Little Glee Monster

 

"Monsters can be cute... and they can also sing brilliantly." 

Here is Little Glee Monster (the girls with Headphones around their neck). This J-Pop Girl Group formed way back in 2013 under joint collaboration between Watanabe Entertainment Co. Ltd. and Sony Music Records, who held an audition to discover strong vocalists. After the audition they narrowed down to 6-7 girls. Six of these girls were finalized and were named as a new Indie Group called Little Glee Monster in May 2013.

The group started gathering attention by singing Covers (Frozen, High School Musical 2), collaborating with other Groups, Artists and TV Performances. In 2014 they released their self-titled Mini Album and followed that up by releasing their major debut with single "Haukago High Five" in March 2016. 

They have released 1 Mini-Album; 5 Albums; 1 EP; 1 Best Album; 17 Singles; 5 Digital Singles. Albums Flava and BRIGHT NEW WORLD have hit #1 on Oricon Japanese Charts. Flava and juice are RIAJ Certified Gold Albums.

Current members

• Serina Hasegawa (長谷川芹奈) - Since 2013
• Asahi Kobayashi (小林あさひ) - Since 2013
• Mayu Yoshida (吉田真悠) - Since 2013
• Karen Koga (古賀かれん) - Since 2013
• Manaka Fukumoto (福本まなか) - Since 2013

Former members

• Lina Yoshimura (吉村リナ) - Left in the middle of 2013
• Yuka Sakamoto (坂本有香) - Left in the middle of 2013
• Maju Arai (荒井麻珠) - Left in the middle of 2017

Musical Style:

No doubting they have trained well to become successful vocalists and can give any new K-Pop girl group a run for their money. They have a very heavy influence of US and Euro Pop. Most of their singing style replicates US & Euro Pop Divas. They mix in English phrases and words into their Japanese lyrics. Music is Indie influenced Pop, J-Pop. In 2015, they have performed at J-Pop Summit in San Fransisco, USA

Featured Songs and Personal Best:

Although the Album, Flava has garnered most success, most of their best work listed below come from either Colorful Monster or Joyful Monster. For me Jinsei wa Ichido Kiri is the best song by the group.

Jinsei wa Ichido Kiri (人生は一度きり) #BestSong

Echo

Over

My Best Friend

Gift

Don't Worry Be Happy / Be My Baby (Live)

Hajimari no Uta (はじまりのうた)

Ring Ring Ring (Audio)

SAY!!! (Live)

Ainiyuku 

Discography:

Mini-Albums

• [2014.03.16] Little Glee Monster (Indies) - Charted #7

Albums

1. [2016.01.06] Colorful Monster - Charted #4
2. [2017.01.06] Joyful Monster - Charted #4
3. [2018.01.17] juice - Charted #2 | RIAJ - Gold
4. [2019.01.16] FLAVA - Charted #1 | Billboard #1 | RIAJ - Gold
5. [2020.02.12] BRIGHT NEW WORLD - Charted #1

EP

• [2019.12.11] I Feel the Light - Charted #5

Best Albums

• [2021.01.20] GRADATI∞N 

Singles

1. [2014.10.29] Houkago High Five (放課後ハイファイブ)
2. [2015.03.04] Seishun Photograph / Girls be Free!
3. [2015.07.15] Jinsei wa Ichido Kiri / Gao Gao All-Star (人生は一度きり/ガオガオ・オールスター)
4. [2015.09.02] Suki da. (好きだ。) - Charted #6
5. [2016.05.11] My Best Friend - Charted #5
6. [2016.08.17] Watashi Rashiku Ikite Mitai / Kimi no You ni Naritai (私らしく生きてみたい/君のようになりたい) - Charted #6
7. [2016.11.09] Hajimari no Uta (はじまりのうた)
8. [2017.05.31] Dakara, Hitori Janai (だから、ひとりじゃない) - Charted #3
9. [2017.09.13] Ashita e (明日へ) - Charted #2
10. [2017.11.08] OVER / Hikaru Kakera (ヒカルカケラ) - Charted #6
11. [2018.03.14] Gyutto / CLOSE TO YOU (ギュッと) - Charted #6
12. [2018.08.01] Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikakete Iru (世界はあなたに笑いかけている) - Charted #6
13. [2018.11.14] Natsu ni Natte Utae (夏になって歌え)
14. [2019.05.29] Kimi ni Todoku Made (君に届くまで) - Charted #4
15. [2019.09.25] ECHO - Charted #6
16. [2020.09.02] Ashiato (足跡) - Charted #5
17. [2020.12.16] Dear My Friend feat. Pentatonix 

Digital Singles

• [2015.08.25] Kakikake no Mirai (書きかけの未来)
• [2015.12.23] Chiisana Koi ga, Owatta (小さな恋が、終わった)
• [2017.12.03] Jupiter
• [2020.08.05] Ashiato (足跡)
• [2020.11.25] Dear My Friend feat. Pentatonix

Video Releases

• [2017.04.05] Little Glee Monster Live in Budokan ~Hajimari no Uta~ (Little Glee Monster Live in 武道館～はじまりのうた～)
• [2018.05.09] Little Glee Monster Arena Tour 2018 - juice !!!!! - at YOKOHAMA ARENA
• [2018.10.31] MTV Unplugged: Little Glee Monster
• [2019.06.19] Little Glee Monster Live in BUDOKAN 2019~Calling Over!!!!!
• [2020.04.08] Little Glee Monster 5th Celebration Tour 2019 ~MONSTER GROOVE PARTY~

Compilations/Other

• [2015.04.01] Watashi to Drecom 2 -Drecom Wonderland 2015 Kaisai Kinen BEST COVERS- (#10 Asa ga Mata Kuru)
• [2018.02.14] Dream 2 ~Disney Greatest Songs~ Hougaku-ban (#4 Kimi no You ni Naritai)
• [2020.10.14] SING for ONE ~Minna to Tsunagaru. Ashita e Tsunagaru.~ (#9 Little Glee Monster / Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikaketeiru)
• [2020.11.04] DJ KAORI DISNEY MIX (#18 Kimi no You ni Naritai)
• [2020.12.02] Disney BEST Collection Selected by DJ FUMI★YEAH! (#28 Kimi no You ni Naritai)
• [2020.12.02] Disney BEST Megamix by DJ FUMI★YEAH! (#28 Kimi no You ni Naritai)

Songs for Anime:

• "Gao Gao Orusutā" was used as Ending song for Pokémon: XY.
• "Over" was used as the second opening theme for the anime Boruto: Naruto Next Generations.
• "Kimi ni Todoku Made" was used as First ending theme for the anime Mix.
• "Dakara, Hitori Janai" was used as First ending theme for the anime My Hero Academia Season 2.

Awards:

• [2018] MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Cinematography (Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikakete Iru)
• [2018] MTV Europe Music Awards - Best Japanese Act (Little Glee Monster)
• [2018] 60th Japan Record Awards - Composer Award (Marutani Manabu - Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikakete Iru)
• [2019] 61st Japan Record Awards - Excellent Work Awards (ECHO)
• [2020] MTV Video Music Awards Japan - Best Pop Video Award (Ashiato)
• [2020] 62nd Japan Record Awards - Excellent Work Awards (Ashiato)