Risa Niigaki

Singing and Performing Artist

Entertainment Industry

Playing Electone, Collecting Accessories, Playing Basketball

Libra

Hello ^_^ Konnichi wa!
Hai! Omame-chan desu....
I was born in Kagoshima, Japan although, I was raised in Hodogaya-ku in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture. I'm the youngest among the fifth generation of Morning Musume. I joined the group in August 2001 along with my fellow fifth generation members namely; Takahashi Ai, Konno Asami, and Ogawa Makoto. Morning Musume producer Tsunku said he chose me because "she shined during the final studio recording" for the audition song that all the finalists had to sing. I debuted on the group's 13th single, "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~" and first appeared in their 4th album, 4th Ikimasshoi!. In the summer of that year, I also debuted in a shuffle unit, as part of Happy 7, coincidentally with two other members of my generation (Ai Takahashi and Makoto Ogawa). Later in September, all fifth generation members were placed into subgroups. I was placed into Tanpopo as a member of the third generation, along with Asami Konno.

Prior to joining Morning Musume, I was a finalist out of 1,000 entrants in the "Kiss Girl Audition" to become the new Tomy image girl, held by TV Tokyo's "Ohasuta" program. I appeared in a commercial with the other finalist, Hasegawa Ai, for Tomy Karaoke Machine Kiss-site, but I ultimately lost out the Grand Prix prize to Hasegawa (ironically, I later starred in a commercial for the same company as a part of Morning Musume).
Additionally, I did some work as a magazine model since spring 2000.

I starred in a drama, along with many other members of Morning Musume at that time, entitled Angel Hearts which was released in 2002.

In 2003, I was placed into Sakuragumi, which released two singles before also becoming inactive.

In early 2007, I was chosen to be a member of Morning Musume Tanjō 10-nen Kinentai along with Kaori Iida, Natsumi Abe, Maki Goto and Koharu Kusumi - a unit created to celebrate Morning Musume's 10th anniversary. Our first single, Bokura ga Ikiru My Asia, was released on January 24, 2007.

On June 1, 2007, following then-leader Miki Fujimoto's resignation from Morning Musume, Ai Takahashi replaced Fujimoto as leader, while I took Takahashi's place as sub-leader.

Following Nozomi Tsuji's pregnancy announcement, I took over the role of Athena in the animation series Robby & Kerobby. In October of 2007, I was placed in the unit Athena & Robikerottsu along with fellow Morning Musume member Aika Mitsui, as well as Saki Nakajima and Chisato Okai of °C-ute.

It was announced in July 2008, me and fellow Morning Musume member Ai Takahashi would play the 80s J-pop duo Pink Lady in the TV Drama Hitmaker Aku Yū Monogatari.

From August 6, 2008 through August 25, Morning Musume along with members of the Takarazuka Revue performed a version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella with me as the Prince.

Favorite Food: Monja-yaki
Favorite Colors: Light blue and pink
Favorite Place in Japan: Okinawa
Favorite Season: Summer
Favorite MM Song: Ai Araba It's All Right

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