2013/09/26

[Biography]

BABYMETAL

  • BABYMETAL is a girl trio consisting of SU-METAL (lead singer), YUIMETAL & MOAMETAL.
  • Its theme is the fusion of heavy metal music and (J-pop) idols.
  • The official notation is written in uppercase without a space.
  • The pronunciation is "bébiméṭl" not "béɪbiméṭl" because it is a pun of "heavy metal" and "baby", but its staff seem not to care if people outside Japan pronounce it "béɪbiméṭl".
  • The Japanese notation is "ベビーメタル" (bebiimetaru). The Japanese fans often call abbreviatedly "ベビメタ" (bebimeta).

  • In 2010 autumn, it was formed as the heavy music club (重音部; juuon-bu) among the extra-curricular activities (or the sub groups) of an idol girl group "Sakura Gakuin" (さくら学院; cherry blossom school).
  • On 2010 Nov. 28th, BABYMETAL debuted at Sakura Gakuin's first school festival concert.
  • In 2011 Jul.- 2012 Aug., BABYMETAL performed mainly at Sakura Gakuin's concerts and in Idol Festivals (2 or 3 songs).
  • On 2011 Oct. 24th, its first single "Doki Doki * Morning" (as towel with DVD) was released.
  • On 2012 Jul. 21st, its first solo concert (6 songs) was held at Rockmaykan, Tokyo.
  • On 2012 Oct. 6th, Dec. 20th & 2013 Feb. 1st, solo concerts named "Legend I", "D", & "Z" were held, and the live backing band "Kami Band" accompanied the songs for the first time.
  • On 2012 Nov. 10th, its first overseas concert was held in Anime Festival Asia Singapore 2012.
  • On 2013 Feb. 1st, it was announced that its activity would be time-limitedly extended after Miss Suzuka should graduate from Sakura Gakuin in 2013 Mar., but the time limit was not announced.
  • In 2013 Jul.- Oct., BABYMETAL performed in several rock festivals with the live backing band.
  • On 2013 Nov. 20th, its first live BD (Legend I,D,Z) was released (the limited DVD on Oct. 19th).
  • On 2013 Dec. 28th, its first overseas solo concert was held in Singapore.
  • On 2014 Feb. 26th, its first CD album was released.
  • On 2014 Mar. 1st&2nd, its milestone concerts were held at Bodôkan, Tokyo.
  • In 2014 Jul.- Aug., its first world tour was held (4 solo concerts & 2 rock festivals: Paris, Koeln, "Sonisphere UK", London, Los Angeles & "Heavy Motreal").
  • In 2015 May&Jun., its first CD album was released also in Europe & North America.
  • On 2016 Apr. 2nd, its concert is to be held at Wembley Arena, London.

  • Its early three songs are also included in Sakura Gakuin's CD albums (and two in DVDs).


MOAMETAL, SU-METAL, YUIMETAL, 2011


YUIMETAL, SU-METAL, MOAMETAL, 2013


MOAMETAL, SU-METAL, YUIMETAL, 2015


  • Please note that these below explanations for names are general interpretations. Usually parents decide the sound first, and then choose the favorable kanji.
  • Private matters written below are said or written by themselves in some interviews or in Sakura Gakuin's journal.
  • Activities as a member of Sakura Gakuin or BABYMETAL are excepted.

SU-METAL

  • Her real name is "中元 すず香" (なかもと すずか; Suzuka NAKAMOTO).
  • "すず" (suzu) is "鈴" (bell) or "涼" (suzushii; cool (of temp.)) and "香"(ka) means fragrance.
        In an interview (thanks to Anonymous san on 2014 May 6), she said her "suzu" means a bell, but it is uncertain whether her parents had really told her so or it was just her casual remark.
  • She is called "suː" (long vowel) and written in kana "すぅ" (the second is small u), so "SU-METAL" is pronounced as "suːmeṭl".

  • She was born on 1997 Dec. 20th.
  • She has grown up in Hiroshima City (West Japan).
  • In 2002 Nov., she won the grand pix of Bandai Jeweldrop (toy cosmetics) image girl contest, and she appeared in its ads in 2003.
  • In 2006 spring, she started taking lessons of dance and singing at Actor's School Hiroshima.
  • In 2007 spring, she won the second prize of Amuse's starkids audition and she contracted with Amuse Inc. for artist management.
  • In early 2008, she was chosen as a member of Karen Girl's (可憐Girl's) with one year older MUTÔ Ayami & SHIMA Yuika to sing the opening themes of the anime "Zettai Karen Children" (絶対可憐チルドレン; Absolutely Lovely Children).
  • In 2008 Jun.- 2009 Mar., Karen Girl's released two CD singles & one CD album, and appeared in one big anime song festival & several events, and it was dissolved because the anime ended.
  • In 2009 Mar. & 2010 Jun., she performed in a musical drama "冒険者たち" (Bokensha-tachi; a.k.a. The Adventure of Ganba).
  • In 2010 Apr., she joined Sakura Gakuin as an original member.
  • In 2012 Mar., she moved to Tokyo with her mother & second sister, leaving her father & first sister in Hiroshima.
  • On 2013 Mar. 31st, she graduated from Sakura Gakuin because of its age limitation.

  • She has two older sisters. The second is Himeka NAKAMOTO (中元 日芽香 a.k.a. Hime-tan) who joined an idol girl group "Nogizaka46" (乃木坂46) in 2012 Mar.
  • She has said many several times she wants to be a singer-songwriter in the future, and she mentioned YUI (who sang "Good-bye Days" etc.) in 2013 Mar. and Gabrielle APLIN in 2014 Feb.

YUIMETAL

  • Her real name is Yui MIZUNO / 水野 由結 (みずの ゆい).
  • "結"(yui, yuu) means binding some things in one, doing up hair, customary collaboration in farming, etc. "由"(yuu, yoshi) means a reason/cause, but I guess this kanji is added only to read "結" as "yui" since it can be also read as "musubu" (the meanings are alike).

  • She was born on 1999 Jun. 20th.
  • She has grown up in Kanagawa Pref. (probably in Kawasaki City, near Tokyo, since she is a fan of a pro football club "Kawasaki Frontale").
  • In 2007, she appeared in a kids fashion magazine "Kids Style" as an amateur model.
  • In 200X, she started taking dance lessons (apart from Amuse Inc.)
  • In 2008, she appeared in a TV CM of children's clothing after she contracted with Amuse Inc.
  • In 2009, she performed in some TV dramas as a child actress.
  • In 2010 May&Jun., she performed in a stage drama "おくりびと" (Okuri-bito).
  • In 2010 Aug., she & Miss Moa joined Sakura Gakuin (four months delay was a gimmick and they were substantially original members).
  • On 2015 Mar. 29th, she graduated from Sakura Gakuin because of its age limitation.

  • She has one older brother & one younger brother.
  • She is a huge fan of Karen Girl's, and she says its "Over The Future" encouraged her very very much when one of her family was seriously ill in 2008.
  • She is a huge fan of Ariana GRANDE since she watched a TV drama "Victorious" (in 2013?).

MOAMETAL

  • Her real name is Moa KIKUCHI / 菊地 最愛 (きくち もあ).
  • "最" (mottomo) means "most" and "愛" (ai) means love. Usually "最愛" is read as "sai-ai" and means "the most loved ...", but her parents meant "最も愛を大切に" (Mottomo ai o taisetu ni!; Cherish the love most!), and this is her catchphrase.

  • She was born on 1999 Jul. 4th.
  • She has grown up in Nagoya City (Central Japan).
  • In 200X, started taking classic guitar lessons (but she seems not to have had enough time for guitar practice).
  • In 2007 Aug., she won the second prize of the Ciao Girl audition, and she contracted with Amuse Inc.
  • In 2007?-2009?, she went to Amuse's Osaka branch once a month to take lessons.
  • In 2008-2010, she appeared in Ciao (a girls' comic magazine) as a fashion model, and in some TV CM (McDonald's, etc).
  • In 2010 Aug., she & Miss Yui joined Sakura Gakuin (four months delay was a gimmick and they were substantially original members).
  • In 2011 autumn, she moved to Yokohama (near Tokyo) with her family.
  • On 2015 Mar. 29th, she graduated from Sakura Gakuin because of its age limitation.

  • She has no sister & no brother.
  • she loves idols and animes since she watched an anime "Kirarin Revolution" (きらりん☆レボリューション; Sparkling Revolution; 2006-2009) in which a girl became an J-pop idol.
  • She is a huge fan of ℃-ute (Cute; one of sister groups of Morning Musume.), especially Airi SUZUKI (鈴木愛理), since BABYMETAL & C-ute appeared together in an idol festival in 2012 Apr.

Which is Yui chan and which is Moa chan?

  • Miss Yui's hair has a natural wave. / Miss Moa's hair is straight.
  • Miss Moa's face is relatively triangular. / Miss Yui's face is relatively round.
  • YUIMETAL wears a glove on the right hand & MOAMETAL on the left now, but they wore it oppositely until 2014 Mar.
  • MOAMETAL often stands stage left & YUIMETAL on stage right, but their positions differ depending on the tunes and they interchange their positions even in one tune.
  • Miss Moa's voice is brighter. / Miss Yui's voice is softer.
  • MOAMETAL's voice comes from the right channel and YUIMETAL's from the left in "4 no Uta" & "IJIME, DAME, ZETTAI" of the first CD album.

11 comments:

  1. My respects Du Enki! Please join our BM fan group on the Facebook. Thank you.
    https://www.facebook.com/groups/518473254914199/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you very much for your invitation. But, I am really sorry, there are Many Rivers To Cross for me to join your Facebook.
      First of all, I don't have the Facebook account. I am slow to do everything. My quick response is usually the worst of the options. I wonder why other people can do things in adequate time with adequate quality.
      For the moment, I don't think I can catch up with the discussions in English.
      Best regards to all BABYMETAL's fans.

      Delete
  2. I'm new to BABYMETAL and I'm starting to like SU-METAL. This blog is really helpful! Thank you very much Mr. Du :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. hi Du-san, really appreciate your effort on translations and the information!! thank you so much!

    just my two cents, I believe Suu-chan refer "suzu" in her name as "bell"?
    You may find it worthy to add to this biography page

    here's a proof of her saying that:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU0WLR2dJ_0

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your information. I'll update soon.

      Delete
    2. I apologize to you for very late update. I wanted to confirm that it was not her casual remark (because such a thing often happens) but her parents had really told her so, but I couldn't.

      Delete
  4. hello I'm japanese. I can speak english but no so good.
    This page second picture is [YUIMETAL, SU-METAL, MOAMETAL, 2013]
    Third picture is [MOAMETAL, SU-METAL, YUIMETAL, 2015]

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your correction & sorry to make big mistakes.
      訂正ありがとうございます。大間違いしてすみません。

      Delete
  5. "She has said many times she wants to be a singer-songwriter in the future, and she mentioned YUI (who sang "Good-bye Days" etc.) in 2013 Mar."

    Can you say where it was please? I'll really appreciate it)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry. She has said it not "many times" but "several times", and, after 2014 Mar., probably there's no information about how she thinks about it.
      She mentioned YUI san in the interview of "Namba Kazumi's Idoru 36bou"
      (南波一海のアイドル三十六房特別編~中元すず香(さくら学院_BABYMETAL)卒業スペシャル~).
      This is a live streaming program broadcast on 2013 Mar. 20th (11 days before her graduation from Sakura Gakuin). Now I'm translating this interview though some one may have already translated it.

      Delete