C-ute

File:Cute.jpg

°C-ute promoting "EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!!". L to R: Okai, Nakajima, Yajima, Suzuki, Hagiwara, Umeda

°C-ute or ℃-ute is a Japanese pop girl group produced by Up-Front Agency and part of Hello! Project.

History

°C-ute's formation was officially announced by Tsunku on June 11, 2005 and would consist of the seven members of the Hello! Project Kids who were not part of Berryz Koubou. In January 2006, Arihara Kanna, a Hello! Pro Egg, was added to the group and made her debut during Hello! Project's 2006 Winter concert tour. For the rest of 2006, °C-ute appeared in several concerts performing original songs which were sold as indie singles. On October 31, 2006, Murakami Megumi suddenly resigned from °C-ute and from Hello! Project; the official reason stating that she wanted to continue her education and lead a private life. The group made their major debut in February 2007 with the single, "Sakura Chirari".

°C-ute had a weekly thirty minute radio show called Cutie Party. It began on October 7, 2006 and aired on FM FUJI every Saturday from 23:00 to 23:30 as the opening portion of Hello! Project Night. In 2008, it was replaced with Cutie☆Paradise. Like Morning Musume before them, at their debut concert each of the group's members were given a color used for merchandise, costumes, and the like. Those colors: Umeda Erika - yellow; Yajima Maimi - pink; Nakajima Saki - orange; Suzuki Airi - green; Okai Chisato - blue; Hagiwara Mai - purple; and Arihara Kanna - red.

In the fall of 2007, °C-ute entered into the spotlight in the Japanese media because of their rising popularity, increasing sales and award nominations. °C-ute was a nominee for the "Newcomer Award" as part of the annual YTV show "Best Hits Kayousai". Although they didn't win, they got a prize for being the runner-up and performed on the show. On November 26th, it was announced that they were nomined for the 40th Japan Request Awards, a radio-related award (presented to artists who gets the most number of their songs requested). They didn't win, but they got medals for being the runner-up, and performed on the show. On November 29th, it was announced that °C-ute had won the New Artist Award from the 49th Japan Record Awards (Nihon Record Taishou), along with JYONGRI, Stephanie and Takasugi Satomi. On December 30, 2007, °C-ute was chosen as "Best New Artist" by Japan Record Awards, 14 out of the 21 panel judges voted for them. In December 2007, °C-ute (along with Morning Musume and Berryz Koubou) performed at the 58th Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

°C-ute performed in the 41st Japanese Lyricist Awards (Nihon Sakushi Taisho) in November 30, 2008, along with other Up-Front artists like Horiuchi Takao and Fujimoto Miki. They appeared in the show because the lyricist of Edo no Temari Uta II (Yoshioka Osamu) was nominated (and won). °C-ute performed a short version of ZARD's Makenaide and Edo no Temari Uta II. On December 1, 2008, it was announced °C-ute had won the Excellent Work/Gold award from the 50th Japan Record Awards (Nihon Record Taishou), along with EXILE, Tohoshinki, Koda Kumi and other eight artists. The show was broadcasted on December 30, and EXILE won the Japan Record Award.

On February 26, 2009, Arihara Kanna was scheduled to take a short break for medical reasons (she had developed a bunion). On July 11, 2009 it was revealed that she was leaving °C-ute and Hello! Project to return to the life of a normal girl.

On August 1, 2009, Hello! Project announced that Umeda Erika would be graduating from °C-ute at the end of their current tour on October 25, 2009. Erika hopes to become a fashion model.

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)

Graduated Members

• Murakami Megumi (村上愛, left October 31, 2006)
• Arihara Kanna (有原栞菜, left July 9, 2009)

Discography

Singles

• [2006.05.06] Massara Blue Jeans (まっさらブルージーンズ) (Indies)
• [2006.06.03] Soku Dakishimete (即 抱きしめて) (Indies)
• [2006.07.09] Ooki na Ai de Motenashite (大きな愛でもてなして) (Indies)
• [2006.07.29] Wakkyanai (Z) (わっきゃない(Z)) (Indies)
• [2007.02.21] Sakura Chirari (桜チラリ)
• [2007.07.11] Meguru Koi no Kisetsu (めぐる恋の季節)
• [2007.10.17] Tokaikko Junjou (都会っ子 純情)
• [2008.02.27] LALALA Shiawase no Uta (LALALA 幸せの歌)
• [2008.03.20] Koero! Rakuten Eagles (越えろ! 楽天イーグルス) (Indies)
• [2008.04.23] Namida no Iro (涙の色)
• [2008.07.30] Edo no Temari Uta II (江戸の手毬唄II)
• [2008.11.26] FOREVER LOVE
• [2009.04.15] Bye Bye Bye!
• [2009.07.01] Shochuu Omimai Moushiagemasu (暑中お見舞い申し上げます)
• [2009.09.16] EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!! (EVERYDAY 絶好調!!)

Albums

• [2006.10.25] Cutie Queen VOL.1 (キューティークイーン VOL.1)
• [2007.04.18] 2 mini ~Ikiru to Iu Chikara~ (②mini ~生きるという力~)
• [2008.03.12] 3rd ~LOVE Escalation!~ (3rd ~LOVE エスカレーション!~)
• [2009.01.28] 4 Akogare My STAR (④憧れ My STAR)
• [2009.11.18] °C-ute nan desu! Zen Single Atsumechaimashita! 1 (℃-uteなんです! 全シングル集めちゃいましたっ! 1)

Concert DVDs

• [2006.12.06] 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] ºC-ute Cutie Circuit 2008 ~LOVE Escalation!~
• [2008.07.09] Berryz Koubou & ºC-ute Nakayoshi Battle Concert Tour 2008 Haru ~Berryz Kamen vs Cutie Ranger~ with ºC-ute tracks (with Berryz Koubou)
• [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~
• [2009.??.??] °C-ute Concert Tour 2009 Natsu Aki ~Cutie JUMP!~

PV Collection DVDs

• [2006.09.06] Music V Tokushuu 1 ~Cutie Visual~ (ミュージックV 特集① ~キューティー ビジュアル~)
• [2009.06.24] Music V Tokushuu 2 ~Cutie Visual~ (ミュージックV 特集② ~キューティー ビジュアル~)

Theater DVDs

• [2007.09.05] Gekidan Gekiharo Dai 2 Kai Kouen "Neru Ko wa °C-ute" (劇団ゲキハロ第2回公演「寝る子は℃-ute」)
• [2009.01.21] Gekidan Gekiharo Dai 4 Kai Kouen "Keitai Shousetsuka" (劇団ゲキハロ第4回公演「携帯小説家」)
• [2009.09.09] Gekidan Gekiharo Dai 6 Kai Kouen "Ataru mo Hakke!?" (劇団ゲキハロ第6回公演「あたるも八卦!?」)

Photobooks

• [2006.09.21] Berryz工房&°C-ute in Hello!Project 2006 Summer Wonderful Hearts Land (Berryz Koubou & °C-ute in Hello!Project 2006 Summer Wonderful Hearts Land) (With Berryz Koubou) amazon.co.jp
• [2007.02.21] So Cute! amazon.co.jp
• [2007.04.11] °C-uteデビュー単独コンサート ライブ写真集 始まったよ!キューティーショー (°C-ute Debut Tandoku Concert Live Shashinshuu Hajimatta Yo! Cutie Show) amazon.co.jp
• [2007.10.04] 2007夏C-uteの旅日記 (2007 Summer °C-ute's Traveling Diary) amazon.co.jp
• [2008.07.04] Berryz仮面　VS　キューティーレンジャー　ライブ写真集　ステージver. (Berryz Kamen VS Cutie Ranger Live Photobook Stage ver.) (With Berryz Koubou) amazon.co.jp
• [2008.07.04] Berryz仮面　VS　キューティーレンジャー　ライブ写真集　ドキュメントver. (Berryz Kamen VS Cutie Ranger Live Photobook Document ver.) (With Berryz Koubou) amazon.co.jp

Media

Radio

• [2006–2008] Cutie Party
• [2008–2009] キューティ－☆パラダイス (Cutie☆Paradise)
• [2009–] FIVE STARS (on Tuesdays)

TV

• [2006-2007] °C-ute has come.
• [2008] ベリキュー！ (Berikyuu!)
• [2008-2009] よろセン！ (Yorosen!)

Internet

• Hello Pro Hour Episode 01: Murakami Megumi
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 02: Yajima Maimi
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 03: Umeda Erika
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 04: Suzuki Airi
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 05: Nakajima Saki
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 06: Okai Chisato
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 07: Arihara Kanna
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 08: Hagiwara Mai
• Hello Pro Hour Episode 20: Murakami Megumi, Suzuki Airi

Awards and nominations

• [2007-11-26] YTV Best Hit Kayousai 2007: New Artist Award category (nominated)
• [2007-12-12] TBS Nihon Yuusen Awards: Wired music category (most requested song on radios - Tokaikko Junjou) (nominated)
• [2007-12-30] TBS Record Awards: Japan Best New Artist 2007 (won)
• [2008-12-30] TBS Record Awards: Excellent Work/Gold award (runner-up)

External Links

• Hello! Project Official Website: Profile page, Discography page
• Up-Front Works: °C-ute Discography
• Japanese Wikipedia: ℃-ute, English Wikipedia: ℃-ute