Perfume (group)
Encyclopedia
Perfume is a Japanese all-girl trio
from Hiroshima
, Japan
, consisting of Ayano Ōmoto
, Yuka Kashino
, and Ayaka Nishiwaki
. They debuted locally in 2001 and made their transition to a major label in 2005, focusing more on electropop. As of April 2011, the group has released twelve major label singles.
Since 2003, Perfume has been produced by Yasutaka Nakata
, founder of the group Capsule and the Contemode
label. The group's original post-Shibuya-kei
sound made a sharp transition to electronic
, dance
and pop music
taking on Auto-Tune
, vocoders and electro house upon their signing to a major label.
, Yuka Kashino
(Kashiyuka), and Kawashima Yuuka (Kawayuka) formed the group. Because all three members had the Japanese character for fragrance in their names (香), they named the group Perfume. However, before the group could even debut, Kawashima decided to pull out of the project and pursue her studies. Nishiwaki set out to find a replacement, and Ayano Omoto
(Nocchi) joined as the third member. The three girls attended the Actors School in Hiroshima, as part of the inaugural class of 1999.
In March 2002, Perfume debuted in Hiroshima with the single "Omajinai Perori
". They followed up the release with "Kareshi Boshūchū
" in November of that same year. Both singles were only sold in Hiroshima under Momiji Label. Around this time they also met Mikiko, a choreographer who would go on to coordinate all of the group's dances from this point forward.
and Boystyle
also belonged to, and signed with the management office Amuse, Inc.. In Tokyo, they also met capsule's Yasutaka Nakata
who would become their main producer. Between the years of 2003 and 2004, they released "Sweet Donuts
", "Monochrome Effect
", and "Vitamin Drop" under the indie record label Bee-Hive Records. It was also during this time that they had their first three live performances. Though none of their releases became a hit, their management office made the choice to give Perfume a major debut.
, a female voice actor. The song was released on a DVD along with the promotional video. They sometimes held surprise live street performances there, and they used to be considered as "Akiba-kei
idols" till the hit of Game.
" and "Electro World
", followed in 2006.
On August 2, 2006, Perfume released Perfume: Complete Best along with a new track, "Perfect Star, Perfect Style" (パーフェクトスター・パーフェクトスタイル). The album reached number 33 on the Oricon charts (later climbing up as high as number 25 with the release of Perfume's second album, Game).
On December 20, 2006, Perfume released a download exclusive song, "Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow". The song later appeared on their single, "Fan Service: sweet
".
On December 21, 2006, Perfume had a live concert held at Harajuku Astro Hall which was later recorded and released as "Fan Service: bitter".
On July 1, 2007, the commercial for NHK's national recycling campaigned aired, featuring Perfume and a new song, "Polyrhythm
". The commercial gave Perfume exposure they could have only dreamed of before. Subsequently, their next live show sold out, and Perfume became the first idol group to perform at the Summer Sonic music festival. On September 12, 2007, Perfume released their tenth single, "Polyrhythm
". It reached number 4 on the Oricon daily single charts and climbed as high as number 7 on the weekly charts. This is noted as the beginning of Perfume's national fame.
In 2008, the group followed up the success of "Polyrhythm
" with "Baby Cruising Love/Macaroni." The single reached number 3 on the Oricon weekly charts and sold 50,000 copies.
On April 16, 2008, Perfume released their first original album, Game. Game reached number 1 on the Oricon charts upon its release, making Perfume the first technopop group to achieve this since Yellow Magic Orchestra
's Naughty Boys
in 1983. At the time of the album's release, Perfume ~Complete Best~
, "Polyrhythm
", and "Baby Cruising Love/Macaroni" all re-entered the Oricon charts. The album went on to sell over 450,000 copies and is certified double platinum.
After the album's release, Perfume First Tour "Game" was announced. The group toured 10 cities and sold out all tickets. On the final date of the tour, Perfume announced that they would be doing a 2-day show at the prestigious Nippon Budokan
in November 2008 as well as the release date of their next single, "love the world
".
for the number 1 spot.
Perfume then performed at Budokan for 2 days, November 6 and 7. On the second show, titled "Budoukaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!", they announced a show at yet another famous venue, Yoyogi National Gymnasium
titled "Disco!Disco!Disco!".
The year 2008 ended with the release of their 13th single, "Dream Fighter
," which reached number 2 on the charts. They were also chosen to sing at NHK's 59th Kouhaku Uta Gassen, the prestigious end of the year live TV program.
On March 25, 2009, Perfume released their 14th single, "One Room Disco
". The single reached number 1 on the charts. In April 2009, Perfume began broadcast of a comedy sketch program titled Perfume's Chandelier House. On July 8, 2009, the group released its "80s-themed" third album, Triangle. The album was another number 1 hit for Perfume, selling over 300,000 copies. Perfume then went on their second nationwide tour in order to promote the album.
titled "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11."
Perfume took part in a commercial for a Pepsi NEX campaign in Japan. In that commercial, they covered a short segment of Lovefool
by The Cardigans
. On August 11, 2010, Perfume celebrated their 10th anniversary with the release of their 16th single, "Voice
", which was used in a Nissan advert.
On November 3, 2010, Perfume held a show at the Tokyo Dome
titled "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11" in celebration of their 10th anniversary together as a group. Perfume is the first female group to have a concert at the dome since Speed
in 1998 and the second female group overall. Tickets for the show were sold out on the day tickets were released. The demand for the tickets was so high that extra, unplanned seats were added. Perfume performed to 50,000 fans. At the end of the show, it was announced that Perfume would attend the Mnet Asian Music Awards (a Korean music based award show that takes place in Macau
), as one of the representatives for Japan alongside R&B duo Chemistry
. It was to be Perfume's first overseas performance. After the concert, a new single titled "Nee" was released on November 10, 2010, and like "Natural ni Koishite", it was a tie-up with Japanese apparel brand Natural Beauty Basic. The single debuted at number 2 with first-week sales of 85,164, their highest first-week singles sales to date. On November 28, 2010, Perfume received the "Best Asia Artist Award" at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in Macau and later on performed "Nee" and "Chocolate Disco". The DVD of the "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11" live performance at Tokyo Dome was released on February 9, 2011. Since 2 February 2011 a new song "Laser Beam" was featured in a Kirin juice ad "Hyouketsu". Though it was announced on March 3, 2011 that their next single would be released on April 20, 2011, the official site announced on 1 April 2011, that the new single would be a double A-side single of "Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori
" and the release was suspended till 5 May 2011, due to the 2011 eastern Japan earthquake
. The new release date of the single was then set to be on May 18, 2011.
In 2011, the representative song "Polyrhythm" was chosen as an inserted song of Pixar
's movie, Cars 2
. The song is also included in the film's soundtrack.
Perfume was invited, and attended the world premiere of Cars 2 in Los Angeles on June 18, 2011.
Perfume did a second TV commercial for Kirin and featured a new song, "Glitter".
On September 5, 2011, Perfume announced that they will be releasing their fourth album, JPN
on November 30, 2011. Before the album was to be released, they released the new single, "Spice" on November 2, 2011, which is the lead single for the album and includes the song "Glitter" from their recent Kirin commercial tie-up.
On October 15, 2011, Perfume and Japanese co-ed band AAA
represented Japan as performers for the 2011 Asia Song Festival which was held in Daegu
, South Korea
. They performed alongside Korean acts Super Junior
, Girls' Generation
, Beast and Lee Seung-gi, Chinese singer Zhou Bichang
, Hong Kong singer Leo Ku
, Taiwanese singer Peter Ho
and Thai singer Tata Young
.
, the biggest Japanese movie site (similar to YouTube), MADs featuring Perfume songs and idolm@ster videos, were created, which led the album to number 1 status on Amazon.jp's music bestsellers. Some Internet media consider that this is one of the factors that Perfume gained net-based popularity at first.
On the July 2007 ranking of Niconico Ichiba, or Niconico market, where users can introduce and buy goods related to videos, Perfume: Complete Best was ranked as number 1 and "Fan Service: Sweet" as number 7.
, immi
, Mizca
, SAWA
, Saori@destiny
, Sweet Vacation
, 80_pan and former labelmate Vanilla Beans.
Marty Friedman named Perfume "the group that have the largest influence on the Japanese music industry in 2008", and covered their 5th major single Polyrhythm in the album Tokyo Jukebox. Musicians such as Kreva
, Pierre Nakano from the band Ling Tosite Sigure
, and Aya Hirano
also admit to be fans of the group
Some musicians have officially revealed that they are fans of Perfume.
Utamaru from a Japanese hiphop group Rhymester Okite Porsche from a new wave band RomanPorsche., both of enthusiastic idol fans, declared that they are Perfume fans at the early stage of activities of the group and made a "25000 letter dialogue" over Perfume phenomenon on Yomiuri Shimbun Pop Style blog.
Kimura Kaela
played Perfume songs in heavy rotation in her radio program, which led them to appear in NHK AC Recycling Ads.
Girl group
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several young female singers who generally harmonise together.Girl groups emerged in the late 1950s as groups of young singers teamed up with behind-the-scenes songwriters and music producers to create hit singles, often featuring glossy production...
from Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, consisting of Ayano Ōmoto
Ayano Omoto
, nicknamed , is a member of the Japanese electropop group Perfume.-Biography:Ōmoto was born and raised in Hiroshima Prefecture, and attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Ayaka Nishiwaki and Yuka Kashino...
, Yuka Kashino
Yuka Kashino
, nicknamed , is a member of the Japanese electropop group Perfume.-Biography:Kashino was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, where she attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Ayaka Nishiwaki and Ayano Ōmoto...
, and Ayaka Nishiwaki
Ayaka Nishiwaki
, nicknamed , is a member of the Japanese electropop group Perfume.-Biography:Nishiwaki was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, where she attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Yuka Kashino and Ayano Ōmoto....
. They debuted locally in 2001 and made their transition to a major label in 2005, focusing more on electropop. As of April 2011, the group has released twelve major label singles.
Since 2003, Perfume has been produced by Yasutaka Nakata
Yasutaka Nakata
is a Japanese songwriter, music producer and DJ. He formed the group Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and himself as composer/producer when both were 17. They formally debuted as capsule in 2001....
, founder of the group Capsule and the Contemode
Contemode
Contemode, stylized as "contemode", is a Japanese record label founded by Yasutaka Nakata in 2003. The label is based in Shibuya, Tokyo and specializes in a variety of musical styles including electropop, Shibuya-kei, lounge, dance, and hardcore house...
label. The group's original post-Shibuya-kei
Shibuya-kei
is a sub-genre of Japanese pop music which originated in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. It is best described as a mix between jazz, pop, and electropop.- Overview :...
sound made a sharp transition to electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
and pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
taking on Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune
Auto-Tune is a proprietary audio processor created by Antares Audio Technologies. Auto-Tune uses a phase vocoder to correct pitch in vocal and instrumental performances. It is used to disguise off-key inaccuracies and mistakes, and has allowed singers to perform apparently perfectly tuned vocal...
, vocoders and electro house upon their signing to a major label.
2000-2003: Early years/local debut
In 2000, Ayaka NishiwakiAyaka Nishiwaki
, nicknamed , is a member of the Japanese electropop group Perfume.-Biography:Nishiwaki was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, where she attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Yuka Kashino and Ayano Ōmoto....
, Yuka Kashino
Yuka Kashino
, nicknamed , is a member of the Japanese electropop group Perfume.-Biography:Kashino was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, where she attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Ayaka Nishiwaki and Ayano Ōmoto...
(Kashiyuka), and Kawashima Yuuka (Kawayuka) formed the group. Because all three members had the Japanese character for fragrance in their names (香), they named the group Perfume. However, before the group could even debut, Kawashima decided to pull out of the project and pursue her studies. Nishiwaki set out to find a replacement, and Ayano Omoto
Ayano Omoto
, nicknamed , is a member of the Japanese electropop group Perfume.-Biography:Ōmoto was born and raised in Hiroshima Prefecture, and attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Ayaka Nishiwaki and Yuka Kashino...
(Nocchi) joined as the third member. The three girls attended the Actors School in Hiroshima, as part of the inaugural class of 1999.
In March 2002, Perfume debuted in Hiroshima with the single "Omajinai Perori
Omajinai Perori
is the debut single of Perfume. This single was sold exclusively in the hometown of the group, Hiroshima. Considered a rare collector's item, this single is generally traded for upwards of ￥40,000.- External links :* on...
". They followed up the release with "Kareshi Boshūchū
Kareshi Boshuchu
meaning Recruiting a Boyfriend, is the 2nd single of Perfume. The single was sold exclusively in their hometown of Hiroshima. The single was released on November 2, 2002.- CD Track listing :# 彼氏募集中...
" in November of that same year. Both singles were only sold in Hiroshima under Momiji Label. Around this time they also met Mikiko, a choreographer who would go on to coordinate all of the group's dances from this point forward.
2003-2005: Bee-Hive/indies era
In 2003, following their graduation from the Actors School in Hiroshima, the trio moved to Tokyo. There, they became a part of Bee-Hive, a project that BuzyBuzy
Buzy was a Japanese female pop music group, made up of members Nao Toyama, Mayumi Niwa, Mao Miyazato, Yurisa Asama, Sachiko Iwanaga and Yumi Takeda. They released their first single "Kujira" in 2004. They are well known for the song "Be Somewhere", used as the opening theme of the anime series...
and Boystyle
Boystyle
BoyStyle is a Swiss Boy Band which has the distinction of both being the first Boy Band Switzerland has ever had , as well as being formed from current Swiss Champions in Gymnastics, Dance and Singing...
also belonged to, and signed with the management office Amuse, Inc.. In Tokyo, they also met capsule's Yasutaka Nakata
Yasutaka Nakata
is a Japanese songwriter, music producer and DJ. He formed the group Capsule in 1997 with vocalist Toshiko Koshijima and himself as composer/producer when both were 17. They formally debuted as capsule in 2001....
who would become their main producer. Between the years of 2003 and 2004, they released "Sweet Donuts
Sweet Donuts
is the third single released by the Japanese techno-pop group Perfume, and the first single in which they were produced by Yasutaka Nakata. It appears as a track on the group's debut album, Perfume: Complete Best....
", "Monochrome Effect
Monochrome Effect
is the fourth single released by the Japanese techno-pop group, Perfume.Monochrome Effect is Perfume's second single after being signed to BEE-HIVE RECORDS, and fourth overall. Since their 2005 major debut, the single has gone out of print and is incredibly hard to find. It can be found on auction...
", and "Vitamin Drop" under the indie record label Bee-Hive Records. It was also during this time that they had their first three live performances. Though none of their releases became a hit, their management office made the choice to give Perfume a major debut.
Akihabalove
From 2004 autumn to 2005 summer, Perfume temporarily set Akihabara as their home ground. They participated in a project tiled Akihabalove featuring Perfume x DJ Momo-i a.k.a Haruko MomoiHaruko Momoi
is a Japanese voice actress and singer/songwriter. She was born in Tokyo, Japan and is affectionately referred to as 'Halko' by her fans, a nickname she gave herself which is inspired by HAL 9000, the onboard computer of the Discovery in 2001: A Space Odyssey....
, a female voice actor. The song was released on a DVD along with the promotional video. They sometimes held surprise live street performances there, and they used to be considered as "Akiba-kei
Akiba-kei
or is a Japanese slang term similar in meaning to otaku.-Definition:Akiba-kei is a Japanese slang term meaning "Akihabara style". It dates back to the early 80s and refers to a subset of otaku, now largely older males, who spend much of their time in and around the Akihabara area of Tokyo and are...
idols" till the hit of Game.
2005-2007: Major label debut
On September 21, 2005, Perfume made its major label debut under the label Tokuma Japan Communications. They released "Linear Motor Girl", which charted on the Oricon charts at number 99. Two singles, "Computer CityComputer City
Computer City was a chain of United States-based computer superstores operated by Tandy Corporation; the retailer was sold to CompUSA in 1998 and liquidated....
" and "Electro World
Electro World
is Perfume's 3rd major-label single. The single is produced by capsule member Yasutaka Nakata. It was released in a CD-only version and its catalog number is TKCA-73017. An official remix by Souichi Terada as a project of a TV Tokyo program "Neo Wave", "Electro World" is currently available on the...
", followed in 2006.
On August 2, 2006, Perfume released Perfume: Complete Best along with a new track, "Perfect Star, Perfect Style" (パーフェクトスター・パーフェクトスタイル). The album reached number 33 on the Oricon charts (later climbing up as high as number 25 with the release of Perfume's second album, Game).
On December 20, 2006, Perfume released a download exclusive song, "Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow". The song later appeared on their single, "Fan Service: sweet
Fan Service (sweet)
is Perfume's ninth single. Single released from Perfume produced by capsule member Yasutaka Nakata. Includes bonus DVD with music videos for the A and B-sides plus deluxe pamphlet.- DVD track listing :# Video Clip#Twinkle Snow Powdery Snow Video Clip...
".
On December 21, 2006, Perfume had a live concert held at Harajuku Astro Hall which was later recorded and released as "Fan Service: bitter".
2007-2008: Commercial success and Game era
While almost all of the other Bee-Hive members began to get dropped by Amuse, Inc., Perfume was given the opportunity to release another single. In February 2007, they released "Fan Service: Sweet" featuring the fun dance track "Chocolate Disco". This was a turning point for Perfume in which their luck began to change. Although the sales for "Fan Service: sweet" were not stellar, "Chocolate Disco" did catch the attention of an already well-established artist in the J-pop industry, Kimura Kaela. Kimura then played Perfume's music on her radio show consistently. While listening to Kimura's radio show, a commercial director named Akira Tomotsugi noticed Perfume and decided to use the three girls in an upcoming TV ad.On July 1, 2007, the commercial for NHK's national recycling campaigned aired, featuring Perfume and a new song, "Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm (song)
is Perfume's second single from their second album Game and 10th overall. Appropriately, the song's bridge is polyrhythmic, incorporating 5/8, 6/8 in the vocals, common time and 3/2 in the drums...
". The commercial gave Perfume exposure they could have only dreamed of before. Subsequently, their next live show sold out, and Perfume became the first idol group to perform at the Summer Sonic music festival. On September 12, 2007, Perfume released their tenth single, "Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm (song)
is Perfume's second single from their second album Game and 10th overall. Appropriately, the song's bridge is polyrhythmic, incorporating 5/8, 6/8 in the vocals, common time and 3/2 in the drums...
". It reached number 4 on the Oricon daily single charts and climbed as high as number 7 on the weekly charts. This is noted as the beginning of Perfume's national fame.
In 2008, the group followed up the success of "Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm (song)
is Perfume's second single from their second album Game and 10th overall. Appropriately, the song's bridge is polyrhythmic, incorporating 5/8, 6/8 in the vocals, common time and 3/2 in the drums...
" with "Baby Cruising Love/Macaroni." The single reached number 3 on the Oricon weekly charts and sold 50,000 copies.
On April 16, 2008, Perfume released their first original album, Game. Game reached number 1 on the Oricon charts upon its release, making Perfume the first technopop group to achieve this since Yellow Magic Orchestra
Yellow Magic Orchestra
Sakamoto first worked with Hosono as a member of his live band in 1976, while Takahashi recruited Sakamoto to produce his debut solo recording in 1977 following the split of the Sadistic Mika Band...
's Naughty Boys
Naughty Boys
- Translation notes :As on some other YMO albums, song titles are provided in both Japanese and English, and some have different translations all together:* "君に、胸キュン。" translates to "My Heart Beats for You."...
in 1983. At the time of the album's release, Perfume ~Complete Best~
Perfume ~Complete Best~
*"Vitamin Drop" and "Inryoku" are from Vitamin Drop.*"Linear Motor Girl", "Foundation" and "Computer Driving" are from Linear Motor Girl.*"Computer City" and "Perfume" are from Computer City....
, "Polyrhythm
Polyrhythm (song)
is Perfume's second single from their second album Game and 10th overall. Appropriately, the song's bridge is polyrhythmic, incorporating 5/8, 6/8 in the vocals, common time and 3/2 in the drums...
", and "Baby Cruising Love/Macaroni" all re-entered the Oricon charts. The album went on to sell over 450,000 copies and is certified double platinum.
After the album's release, Perfume First Tour "Game" was announced. The group toured 10 cities and sold out all tickets. On the final date of the tour, Perfume announced that they would be doing a 2-day show at the prestigious Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
in November 2008 as well as the release date of their next single, "love the world
Love the world
"Love the World" is Perfume's eighth major single. It was released on July 9, 2008 and debuted at number one on the Oricon chart, becoming the first electropop song from an electropop act to do so, Yellow Magic Orchestra's song "Kimi ni, Mune Kyun" being the previous record holder at #2,...
".
2008-2009: Triangle era
"Love the World" was released on July 9, 2008. It became the first technopop song to ever reach number 1 on the Oricon charts. In October 2008, the Perfume First Tour "Game" DVD was announced. Upon its release, it beat prominent artists like Koda Kumi and Namie AmuroNamie Amuro
is a Japanese R&B and pop singer, entertainer, and former actress who at the height of her popularity was referred to as the "Teen Queen" and the title "Queen of Japanese Pop Music". Born in Naha, Okinawa, Amuro debuted at the age of 14 as an idol in the girl group Super Monkey's...
for the number 1 spot.
Perfume then performed at Budokan for 2 days, November 6 and 7. On the second show, titled "Budoukaaaaaaaaaan!!!!!", they announced a show at yet another famous venue, Yoyogi National Gymnasium
Yoyogi National Gymnasium
is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan which is famous for its suspension roof design.It was designed by Kenzo Tange and built between 1961 and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. A separate annex was used for the basketball competition at those same games...
titled "Disco!Disco!Disco!".
The year 2008 ended with the release of their 13th single, "Dream Fighter
Dream Fighter
"Dream Fighter" is a song by Perfume. It was released on November 19, 2008 as Perfume's eighth major single as a CD-only version and a CD+DVD version, the former with catalog number TKCA-73390. The single placed second on Oricon charts...
," which reached number 2 on the charts. They were also chosen to sing at NHK's 59th Kouhaku Uta Gassen, the prestigious end of the year live TV program.
On March 25, 2009, Perfume released their 14th single, "One Room Disco
One Room Disco
is Perfume's first 2009 single and ninth major release. It was released on March 25, 2009 as a CD-only version and CD+DVD version. The single achieved No. 1 on the Oricon weekly chart on April 1...
". The single reached number 1 on the charts. In April 2009, Perfume began broadcast of a comedy sketch program titled Perfume's Chandelier House. On July 8, 2009, the group released its "80s-themed" third album, Triangle. The album was another number 1 hit for Perfume, selling over 300,000 copies. Perfume then went on their second nationwide tour in order to promote the album.
2010-present: Present singles; Overseas activities and recognition; fourth album JPN
In 2010, Perfume released "Fushizen na Girl / Natural ni Koishite", which reached number 2 on the charts. They went on a fanclub-exclusive tour and titled Perfume 10th Anniversary Fan Club Tour and also announced that they would be having a show at Tokyo DomeTokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
titled "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11."
Perfume took part in a commercial for a Pepsi NEX campaign in Japan. In that commercial, they covered a short segment of Lovefool
Lovefool
"Lovefool" is a pop rock song written by Peter Svensson and Nina Persson for The Cardigans' third studio album First Band on the Moon, released as a single on 14 September 1996, in the United Kingdom and internationally on 5 October 1996...
by The Cardigans
The Cardigans
The Cardigans are a Swedish rock band formed in the town of Jönköping in October 1992.Their debut album Emmerdale gave them a solid base in their home country and enjoyed some success abroad, especially in Japan. It was not until their second album Life that an international reputation was secured...
. On August 11, 2010, Perfume celebrated their 10th anniversary with the release of their 16th single, "Voice
Voice (Perfume song)
"Voice" is the sixteenth overall single of technopop girl group Perfume. It was released on August 11, 2010 as a CD-only version and CD+DVD version. "Voice" was used in the commercial of "Nissan no Omise de!" Campaign and "575" was used in the Light Pool phone commercial by KDDI iida.- Track...
", which was used in a Nissan advert.
On November 3, 2010, Perfume held a show at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
titled "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11" in celebration of their 10th anniversary together as a group. Perfume is the first female group to have a concert at the dome since Speed
Speed (band)
Speed is an Okinawan female vocal/dance group comprising Hiroko Shimabukuro, Eriko Imai, Takako Uehara and Hitoe Arakaki. All four members are former students of Okinawa Actors School which also trained popular artists Namie Amuro and MAX.Speed made their major label debut on August 5, 1996 and...
in 1998 and the second female group overall. Tickets for the show were sold out on the day tickets were released. The demand for the tickets was so high that extra, unplanned seats were added. Perfume performed to 50,000 fans. At the end of the show, it was announced that Perfume would attend the Mnet Asian Music Awards (a Korean music based award show that takes place in Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
), as one of the representatives for Japan alongside R&B duo Chemistry
Chemistry (band)
is a Japanese Pop/R&B duo, composed of and . They were the winners of the Asayan audition in 2000 organized by Sony Music Entertainment Japan....
. It was to be Perfume's first overseas performance. After the concert, a new single titled "Nee" was released on November 10, 2010, and like "Natural ni Koishite", it was a tie-up with Japanese apparel brand Natural Beauty Basic. The single debuted at number 2 with first-week sales of 85,164, their highest first-week singles sales to date. On November 28, 2010, Perfume received the "Best Asia Artist Award" at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in Macau and later on performed "Nee" and "Chocolate Disco". The DVD of the "1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11" live performance at Tokyo Dome was released on February 9, 2011. Since 2 February 2011 a new song "Laser Beam" was featured in a Kirin juice ad "Hyouketsu". Though it was announced on March 3, 2011 that their next single would be released on April 20, 2011, the official site announced on 1 April 2011, that the new single would be a double A-side single of "Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori
Laser Beam/Kasuka na Kaori
- External links :# #...
" and the release was suspended till 5 May 2011, due to the 2011 eastern Japan earthquake
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
. The new release date of the single was then set to be on May 18, 2011.
In 2011, the representative song "Polyrhythm" was chosen as an inserted song of Pixar
Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios, pronounced , is an American computer animation film studio based in Emeryville, California. The studio has earned 26 Academy Awards, seven Golden Globes, and three Grammy Awards, among many other awards and acknowledgments. Its films have made over $6.3 billion worldwide...
's movie, Cars 2
Cars 2
Cars 2 is a 2011 American computer-animated action film produced by Pixar, and it is the sequel to the 2006 film, Cars. In the film, race car Lightning McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater becomes sidetracked with international espionage...
. The song is also included in the film's soundtrack.
Perfume was invited, and attended the world premiere of Cars 2 in Los Angeles on June 18, 2011.
Perfume did a second TV commercial for Kirin and featured a new song, "Glitter".
On September 5, 2011, Perfume announced that they will be releasing their fourth album, JPN
JPN (album)
JPN is the third studio album by Japanese girl group Perfume. The album is set for release on November 30, 2011 by Tokuma Japan Communications, nearly two and a half years after their second studio album Triangle...
on November 30, 2011. Before the album was to be released, they released the new single, "Spice" on November 2, 2011, which is the lead single for the album and includes the song "Glitter" from their recent Kirin commercial tie-up.
On October 15, 2011, Perfume and Japanese co-ed band AAA
AAA (band)
, and also known as Attack All Around, is a Japanese pop band signed to the label Avex Trax which debuted in September 2005. The group originally consisted of five young men and three young women who had all acted in commercials and had been dancers for other Japanese stars, such as Ayumi Hamasaki...
represented Japan as performers for the 2011 Asia Song Festival which was held in Daegu
Daegu
Daegu , also known as Taegu, and officially the Daegu Metropolitan City, is a city in South Korea, the fourth largest after Seoul, Busan, and Incheon, and the third largest metropolitan area in the country with over 2.5 million residents. The city is the capital and principal city of the...
, South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. They performed alongside Korean acts Super Junior
Super Junior
Super Junior is a South Korean boy band. Formed in 2005 by producer Lee Soo-man of SM Entertainment, the group comprised a total of thirteen members at its peak, and was once claimed to be the world's largest boy band...
, Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation
Girls' Generation is a nine-member South Korean electropop girl group formed by S.M. Entertainment in 2007. The nine members are: Taeyeon , Jessica, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona and Seohyun...
, Beast and Lee Seung-gi, Chinese singer Zhou Bichang
Zhou Bichang
Zhou Bichang , is a Chinese singer and songwriter. She was the first runner-up in the 2005 Super Girl Competition, which is a Chinese version of Pop Idol for female contestants only...
, Hong Kong singer Leo Ku
Leo Ku
Leo Ku Kui Kei is a famous China and Hong Kong artist, Cantonese and Mandarin pop singer, actor, host, cartoonist, MV Director and Producer, and designer; he is one of the highest visibility and Greater China Pop Male Artist, a major figure in popular music culture. Leo had earned the "Ten...
, Taiwanese singer Peter Ho
Peter Ho
Peter Ho Jun-tung is an American-Taiwanese singer and actor. Ho was born in Los Angeles, California, and raised in Taiwan and Canada...
and Thai singer Tata Young
Tata Young
Amita Marie Young , better known under her stage name Tata Young, is a Thai singer, model actress and dancer....
.
Members
Perfume members use their nicknames on stage or TV rather than their real names. Kashino was called "Yuka-chan" in the group's early activity, but was later named "Kashiyuka" in order to distinguish her from Yūka Kawashima, who was then named "Kawayuka".Current
| Member | Birth name | Birth Date |
|---|---|---|
| A~chan | Nishiwaki Ayaka | February 15, 1989 |
| Kashiyuka | Kashino Yuka | December 23, 1988 |
| Nocchi | Ōmoto Ayano | September 20, 1988 |
Former
| Member | Birth name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Kawayuka |
Kawashima Yuka | Left the group in order to pursue her studies.She later joined another group called Risky. She then attempted a solo career as Yuka. |
Nico Nico Douga
On Nico Nico DougaNico Nico Douga
is a popular video sharing website in Japan managed by Niwango, a subsidiary of Dwango. Its nickname is "Niconico" or "Nico-dō", where "nikoniko" is the Japanese ideophone for smiling. Nico Nico Douga is the thirteenth most visited website in Japan...
, the biggest Japanese movie site (similar to YouTube), MADs featuring Perfume songs and idolm@ster videos, were created, which led the album to number 1 status on Amazon.jp's music bestsellers. Some Internet media consider that this is one of the factors that Perfume gained net-based popularity at first.
On the July 2007 ranking of Niconico Ichiba, or Niconico market, where users can introduce and buy goods related to videos, Perfume: Complete Best was ranked as number 1 and "Fan Service: Sweet" as number 7.
Image
The group has influenced acts like Aira MitsukiAira Mitsuki
is a Japanese electronica artist, produced by Terukado Ōnishi. She debuted in August 2007 with "Colorful Tokyo Sounds No. 9" and released her debut album, Copy on September 3, 2008.- Musical background and releases :...
, immi
Immi
Mayu Nakazawa , currently known by the stage name immi, is a Japanese Electronica singer and songwriter. She is currently signed onto DefStar Records. While she writes and composes her own music, she is also regularly produced by N.A.i.D. and JETBIKINI.-History:Nakazawa has had experience with the...
, Mizca
Masami Mitsuoka
is a Japanese singer. She started off singing straight pop music, but switched to the technopop genre with the release of "Robotics" on October 28, 2009, under her new stage name Mizca...
, SAWA
Sawa
Sawa may refer to:*The Sawa peoples of CameroonLocations*Sawa, Nepal*The Sawa Defence Training Centre of Eritrea*Sawa, Lesser Poland Voivodeship Arts*SAWA, Japanese techno-pop singer*Devon Sawa, Canadian actor...
, Saori@destiny
Saori at Destiny
Saori at Destiny is a Japanese electronica artist, produced by Terukado Ōnishi, who also produces Aira Mitsuki. She made her independent debut on December 5, 2007 with the single "My Boy" and has released two studio albums and one mini-album to date, named Japanese Chaos, Wow War Techno and World...
, Sweet Vacation
Sweet Vacation
Sweet Vacation（スウィート・バケイション）is a Japanese music unit made of members Hayakawa Daichi and Thai vocalist May. Both come from a history of high level universities...
, 80_pan and former labelmate Vanilla Beans.
Marty Friedman named Perfume "the group that have the largest influence on the Japanese music industry in 2008", and covered their 5th major single Polyrhythm in the album Tokyo Jukebox. Musicians such as Kreva
Kreva
Kreva is a township in Hrodna Voblast, Belarus.-History:The Kreva Castle, constructed of brick, was built by the Grand Duke Gediminas of Lithuania at the borderland of Lithuanian ethnic lands. After his death in 1341, Kreva became the patrimony of his son and successor, Algirdas...
, Pierre Nakano from the band Ling Tosite Sigure
Ling Tosite Sigure
is an indie rock trio formed in 2002 in Saitama, Japan. The band's style resembles post-hardcore and progressive rock, often incorporating rapid changes of tempo and mood based around complex guitar melodies and technical drumming...
, and Aya Hirano
Aya Hirano
from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who has had roles in several anime, visual novels, and TV commercials in Japan. She was contracted to Space Craft Produce, a branch of the Space Craft Group, for her voice acting career, and for her singing career,...
also admit to be fans of the group
Some musicians have officially revealed that they are fans of Perfume.
Utamaru from a Japanese hiphop group Rhymester Okite Porsche from a new wave band RomanPorsche., both of enthusiastic idol fans, declared that they are Perfume fans at the early stage of activities of the group and made a "25000 letter dialogue" over Perfume phenomenon on Yomiuri Shimbun Pop Style blog.
Kimura Kaela
Kaela Kimura
, born , is a Japanese pop rock singer, songwriter, model, and TV presenter.- Career :Born in Adachi, Tokyo, Japan to a British father and Japanese mother, Kaela started working as a model in 2002 for the Japanese magazine Seventeen...
played Perfume songs in heavy rotation in her radio program, which led them to appear in NHK AC Recycling Ads.
Studio albums
- 2008: Game
- 2009: Triangle
- 2011: JPN
Live performances
| Date(s) | Title of performance | Venue(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 3, 2004 | Bee-Hive New Year Live '04: Perfume Day | Shibuya-Boxx |
| April 11, 2004 | Perfume Record Release！Sing Live Special!! | Shibuya O-Crest |
| December 16, 2004 | Play a Trick on You!! Dreamy World | Shibuya O-Crest |
| July 7, 2005 | Play a Trick on You!! Electrical Girls | Shibuya O-West |
| December 21, 2006 | Perfume's Poppokepiiiii Night | Harajuku Astro Hall |
| December 21, 2006 | Perfume Presents: Perfume ga Ippai Santa Yonjaimashita | Harajuku Astro Hall |
| July 5, 2007 | Perfume Hikoboshi Boshuu Chū | Daikanyama Unit |
| July 6, 2007 | ||
| October 31, 2007 | Thankful! Grateful! Poly-invasion! We're Perfume | Nagoya Electric Lady Land, Osaka Muse, Shin-Hiroshima Telecasting Shinkan Ninth Story Studio |
| November 3, 2007 | ||
| November 8, 2007 | Perfume: Seventh Heaven Feeling Pleasant | Liquidroom |
| December 31, 2007 | Perfume Masaka no Countdown!? Li??idroom: That Night Once Again, in Zepp Tokyo | Zepp Tokyo Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... |
| February 12, 2008 | Perfume: Socks, Fix, Max | Shibuya-AX |
| February 13, 2008 | Eve of P.T.A. Launch: Patto Fun Playing Gathering | Liquidroom |
| April 27, 2008 | Perfume First Tour: Game | Zepp Osaka Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Takamatsu Olive Hall, Hiroshima CLUB Quattro, Fukuoka Drum Logos, Zepp Tokyo Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Zepp Nagoya Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Niigata Lots, Sendai Forus, Sendai Club Junk Box, Sapporo Penny Lane, Yokohama Blitz |
| June 1, 2008 | ||
| June 21, 2008 | Hot Stuff 30th Anniversary: Black and Blue | Zepp Tokyo Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... |
| November 6, 2008 | Budōkaaaaaaaaaan!!!!! | Nippon Budokan Nippon Budokan The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded... |
| November 7, 2008 | ||
| May 9, 2009 | Disco! Disco! Disco! | Yoyogi National Gymnasium Yoyogi National Gymnasium is an arena in Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan which is famous for its suspension roof design.It was designed by Kenzo Tange and built between 1961 and 1964 to house swimming and diving events in the 1964 Summer Olympics. A separate annex was used for the basketball competition at those same games... |
| May 10, 2009 | ||
| August 7, 2009 | Perfume Second Tour 2009 Chokkaku Nitōhen Sankakkei TOUR | Toda City Culture Kaikan, Fukuoka Sun Palace Hotel and Hall, Hiroshima Kouseinenkin Kaikan, Himegin Hall, Ishikawa Kouseinenkin Kaikan, Niigata People's Kaikan, Sapporo City People's Hall, Sendai Sun Plaza Hall, Nagoya Nippon Gaishi Hall, Osaka City Hall, Yokohama Arena Yokohama Arena is an indoor sporting arena located in Yokohama, Japan. The capacity of the arena is 17,000 and was opened in 1989. The arena was modeled after US sports venue Madison Square Garden in New York City. It is a five minute walk from the closest subway station, Shin-Yokohama Station on the JR/Yokohama... |
| October 30, 2009 | ||
| March 7, 2010 | P.T.A. Spring 2010 Tour | Yokohama Blitz, Zepp Nagoya Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Zepp Osaka Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Zepp Tokyo Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Zepp Sendai Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Niigata Lots, Zepp Sapporo Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Zepp Fukuoka Zepp The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located... , Hiroshima Cluc Quattro, Kochi Bay5 Square |
| April 3, 2010 | ||
| November 3, 2010 | Perfume live @Tokyo Dome「1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11」 | Tokyo Dome Tokyo Dome Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium... |
| November 28, 2010 | Mnet Asian Music Awards | The Venetian Macao The Venetian Macao The Venetian Macao is a hotel and casino resort in Macau owned by the Las Vegas Sands corporation. The Venetian is a 40-story, $2.4 billion anchor for the 7 hotels on the Cotai Strip in Macau... |