Momoko Tsugunaga

Momoko Tsugunaga (嗣永 桃子, Tsugunaga Momoko, born March 6, 1992)[1] is a former Japanese singer, actress, and radio personality. Tsugunaga joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids at the age of 10 and later became part of the girl groups Berryz Kobo and Buono! Following Berryz Kobo's hiatus, she became the playing manager of Country Girls. In 2017, Tsugunaga retired from entertainment to become a kindergarten teacher.

Momoko Tsugunaga
嗣永 桃子
Tsugunaga at MTV Video Music Awards Japan 2014
Born (1992-03-06) March 6, 1992[1]
Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan[1]
NationalityJapanese
Other namesMomochi[2]
Occupations
  • Singer
  • actress
Agent(s)Up-Front Promotion (2002-2014)
Up-Front Works (2014-2017)
Musical career
Genres
Years active2002–2017
LabelsZetima
Formerly of

Career

2002-2004: Hello! Project Kids and ZYX

In 2002, Tsugunaga auditioned for Hello! Project Kids with the song "Koi wo Shicchaimashita!" by Tanpopo. Her audition tape was aired on Morning Musume's variety show Hello! Morning.[3] She was placed in the group with 14 other girls.[4][5] In the same year, she starred in the movie Koinu Dan no Monogatari as the main character, Mao Morishita.[6][7][8]

In 2003, Tsugunaga appeared in the music video for Miki Fujimoto's "Boogie Train '03." She also became a member of the subgroup ZYX along with Mari Yaguchi from Morning Musume, Erika Umeda, Maimi Yajima, Saki Shimizu, and Megumi Murakami.[6][9] They released their debut single, "Iku ZYX! Fly High" on August 6, 2003,[10] followed by "Shiroi Tokyo" on December 10, 2003.[11] Later, in 2004, she participated in singing "All for One & One for All!", a collaboration single released by all Hello! Project artists under the name "H.P. All Stars."[12]

2004-2015: Berryz Kobo and Buono!
Main article: Berryz Kobo

In 2004, Tsugunaga was one of the eight girls from Hello! Project Kids were selected to form Berryz Kobo.[13] Berryz Kobo debuted on March 3, 2004, with the single "Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai",[14] and she was one of the lead singers of the group. From 2009 until 2014, Tsugunaga also hosted a radio show titled "Momoko Tsugunaga from Berryz Kobo's Pri-Pri-Princess."[15]

Continuing with her "Momochi" personality, Tsugunaga released a solo song and music video called "Momochi! Yurushite Nyan Taiso", which was released as a B-side to Berryz Kobo's 29th single, "Cha Cha Sing."[16]

In 2007, Tsugunaga also became part of the subgroup Buono! with Miyabi Natsuyaki and Airi Suzuki from Cute. The group formed to perform the opening and ending songs for the anime Shugo Chara![17] They released their first single, "Honto no Jibun", on October 31, 2007.[18] After the show's end, Buono continued on as a side project until its disbandment in 2017.[19]

2015-2017: Country Girls and retirement
Main article: Country Girls (band)

In 2014, Berryz Kobo announced they would end activities the following year.[20] After Berryz Kobo went on hiatus, Tsugunaga took on the role as the "playing manager" for the girl group Country Girls, a revival of a Hello! Project group formerly under the name Country Musume.[21]

On November 5, 2016, at Shinjuku ReNY, during Country Girls' second anniversary event, Tsugunaga announced that she would retire from the entertainment industry the following year to become a kindergarten teacher.[22][6] To commemorate her graduation, a compilation CD album titled Tsugunaga Momoko Idol 15 Shuunen Kinen Album Arigatou Otomomochi (嗣永桃子 アイドル15周年記念アルバム ♡ありがとう おとももち♡, Tsugunaga Momoko Aidoru 15 Shuunen Kinen Arubamu Arigatou Otomomochi) was released on June 21, 2017, with songs selected by fan vote.[23][24] Tsugunaga held her final concert on June 30, 2017, in an outdoor venue at Odaiba, exactly 15 years after her debut in Hello! Project Kids.[25] 8,000 people attended the concert,[26] including Berryz Kobo and Cute.[27]

Personal life

Public image

During Berryz Kobo's later years, Tsugunaga became known as the "cutesy character" of the group and with her mannerisms and twintail hairstyle. She was often referred to by the nickname Momochi (ももち) in media and press.[2] After Berryz Kobo went on hiatus, she began playing down her "Momochi" image and stopped wearing her hair in twintails, citing that she has grown up.[28]

Education

Tsugunaga majored in education and graduated in 2014.[29]

Discography
For Momoko Tsugunaga's releases with Berryz Kobo and Buono!, see Berryz Kobo discography and Buono!

Albums
Title Year Album details Peak chart positions Sales
JPN
Oricon Billboard Japan
Momoko Tsugunaga 15th Year Idol Anniversary Album: Thank You, Momo-friends (嗣永桃子 アイドル15周年記念アルバム ♡ありがとう おとももち♡) 2017 19[30] — —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

DVD
Title Release date Label / Notes Highest
position
Oricon
Weekly
DVD
Chart
Momo Only[31] December 3, 2008 Piccolo Town 32[32]
Momo OK September 9, 2009 Piccolo Town 20[33]
Momochi DVD Zukan (ももち DVD図鑑) October 27, 2010 Piccolo Town 58[34]
Momo Play (ももプレ♡) March 6, 2011 e-LineUP! limited edition
Momo Play 2: Kaitō Momo Seine
(ももプレ♡2 〜怪盗モモセーヌ〜)		 December 23, 2011 e-LineUP! limited edition
Momochi Hatachi (ももち はたち) April 25, 2012 Piccolo Town 94[35]
Momo Play 3: Rest Another Day
(ももプレ3 〜Rest Another Day〜)		 March 6, 2013 e-LineUP! limited edition

Bibliography

Photobooks
  • Momo (momo) (June 19, 2007, ISBN 978-484704018-4)[36]
  • Momo16 (Momoiro) (momo16 -ももいろ-, "Momo16 Peach-colored") (March 19, 2008, ISBN 978-404895015-2)
  • Momo no Mi (桃の実, "Peach Seeds") (November 21, 2008, Wani Books, ISBN 978-4847041389)
  • Momochiiii (momochiiii) (August 21, 2009, Wani Books, ISBN 978-4847041921)
  • Momochi Zukan (ももち図鑑) (October 20, 2010, Wani Books, ISBN 978-4-8470-4322-2)
  • Hatachi Momochi (はたち ももち) (March 6, 2012, Wani Books, ISBN 978-4-8470-4444-1)[37]

Photo-essays
  • Momochi no Kimochi (ももちのきもち) (Photographic essay, June 22, 2013, Wani Books, ISBN 978-4-8470-4559-2)

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2002 Koinu Dan no Monogatari Mao Morishita Lead role[7]
2004 Promise Land: Clover no Daibōken Sae Ōmori Lead role; television movie
2011 Ring of Curse Shiori Sonoda Lead role; feature film with Buono![38]
2011 Ōsama Game Yūko Inomoto Supporting role[39]

Television
Year Title Role Network Notes
2002-2007 Hello! Morning Herself TV Tokyo Morning Musume's variety show
2002-2004 Hello Kids Herself TV Tokyo Minimoni's variety show
2005 Musume Document 2005 Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show
2005-2006 Musume Dokyu! Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show
2007-2008 Haromoni Herself TV Tokyo Morning Musume's variety show
2008 Berikyū! Herself TV Tokyo Berryz Kobo and Cute's variety show
2008 Yorosen! Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show
2009 Bijo Houdan Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show[40]
2010 Bijo Gaku Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show[41]
2011-2012 Hello Pro! Time Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show[42]
2012 Sūgaku Joshi Gakuen Tomoko Harajuku NTV Episode 6[43]
2012-2013 Hello! Satoyama Life Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show[44]
2014-2017 The Girls Live Herself TV Tokyo Up-Front Works's variety show[45]
2014-2015 Oha Suta Herself TV Tokyo Variety show MC on Thursdays[46]
2014-2016 Haiku Saku Saku Herself NHK Variety show panelist[47]

Theater
Year Title Role Notes
2006 Edo Kara Chakushin!?: Timeslip to Kengai! Fuu Lead role[48]
2007 Reverse!: Watashi no Karada Doko Desu ka? Herself Lead role[49]
2008 Berryz Kobo VS Berryz Kobo Herself Lead role[50]
2009 Thank You Very Berry Manaka Konishi Lead role[51]
2010 Sanokuen Shōjo Herself Lead role[52]
2011 Sengoku Jietai Herself Lead role in Defense[53]
2013 Warera Jeanne: Shōjo Seisen Kageki Belle Supporting role[54]

Music video
Year Artist Song Notes
2003 Miki Fujimoto "Boogie Train '03"
2004 W "Aa ii na!" Back-up dancer (with Berryz Kobo)
2004 W "Robo Kiss" Back-up dancer (with Berryz Kobo)

Radio
Year Title Role Notes
2004-2009 Berryz Kobo Chaku! Seki! Rei! Radio host with Berryz Kobo
2009-2014 Berryz Kobo Tsugunaga Momoko no Pri-Pri-Princess Radio host [15]
2011 Viva! Paella presents Music Buono! Radio host with Buono!
2011-2013 Pizza-La presents Cafe Buono! Radio host with Buono![55]
2013-2015 Pizza-La presents Trattoria Buono! Radio host with Buono![56]
2016-2017 Ijūin Hikaru to Radio to News correspondent [6][57]

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