Fairies (Japanese group)

Fairies
Fairies on July 26, 2013
Fairies on July 26, 2013
Background information
OriginJapan
Genres
Years active2011–2020[a]
LabelsSonic Groove (Avex Group)
SpinoffsM Three
Past members
  • Rikako Inoue
  • Sora Nomoto
  • Momoka Ito
  • Mahiro Hayashida
  • Miria Fujita
  • Miki Shimomura
  • Kawane Kiyomura
Websiterising-pro.jp/artist/fairies/

Fairies (フェアリーズ) is a Japanese idol girl group, formed in 2011 and have been on an indefinite hiatus since 2020. They were managed by the talent agency Rising Production and produced by the Avex record label Sonic Groove.

History

[edit]

Pre-debut

[edit]

Fairies was formed by talent agency Vision Factory (now Rising Production), famous for successful artists such as Namie Amuro, MAX and Speed. Their concept was "a world class talented group that is able to compete overseas." Members were chosen from 100 candidates who were attending dance schools affiliated with Vision Factory, coming from 13 regions of Japan.[1] The group name was open for suggestions from the public through a special corner in Nippon TV programme Sukkiri!!, and "Fairies" was chosen with the explanation that their dancing form resembled a group of fairies fluttering.[2]

2011–2013: Debut and Kiyomura’s departure

[edit]

The group debuted with the double A-side single "More Kiss / Song for You" on September 21, 2011. At the 53rd Japan Record Awards, held on December 30, 2011, Fairies were named the best newcomer of the year, receiving the Best New Artist award.[3] Among other nominees, they beat 2NE1 and Super Girls.[4] At the time of receiving the award, Fairies' average age of 13.6 was the lowest for this award, a record shared with °C-ute that won in 2007.

On January 17, 2013, the group's youngest member Kiyomura announced that she would be "restraining" from activities with Fairies due to educational issues, leaving the remaining six to continue.[5] Although the group had been using the name "Fairies" in Latin script until then, from February onwards it was changed to Japanese on all their official sites and single jacket covers. However, no announcement was ever made about which was the official notation. On February 1, 2013, the subunit "M Three" (Mスリー) with Hayashida Mahiro, Fujita Miria, and Shimomura Miki as members was announced. The name was due to "M" being the initial of all three girls' given names. Their debut single "Yumemiru Dancing Doll" was released on March 27.[6]

2014–present: Subsequent releases, Fujita’s departure and group hiatus

[edit]

Fairies released their eponymous first album on March 26, 2014. Included as a new song on the album was Ito's solo song "Poker Face", which later became the title song on Ito's solo debut single, released July 23.[7] From August 9 to August 14, the group held their first live tour "Fairies LIVE TOUR 2014: Summer Party," which was released on DVD that December.[8]

In January 2017, Fujita Miria announced that she would be withdrawing from the group in order to focus on her studies.

On June 17, 2020, it was announced by Rising Production that after several discussions with the members, Rikako Inoue, Sora Nomoto and Mahiro Hayashida has decided to end their contract with the agency, with Rikako also retiring from the show business. Momoka Ito and Miki Shimomura will remain in the agency working individually.[9] Although the activities ended as a group, the agency revealed that the group have not disbanded and their future activities are "undecided".[10]

Members

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Former Members

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  • Rikako Inoue (井上理香子) (2011–2020)
  • Sora Nomoto (野元空) (2011–2020)
  • Momoka Ito (伊藤萌々香) (2011–2020)
  • Mahiro Hayashida (林田真尋) (2011–2020)
  • Miria Fujita (藤田みりあ) (2011–2017)
  • Miki Shimomura (下村実生) (2011–2020)
  • Kawane Kiyomura (清村川音) (2011–2013)

Timeline

[edit]

Discography

[edit]

Albums

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Title Album details Charts
JPN
Oricon

[11]
Fairies 14
Jukebox
  • Released: June 20, 2018 (2018-06-20)
  • Label: Sonic Groove
  • Format: CD, CD+DVD, CD+Blu-ray
4

Singles

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No. Title Release date Charts Album
JPN
Oricon

[12]
JPN
Billboard

[13][b]
1 "More Kiss / Song for You" September 21, 2011 (2011-09-21) 11 6 Fairies
2 "Hero / Sweet Jewel" December 21, 2011 (2011-12-21) 9 10
37
3 "Beat Generation / No More Distance" April 4, 2012 (2012-04-04) 5 3
4 "Tweet Dream / Sparkle" July 25, 2012 (2012-07-25) 9 7
5 "White Angel" November 14, 2012 (2012-11-14) 5 18
6 "Hikari no Hate ni"
  (光の果てに, "At the End of the Light")
July 24, 2013 (2013-07-24) 6 17
7 "Run with U" February 19, 2014 (2014-02-19) 8 58
8 "Super Hero / Love Me, Love You More." May 28, 2014 (2014-05-28) 10 24 Jukebox
9 "Bling Bling My Love" September 3, 2014 (2014-09-03) 11 31
10 "Kiss Me Babe / Hirari"
  (ひらり, "Lightly")
March 25, 2015 (2015-03-25) 5 28
11 "Sōshisōai Destination"
  (相思相愛☆destination, "Mutual Love Destination")
July 15, 2015 (2015-07-15) 5 32
12 "Mr.Platonic" November 18, 2015 (2015-11-18) 6 47
13 "Crossroad" (クロスロード) August 10, 2016 (2016-08-10) 3 11
14 "Synchronized" (シンクロ) March 1, 2017 (2017-03-01) 4 17
15 "Koi no Roadshow"
  (恋のロードショー, "Love Roadshow")
July 5, 2017 (2017-07-05) 6 10
16 "Hey Hey ~Light Me Up~" February 28, 2018 (2018-02-28) 2 13
17 "Metropolis" (メトロポリス) July 17, 2019 6

Subunits' and solo singles

[edit]

M Three

[edit]
No. Title Release date Charts Album
JPN
Oricon

[30]
1 "Yumemiru Dancing Doll"
(夢見るダンシングドール,
"Dreaming Dancing Doll")
March 27, 2013 (2013-03-27) 8 Non-album singles
2 "Your Love" July 30, 2014 (2014-07-30) 16

Momoka Ito

[edit]
No. Title Release date Charts Album
JPN
Oricon

[31]
1 "Poker Face" July 23, 2014 (2014-07-23) 16 Fairies

Music videos

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Year Title Director
2011 "More Kiss" Unknown
"Song for You" Hideaki Sunaga[32]
"Hero" Tatsuya Murakami[33]
"Sweet Jewel"
2012 "Beat Generation"
"No More Distance" Unknown
"Tweet Dream" Hideaki Sunaga[34]
"Sparkle" Masaki Takehisa[35]
"White Angel" Tatsuya Murakami[36]
2013 "Yumemiru Dancing Doll" (by M Three) Ryōtarō Muramatsu[37]
"Hikari no Hate ni"
2014 "Run with U" Tatsuya Murakami[38]
"Super Hero" Daisuke Ninomiya (Nino) / Ikioi[39]
"Poker Face" (by Momoka Ito) Shintarō Ehara[40]
"Your Love" (by M Three) Tatsuya Murakami[41]
"Bling Bling My Love" Shintarō Ehara[42]
2015 "Kiss Me Babe"
"相思相愛☆destination" Tomoo Noda[43]
"Mr.Platonic"
2016 "Crossroad" Ippei Morita[44]
2017 "Synchronized" Yoshiharu Seri[45]
"Koi no Roadshow"
2018 "Hey Hey ~Light Me Up~"
"Bangin'"

Awards

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Year Nominee / work Award Result
2011 Fairies (group) Japan Record Awards — New Artist[4] Won
Japan Record Awards — Best New Artist[3] Won
"More Kiss" Japan Cable Awards — New Artist[46] Won
2012 "White Angel" Japan Record Awards — Gold Award[47] Won
Japan Record Awards — Grand Prix[47] Nominated
"Beat Generation" Japan Cable Awards — Excellence Award[48] Won

Notes

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  1. ^ By 2020 the remaining members have left the group, however due to the statement that the group did not disband, hence the group still have to focus on the individual activities
  2. ^ Sources for chart positions are as follows: "More Kiss",[14] "Hero",[15] "Sweet Jewel",[15] "Beat Generation",[16] "Tweet Dream",[17] "White Angel",[18] "Hikari no Hate ni",[19] "Run With U",[20] "Super Hero",[21] "Bling Bling My Love",[22] "Kiss Me Babe",[23] "Sōshisōai Destination",[24] "Mr.Platonic",[25] "Crossroad",[26] "Synchronized",[27] "Koi no Roadshow",[28] "Hey Hey ~Light Me Up~",[29]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ 中学生軍団「Fairies」がK―POPに挑戦状 (in Japanese). Sports Hochi. 2011-08-22. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  2. ^ "名前がなかった清涼感満載7人組アイドルのグループ名が「Fairies」に決定" (in Japanese). Barks Japan. 2011-08-03. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  3. ^ a b "AKB48 wins 53rd Japan Record Award". Tokyograph. 2011-12-30. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  4. ^ a b "53rd Japan Record Award winners". Tokyograph. 2011-11-20. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  5. ^ フェアリーズメンバー清村川音の活動に関しまして (in Japanese). Vision Factory. 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  6. ^ フェアリーズメンバー清村川音の活動に関しまして (in Japanese). Natalie. 2013-03-25. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  7. ^ フェアリーズ伊藤、初ソロ楽曲でよりクールに (in Japanese). Natalie. 2014-07-23. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  8. ^ "DISCOGRAPHY". Fairies Official Website (in Japanese). RISINGPRODUCTION. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
  9. ^ "フェアリーズに関するお知らせ". Fairies Official Website (in Japanese). RISINGPRODUCTION. Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  10. ^ "フェアリーズ、井上理香子ら3人脱退、事務所契約終了 解散はせず". Sponichi (in Japanese). Retrieved 17 June 2020.
  11. ^ "FairiesのCDアルバムランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon Inc. Retrieved 2014-03-26.
  12. ^ "フェアリーズのシングル売上ランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon Inc. Retrieved 2012-02-12.
  13. ^ "Billboard Japan Hot 100". Billboard (in Japanese).
  14. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2011/10/03". Billboard (in Japanese). 2011-10-03. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  15. ^ a b "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2012/01/02". Billboard (in Japanese). 2012-01-02. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  16. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2012/04/16". Billboard (in Japanese). 2012-04-16. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  17. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2012/08/06". Billboard (in Japanese). 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  18. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2012/11/26". Billboard (in Japanese). 2012-11-26. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  19. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2013/08/05". Billboard (in Japanese). 2013-08-05. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  20. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2014/03/03". Billboard (in Japanese). 2014-03-03. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  21. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2014/06/09". Billboard (in Japanese). 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  22. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2014/09/15". Billboard (in Japanese). 2014-09-15. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  23. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2015/04/06". Billboard (in Japanese). 2015-04-06. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  24. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2015/07/27". Billboard (in Japanese). 2015-07-27. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  25. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2015/11/30". Billboard (in Japanese). 2015-11-30. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  26. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2016/08/22". Billboard (in Japanese). 2016-08-22. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  27. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2017/03/13". Billboard (in Japanese). 2017-03-13. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  28. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2017/07/17". Billboard (in Japanese). 2017-07-17. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  29. ^ "Japan Billboard Hot 100 2018/03/12". Billboard (in Japanese). 2018-03-12. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  30. ^ "MスリーのCDシングルランキング" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  31. ^ "伊藤萌々香のCDシングルランキング". Oricon. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  32. ^ "Song for You". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  33. ^ "HERO". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
    "Sweet Jewel". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
    "Beat Generation". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  34. ^ "Tweet Dream". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  35. ^ "Sparkle". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  36. ^ "White Angel". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  37. ^ "夢見るダンシングドール". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
    "光の果てに". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  38. ^ "Run with You". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  39. ^ "Super Hero". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  40. ^ "Poker Face". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  41. ^ "Your Love". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  42. ^ "BLING BLING MY LOVE". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
    "Kiss Me Babe". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2015-04-11.
  43. ^ "Soushisouai Destination". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
    "Mr.Platonic". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  44. ^ "Crossroad". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  45. ^ "Synchronized". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
    "Koi no Roadshow". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
    "Hey Hey ~Light Me Up~". Space Shower TV. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
  46. ^ 第44回 日本有線大賞 (in Japanese). Japan Cable Awards. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
  47. ^ a b 第54回輝く!日本レコード大賞(2012年) (in Japanese). Tokyo Broadcasting System. Archived from the original on 2014-04-13. Retrieved 2014-10-03.
  48. ^ 第45回 日本有線大賞 (in Japanese). Japan Cable Awards. Retrieved 2014-08-25.
[edit]
Preceded by Japan Record Award for Best New Artist
2011
Succeeded by