W (duo)
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | Nozomi Tsuji, Ai Kago |
| Defunct | 2007 |
| Fate | Disbanded after contract termination of Ai Kago |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Area served | Japan |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Parent | Up-Front Promotion |
W was a Japanese musical duo established in 2004 under Up-Front Promotion and linked to Hello! Project. The group consisted of Nozomi Tsuji and Ai Kago, both formerly part of the 4th generation lineup of the idol ensemble Morning Musume. Their fame initially stemmed from their involvement with Morning Musume and its sub-unit Mini-Moni.
The creation of W coincided with Tsuji and Kago's scheduled exit from Morning Musume. Prior to their official departure, they launched cover tracks, including their debut single, "Koi no Vacance" (2004), and their initial album, Duo U&U (2004). Following their graduation from Morning Musume, W introduced original singles such as "Aa Ii na!" and "Robo Kiss" within the same year. In 2005, they took leading roles in the musical Mysterious Girl Detectives Cara & Mel: The Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin and released the single "Miss Love Tantei" connected to the production.
W's activities came to a halt in 2006 after Kago faced suspension due to underage smoking. A planned return in 2007 was canceled when Kago's contract was terminated because of additional misconduct, resulting in the duo's dissolution.
In 2019, W briefly reunited for Hello! Project’s 20th anniversary concert and issued previously shelved works, including "Dō ni mo Tomaranai" and the album W3: Faithful.
2004: Formation and debut
W was introduced soon after Nozomi Tsuji and Ai Kago graduated from Morning Musume. Both had previously performed together in the subgroup Mini Moni and were among the most popular members since joining Morning Musume at age 12. Producer Tsunku chose the name "W" to represent "two Us," highlighting the duo’s partnership.
Their debut EP, Koi no Vacance, was a cover of a 1960 hit originally by The Peanuts. This release was followed by the album Duo U&U, which consisted entirely of covers from female duos active during the Shōwa period, featuring songs by groups like Pink Lady, who appeared alongside W on Japanese television for a special performance.
After their August 2004 graduation concert from Morning Musume, W released their first original single composed by Tsunku, "Aa Ii na!", followed by another original track, "Robo Kiss".
In December 2004, W joined the Hello! Project shuffle unit single "All for One and One for All" as part of the H.P. All Stars. They also shared the stage with Morning Musume during concerts to perform Morning Musume’s final single before graduation, "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari".
2005: Rise to popularity
In March 2005, W released their second album, 2nd W, which combined Shōwa era J-pop covers with original compositions. This was followed by the single "Ai no Imi o Oshiete!".
During spring 2005, W played lead roles in their inaugural stage musical, Cara & Mel: the Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin, staged at Yokohama Blitz and Ikebukuro Sun Shine Theater between March 18 and April 10. In September, they released their sixth single, "Miss Love Tantei", accompanied by a music video featuring Kago and Tsuji portraying multiple characters, including their musical personas Cara and Mel. Alongside their recordings, W frequently appeared on Hello! Project’s weekly television program Hello! Morning, often collaborating with Morning Musume members.
2006-2007: Suspension and Group Dissolution
On January 11, 2006, W revealed plans for a new single titled "Dō ni mo Tomaranai," scheduled for release on February 22, alongside their third studio album, W3: Faithful, set for March 15. Nevertheless, both projects were delayed following the emergence of photographs showing Kago smoking underage in February. As a result, Hello! Project placed W's activities on indefinite hold, and Kago was confined to house arrest for one year, prohibited from contacting Tsuji during that period.
In early 2007, after Kago returned to Tokyo and took on administrative roles within her agency, her image suffered further due to additional underage smoking images and allegations involving a contentious trip with a 37-year-old individual. This led to her termination from the agency and the subsequent disbandment of W.
Activities After Disbandment
In 2014, Kago mentioned on her blog that she had reestablished contact with Tsuji. Four years later, in 2018, both were invited as special guests at Hello! Project's 20th anniversary summer concert, which generated significant attention on Twitter. Although they were expected to perform together, Tsuji withdrew owing to maternity leave. The following year, in 2019, they appeared once more as guests at Hello! Project's spring concert and digitally released the previously shelved single "Do ni mo Tomaranai" along with the album W3: Faithful on March 30. The single was issued as a double A-side alongside "Choi Waru Devil." At this event, they performed jointly in front of an audience of 5,000 for the first time in thirteen years.
Studio albums
| Title | Year | Album information | Highest chart positions | Sales | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPN Oricon |
JPN Hot | |||||
| Duo U&U | 2004 | * Release date: June 2, 2004
|
4 | — | * JPN sales: 85,017 | — |
| 2nd W | 2005 | * Released: March 2, 2005
|
11 | — | * JPN sales: 27,534 | — |
| Choi Waru Devil | 2019 | * Released: March 30, 2019
|
4 | 21 | Template:Tba | — |
| "—" indicates releases without chart placement or not issued in that market. | ||||||
Video albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN | |||
| W no Satsuei no Sekai vol. 1 | * Released on October 14, 2004
|
— | — |
| "—" signifies releases that did not chart or were unavailable in that territory. | |||
Singles
| Title | Year | Peak ranking | Sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| JPN | |||
| "Koi no Vacance" | 2004 | 10 | 39,226 |
| "Aa Ii na!" | 7 | 41,581 | |
| "Robo Kiss" | 5 | 30,239 | |
| "Koi no Fuga" | 2005 | 12 | 20,922 |
| "Ai no Imi o Oshiete!" | 11 | 21,408 | |
| "Miss Love Tantei" | 13 | 39,226 | |
| "Dō ni mo Tomaranai" / "Choi Waru Devil" (どうにもとまらない/ちょい悪デビル) | 2019 | — | — |
| "—" represents singles that did not chart or were not released in that region. | |||
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Network | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-2005 | Hello! Morning | Themselves | TV Tokyo | Variety program featuring Morning Musume |
| 2004-2005 | Oha Suta | Themselves; Cara and Mel personas | TV Tokyo | Portrayed Cara and Mel characters from January through September 2005 |
Theatre
| Year | Title | Role | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Mysterious Girl Detectives Cara & Mel: The Case of the Stolen Dangerous Violin (ふしぎ少女探偵 キャラ&メル 魔のヴァイオリン盗難事件) | Cara and Mel |
Headlining
- 2004 Summer First Concert Tour ~ W Standby! W & Berryz Kobo (2004)
- 2005 Summer W & Berryz Kobo Concert Tour: High Score! (2005)
Concert appearances
- Morning Musume Concert Tour 2004 Spring: The Best of Japan (2004)
- Hello! Project 2004 Summer: Natsu no Dōn! (2004)
- Hello! Project 2005 Winter: All Stars Dai Ranbu: A Happy New Power! Kei Yasuda Graduation Special (2005)
- Hello! Pro Party! 2005: Aya Matsuura Captain Kōen (2005)
- Hello! Project 20th Anniversary!! Hello! Project Hina Fes 2019 (2019)
Publications
- 20 January 2005 – 50W
- U+U=W Essaybook