°C-ute

From Hello! Project Wiki

℃-ute

Origin	Japan
Genre(s)	J-pop
Years active	2005–present
Label(s)	Zetima
Associated acts	Hello! Project Kids, Aa!, ZYX, Berryz Koubou, Buono!
Website	Hello! Project.com
Members	Yajima Maimi Nakajima Saki Suzuki Airi Okai Chisato Hagiwara Mai
Former Members	Murakami Megumi Arihara Kanna Umeda Erika

℃-ute is an all-female Japanese pop group within Hello! Project. The character "℃" (degree Celsius) is substituted for "C" in notation for the purpose of expressing ardor—the hyphen does not have any meaning in particular. The proper pronunciation for this group in Japanese is kyūto (キュート) with pitch accents on both "ū" and "o".

[edit] History

[edit] 2005

°C-ute was formed in the year 2005, consisting of seven girls from Hello! Project Kids who were not chosen to form the group Berryz Koubou. Berryz Koubou had originally been intended to be a group that's line-up alternated The group was officially announced on June 11, 2005, though its formation had been rumored for several months prior. Prior to the band's formation, some members worked with members of Morning Musume in such side projects as Aa! and ZYX, as well as the Mini Moni movie Okashina Daibōken.

[edit] 2006

Later, in January 2006, Arihara Kanna, a Hello! Pro Egg, was added at the start of the Hello! Project Winter 2006 tour, as part of the Wonderful Hearts team. On October 31, 2006, Murakami Megumi left the group suddenly without any graduation ceremony.

[edit] 2007

On February 21, 2007, °C-ute's first official single "Sakura Chirari" was released. On the first day it ranked third on the Oricon charts, a feat not even accomplished by Morning Musume (who had ranked 6th on their debut single). With their debut single, they became the youngest group (with the average age of 13) to rank in the top 10.

On December 30, 2007, °C-ute was chosen as the Best New Artist Award with Japan Record Award.

[edit] 2009

Umeda Erika will graduate on October 25, 2009 to study on becoming a fashion model. This is the third member to leave the group but the first to have a graduation ceremony. EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!, released on September, was Erika's last single in ºC-ute. The single ranked #2 weekly and topped the daily charts with a #1 position in its first week, this is the first time for the group to reach #1 daily and currently ºC-ute's highest-charting single overall.

[edit] Members

[edit] Current Members

Yajima Maimi (矢島舞美) L
Nakajima Saki (中島早貴)
Suzuki Airi (鈴木愛理)
Okai Chisato (岡井千聖)
Hagiwara Mai (萩原舞)

[edit] Former Members

Murakami Megumi (村上　愛) – unexpectedly retired on October 31, 2006 to continue schooling and lead a private life.
Arihara Kanna(有原栞菜) - unexpectedly retired on July 9, 2009 after being absent for several months due to medical reasons.
Umeda Erika (梅田えりか) – Graduated from ℃-ute and Hello! Project on October 25, 2009 to study to become a fashion model

[edit] Discography

The following CDs and DVD are released on the Zetima label.

[edit] Singles

#	Title	Information
1	Massara Blue Jeans (まっさらブルージーンズ)	Release date: May 6, 2006 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima Minor vocals: Megumi Murakami, Airi Suzuki Center: Maimi Yajima
2	Soku Dakishimete (即　抱きしめて)	Release date: June 3, 2006 Lead vocal: Megumi Murakami Minor vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Center: Megumi Murakami
3	Ooki na Ai de Motenashite (大きな愛でもてなして)	Release date: July 9, 2006 Lead vocals: Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Maimi Yajima, Megumi Murakami Center: Airi Suzuki Note: This song was used as an ending theme song for the anime Kirarin Revolution
4	Wakkyanai (Z) (わっきゃない(Ｚ))	Release date: July 29, 2006 Lead vocals: Megumi Murakami, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Kanna Arihara, Chisato Okai Center: Megumi Murakami Notes Last single to feature Megumi Murakami.
1	Sakura Chirari (桜チラリ)	Release date: February 21, 2007 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Mai Hagiwara, Maimi Yajima Center: Airi Suzuki
2	Meguru Koi no Kisetsu (めぐる恋の季節)	Release date: July 11, 2007 Lead vocal: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Center: Airi Suzuki
3	Tokaikko Junjou (都会っ子純情)	Release date: October 17, 2007 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Maimi Yajima, Mai Hagiwara, Saki Nakajima Center: Airi Suzuki
4	LALALA Shiawase no Uta (ＬＡＬＡＬＡ　幸せの歌)	Release date: February 27, 2008 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Saki Nakajima, Mai Hagiwara Center: Maimi Yajima
5	Namida no Iro (涙の色)	Release date: April 23, 2008 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Saki Nakajima Center: Maimi Yajima
6	Edo no Temari Uta II (江戸の手毬唄II)	Release date: July 30, 2008 Lead vocal: Airi Suzuki Center: Airi Suzuki, Saki Nakajima
7	FOREVER LOVE	Release date: November 26, 2008 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Chisato Okai Center: Airi Suzuki Notes Last single to feature Kanna Arihara.
8	Bye Bye Bye!	Release date: April 15, 2009 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Mai Hagiwara Center: Mai Hagiwara
9	Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu (暑中お見舞い申し上げます)	Release date: July 1, 2009 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Center: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Notes Cover of 1970s idol group Candies's hit single "Shochū Omimai Mōshiagemasu"
10	EVERYDAY Zekkouchou! (EVERYDAY絶好調!)	Release date: September 16, 2009 Lead vocals: Maimi Yajima, Airi Suzuki Minor vocals: Chisato Okai Center: Saki Nakajima, Mai Hagiwara Notes Last single to feature Erika Umeda
11	SHOCK!	Release date: January 6, 2010 Lead vocals: TBA Minor vocals: TBA Center: TBA Notes This is °C-ute's first Single as 5-nin Group after Umeda Erika's graduation.

[edit] Albums

#	Title	Release date
1	Cutie Queen Vol.1 (キューティークイーン VOL.1)	October 25, 2006
2	2 Mini ~Ikiru to Iu Chikara~ (②mini～生きるという力～)	April 17, 2007
3	3rd ~Love Escalation~ (3rd～LOVEエスカレーション～)	March 12, 2008
4	4 Akogare My Star (④ 憧れ My STAR)	January 28, 2009

[edit] Best of Albums

°C-ute Nandesu! Zen Single Atsumechaimashita! 1 11.18.2009

[edit] Trivia

Kōhaku Uta Gassen (紅白歌合戦) youngest participant – 11 year old Hagiwara Mai (58th Kōhaku on December 31, 2007)