Pink Babies

Pink Babies
ピンク・ベイビーズ
Background information
OriginTokyo, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Years active2014 (2014)–2017
LabelsPan Pacific Entertainment
Space Shower Music
Past members
  • Saho Arakawa
  • Mayu Asada
  • Yukari Furukawa
  • Rina Kuriyama
  • Kotona Masaki
  • Rio Ohmori
  • Yui Sakurai
  • Kotono Satō
  • Rio Shiseki
  • Mayu Suganuma
  • Chinatsu Suzuki
  • Sara Suzuki
  • Nanaho Yabuta
  • Aina Yoshida

Pink Babies (ピンク・ベイビーズ, Pinku Beibīzu) was a 14-member Japanese female idol group that was active from 2014 to 2017. Created by songwriter/producer Shunichi Tokura as part of his "Pan-Pacific Project", the group was a tribute to the 1970s J-pop duo Pink Lady, performing only songs written by Tokura.[1][2][3][4]

History

Pink Babies opened their YouTube channel on May 28, 2014. They released their debut digital single "Wanted" on July 16 and hosted their debut concert at Mt. Rainier Hall Shibuya Pleasure Pleasure on August 24.[1][4] On April 16, 2015, the group was appointed as "Delicious Japan! Junior PR Ambassadors of Food" (おいしい日本！食のジュニアPR大使, Oishī Nihon! Shoku no Junia PR Taishi) by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.[5]

Pink Babies also performed internationally in 2014 and 2015, notably at the Japan Expo in France and at the Anime Festival Asia in Indonesia.[6][7][8][9][10]

On February 25, 2016, Pink Babies made a guest appearance at the Tokyo Marathon Expo at Tokyo Big Sight.[11]

On August 31, 2016, the group released their first CD single "Nagisa no Sindbad", which peaked at No. 5 on Oricon's Indies Chart.[12] By this time, the lineup was reduced to 10 members.[2] On September 26, seven members of the group formed the spin-off project "Pink Babies EX" and released their cover of the Linda Yamamoto song "Neraiuchi".[13]

Pink Babies' second and final CD single "UFO", released on February 15, 2017, hit No. 1 on Oricon's Indies Chart.[14] Two months later, with eight members remaining, the group announced their disbandment, with their final show held at Mt. Rainier Hall Shibuya Pleasure Pleasure on May 26.[15][16]

On September 3, 2018, Rio Ohmori, Rio Shiseki, Sara Suzuki, Chinatsu Suzuki, Kotono Satō, Mayu Suganuma, and Aina Yoshida reunited for one night only for the NHK BS Premium special Kokoro no Kajin-tachi (こころの歌人たち, Singers of the Heart) dedicated to songwriter/producer Shunichi Tokura. The special aired on September 30.[17][18]

Post-disbandment

Ohmori was a member of the "Love Cocchi" division of the idol group Last Idol (ラストアイドル, Rasuto Aidoru) until its disbandment in 2022.[19][20] Satō is with the rock idol quartet Flowlight.[21] Suganuma and Yoshida formed their own duo MayuAina.[22] Yui Sakurai pursued a solo career before joining the idol group My Dear Darlin' (a sister group of FES☆TIVE) in January 2020.[23][24]

Former members

Final lineup on May 26, 2017
  • Yukari Furukawa (古川 友佳理, Furukawa Yukari)* (born May 10, 1997)[4]
  • Rio Ohmori (大森 莉緒, Ōmori Rio)* (born December 22, 2001)
  • Kotono Satō (佐藤 琴乃, Satō Kotono) (born November 30, 1999)
  • Rio Shiseki (始関 琉央, Shiseki Rio) (born January 27, 2002)
  • Mayu Suganuma (菅沼 茉祐, Suganuma Mayu)* (born December 15, 1996)
  • Chinatsu Suzuki (鈴木 千夏, Suzuki Chinatsu)* (born August 16, 2000)
  • Sara Suzuki (鈴木 咲良, Suzuki Sara) (born December 20, 2000)
  • Aina Yoshida (吉田 亜衣奈, Yoshida Aina)* (born March 17, 1997)
Graduated on April 9, 2017
  • Saho Arakawa (荒川 紗穂, Arakawa Saho)* (born October 8, 1998)
  • Yui Sakurai (櫻井 優衣, Sakurai Yui)* (born February 21, 2000)
Graduated at the 2015 Tokyo Idol Festival
  • Mayu Asada (朝田 茉侑, Asada Mayu) (born February 20, 2000)
  • Rina Kuriyama (栗山 莉奈, Kuriyama Rina) (born September 24, 1996)[25]
  • Kotona Masaki (正木 琴菜, Masaki Kotona) (born September 26, 1998)
  • Nanaho Yabuta (籔田 奈々帆, Yabuta Nanaho) (born July 11, 2000)

* Also members of Pink Babies EX

Discography

Singles

Pink Babies
  • "Wanted (Shimei Tehai)" (ウォンテッド (指名手配), Uonteddo (Shimei Tehai), "Wanted (Fugitive Warrant)") (2014 July 16)
  • "Le Sinbad de la plage" (2015 July 2–5; Japan Expo 2015 (Paris) exclusive)
  • "Nagisa no Sindbad" (渚のシンドバッド, Nagisa no Shindobaddo, "Sindbad of the Beach") (2016 August 31)
  • "UFO" (2017 February 15)
Pink Babies EX
  • "Neraiuchi" (狙いうち, "Aim High") (2016 September 26)

References

  1. ^ a b "ピンク・レディー継承女子ユニットがデビュー" [Pink Lady succession women's unit debuts]. Natalie.mu. 2014-07-16. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  2. ^ a b "アイドルユニット Pink Babies(ピンク・ベイビーズ)活動報告" [Idol Unit Pink Babies Activity Report]. Frontier International. 2016-12-06. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  3. ^ "ピンク・ベイビーズ" [Pink Babies]. Tokyo Idol Festival. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  4. ^ a b c "Pink Babies". Tokyo Girls Update. July 2016. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  5. ^ "ピンク・ベイビーズ、農水大臣から日本食PR大使に任命される" [Pink Babies appointed by Japanese Minister of Agriculture and Water as PR Ambassador for Japanese food]. Natalie.mu. 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  6. ^ "Ping Babies - Signings". Japan Expo. 2015-06-14. Archived from the original on 2021-09-05. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  7. ^ "Pink Babies à JAPAN EXPO 2015 : des idols de 15 ans qui chanteront du Pink Lady !" [Pink Babies at JAPAN EXPO 2015: 15-year-old idols who sing Pink Lady!]. Orient-Extréme. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  8. ^ Elyda, Corry (2015-05-10). "A touch of Japan at Blok M". The Jakarta Post. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  9. ^ "Special Guest: Pink Babies". Anime Festival Asia. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  10. ^ "ピンク・レディーを歌い継ぐ 生え抜きの実力派アイドル 吉田亜衣奈インタビュー" [Interview with Aina Yoshida, a talented idol who inherited Pink Lady]. Actor's School Hiroshima. 2015-10-09. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  11. ^ "ピンク・ベイビーズ「東京マラソンEXPO」にゲスト出演" [Pink Babies make guest appearance at Tokyo Marathon Expo]. Natalie.mu. 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  12. ^ "ピンク・レディーを歌い継ぐピンク・ベイビーズ、1stシングルはあの名曲" [Pink Babies, heirs to Pink Lady, release first single]. Natalie.mu. 2016-08-31. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  13. ^ "ピンク・ベイビーズEXがセクシーに歌い踊る「狙いうち」MV" [Pink Babies EX releases "Neraiuchi" MV]. Natalie.mu. 2016-09-26. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  14. ^ "ピンク・ベイビーズが2ndシングル「UFO」発売、山本リンダのカバーも" [Pink Babies launch second single "UFO" with Linda Yamamoto cover song]. Natalie.mu. 2017-02-15. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  15. ^ "ピンク・ベイビーズからメンバー全員卒業、ラストライブは5月に渋谷で" [All Pink Babies members graduate, last live show in Shibuya in May]. Natalie.mu. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  16. ^ "ピンク・レディー後継、ピンクベイビーズが活動休止" [Pink Babies, Pink Lady's successor, suspend operations]. Nikkan Sports. 2017-04-20. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  17. ^ "こころの歌人たち（第1回）都倉俊一" [Kokoro no Kaijin-tachi (1) Shunichi Tokura]. JASRAC. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  18. ^ "元ピンク・ベイビーズメンバーのその後" [Former Pink Babies members reunite]. Ameba. 2018-09-04. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  19. ^ "大森莉緒" [Rio Ohmori]. Last Idol. CA.Smart Co., Ltd. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  20. ^ "名古屋・栄でJKライフを送っていた少女が再びアイドルに戻るまで＜大森莉緒＞" [Until the girl who was sending JK life in Nagoya Sakae returns to idol again <Rio Ohmori>]. TV Asahi. 2019-03-31. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  21. ^ "Biography". Flowlight. Echords Entertainment Co., Ltd. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  22. ^ "Biography". MayuAina. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  23. ^ "恋はレモン色＜A type＞/櫻井優衣" [Koi wa Lemon-iro / Yui Sakurai]. Oricon. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  24. ^ "My Dear Darlin' 櫻井優衣×櫻井まい「姉妹みたいだけど…」" [My Dear Darlin 'Sakurai Yui x Sakurai Mai "I'm like my sister ..."]. Smart Flash. 2020-03-07. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  25. ^ "「良い意味での"二面性"は個性」ピンク・ベイビーズ栗山莉奈さんインタビュー" [“In a good sense,“ two-sidedness ”is unique.” Interview with Pink Babies' Rina Kuriyama]. Getnews.jp. Tokyo Sangyo Shimbun. 2015-03-06. Retrieved 2020-03-15.