Linlin
Kamei, Junjun and Linlin to Graduate; 9th gen auditions
Submitted 2010-08-08 03:53 AM
It was announced today that Morning Musume members Kamei Eri, Junjun and Linlin will all graduate at the end of the groups Autumn concert tour.
As the group will be down to just 5 members for the first time since it formed, new auditions will be held to find a 9th generation. These will be the first public auditions since 2006.
Kamei is leaving the Hello! Project to take the time to treat her atopic dermatitis, a chronic form of eczema that causes her irritation and slight skin colour changes.
Junjun and Linlin are graduating from the group, and will pursue music/entertainment careers in China. It is possible that they will remain a part of the Hello! Project, under the Taiwan arm of the company.
Graduation announcement on official MySpace page (with english translation)
Audition site: http://www.musume-audition.com/
The New Minimoni
Submitted 2009-06-03 05:35 AM
It was revealed last week that Tsunku will be reviving the popular "little girls" group Minimoni with a whole new group of girls. Minimoni was one of the most popular and recognisable brands in the Hello! Project, and has been inactive since May 2009.
The news first leaked out after Yaguchi Mari, the original leader and creator of the group blogged about Tsunku running the idea past her. Tsunku then revealed on his blog that the group will once again consist of four girls, and named Fukuda Kanon as the first member.
Linlin has now been revealed as the leader of the group.
They will appear together for the first time in the upcoming album "Hello! Project Chanpuru ~Happy Marriage Song Shuu~".
Morning Musume gets two new Chinese Members
Submitted 2007-03-15 05:39 PM
Tsunku was due to make a major announcement on this weeks Hello! Morning, but the official site has beaten him to it. Morning Musume are getting two new 8th generation members: 19 year old Junjun, and 16 year old Linlin. Both are from China, and will form a big part of the companies push into the rest of Asia.
Linlin has been performing as part of the Hello! Project Eggs, and is the mysterious ponytailed egg ("Poni-chan") that we had been trying to identify. She was introduced to Tsunku by a friend, and had obviously impressed him.
Junjun took part in auditions in Beijing around the same time as the Happy 8 auditions were being held.
Announcement: http://www.helloproject.com/newslist/shinmember_0703151946.html
Tsunku's Comments: http://www.tsunku.net/comments.htm
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