Linlin

Linlin (リンリン) (Real name: 銭琳 Qián Lín; born March 11, 1991 in Zhejiang, China) was a Japanese pop singer under Hello! Project as an eighth generation member of the all-girl Japanese pop group Morning Musume and the leader of Shin Minimoni. She joined Hello! Project in 2007 when Tsunku selected her to be in Morning Musume after seeing her perform. She is one of the two Morning Musume members that are not of Japanese descent, the other being fellow eighth generation member Junjun. She graduated from the group on December 15, 2010 with Kamei Eri and Junjun.

1999
When Linlin was in the second grade of elementary school (1999), she was scouted by a local television station. Since then, she has been active in the entertainment industry, appearing in many television dramas and other shows as a host.

2007
Through the recommendation of a friend of Tsunku, the producer of Hello! Project (which Morning Musume is under), Linlin joined Hello! Project as a part of Hello! Pro Kenshuusei as the Mysterious ponytailed girl (according to fans). On March 15, she (along with Junjun) was officially announced to be joining the eighth generation of all girl J-pop group Morning Musume, as a "foreign student". After seeing her perform at concerts, Tsunku was impressed and believed that she and Junjun would be a key for Morning Musume's planned expansion into Asia in 2007.

2008
Three days later, she made her Japanese television debut on Hello! Morning. Within the same week, she moved to Tokyo, Japan.

On August, Morning Musume collaborated with Takarazuka to perform their musical Cinderella the Musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Linlin took the role of a page and a princess.

2009
In 2009, Tsunku announced on his blog that Linlin would become the leader of Shin Minimoni, with S/mileage member Fukuda Kanon and Hello! Pro Kenshuusei members Takeuchi Akari and Miyamoto Karin.

2010
On May 16, 2010, Linlin announced with Junjun that they would be performing with Natsuyaki Miyabi and former Morning Musume member Kusumi Koharu in Shanghai during June as a special 4-nin unit later to be called Ex-ceed!.

It was announced by Tsunku on August 8th, that Linlin would graduate from Hello! Project and Morning Musume along with fellow Chinese 8th Gen member Junjun and 6th Generation member Kamei Eri. A quote from Tsunku:

About the graduation of Junjun and Linlin, 8th generation members (foreign students)

In May 2005, both of them joined the Morning Musume''. as foreign students and today, while being skilled singers and entertainers, they also greatly improved their japanese proficiency and they are now grown-up women. This is why I took the decision to graduate both of them at the same time as Eri Kamei on the last day of the Morning Musume. Autumn 2010 concert tour. ''

After graduation, they will enter a period of preparation before focusing on their singers and entertainer career in China.

Linlin's graduation was held on December 15, 2010.

She has since returned to China.

2011
In June, Linlin returned to Japan, shortly after she returned to Japan, Junjun announced she would also be returning to Japan.

Linlin along with Saho Akari from Up Up Girls (Kari) formed a special unit and performed in a mini-live for a Chinese girl’s Harajuku fashion show in China.

2012
On July 11, Linlin was hit by a scooter. She was at home recovering from her wounds for a week.

Linlin's words about the incident:

''Looking for that certain despicable motorized scooter.~ Who was the one who ran into me? How can someone run into another person and then run away!!! It really hurts! Alright~But, being alive is a good thing. I have to return home to nurse my wounds and I won’t be able to work for a whole week''

2013
On January 9, during an interview with Sakurai Takamasa, it was announced that Linlin is preparing to debut as a soloist in China. Her debut album is due this Spring at the earliest and there are plans for concerts in China.

Profile

 * Birth name: Qián Lín (钱琳, チェン・リン)
 * Stage Name: Linlin (琳琳, リンリン)
 * Nicknames: Linlin, Linlin-chan, Rinko, Panda
 * Birthdate: March 11, 1991 (age 22)
 * Birthplace: Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China
 * Height: 153.3 cm
 * Blood Type: B
 * Western Zodiac: Pisces
 * Eastern Zodiac: Goat
 * Hello! Project Status:
 * January 2007: Egg
 * 2007-03-15: Member
 * 2007-03-15: Morning Musume Member
 * 2010-12-15: Graduated
 * UP-FRONT PROMOTION Status:
 * 2007-03-15: Member
 * 2010-12-15: Graduated
 * Years is Morning Musume: 3 Years
 * Former Morning Musume Color: Teal
 * Favorite Food: Seafood, crepes
 * Favorite Phrase: "YEAH"
 * Favorite Colors: White, Red, Black
 * Hobbies: Singing, dancing, playing piano, guitar, swimming
 * Skills: Imitations, MC-ing, acting
 * Hello! Project Groups:
 * Hello! Pro Kenshuusei (2007)
 * Morning Musume (2007–2010)
 * Minimoni (2009-2010)
 * Concert Units:
 * Wonderful Hearts (2008–2009)
 * Other:
 * Ex-ceed! (2010)

Album

 * 1) [2013] TBA

Morning Musume

 * Onna ni Sachi Are
 * Mikan
 * Resonant Blue
 * Pepper Keibu
 * Naichau Kamo
 * Shouganai Yume Oibito
 * Nanchatte Ren'ai
 * Kimagure Princess
 * Onna ga Medatte Naze Ikenai
 * Seishun Collection
 * Appare! Kaiten Zushi (as Muten Musume)
 * Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game

Solo Songs

 * [2009.07.15] for you...

TV

 * [2007] ハロー! モーニング (Hello! Morning)
 * [2007–2008] ハロモニ@ (Haromoni@)
 * [2008] ベリキュー! (Berikyuu!)
 * [2008–2009] よろセン! (Yorosen!)

Theater

 * [2008] Cinderella the Musical (シンデレラ The ミュージカル)

Magazines

 * [2010] Chinese STAR (with Junjun)
 * [2013] Table-Top Game

Concert Photobooks

 * [2011.02.16] Morning Musume Live Shashinshū "Rival Survival" ~Kamei Eri Junjun Linlin Sotsugyō Special (モーニング娘. ライブ写真集「ライバル サバイバル」 ~亀井絵里・ジュンジュン・リンリン卒業スペシャル~)

Trivia

 * She was the only member to not have initially auditioned for Morning Musume. Fujimoto Miki was discovered at the fourth generation auditions before joining in 2003, and fellow Chinese member Junjun auditioned in Beijing.
 * Before she was chosen to become a Morning Musume member, she was previously a Hello! Project Egg member. She was known as the mysterious ponytail girl.
 * Her favourite food is Crepes.
 * She can play the piano and guitar as well as sing.
 * As well as she sings, Linlin also acts and dances.
 * She is 153.3 cm tall.
 * She stated in a DVD Magazine that she wakes up every morning and looks in the mirror and laughs. This supposedly keeps her in a good mood for the rest of the day.
 * Niigaki Risa compared Linlin's liveliness to that of Ishikawa Rika.
 * Linlin's talent in singing became more noticeable after performances of her lines in "Ame no Furanai Hoshi de wa Aisenai Darou?" and Platinum 9 DISCO's "Aozora ga Itsumademo Tsuduku You na Mirai de Are!" performance where she was able to demonstrate the strength of her voice.
 * In Yorosen!, she taught Morning Musume about China.
 * Both Linlin and Junjun's debut and last single began with the word 'Onna' which translates to 'Girl'. Her debut single being Onna ni Sachi Are and last single being Onna to Otoko no Lullaby Game.
 * She was the first Morning Musume member to come from Hello! Pro Kenshuusei.
 * She is the fifth former Morning Musume member (with Kamei Eri and Junjun) to graduate from both Morning Musume and Hello! Project. The first being Fukuda Asuka, the second being Ishiguro Aya, the third being Ichii Sayaka, and the fourth being Kusumi Koharu
 * On an episode of Music Fighter she was asked to give a nickname to Nakazawa Yuko, and she gave her the nickname "Blonde Fatass".
 * She currently does cosplay videos and gaming events and commerials.
 * She stated on her blog that she is very afraid of the dark.