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|---|---|
| BILLIE IDLE® | |
| Years Active |
2015-2019 |
| Origin |
Tokyo |
| Label |
OTSUMO RECORD |
| Associated Acts | |
| Website | |
| Former Members | |
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First Summer Uika
| |
BILLIE IDLE®︎ was a Japanese idol group active from 2014 to 2019. The group was initially formed by ex-BiS members First Summer Uika and Hirano Nozomi, with their gimmick being "NOT IDOLS". In their final years of activity, they were also joined by BiS' founder, Pour Lui.
Promoting Soshite, Mata..
Promoting NOT IDOL
Promoting BILLIed IDLE 2.0
Promoting LAST ALBUM
Promoting Bi bi bi bi bi
Promoting IDLE GOSSIP
Final Lineup
- First Summer Uika (Founding member)
- Hirano Nozomi (Founding member)
- Momose Momo (Joined January 14th, 2015)
- Akira (Joined August 25th, 2016)
- Pour Lui (Joined June 6th, 2018)
Past Members
- Yasui Yuuhi (Joined January 14th, 2015, withdrew August 25th, 2016)
History
Early History, 2014-2015
In 2014, during BiS' disbandment concert at Yokohama Arena, First Summer Uika and Hirano Nozomi announced their plans to form a new group and would hold auditions for members.
In January 2015, Momose Momo and Yasui Yuuhi were announced as members and BILLIE IDLE®︎ made their official debut in March 2015 with the release of their song ANARCHY IN THE MUSIC SCENE.
Their debut album, IDLE GOSSIP, was released April 1st and the digital single BE MY BOY was released the same day.
In September 2015, they released their second album ROCK "N" ROLL IDLE alongside another digital single, be-bop tu-tu.
2016-2017
On April 6th, 2016, BILLIE IDLE®︎ released the EP "4 in 1" THE OFFICIAL BOOTLEG. Each track was a solo song for each of the members, with the exception of Hirano Nozomi whose song featured First Summer Uika and other former members of BiS on guest vocals.
In the summer 0f 2016, Yasui Yuuhi went on indefinite hiatus for an unspecified health problem. In September it was announced that Yasui had graduated and would be replaced by Momose Akira, the younger sister of Momo.
BILLIE IDLE®︎'s third studio album, bi bi bi bi bi, was released October 26th with the digital single Nakisou Sunday.
On April 26th 2017, BILLIE IDLE®︎ released two albums at once; a live album, LAUNCHING OUT, and BILLIed IDLE, a best-of album with songs updated with Akira's vocals. BILLIE IDLE®︎ released their first CD single MY WAY in August 2017.
In the Fall, members First Summer Uika and Momose Momo provided guest vocals on the N.E.R.D song "Secret Life Of Tigers".
On November 1st, they released the single Sayonara Romantic and their fourth album LAST ALBUM was released shortly after on the 22nd. While promoting the release of this album, their producer Watanabe Junnosuke claimed that there would be "major changes" to the group in 2018.
2018-2019
BILLIE IDLE®︎ released P.S.R.I.P. on March 21st, which was revealed to be their final single with Watanabe as a producer. On April 1st, BILLIE IDLE®︎ released an "April Fools" video teasing a new member, which was deleted the following day.
On May 12th, former BiS founder and leader Pour Lui made a surprise appearance during the encore of BILLIE IDLE®︎'s P.S.R.I.P Tour finale where it was announced that she had joined BILLIE IDLE®︎. Pour Lui's first show was their June 6th one-man at Akasaka BLITZ.
On July 4th, BILLIE IDLE®︎'s second best-of album, BILLIed IDLE 2.0 would be released July 4th. Like the previous BILLIed IDLE album, all the songs were re-recorded to include Pour Lui's vocals. This was followed by their first original album with Pour Lui (and what would be their final album), NOT IDOL, on November 7th. A song from the album, Bye Bye Loneliness, was later released as a single on December 19th.
On January 23rd, they released their third single, Soshite, Mata.. digitally. It received a general release on February 2nd, and spawned the temporary BILLIE IDLE®︎ rival group, BULLY IDOL.
Their second release of 2019 was the single Bokura Mada Chippoke na Koro no Hanashi, followed by their final single, LAST ORGY in October.
On October 16th, 2019, BILLIE IDLE®︎ announced that they would disband at the end of December. One of the main reasons given by producer NIGO was that the group was not profitable enough. BILLIE IDLE®︎ disbanded at the finale of their LAST ORGY tour on December 28th, 2019.
Discography
Trivia
- Although they are not an official WACK unit, they were listed on WACK's official website, and was produced by Watanabe until early 2018.
- As of 2018, a majority of the group consists of former BiS members.
- When asked about their "NOT IDOL" theming, their explanation was that although they perform like idols, they do un-idol like things.