Moumoon

Moumoon
Origin	Japan
Genres	Pop
Years active	2005 (2005)-present
Labels	Avex Trax Gate Records
Website	www.moumoon.com/
Members
Yuka Kousuke Masaki

Moumoon (stylized as moumoon) is a Japanese pop duo consisting of two members, vocalist and lyricist Yuka and composer Kōsuke Masaki. Formed in 2005, the duo signed with Gate Records in 2006, and released their debut single "Flowers/Pride", and mini-album Flowers that September. In 2007, they left Gate Records and signed with Avex Trax, releasing their second mini-album, Love Me? in August. The duo's name is a combination of the French "Mou" and the English "Moon", together meaning "Soft Moon".^[1]

Biography

2004–2006: Formation and indies

Yuka and Masaki met in the summer of 2004; however, it wasn't until 2005 that they formed Moumoon.^[1] In October 2005, the duo held their first live performance at the Omotesando FAB.^[1] In 2006, they signed with the indie label Gate Records and released their debut single "Flowers/Pride".^[2] The single charted on the Oricon single charts at number 106.^[3] Soon after, Moumoon released their debut mini-album, Flowers (September 2006), which debuted at number 63 on the Oricon album charts.^[4]

Major debut

On May 12, 2010, they released their eighth single, "Sunshine Girl", which entered the Oricon single charts at number 12, a first for the group.^[5] The following week the single rose to number 10, becoming their first Top 10 single.^[6] The duo released their fourth mini-album, titled Spark, on July 7, 2010.^[7]

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

1. Moumoon (November 12, 2008)
2. 15 Doors (March 2, 2011)

Mini albums

1. Flowers (September 6, 2006) (Indies)
2. Love Me? (August 22, 2007)
3. Refrain (リフレイン, Rifurein^?) (March 24, 2010)
4. Spark (July 7, 2010)

Singles

1. "Flowers / Pride" (Indies) (July 26, 2006)
2. "Do You Remember?" (December 5, 2007)
3. "Tiny Star" (June 4, 2008)
4. "More Than Love" (October 15, 2008)
5. "Evergreen" (February 25, 2009)
6. "On the Right" (July 22, 2009)
7. "Aoi Tsuki to Ambivalence na Ai" (青い月とアンビバレンスな愛, "Blue Moon and Ambivalent Love"^?) (November 25, 2009)
8. "Sunshine Girl" (May 12, 2010)
9. "Let's Dance in the Moonlight" (May 26, 2010)
10. "Moonlight / Sky High / Yay" (moonlight / スカイハイ / YAY^?) (November 10, 2010)
11. "my Secret Santa" (December 1, 2010)
12. "Chu Chu" (August 3, 2011)

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "インタビュー：moumoon「色褪せない音楽を作りたい」(livedoor) - livedoor ニュース" (in Japanese). Livedoor. 2008-06-08. http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/3670023/. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
2. ^ "インタビュー：moumoon「ものすごく激しいものと、ものすごく優しいものという両極端」(livedoor) - livedoor ニュース" (in Japanese). Livedoor. 2008-12-19. http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/3947036/. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
3. ^ "Ｆｌｏｗｅｒｓ／ｐｒｉｄｅ ｍｏｕｍｏｏｎのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Oricon. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/399144/products/music/671824/1/. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
4. ^ "Ｆｌｏｗｅｒｓ ｍｏｕｍｏｏｎのプロフィールならオリコン芸能人事典-ORICON STYLE" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Oricon. http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/399144/products/music/668804/1/. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
5. ^ "検索結果-ORICON STYLE アーティスト/CD検索" (in Japanese). Oricon Style. Oricon. http://www.oricon.co.jp/search/result.php?kbn=js&types=rnk&year=2010&month=5&week=4&submit4.x=20&submit4.y=15. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
6. ^ "蒼井優出演の資生堂「ANESSA」TVCMソングがオリコン急上昇！(hotexpress) - livedoor ニュース" (in Japanese). Hot Express. Livedoor. 2010-05-26. http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/4791168/. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 
7. ^ "資生堂ANESSA TV-CMソング moumoon、 「Sunshine Girl」ランキング急上昇！ - CDJournal.com ニュース" (in Japanese). Ongaku Shuppansha. CD Journal. 2010-05-26. http://www.cdjournal.com/main/news/moumoon/31299. Retrieved 2010-05-30. 

External links

• Official website (Japanese)