Country Girls

Country Girls promoting "Boogie Woogie Love / Koi wa Magnet / Ranrarun ~Anata ni Muchuu~" (2016)
Back: Yamaki Risa, Inaba Manaka, Tsugunaga Momoko
Front: Ozeki Mai, Yanagawa Nanami, Funaki Musubu, Morito Chisaki

Country Girls (カントリー・ガールズ) is a Japanese pop girl group, managed by Up-Front Promotion and part of Hello! Project.

Members

Current Members

• Tsugunaga Momoko (嗣永桃子) (Play Manager)
• Yamaki Risa (山木梨沙)
• Inaba Manaka (稲場愛香)
• Morito Chisaki (森戸知沙希)
• Ozeki Mai (小関舞)
• Yanagawa Nanami (梁川 奈々美)
• Funaki Musubu (船木結)

First Generation (2014)

• Tsugunaga Momoko (嗣永桃子) (Play Manager)
• Yamaki Risa (山木梨沙)
• Inaba Manaka (稲場愛香)
• Morito Chisaki (森戸知沙希)
• Shimamura Uta (島村嬉唄; left June 12, 2015)
• Ozeki Mai (小関舞)

Second Generation (2015)

• Yanagawa Nanami (梁川 奈々美)
• Funaki Musubu (船木結)

History

Country Girls was formed on November 4, 2014 where it was disclosed that their first appearance would take place at the Hello! Project 2015 Winter concerts. The members were revealed to be Yamaki Risa and Inaba Manaka from Hello! Pro Kenshuusei, and newcomers Morito Chisaki, Shimamura Uta, and Ozeki Mai. It was also announced that former Berryz Kobo member Tsugunaga Momoko would act as a temporary Play Manager member that would mentor and watch over the girls for a period of two to three years after Berryz Kobo goes into indefinite hiatus, and that Country Musume member Satoda Mai would act as a Supervisor for the group.

Both the group and it's name, Country Girls, are derived from the former Hello! Project group Country Musume, for which a failed audition to revive the original unit was announced by sole member Satoda Mai, and held between February 12th and March 31st in early 2014. The group is meant to continue the legacy and history of Country Musume.

Their first indie single was simultaneously announced and performed at the "Hello! Project Countdown Party 2014 ~Goodbye & Hello~" event on December 31, 2014, with the release date set for the end of January 2015. The original release plan was later scrapped and changed into a major debut release, set for March 2015, that would immediately include Tsugunaga Momoko.

On June 12, 2015, it was announced that Shimamura Uta had left the group due to contractual issues unable to be settled with her family. Two new members from the Hello! Pro Kenshuusei, Funaki Musubu and Yanagawa Nanami, were revealed on November 5, 2015 in a surprise announcement during the Country Girls 1st Year Anniversary Live event.

Discography

Soundtracks

• [2016.03.25] Engeki Joshi-bu Musical "Kizetsu Suru Hodo Aishiteru!" Original Soundtrack (演劇女子部「気絶するほど愛してる！」オリジナルサウンドトラック) (Country Girls / Tsubaki Factory)

Singles

• [2015.03.25] Itooshikutte Gomen ne / Koi Dorobou (愛おしくってごめんね / 恋泥棒; Sorry for Being Adorable / Love Thief)
• [2015.08.05] Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne / Tamerai Summertime (わかっているのにごめんね / ためらいサマータイム; I Know and Yet I'm Sorry / Hesitating Summertime)
• [2016.03.09] 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~; Love is a Magnet / Ranrarun ~Engrossed in You~)

Video Releases

Concerts / Live

• [2016.05.11] Country Girls Live Tour 2015 Aki Fuyu (カントリー・ガールズ ライブツアー2015秋冬)

Single V / Event V

• [2016.04.16] Boogie Woogie LOVE (ブギウギLOVE)
• [2016.04.16] Koi wa Magnet (恋はマグネット)
• [2016.04.16] Ranrarun ~Anata ni Muchuu~ (ランラルン〜あなたに夢中〜)

DVD Magazine

• [2015.10.13] Country Girls DVD Magazine Vol.1

Compilations / Other

• [2015.12.16] Hello! Project - Petit Best 16 (#11 Koi Dorobo, #12 Wakatte Iru no ni Gomen ne)

External Links

• Official H!P Profile
• Official Facebook
• Official Twitter