The Country Girls Thread (カントリー・ガールズ); ex-Country Musume (カントリー娘。)

[muppet]

Happy birthday to Rinne (Toda), One of the original Country Musume members!!

She turns 32 years old today, 2月6日-

Hope she has a great day with family and friends,
and may the upcoming year bring her much joy!!!
All that I could find about what she is doing today, is from Japanese Wikipedia,
and the last entry i that she is currently helping her father in Okinawa
 (but not sure when the story was written).




Now a clip that was originally from May of 2000- the song is Hokkaido Shalala:

[RatBastich]

HAPPEE BURFDAE, RINNE!!!

A true country sweetie, fo sho.

[muppet]

Happy Birthday to Asami Kimura!!!

Country cutie all the way- hopefully this day finds her surrounded
by friends and family!

And may the coming year bring Asami san much love and joy!!!

      

[JFC]

From the guys at Wota In Translation:

88: 名無し募集中。。。 2013/09/08(日) 22:01:29.30 0
>>36
Rinne’s history. The person responsible for her fate is Tanaka Yoshitake:

On July 3rd 2002, she joined shuffle unit Odoru♡11. They released “Shiawase Kyouryuu Ondo”.

She graduated from Country Musume and Hello! Project that same year at the end of a fan club event held at Hanabatake Bokujo on October 12th and 13th. She intended to focus on stage plays. Her motive for graduating was Country Musume producer Tanaka Yoshitake who, influenced by Goto Maki’s graduation, wanted to make Rinne into a solo artist as well.

After her graduation, she appeared in the play “Sougen no Hito.” There were no official announcements following that, but in 2011, it was learned that she was residing at Ishigakijima (Ishigaki, Okinawa prefecture) while helping her father with his work.

69: 名無し募集中。。。 2013/09/08(日) 21:59:29.71 0
http://www.kodomo-musical.jp/scm/senpai.htm
Toda Rinne-san (left)

And this one's about the member that apparently went into/did some nudie pics?

151: 名無し募集中。。。 2013/09/08(日) 22:20:29.29 0   

1 名前：禿の月φ ★[sage] 投稿日：2013/08/16(金) 05:57:00.87 ID:???P
Ex-Country Musume member Kobayashi Azusa (35) will release her first solo mini-album “DISTANCE” on September 25th. It includes the rock-influenced “100nen no Ketsumatsu” and “Mirai no Kioku” and the poppy “Kazeiro no Sora” for a total of six songs.

She wrote the lyrics to all songs herself. “I’m not a very talkative person, so instead I took my daily thoughts and wrote them all down“, she explains. About the very heavy-sounding “SACRED DOLLS” which is also the song she says she feels the most confident about, Kobayashi said: “In that song I tried to picture myself as having changed into a doll. I really like that one.“

For the past five years, Kobayashi has been busy playing live clubs and doing other musical activities. “The album contains all my memories and feelings of these past five years“, she says.

On the 18th, Kobayashi will be performing at Nishikawakuchi Hearts in Saitama.

Source: SANSPO.COM
http://www.sanspo.com/geino/news/20130816/oth13081605010005-n1.html

The only mention of Asami is by someone who says that she's working as a caregiver in her hometown.

149: 名無し募集中。。。 2013/09/08(日) 22:19:59.32 0
What are the other members aside from Satoda up to? Are they still alive?

158: 名無し募集中。。。 2013/09/08(日) 22:24:11.92 0
Rinne is helping with her father’s work in Ishigakijima, Asami is doing caregiving work in her hometown and Miuna is is a love columnist.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE LINK - http://wotaintranslation.com/2013/09/30/country-musume-still-lives/

[muppet]

^ A couple of pictures of Azusa Kobayashi,
from ^ above article (all credit to Sanspo.com)

[JFC]

From H!O's Twitter

Due to the large number of applicants the entry period for the Country Musume audition has been extended to 4/20.
countrymusume-audition.com/pc/news/

LINK - http://www.countrymusume-audition.com/pc/news/


For anyone who wasn't aware that this was happening, the original announcement was made just a couple of months ago.
- http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/02/country-musume-to-hold-new-member-auditions

I could've sworn that I had posted this here. Maybe I mistakenly canceled the post instead of actually posting it. (-_-);


And Mai even made a video to make an official announcement.
http://forum.jphip.com/index.php?topic=4304.msg1260090#msg1260090

[JFC]

From H!O's Twitter

Round 2 of the New Country Musume Audition has also ended.
- http://www.countrymusume-audition.com/pc/news/
- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/486428651693809664/photo/1

LINK - https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/486428651693809664

[JFC]

From H!O's Twitter:

The Country Musume audition is over. No winners.
- http://www.countrymusume-audition.com/pc/news/

LINK - https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/497315145476227072


Like, really? A few months ago they had said that they were extending the auditions because there were so many applicants. Was that just a total lie? If it wasn't, could they really not find ANY girls that they'd consider signing?



EDIT:

No winner chosen for yet another Hello! Project audition

Earlier this year, open applications to join a Country Musume revival unit were announced through Up-Front’s official YouTube channel by sole member Satoda Mai, afraid the group with disappear when she moved to the United States.

The group debuted in 1999 with the original concept of being a group of “country girls from Hokkaido”. The audition was open to girls ages 10 to 17 nationwide, but after two rounds, it was revealed today that there were no winners chosen to continue the group’s legacy.

Up-Front Works posted a notification of the results on their website.   

A Notification Regarding the Country Musume Member Audition

    At this time, we thank you for participating in the Country Musume member auditions.
    As a result of the judges’ strict examination, none of the applicants passed.
    We had many applicants this time who participated with a lot of enthusiasm and we can’t thank you enough.
    Please continue to cheer for Hello! Project.

    Country Musume Member Audition Office

This is Hello! Project’s third group audition to end with no winners, the others being Morning Musume’s Lucky 7 audition in 2004 and the 12th generation Mirai Shoujo audition in 2013.

LINKS
- http://aramajapan.com/news/music/no-one-passed-yet-another-hello-project-audition/5487/
- http://www.up-front-works.jp/newslist/1408071800_country.html

[JFC]

WotaInTranslation - Who had the more entertaining fights on radio: v-u-den or Country Musume?
- http://wotaintranslation.com/2014/08/19/who-had-the-more-entertaining-fights-on-radio-v-u-den-or-country-musume/

[JFC]

Several tweets from H!O's Twitter:

Country Musume will be relaunching after all: introducing 'Country Girls'

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/529690377067171840

Country Girls are: Trainees Yamaki Risa & Inaba Manaka and 3 new girls.

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/529691311268724738

Non-Trainee Country Girls members are: Ozeki Mai (12), Shimamura Uta (14) & Morito Chisaki (14)

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/529695464535638016

Both Satoda Mai and Tsugunaga Momoko will have management roles for Country Girls. They will perform at H!P Winter 2015.

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/529695703833268224

Small correction: the new group name is Country ・Girls (with a dot in the middle).

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/529713821569789952

Tune in to the next episode of Hello! Project Station for more on Country ・Girls
- http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000109355

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/529735581346316288
- http://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000109355


Looks like we're gonna need either a renaming or a whole new thread soon. 

[muppet]

And Momoko gets a chance to
use her teaching skilz!!

Tsugunaga Sensei:

Listen up girls,
First lesson
for you country girls
will be cleaning stalls!

[JFC]

From Up-Front Link's Twitter:

[EN] Country Musume。 new name "Country・Girls" and members announcement!
- https://www.facebook.com/notes/up-front-link/en-country-musume-new-name-countrygirls-and-members-announcement/776488729076713

- https://twitter.com/UpFrontLink/status/529848370630647808
- https://www.facebook.com/notes/up-front-link/en-country-musume-new-name-countrygirls-and-members-announcement/776488729076713


From blog-project.net's Twitter:

New translated post from Special Translations - A report！ (Satoda Mai)
- http://blog-project.net/special-translations/213765

- https://twitter.com/blog_project/status/529791687267086336
- http://blog-project.net/special-translations/213765


And from Skoban's Twitter (I guess maybe he hasn't had a chance to do a full translation of the blog entry yet):

Momo blog message to Satoda Mai: Let's make it a group fascinating enough that your MomoClo loving husband will oshihen

- https://twitter.com/realskoban/status/529814695855673344


IceJiggly.blogspot.ca - Satoda Mai and Tsugunaga Momoko's statements on Country Girls
- http://icejiggly.blogspot.ca/2014/11/satoda-mai-and-tsugunaga-momokos.html


New episode of Hello!Project Station (#91); Country ・Girls segment starts at 06:13:

[JFC]

Country Girls[MEZAMASHI AQUA]



EDIT:

New Country Musume to debut this winter
November 5, 2014

Country Musume have changed their name to 'Country Girls'. The group will start their activities with six members who are Berryz Kobo's Tsugunaga Momoko, Hello Pro Kenshuusei's Inaba Manaka and Yamaki Risa, and Morning Musume 12th generation audition participants Ozeki Mai, Shimamura Uta, and Morito Chisa.

Tsugunaga, who joined Country Girls as playing manager, commented, "Using the experience I gained in Berryz Kobo, I will do my best not to dye Country Girls with Momochi color." Country Girls is currently in preparation to participate in Hello! Project's concert tour, which will be held this winter. Tsugunaga will officially begin her activities in Country Musume after Berryz Kobo's activities come to a halt.

Satoda Mai, who will be the supervisor for Country Girls, said, "I am proud to have always called myself Country Musume even after I became the only member. Thinking of myself as a member of the group, I want to continue to watch over them from New York."

More details on Country Girls will be revealed soon.


Source: natalie

- http://www.tokyohive.com/article/2014/11/new-country-musume-to-debut-this-winter
- http://natalie.mu/music/news/130409

[JFC]

CROSS-POSTING!!

From H!O's Twitter:

Country ・Girls will appear live on stage at the public radio broadcast during the November 23 Satoyama event
- http://news.dwango.jp/index.php?itemid=13463

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/535310251034431489
- http://news.dwango.jp/index.php?itemid=13463

[oaxiac]

Belated Happy 17th Bday to Inaba Manaka!

[oaxiac]

Itooshikutte gomen ne

[JFC]

^
I like that you can actually hear them harmonizing.


From H!O's Twitter:

Country Girls' profiles have been posted on the Hello! Project website
- http://www.helloproject.com/countrygirls/profile/

- https://twitter.com/hello_online/status/550360808161816577
- http://www.helloproject.com/countrygirls/profile/

[shirenuファクトリー]

So presh

OMG THAT SONG IS SO CUTE I CAN'T HELP BUT SMILE STUPIDLY Even without a moving visual, I think I'm in love

[muppet]

Good times at the Project!

Loved the doo wop sounds of their song, guess
Country Girls are supposed to be nostalgic....but the song really works!

With the new members of Momu, Angerme,
and these awesome Country Girls, there's bound
to be all kinds of kawaiiness, earnestness, rivalries,
friendships, and hopefully some good trolling of the
Senpai!

Saw recently Risa Yamaki with Momochi hosting one
Of the Hello Project Video Magazines, &
Risa was trolling Momochi like a Baws!

Risa Yamaki

[oaxiac]

Perf @ 2:59, Intros @4:05







http://hikounin.tumblr.com/post/106965005770