Country Girls (band)

Country Musume (カントリー娘。, Kantorī Musume) were a Japanese female idol music group that is a part of the Hello! Project.

Country Girls
カントリー・ガールズ
Also known asCountry Musume, Kan Musume, Kan Musu, Country Musume ni Rika Ishikawa, Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto
OriginJapan
Genres
Years active1999–2009 (Country Musume)
2014-2019 (Country Girls)
Labelszetima
Associated acts
WebsiteProfile on Hello! Project Official Website
Past membersAs Country Musume:
Asami Kimura
Miuna Saito
Miki Fujimoto
Asami Konno
Rika Ishikawa
Rinne Toda
Azusa Kobayashi
Hiromi Yanagihara
Mai Satoda
As Country Girls:
Uta Shimamura
Manaka Inaba
Momoko Tsugunaga
Nanami Yanagawa
Risa Yamaki
Chisaki Morito
Mai Ozeki
Musubu Funaki

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

History

Country Musume era

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

Before the release of their first single in July 1999, Hiromi Yanagihara died in a car accident. After the accident, Azusa Kobayashi departed from the group and Rinne Toda carried on as a solo artist and released two singles under the "Country Musume" name by herself. In the summer of 2000, Asami Kimura joined the group and the duo released one more single.

Their popularity rose when Morning Musume's Rika Ishikawa—who is from Kanagawa—was 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 to 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 to the group. Instead of Rika Ishikawa, the group featured Asami Konno and Miki Fujimoto, who are both Morning Musume and Hokkaidō natives. In this new formation (named "Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto"), the quintet has released three singles. In 2004, Country Musume (except the featured singers) participated in the fifth edition of Hello! Project's Folk Song series, where various H!P artists sang covers of Japanese and Western folk songs.

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

Country Girls era

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 would 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 entitled '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. After consulting with her doctors, it was initially decided that she would be returning to Country Girls when she recovered from her illness. However, on August 4, 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]

On November 19, 2019, it was announced that all four members will be graduating from the group and Country Girls will suspend all activity. A final performance was held in December 26 at LINE CUBE SHIBUYA.

Members

Former

The group was supervised by Mai Satoda (a former member of Country Musume)

Former

Timeline

Discography

Albums

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

Singles

No. OverallNo. by NameTitleRelease dateOricon Weekly
Singles Chart
Members
11"Futari no Hokkaido" (二人の北海道)July 23, 1999-Yanagihara, Kobayashi and Toda
22"Yukigeshiki" (雪景色)November 30, 1999-Toda
33"Hokkaido Shalala" (北海道シャララ)April 27, 2000-
44"Koi ga Suteki na Kisetsu" (恋がステキな季節)July 31, 2000-Toda and Kimura
Country Musume ni Ishikawa Rika
51"Hajimete no Happy Birthday" (初めてのハッピーバースディ!)April 18, 20014Toda, Kimura and Ishikawa
62"Koibito wa Kokoro no Ōendan" (恋人は心の応援団)October 17, 20016
73"Iroppoi Onna ~Sexy Baby~" (色っぽい女 ~Sexy Baby~)April 17, 20024Toda, Kimura, Satoda and Ishikawa
84"Bye Bye Saigo no Yoru" (Bye Bye 最後の夜)November 13, 20028Kimura, Satoda and Ishikawa
Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto
91"Uwaki na Honey Pie" (浮気なハニーパイ)July 24, 20037Kimura, Satoda, Saitou,
Konno and Fujimoto
102"Senpai ~Love Again~" (先輩 ~Love Again~)December 5, 200315
113"Shining Itoshiki Anata" (シャイニング 愛しき貴方)August 4, 200413

DVD

  • 2003-11-17 Country Musume Single V Clips 1 (カントリー娘。シングルVクリップス 1)

Studio albums

Title Album details Peak
chart
positions
JPN[5]
Album
Seasons
  • Released: March 6, 2019
  • Label: Zetima
  • Formats: CD, digital download
63

Singles

Title Album details Peak
chart
positions
JPN[5]
Single
Itōshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobō
(愛しくてごめんね/恋泥棒)
  • Released: March 25, 2015
  • Label: Zetima
  • Formats: CD, digital download
3
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)
  • Released: August 5, 2015
  • Label: Zetima
  • Formats: CD, digital download
4
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~)
  • Released: March 9, 2016
  • Label: Zetima
  • Formats: CD, digital download
2
Dou Datte Ii no / Namida no Request
(どーだっていいの/涙のリクエスト)
  • Released: September 28, 2016
  • Label: Zetima
  • Formats: CD, digital download
4
Good Boy Bad Girl / Peanut Butter Jelly Love
(Good Boy Bad Girl/ピーナッツバタージェリーラブ)
  • Released: February 8, 2017
  • Label: Zetima
  • Formats: CD, digital download
5

References

  1. "『カントリー娘。』改め『カントリー・ガールズ』について Archived 2014-11-05 at the Wayback Machine" (in Japanese). November 5, 2014.
  2. Hello! Project official site announcement Archived January 24, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved November 26, 2006.
  3. Suskin, Jeremy Country Musume Seeking New Members and Possible Reformation November 2, 2014
  4. "Momoko Tsugunaga to leave Country Girls and entertainment industry". ARAMA! JAPAN. November 5, 2016. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
  5. "Country Girls | Oricon Style". Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved April 8, 2019.
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