Miki Fujimoto

Fujimoto Miki was a sixth generation member of Morning Musume. She originally joined Hello! Project as a solo artist, discovered during the fourth generation auditions for Morning Musume in 2000, and debuted as a solo artist in 2002. She was later added to the group along with the new sixth generation audition winners in 2003.

After the unexpected resignation of leader Yaguchi Mari on April 14, 2005, Fujimoto became the subleader of the group, supporting new leader Yoshizawa Hitomi. After Yoshizawa's graduation on May 6th 2007, Fujimoto became the new leader of Morning Musume with Takahashi Ai taking her place as subleader.

However, on June 1st, several news organizations reported the news from UFA that she had retired from Morning Musume. She will remain in H!P as a solo artist. In February 2008, it was announced she would be releasing a new solo single called Okitegami.

* Name: Fujimoto Miki (藤本美貴)
* Nickname: Mikitty, Mikitan, Miki-sama, Mikisuke, Kuwagata, Miki-chan, P-chan, Tan, Fujimocchan
* Birth date: February 26, 1985
* Birthplace: Takikawa, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan
* Blood type: A
* Height: 156 cm
* Hobbies: Enjoying movies
* Favorite color: Black, white
* Favorite flowers: Sunflowers
* Favorite phrase: "Have fun!"
* Favorite season: Summer
* Favorite food: Yakiniku, natto
* Disliked food: Scallions, cauliflower, broccoli, taro
* Favorite song: Romantic Ukare MODE
* Favorite artists: Amuro Namie, Christina Aguilera, Matsuura Aya
* Hello! Project Groups:
o Morning Musume (2003-2007)
o Gomattou (2002-2003)
o Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto (2003)
o GAM (2006-)
* Subgroups:
o Morning Musume Otome Gumi (2003-2004)
* Concert Units:
o Hello! Project Akagumi (2005)
o Wonderful Hearts (2006-2007)
* Shuffle Units:
o 2002: Odoru 11
o 2003: 11WATER
o 2004: H.P. All Stars
o 2005: Sexy Otonajan
* Other:
o Gatas Brilhantes H.P. (2003-)


Fujimoto was originally part of the group of finalists in the fourth generation Morning Musume auditions that resulted in the induction of Ishikawa Rika, Yoshizawa Hitomi, Kago Ai, and Tsuji Nozomi. While not selected at that time, in early 2001 Fujimoto was contacted again and offered a chance to debut as a solo artist. After training for a little more than a year, she made her solo debut with her first single, "Aenai Nagai Nichiyoubi." According to her Morning Musume x Tsunku 2 interview, she worked as a receptionist at Hello! Project's agency, UP-FRONT WORKS, during her training period.

In 2002, Tsunku took Fujimoto along with two other Hello! Project soloists, Goto Maki (a former Morning Musume member) and Matsuura Aya, to form Gomattou, however they only released one single.

After a successful performance on the Kouhaku Uta Gassen New Year's Eve music program, Tsunku made the surprise announcement in 2003 to add Fujimoto to Morning Musume as a part of the sixth generation, sidelining her solo career indefinitely. Fujimoto gradually became one of the main vocals of the singles. Later that same year, she was loaned to the Country Musume roster along with Konno Asami, going on to release three singles as a part of the group.

Fujimoto was added to the futsal team Gatas Brilhantes H.P. in February 2004.

When Yaguchi Mari abruptly resigned from the group in April 2005, Fujimoto became the subleader of Morning Musume, supporting Yoshizawa Hitomi as the new leader.

In June 2006, it was announced that Fujimoto would form a new unit called GAM along with Matsuura Aya. GAM released three singles over the coming months, and then their first album in May 2007. A concert tour began on May 26th, 2007.

On May 6th, 2007, Yoshizawa Hitomi graduated from Morning Musume and Fujimoto Miki became the new leader with Takahashi Ai as sub-leader.

On May 25th, 2007, Fujimoto was revealed in FRIDAY magazine to have been dating a boyfriend, Shouji Tomoharu, who is part of comedy duo Shinagawa Shouji. Fujimoto herself confirmed that the story is true in a radio interview within days of the story breaking. On June 1st, Fujimoto resigned from Morning Musume, following the footsteps of Yaguchi Mari.

Currently she remains in Hello! Project as a soloist. Immediately following her departure from Morning Musume, she continued to perform in GAM with Matsuura Aya on their 1st tour, but for now it seems that GAM is on hold. Her solo career was on hold for a while as well. She did not perform in July's Hello! Project concert tour, and did not perform in January's Hello! Project tour either. Her solo career resumed in February 2008, when it was announced that Fujimoto would release a new solo "Japanese chanson-style" single on April 23th entitled Okitegami.

Trivia

* Audition songs:
o Uptempo: "Monochrome" (Hamasaki Ayumi)
o Slow-tempo: "SURE" (Every Little Thing)
* Sang Hamasaki Ayumi's "Depend on you" for her Avex dream audition.
* Came up with "Mikitty" as a nickname for herself prior to her debut and derives from mixing "Miki" and "Kitty" (because she is a big fan of Hello Kitty).
* Close friends with Matsuura Aya and Yoshizawa Hitomi.
* Her role models include Amuro Namie and Nakazawa Yuko.
* Due to her "strong," brusque image, it is common among Japanese fans to call her "Miki-sama."
* Coincidentally, figure skater Ando Miki also has the same nickname of "Mikitty." Fujimoto has said herself that it "felt like [she] had a new relative."
* Is a self-confessed homebody.
* As a child, wanted to become an enka singer due to the influence of her grandmother.
* Would want to be a nursing home caretaker if she hadn't become a singer.
* She commented during Ishikawa Rika's graduation on May 4th, 2005, that there was a time when she and Ishikawa did not get along very well -- to the point that it even influenced TV programs, according to a Musume DOKYU! producer.
* Attended Hokkaido Akabira High School, but dropped out in April 2001 to pursue her solo career.
* Originally debuted as an actress first on TV Tokyo's "Shin Bishoujo Nikki."
* Around the time of her debut, photos taken with various guys at clubs surfaced via tabloids, but the scandal was rather minor and brief.
* Yoshizawa Hitomi calls her "Kuwagata" (stag beetle), her only nickname not to be name-related.
* She holds the title for having the shortest time as leader of Morning Musume, with her leadership lasting a mere 25 days.
* She is the youngest child in her family (Hello! Morning #318)
* Scored the highest in the Mechaike Okajo Taiikusai Test.