Erika Umeda
| Erika Umeda 梅田 えりか | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Ume-san, Umechan |
| Born | May 24, 1991 |
| Origin | Minami-ku, Yokohama, Japan |
| Genres | J-pop |
| Occupations | Singer, Model |
| Years active | 2002-present |
| Labels | Zetima |
| Associated acts |
Cute (till October 2009)[1] Hello! Project Kids ZYX H.P. All Stars |
| Website | Official Blog |
Erika Umeda (梅田 えりか Umeda Erika, born on May 24, 1991 in Minami-ku, Yokohama, Japan) is a Japanese pop singer and was a member of the J-pop group Cute, under Hello! Project and former model signed to ILLUME. She was also a member of Japanese girl group ZYX along with Momoko Tsugunaga, Mari Yaguchi, Maimi Yajima, Megumi Murakami, and Saki Shimizu.
Career
Musical career
In 2002, Umeda successfully passed the Hello! Project Kids Audition along with fourteen other girls. Eight were chosen for Japanese idol group Berryz Kobo with the intention of rotating the girls around. The idea was eventually dropped, and Cute was formed. As the oldest member of the group, Umeda was to be leader, but she declined the position and it was offered to the second oldest member of the group, Yajima Maimi.
On August 1, 2009, Hello! Project's website announced that Umeda was scheduled to graduate from Cute on October 25, 2009, the last day of their concert tour, with aspirations to become a fashion model.[2]
In January 2014, She released the music video Crush on You on her YouTube channel.[3]
Modeling career
In 2010, Umeda was signed into a model agency called Illume Models.[4] On May 22, 2010, her long-awaited model debut took place on stage at the Girls Award 2010, a large music and fashion event held in Tokyo.[1]
On July 16, 2011, Umeda was signed into her new model agency called Peach Co.Ltd.
Hello! Project groups and units
- Hello! Project Kids
- ZYX (2003–?)
- H.P. All Stars (2004)
- Cute (2005–2009)
Discography
- For Erika Umeda's releases with Cute, see Cute discography.
Solo albums
| # | Title | Release date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Erika | 2014-02-12 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 "同名“エリカ様”より目立ちたい！ 梅田えりか、元気一杯" (in Japanese). ZAKZAK. 2010-05-17. Retrieved 2012-07-05.
- ↑ ""°C-ute Erika Umeda" Important Information" (in Japanese). Hello! Project. 2009-08-01.
- ↑ ""Erika Umeda" Important Information" (in Japanese). 2014-01-01.
- ↑ "ILLUME Official Site - Erika Umeda 梅田えりか". Illume. Retrieved 2010-04-04.
External links
- Erika's Sweet Diary (blog) (Japanese)