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Momoiro Clover Z
Live performance in August 2011
Background information
Also known as	Momoclo
Origin	Japan
Genres	J-pop, pop, teen pop, comedy, dance-pop, bubblegum pop, pop rock
Years active	2008 (2008)–present
Labels	King Records
Members	Kanako Momota Shiori Tamai Ayaka Sasaki Momoka Ariyasu Reni Takagi
Past members	Akari Hayami For more, see Former members
Website	momoclo.net

Momoiro Clover Z (ももいろクローバーZ, Momoiro Kurōbā Zetto, lit. "Pink Clover Z") is a Japanese female idol group. It is also referred to as Momoclo (ももクロ, Momokuro) for short and currently consists of 5 members.

Overview

The name of the group ("Pink Clover") and its four-leaf clover logo mean to say that the group is "innocent girls who want to spread happiness". It was formed on May 17, 2008 (originally named Momoiro Clover) and officially debuted as a six-member unit a year later. In 2011, after the withdrawal of subleader Akari Hayami from the group, Momoiro Clover had an index ("Z") appended to its name. The meaning of the letter Z has not been officially announced, and is left to individual interpretation.

They are nicknamed "Weekend Heroines" (週末ヒロイン, Shūmatsu Hiroin) That's because most of the group's members are students and the group is active mainly on weekends. The group gives a special emphasis to closeness to the fans and its slogan is "Idols you can meet right now" (いま、会えるアイドル, Ima Aeru Aidoru). The bond with the fans finds its roots in the times when the group performed on park walkways for passers-by, when they gave free concerts in elecronics stores, sold CDs by themselves, handed out flyers, etc. Though the group made it big, their deep appreciation of the fans can be seen at their live concerts and events, when they make a deep and long to say thanks.

The group is noted for their high spirits and a positive attitude in spite of all the challenges they have faced ever since the early times when performing in the streets. The girls keep smiling and exert all their energies to move forward. Live performances of the group are also full of soul and wholehearted. The concerts' athmosphere, with positive and passionate lyrics, with acrobatic performances and intense dances, put the audience into a high state of excitement. Although the girls' voices are not very stable when coupled with an intense dance, the group performs on stage live and never lipsynch. The group has worked with many noted songwriters and musicians, belonging to different genres of music, from pop to heavy metal. Such a wide spectrum of contributors from different backgrounds makes the group always surprising, when the fans never know what to expect. In 2012, their first album Battle and Romance won CD Shop Awards in Japan. It was recognized as the best CD of the previous year, selected by salesclerks from all over the country. It was the first time an idol (group) have got this prize.

Members

Each member has her own personal color that is reflected in her costume and accessories. In some songs and music videos, Momoiro Clover Z loosely parodies Japanese sentai shows and themes.

Former members

• Runa Yumikawa (弓川留奈, born February 4, 1994 (1994-02-04))
• Tsukina Takai (高井 つき奈, born July 6, 1995 (1995-07-06)) (later a member of SKE48, from which she graduated in 2009)
• Miyū Wagawa (和川 未優, born December 19, 1993 (1993-12-19))
• Manami Ikura (伊倉 愛美, born February 4, 1994 (1994-02-04))
• Sumire Fujishiro (藤白 すみれ, born May 8, 1994 (1994-05-08))
• Yukina Kashiwa (柏 幸奈, born August 12, 1994 (1994-08-12)) (now a member of Nogizaka46)
• Akari Hayami (早見 あかり, born March 17, 1995 (1995-03-17)) (color: Blue)

History

2008–2009

The group was formed on 17 May 2008 during Stardust Agency's audition event. The group's name "Momoiro Clover" ("Pink Clover") and four-leaf pink clover logo were meant to indicate that the group members were "innocent girls who wanted to spread happiness".

Momoiro Clover's ascent to stardom began the same spring on the sidewalks of Tokyo's Yoyogi Park, and itwhere they performed for bystanders almost every weekend. The park has a significant numbers of visitors and its sidewalks are well-populated, but as the founding members of the band recall, sometimes only a few people would stop and look. They didn't expect it would be that hard to catch people's attention, but didn't give up.

In a one-year period, the band had a number of line-up changes, and finally in March 2009 became a five-member band composed of Reni Takagi, Kanako Momota, Akari Hayami, Shiori Tamai, Ayaka Sasaki. Soon, Momoiro Clover announced the release of their first indie single "Momoiro Punch". In May to August they took advantage of school holidays and went by minibus on an exhausting tour across Japan, from Hokkaido to Fukuoka. They gave a total of 104 concerts in 24 electronic stores of the Yamada Denki network. The tour was titled "Yamada Denki Presents: Momoiro Clover Japan Tour 2009 Momoiro Typhoon!". The girls slept in the minivan too, and the drivers were the group's managers.

On July 26, 2009, in the middle of the tour and shortly before the release of the forementioned first indie single, Momoka Ariyasu was added to the group. In fact, the single, titled "Momoiro Punch", was scheduled to be released on July 22, but postponed until August 5. It was sold only at group's live events and even these sales were enough for it to place 11th in the Oricon Daily Singles Chart and 23rd in the weekly chart.

The second single "Mirai e Susume", released in November, gained daily 6th and weekly 11th positions.

2010

On March 3, 2010, Momoiro Clover signed a temporary contract with the major label Universal Records to release their debut major-label single "Ikuze! Kaitō Shōjo".

The single was written, composed and arranged by Kenichi Maeyamada and was scheduled to be released on May 5, the Children's Day (May 5). From March 6, the group toured Japan in support of the single. It was initially planned that the group would give 28 concerts and the number 28 was included in the tour title, but as a result the girls gave much more. The single debuted at the first position in the Oricon Daily Singles Chart and at number 3 for the week.

On August 13, Momoiro Clover released their first movie. The movie, titled Shirome, was in the genre of a documentary horror movie. What's interesting, when the movie was being filmed, the girls weren't told they were in a movie. They were tricked into believing that everything that happening was for real.

The group didn't stay with Universal Records even for one more single. On August 23, at a launch event for their next single, titled "Pinky Jones", the girls apppeared in wedding dresses. The dresses symbolized their "marriage" to King Records, the label Momoiro Clover was transferring to. The group's second major single (first on King Records and fourth overall) was, according to the official site of the group, "more chaotic and lively vibe in comparison to their previous songs." It was composed by Narasaki from the band Coaltar of the Deepers. The single topped at daily number 6 and weekly number 8.

On December 24, 2010, Momoiro Clover gave their first solo concert at a concert hall. Nihon Seinenkan, a venue with a capacity of 1,300 seats, was sold out in 30 minutes.

2011

On January 16, 2011 at the 3rd single "Mirai Bowl" release event, sub-leader Akari Hayami stated that she had decided to graduate down from the group in April. Akari explained that her character was not suited to being an idol and that there had been a dream of becoming an actress and wanted to realize it. The announcement put the spectators in a state of shock, while the group's members (who had learned about Akari's decision just a few days earlier), broke into tears.

The last single with Hayami, titled "Mirai Bowl / Chi Maxx", was released on March 7 and placed 3rd in the Oricon weekly charts, repeating the group's top achievent to date. On March 27, Momorio Clover released its first live DVD, which contained the recording of their first concert given last December.

At the April 10 Akari Hayami graduation concert, it was suddenly announced that the group would change its name to Momoiro Clover Z after Akari's leave. The announcement came as a surprise to both the members and the fans. It was Jyunnosuke Miyamoto, the chief director of King Records, who decided to rename the group, and the group members didn't know anything in advance. When the first single after Akari' graduation, "Z Densetsu: Owarinaki Kakumei", was performed in public for the first time, the stage performance and the new image of the group were described as shocking to the audience. The girls wore sentai warrior outfits with helmets and transformation belts. The music video uploaded to YouTube later was also reminiscent of sentai (superhero team) movies. Also, the group mentioned Akari Hayami's absence in the song "Z Legend: Endless Revolution", in which the "announcer" shouts out "Blue!" with no response. (Her personal color was blue.)

On Christmas Day, December 25, 2011, Momoiro Clover Z performed at Saitama Super Arena to a sold-out crowd of 10,000, their largest to date.

2012

On June 25, 2012, Momoiro Clover Z took part in Yubi Matsuri, an idol festival produced by Rino Sashihara from AKB48. The concert was held at Nippon Budokan before a crowd of 8,000 people and featured such girl groups as Idoling!!!, Shiritsu Ebisu Chūgaku, Super Girls, Tokyo Girls' Style, Nogizaka46, Passpo, Buono!, and Watarirouka Hashiritai 7.

The lyrics of the song "Otome Sensō", released on June 27, 2012, could be interpreted as them starting a war for the top of the charts against other idol groups. "Mite Mite Kocchichi" (included in the same CD) was the ending theme for Pokémon's Best Wishes series, the dance routine was performed by Meloetta, Pikachu and various other Pokémon, encouraging the viewers to join in.

In July, Momoiro Clover participated in "Japan Expo 2012" in France and appeared on the stage. It was announced that they would sing the theme song for the new Sailor Moon anime. On August 5, Momoiro Clover Z played the final show of their Summer Dive 2012 tour at Seibu Dome in Saitama, Japan. The show was the final stop on a 10-venue Japan tour that started on June 17 at Tokyo’s NHK Hall. The show at Seibu Dome was broadcast live to 50 movie theaters across Japan, as well as Sapporo’s Penny Lane 24 concert venue and Saitama’s Sayama Ski Area, located next to Seibu Dome. The performance was also broadcast live in Hong Kong and Taiwan. In front of 37,000 fans, the show opened with live Tsugaru-shamisen music (a type of traditional Japanese music) accompanied by fifteen masked dancers.

The group's ninth single "Saraba, Itoshiki Kanashimitachi yo" topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the first Momoiro Clover's single to do so.

On December 31, the group performed at Kohaku Uta Gassen for the first time. When the invitees were announced in November, happy Momoiro Clover members and multiple news publications reminded that going to Kohaku had been the group's goal for a long time.

2013

On January 1, that the group set a new goal for itself - to give a concert at the National Olympic Stadium with over 70,000 capacity. Also, it was announced Momoka Ariyasu had to undergo a throat treatment and that she won't sing or even talk until the end of January. Later, the treatment was prolonged for another month, until the end of February. During Momoiro Clover's live UStream broadcasts, Momoka communicated by drawing and writing on a markerboard. At live performances, other members took turns in singing her parts.

The group will release its second full-length album on April 10, 2013. The album title was later revealed to be 5th Dimension. When the group photos related to the new album were revealed, it was announced that the 3 photos showed some kind of transformation the members will undergo. Later, it was announced that there will be 2 new videos for 2 new songs on the upcoming album. The first music video, for "Neo Stargate", was uploaded to YouTube on March 13. The song became available for paid download on iTunes and Recochoku on the same day.

Discography

Singles

*Billboard Japan Hot 100 number 1

Albums

Filmography

Movies

• Shirome (シロメ) (horror film, August 13, 2010 (2010-08-13), DVD release: September 24, 2010 (2010-09-24))
• The Citizen Police 69 (市民ポリス69, Shimin Police 69) (March 19, 2011 (2011-03-19), DVD release: September 2, 2010 (2010-09-02))
• Ninifuni (NINIFUNI) (February 4, 2012 (2012-02-04), DVD release: December 21, 2012 (2012-12-21))
• Momodora (ももドラ momo+dra) (5-episode internet drama omnibus film, February 4, 2012 (2012-02-04), DVD/Blue-ray release: April 11, 2012 (2012-04-11))

Overseas performances

• September 9, 2011 - Japan Media Arts Festival in Dortmund, Germany
• May 26, 2012 - Hari Belia Negara 2012 in Putrajaya, Malaysia
• July 5, 2012 - Japan Expo 2012 in Paris, France

Awards

See also

• Shiritsu Ebisu Chūgaku
• Team Syachihoko

References

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External links

• Official page Template:En icon
• Official website Template:Ja icon
• Momoiro Clover Z playlist on Stardust Music Inc. official YouTube channel
• Momoiro Clover Z channel on Ustream
• Momoclo-chan 〜Momoiro Clover Z Channel〜 - Asahi TV

• Momoiro Clover Z
• All-female bands
• Japanese girl groups
• Japanese idol groups
• Japanese pop music groups
• Musical groups established in 2008
• 2008 establishments in Japan
• Musical groups from Tokyo
• Child musical groups
• King Records (Japan) artists
• Universal Music Japan artists
• Musical quintets