of Hello! Project's Folk Songs series, where various H!P artists sing covers of Japanese and Western folk songs.

Kimura and Saito graduated from Country Musume and Hello! Project in its 10th anniversary concert on January 28, 2007[2] leaving Satoda as the only remaining member.

On February 11, 2014 it was announced during the Hello! Project 2014 WINTER ~GOiSU MODE~ concert held at Sendai Sun Plaza Hall that audition applications for Country Musume will be accepted until March 31, 2014.[3] On August 7, it was announced that the Country Musume audition has come to an end without any additions.

On November 5, 2014, it was announced that Hello! Pro Kenshūsei members Risa Yamaki and Manaka Inaba, Morning Musume '14 auditionees Chisaki Morito, Uta Shimamura and Mai Ozeki were selected to join Country Musume.[1] Berryz Kobo member Momoko Tsugunaga was also added to the group to become their "playing manager," while Mai Satoda takes the role of "supervisor."[1] It was also announced that Country Musume was renamed to Country Girls,[1] hoping for the group to attract fans from overseas.

On March 25, 2015, Country Musume released their first single as Country Girls and their twelfth single overall with "Itōshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobō".

On June 12, 2015, Uta Shimamura resigned from Country Girls due to issues between Up-Front and Uta's parents regarding the terms of her contract. Country Girls will continue as a five-member group, excluding group supervisor Mai Satoda.

On June 24, Country Girls performed at the TV Tokyo Music Festival(2) along many other artists, including Morning Musume '15 and Morning Musume OG.

On August 5, Country Girls released their 2nd single "Wakatteiru no ni Gomen ne / Tamerai Summer Time."

On November 5, during Country Girls' first anniversary event in Shinjuku, it was announced that Funaki Musubu and Yanagawa Nanami would be joining the group.

On December 2, Country Girls performed at the UPDATE girls LIVE, alongside idol groups lyrical School and Tokyo Performance Doll.

On February 9, during the 67th Sapporo Snow Festival, Country Girls performed a special live titled Country Girls Boogie Woogie LIVE. It took place in Odori Park in front of the HTB Snow Square.

On February 18, Country Girls performed a joint live with Idol Renaissance for the DOUBLE COLOR session11 at Shinjuku BLAZE.

On February 28, Country Girls performed at the SKY PerfecTV! Ongakusai 2016.

On March 9, Country Girls released their 3rd single "Boogie Woogie LOVE / Koi wa Magnet / Ranrarun ~Anata ni Muchuu~". It is Yanagawa Nanami and Funaki Musubu's debut single.

On April 28, it was announced that Inaba Manaka would be taking a break from Country Girls' activities due to asthma. This was after consulting with her doctors. It was initially stated that she would be returning to Country Girls when she recovered from her illness, but on August 4th, she graduated from the group.

On September 28, Country Girls released their 4th single "Dou Datte Ii no / Namida no Request."

In November 5, during the Country Girls Live Tour 2016 Fuyu day concert at Shinjuku ReNY, Country Girls' second anniversary, Tsugunaga announced that she will be graduating from the group and Hello! Project on June 30, 2017.[4]

Members

Current members and supervisor

Regular members
NameNicknamesBirth date and ageOriginColorJoinedOthers
Momoko TsugunagaMomochi
Momochi Sempai
PM ("Playing Manager")
March 6, 1992 Chiba Prefecture      Pink November 5, 2014 Playing manager
Will graduate on 30th June 2017
Former member of Berryz Kobo
Risa YamakiYamakki
Risa-chan
October 14, 1997 Tokyo      Lime Former Hello! Pro Kenshusei
Chisaki MoritoChii-chan February 19, 2000 Tochigi Prefecture      Orange Morning Musume '14 auditionee
Mai OzekiOzeki-chan
Ozeko
February 10, 2002 Tokyo      Medium Blue Morning Musume '14 auditionee
Nanami YanagawaNaachan
Yanamin
January 6, 2002 Kanagawa Prefecture      Purple November 5, 2015 Former Hello! Pro Kenshusei
Musubu FunakiFunakki
Funakichi
May 10, 2002 Osaka Prefecture      Yellow Former Hello! Pro Kenshusei
Supervisor
NameBirth date and ageOriginOthers
Mai Satoda July 16, 1984 Sapporo, Hokkaido Former Country Musume member who joined on January 2, 2002.

Former Country Musume Members

NameBirth date and age
(if dead, birth date, death date, and age)
OriginActiveOthers
Hiromi Yanagihara October 19, 1979July 16, 1999(1999-07-16) (aged 19) Chia Prefecture April 27July 16, 1999 She died in a car accident in Nakasatsunai, Hokkaido
Azusa Kobayashi January 30, 1977 Tokyo April 27August 23, 1999 First leader
She resigned after Yanagihara's death.
Rinne Toda February 6, 1981 Sapporo, Hokkaido April 27, 1999October 23, 2002 Second leader
She renamed her stagename "Rinne" on May 30, 2000.
Asami
(Asami Kimura)
July 17, 1984 Tomakomai, Hokkaido May 30, 2000January 28, 2007 Third leader
Miuna
(Miuna Saito)
February 12, 1987 Kikugawa, Shizuoka Prefecture April 27, 2003January 28, 2007

Former Country Girls Member

NameNicknameBirth date and ageOriginColorActiveOthers
Uta ShimamuraUta-chan June 24, 2000 Kanagawa Prefecture      Daisy November 5, 2014June 12, 2015 Morning Musume '14 auditionee
She resigned on June 12, 2015
Manaka InabaManaka
Manakan
Inabatcho
December 27, 1997 Hokkaido      Italian Red November 5, 2014August 4, 2016 Former Hello Pro Kenshusei
Former member of Peaceful, a Hokkaido local idol group
She left the group due of the health problems on August 4, 2016

Timeline

Discography

Albums

#TitleRelease dateMembers
1Country Musume Daizenshu 1 (カントリー娘。大全集 ①)2001-12-12Toda, Kimura, Ishikawa
2Country Musume Daizenshu 2 (カントリー娘。大全集 ②)2006-08-23Kimura, Satoda, Saitou

Singles

#TitleRelease dateOricon Weekly Singles ChartMembers
Country Musume
1"Futari no Hokkaido" (二人の北海道)1999-07-23-Yanagihara, Kobayashi and Toda
2"Yukigeshiki" (雪景色)1999-11-30-Toda
3"Hokkaido Shalala" (北海道シャララ)2000-04-27-
4"Koi ga Suteki na Kisetsu" (恋がステキな季節)2000-07-31-Toda and Kimura
Country Musume ni Ishikawa Rika
5"Hajimete no Happy Birthday" (初めてのハッピーバースディ!)2001-04-184Toda, Kimura and Ishikawa
6"Koibito wa Kokoro no Ōendan" (恋人は心の応援団)2001-10-176
7"Iroppoi Onna ~Sexy Baby~" (色っぽい女 ~Sexy Baby~)2002-04-174Toda, Kimura, Satoda and Ishikawa
8"Bye Bye Saigo no Yoru" (Bye Bye 最後の夜)2002-11-138Kimura, Satoda and Ishikawa
Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto
9"Uwaki na Honey Pie" (浮気なハニーパイ)2003-07-247Kimura, Satoda, Saitou,
Konno and Fujimoto
10"Senpai ~Love Again~" (先輩 ~Love Again~)2003-12-0515
11"Shining Itoshiki Anata" (シャイニング 愛しき貴方)2004-08-0413
Country Girls
12"Itōshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobō" [ja] (愛しくてごめんね/恋泥棒)2015-03-253Tsugunaga, Yamaki, Inaba, Morito, Shimamura and Ozeki
13"Wakatteiru no ni Gomen ne / Tamerai Summer Time" (わかっているのにごめんね/ためらいサマータイム)2015-08-055Tsugunaga, Yamaki, Inaba, Morito and Ozeki
14"Boogie Woogie LOVE / Koi wa Magnet / Ranrarun ~Anata ni Muchuu~" (ブギウギLOVE/恋はマグネット/ランラルン ~あなたに夢中~)2016-03-092 [5]Tsugunaga, Yamaki, Inaba, Morito,
Ozeki, Yanagawa and Funaki
15"Dou Datte Ii no / Namida no Request" (どーだっていいの/涙のリクエスト)2016-09-28Tsugunaga, Yamaki, Morito,
Ozeki, Yanagawa and Funaki

DVD

References

External links

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