is a Japanese musical collective consisting of all female recording artists and groups under Up-Front Promotion, a subsidiary of Up-Front Group. The name was initially used as Michiyo Heike and Morning Musume's fan club name in 1999, but has since then been used to represent all female recording artists at Up-Front Promotion. Until 2014, their songs were primarily produced by Tsunku.
Hello! Project's main acts consist of Morning Musume, Angerme, Juice=Juice, Camellia Factory, Beyooooonds, and Ocha Norma. Notable acts in the past associated with Hello! Project include Aya Matsuura, Maki Goto, Mini-Moni, W, Melon Kinenbi, Berryz Kobo, and Cute.
Artists
Yuko Nakazawa was Hello! Project's leader from April 15, 2001 to March 31, 2009. Ai Takahashi became the group's leader from April 1, 2009 to September 30, 2011. Risa Niigaki then became the leader from October 1, 2011 to May 18, 2012. After her departure, Sayumi Michishige became the leader from May 19, 2012 to November 26, 2014. Maimi Yajima was the leader from November 27, 2014 to December 31, 2016. Ayaka Wada was the group's leader from January 1, 2017 to June 18, 2019, with Mizuki Fukumura as sub-leader. Fukumura took over the leader role beginning June 19, 2019.
History
1997–2000: Beginning, Michiyo Heike & Morning Musume
In 1997, Japanese rock group Sharam Q, fronted by Tsunku, began auditions for a female vocalist. These auditions aired via the reality show Asayan, and resulted in Michiyo Heike being crowned winner. Tsunku decided to give five of the runners-up, Yuko Nakazawa, Natsumi Abe, Kaori Iida, Asuka Fukuda and Aya Ishiguro, named "Morning Musume", a chance to become a group by selling 50,000 copies of their demo single "Ai no Tane" in just five days. The girls sold the required number of copies in four days, and subsequently became an official group.
Morning Musume's debut single, "Morning Coffee," was released on January 28, 1998 on the One Up Music label and charted at #6 on the Oricon weekly chart. The group's first official appearance was a joint live in August 1998, at Shibuya Public Hall (now Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall), under the name the fan club of the two acts was called "Hello!" The first official "units" were Tanpopo and Petitmoni, created in October 1998. The first "Michiyo Heike & Morning Musume Imotōbun Audition" took place, resulting in the "second generation" of Morning Musume to be added, made up of Sayaka Ichii, Mari Yaguchi and Kei Yasuda.
In January 1999, auditions for Country Musume were held on . In April of that year the girls' official fan club was renamed "Hello! Project", a name which was later used to represent an enterprise of member-changing girl groups. Auditions were once again held on Asayan between April and July, resulting in Taiyō to Ciscomoon and Coconuts Musume, with Country Musume's official formation announced. In July, the first live concert of Hello! Project, "Hello! Project '99 at Yokohama Arena," was held. The first shuffle units were formed in March 2000, releasing the "theme" of Hello! Project as a B-side. The first Hello! Project television show, "Hello! Morning," was created in April.
2001–2006: Rise to popularity, Berryz Kobo & Cute
In March 2001, Morning Musume co-founder and leader Yuko Nakazawa announced her graduation from the group, which took place in April. Nakazawa was subsequently named as leader of the entirety of Hello! Project. Nakazawa's was the first graduation in the history of Hello! Project, and garnered considerable media attention as a result.
Between April and June 2002, auditions for Hello! Project Kids were held for girls under 12 years old. Out of 27,958 applicants, fifteen elementary school girls were chosen. After making minor appearances in television, film, and music, Hello! Project Kids later debuted as Berryz Kobo and Cute, who would go on to debut in March 2004 and February 2007 respectively, also spawning offshoot auditions such as auditions for Hello! Pro Egg and Hello! Project Kansai.
2007–2010: Expansion in Asia and Smileage formation
In 2007, Hello! Project attempted to expand towards the Chinese market by inviting prospective Chinese artists to audition in secret, eventually resulting in Li Chun and Qian Lin to Morning Musume's roster. Hello! Project also set up an overseas branch in Taiwan, titled Hello! Project Taiwan, and held the "Hello! Project New Star Audition" to recruit members. In September 2008, the group Ice Creamusume was formed under a Taiwanese-affiliated label as Hello! Project's first overseas group. Duo Frances & Aiko, later named Big Small Sister, was also announced from the same audition.