Umeda Erika

Umeda Erika (梅田えりか) is a Japanese singer. She is a former model signed to ILLUME, as well as a former member of Hello! Project and Hello! Project Kids, and also a former member of the group ℃-ute. She joined Hello! Project Kids in 2002 through the audition and was later put into ℃-ute in 2005. Umeda has also been a member of the group ZYX in 2003 and its revival in 2009.

In 2009 she left Hello! Project to become a model, but in 2013 she returned to singing as a solo artist. She released her debut album in 2014.

Early Life
Umeda Erika was born on May 24, 1991 in Kanagawa, Japan to a couple whose names are undisclosed.

2002
Umeda Erika took part in the 2002 auditions held to determine the line-up of the new Hello! Project Kids and passed on June 30 along with fourteen other girls.

2003 - 2004
Umeda made her first official appearance in the entertainment industry when she was included in the line-up of the new unit, ZYX, along with four other Hello! Project Kids members and Morning Musume's Yaguchi Mari. Umeda released two singles with the unit before it became inactive. While she was in ZYX, Umeda continued her duties as a member of Hello! Project Kids, namely performing as backing dancers for Morning Musume at concerts. In late 2004 Umeda took part in her first Hello! Project shuffle unit, H.P. All Stars, taking part alongside all the members of Hello! Project at the time. The shuffle unit released one single and became inactive by January 2005. In 2004 Umeda joined Little Gatas.

2005
In 2005, Umeda Erika was assigned as a member of Hello! Project group ℃-ute alongside seven other Hello! Project Kids members. These seven members had been passed over when it came to the forming of Berryz Koubou, which had originally been formed to teach the Hello! Project Kids about being in a group by rotating the line-up amongst the Kids. Originally ℃-ute was releasing on an indie label, but in 2007 they made their major debut.

2006
Umeda Erika released four indie singles as a part of ℃-ute in this year as a preparation for their major debut in 2007. ℃-ute also released their first album, "Cutie Queen Vol.1".

2007
On February 21, 2007 ℃-ute released their debut single, "Sakura Chirari". On the first day in the charts it ranked third on the Oricon charts, a feat not even accomplished by Hello! Project's mother group Morning Musume (who had ranked 6th on their debut single). With their debut single, they became the youngest group (with the average age of 13) to rank in the top 10.

On April 23, Umeda joined the Hello! Project futsal team, Gatas Brilhantes H.P., from Mix Gatas as a goalkeeper.

2008
Umeda continued her duties within ℃-ute, releasing four singles and a third studio album.

2009
℃-ute released their fourth studio album, "4 Akogare My STAR", on January 28th and their 8th major single is scheduled to be released on April 15th, titled "Bye Bye Bye!".

When five members of ℃-ute and Berryz Koubou left the Hello! Project futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P., Umeda Erika still remained on the team as a goalkeeper.

On August 1, rumors surfaced that Umeda would be graduating from ℃-ute in October. This was officially confirmed by Hello! Project a few hours later. Umeda graduated from ℃-ute and Hello! Project on October 26, 2009 to pursue her dream and career as a model.

2010
Umeda Erika signed with a new model agency called ILLUME Models.

Umeda Erika has just opened up a blog on Ameba. The title of the blog is Erika no SWEET DIARY.

2011
On July 16, Umeda was signed into her new model agency called Peach;Co.Ltd.

2013
On October 24, Umeda announced that she is switching careers, becoming a singer again. Her first solo live "Umeda Erika First Solo Live ~Starting Over~" was on December 22 at Hatsudai Doors.

On October 25, Umeda opened her own official website.

On December 22, her first solo album, erika, was announced. It was released on February 12, 2014.

Personal Life
Family= Umeda has an older sister. She also has three Shih Tzus named RAMU-chan, MUU-chan and RUNA-chan.

When Uemda joined Hello! Project Kids, she was a fifth year elementary school student.
 * -|Education=

The following list are notable friendships Umeda Erika has acquired:
 * -|Friendships=
 * Arihara Kanna: After Umeda graduated, she got close to Arihara Kanna.
 * Suzuki Airi: She was friends with Suzuki Airi before singing together.
 * Yajima Maimi: She is best friends with fellow member Yajima Maimi.
 * Itano Tomomi: She also is friends with Itano Tomomi of AKB48.

Umeda Erika was named after her mother's favorite flower, erica. Coincidentally, Arihara Kanna was also named after her mother's favorite flower, canna.
 * -|Name Meaning=

Here is a list of nicknames that was used to refer to Umeda Erika:
 * -|Nicknames=
 * Ume-san (うめさん): Official nickname, given her since joining ℃-ute. Used by members and fans.

Profile
Stats=
 * Name: Umeda Erika (梅田えりか)
 * Birth Date:
 * Nickname: Ume-san (うめさん), Ume-chan (うめちゃん), Eri-chan (えりちゃん)
 * Blood type: A
 * Birthplace: Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
 * Height: 170cm
 * Former ℃-ute Color : Yellow
 * Hello! Project Status:
 * 2002-06-30: Member
 * 2005-06-11: ℃-ute Member
 * 2009-10-25: Graduated
 * Years in ℃-ute: 4 Years
 * Hello! Project Groups:
 * Hello! Project Kids (2002-2009)
 * ZYX (2003)
 * ℃-ute (2005–2009)
 * ZYX-α (2009)
 * Bello! (2009)
 * Shuffle Groups:
 * H.P. All Stars (2004)
 * Other:
 * Little Gatas (2004–2007)
 * Mix Gatas (2006–2007)
 * Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2007–2009)

Hello! Project Daihyakka (2004) Details

 * -|Q&A=
 * Favorite Subject: Music
 * Favorite Brand/Designer: CECIL McBEE, JSG
 * Hobby: Collecting stickers
 * Special Skill: Cooking
 * Strong Point: Friendly personality, can get along with anyone
 * Weak Point: Selfish, can be shy
 * Habit: Spreading my legs
 * Favorite Color: Pink, yellow, white, light blue
 * Favorite Flower: Tulip, hibiscus, rose
 * Disliked Things to do: Studying, exercise.
 * Scared of: Dad, bugs, monsters
 * Favorite Movie: "Tonari no Totoro," "Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi"
 * Favorite Book: "TV Pia"
 * Favorite Word: "Mirai" (future)
 * Favorite Season: Winter, summer
 * Favorite Food: Edamame, beef jerky, pizza, ice-cream, cake, melon, soramame, chocolate, senbei, cookies.
 * Least Favorite: Food: Meat
 * Favorite Song: "White Love" (SPEED), "LOVE Machine" (Morning Musume)
 * Charm Point: Legs and face

Albums

 * [2014.02.12] erika

Solo Songs

 * [2008] Do Don Ga Don Ondo

Discography Participated In
Singles=
 * ℃-ute
 * Massara Blue Jeans (Debut/Indies)
 * Soku Dakishimete (Indies)
 * Ooki na Ai de Motenashite (Indies)
 * Wakkyanai (Z) (Indies)
 * Sakura Chirari
 * Meguru Koi no Kisetsu
 * Tokaikko Junjou
 * LALALA Shiawase no Uta
 * Koero! Rakuten Eagles (Indies)
 * Namida no Iro
 * Edo no Temari Uta II
 * FOREVER LOVE
 * Bye Bye Bye!
 * Shochuu Omimai Moshiagemasu
 * EVERYDAY Zekkouchou!! (Last)


 * ZYX
 * Iku ZYX! FLY HIGH
 * Shiroi TOKYO
 * H.P. All Stars
 * ALL FOR ONE & ONE FOR ALL!


 * -|Albums=
 * ℃-ute
 * Cutie Queen Vol.1
 * 2 Mini ~Ikiru to Iu Chikara~
 * 3rd ~LOVE Escalation!~
 * 4 Akogare My STAR


 * Hello! project
 * Petit Best 4
 * Petit Best 7
 * Petit Best 8
 * Petit Best 9
 * Petit Best 10


 * -|Group Songs=
 * [2007] Bokura no Kagayaki (with Arihara Kanna and Okai Chisato)
 * [2009] One's Life (with Okai Chisato and Hagiwara Mai)

Concerts

 * [2013.12.22] Umeda Erika First Solo Live ~Starting Over~ (梅田えりか　ファーストソロライブ〜Starting Over〜)
 * [2014.02.09] Umeda Erika Live 2014 Album "erika" Launch Live (梅田えりか LIVE 2014 アルバム「erika」発売記念ライブ)
 * [2014] Umeda Erika First Solo Live Tour 2014 ~♡(Kokoro Kara no) Omotenashi

Movies

 * [2002-12] Koinu Dan no Monogatari (仔犬ダンの物語; Puppy DAN's story)

TV Programs

 * [2010-2011] Haken OL wa mita! (ハケンOLは見た!)

Commercials

 * [2010] ABC MART (ABCマート)
 * [2012] Universal Studios Japan (ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン)

Infomercials

 * [2011] Fuji-Q Highland (富士急ハイランド)

Music Videos

 * [2011] HAVE A NICE DAY~EPISODE1 (さよなら初恋編) - Shiki-canta

Ads

 * Joyful Eri (ジョイフル 恵利) (Long-sleeved kimono catalog)
 * As-me ESTELLE (As-meエステール)
 * Apron (アプロン) (White coat catalog)
 * Shimamura (しまむら)
 * TOC (テーオーシーグループ)
 * Nissen "Slattgir." ( ニッセン「Slattgir.」)
 * Senshukai Co., Ltd. (千趣会)

Radio

 * [2006–2007] CUTIE PARTY (with Murakami Megumi (2006), with Yajima Maimi (2006-2007)
 * [2008–2009] ℃-ute Cutie☆Paradise (キューティー☆パラダイス) (with Suzuki Airi)

Runway

 * [2010-] Girls Award (ガールズアワード)
 * [2011] Claudia Bridal (クラウディアブライダル)
 * [2012] BEAUTY STYLE COLLECTION
 * [2012-] Tokyo Girls Collection (東京ガールズコレクション)

Theater

 * [2014.04.04-09] Goodbye Joker (グッバイ・ジョーカー)

Trivia

 * Umeda Erika was the oldest member of the Hello! Project Kids.
 * Umeda's Gatas Brillhantes number is 18 and her position was the goalkeeper.
 * Umeda was also a back-up dancer in performances of Fujimoto Miki's "Boogie Train '03".
 * More recently, she has named her favorite food as yakiniku, her least favorite food as bitter melon, her charm point as "a row of 3 moles on the right of my cheek", her strong point as "I have a lot of energy", her weak point as "short tempered" and her hobbies as shopping and eating tapioca.
 * Yaguchi Mari gave her the nickname "Ume-chan".
 * Despite being the oldest of the Hello! Project Kids, she felt that she wouldn't have been responsible enough to be leader, so she passed down leadership of ℃-ute to the second oldest member, Yajima Maimi.
 * She and Tsugunaga Momoko are the only members to be in both ZYX and its revival.
 * Umeda was the first member of ℃-ute to actually have a graduation ceremony.
 * She went to Hawaii with the rest of ℃-ute. But was only a part of the Fanclub event. She did not take part of the Alo Hello! DVD.
 * She and Okai Chisato were the only ones in ℃-ute to have brown hair.
 * She was modeling under the same agency as Kusumi Koharu, ILLUME MODELS.