Momoko Tsugunaga

2004–2015: Berryz Kobo and Buono!

In 2004, Tsugunaga was one of the eight girls from Hello! Project Kids were selected to form Berryz Kobo. Berryz Kobo debuted on March 3, 2004, with the single "Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai", and she was one of the lead singers of the group. From 2009 until 2014, Tsugunaga also hosted a radio show titled "Momoko Tsugunaga from Berryz Kobo's Pri-Pri-Princess."

Continuing with her "Momochi" personality, Tsugunaga released a solo song and music video called "Momochi! Yurushite Nyan Taiso", which was released as a B-side to Berryz Kobo's 29th single, "Cha Cha Sing."

In 2007, Tsugunaga also became part of the subgroup Buono! with Miyabi Natsuyaki and Airi Suzuki from Cute. The group formed to perform the opening and ending songs for the anime Shugo Chara! They released their first single, "Honto no Jibun", on October 31, 2007. After the show's end, Buono continued on as a side project until its disbandment in 2017.

2015–2017: Country Girls and retirement

In 2014, Berryz Kobo announced they would end activities the following year. After Berryz Kobo went on hiatus, Tsugunaga took on the role as the "playing manager" for the girl group Country Girls, a revival of a Hello! Project group formerly under the name Country Musume.

On November 5, 2016, at Shinjuku ReNY, during Country Girls' second anniversary event, Tsugunaga announced that she would retire from the entertainment industry the following year to become a kindergarten teacher. To commemorate her graduation, a compilation CD album titled was released on June 21, 2017, with songs selected by fan vote. Tsugunaga held her final concert on June 30, 2017, in an outdoor venue at Odaiba, exactly 15 years after her debut in Hello! Project Kids. 8,000 people attended the concert, including Berryz Kobo and Cute.

Personal life

Public image

During Berryz Kobo's later years, Tsugunaga became known as the "cutesy character" of the group and with her mannerisms and twintail hairstyle. She was often referred to by the nickname in media and press. In Tsugunaga's later idol career, she would have her pinky finger raised while performing, which she stated was meant as an "antenna" to "receive her fans' love." Tsugunaga ended her final concert by lowering her pinky finger as a sign of ending her idol activities.

Discography

Albums Title Year Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Oricon Billboard Japan 2017 Released: June 28, 2017 Label: Up-Front Promotion Formats: CD 19 — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

DVD Title Release date Label / Notes Highestposition OriconWeeklyDVDChart Momo Only December 3, 2008 Piccolo Town 32 Momo OK September 9, 2009 Piccolo Town 20 October 27, 2010 Piccolo Town 58 March 6, 2011 e-LineUP! limited edition December 23, 2011 e-LineUP! limited edition April 25, 2012 Piccolo Town 94 March 6, 2013 e-LineUP! limited edition