Little Glee Monster Explained

Little Glee Monster
Native Name:リトル グリー モンスター [1]
Origin:Japan
Genre:J-pop[2]
Years Active:2013–present
Label:Sony Music Entertainment Japan
Current Members:
  • Asahi Kobayashi
  • Mayu Yoshida
  • Karen Koga
  • Mika Fujihira
  • Yumi Nagai
  • Kamala Miyu Aida
Past Members:
  • Yuka Sakamoto
  • Lina Yoshimura
  • Maju Arai
  • Serina Hasegawa
  • Manaka Fukumoto

Little Glee Monster (リトル グリー モンスター, Ritoru Gurī Monsutā) is a Japanese girl vocal group, formed in 2013.[3] [4] The group currently consists of Asahi Kobayashi, Mayu Yoshida, Karen Koga, Mika Fujihira, Yumi Nagai, and Kamala Miyu Aida. They were signed to Sony Music Entertainment Japan and released their debut single “Houkago High Five” in 2014. Their fifth album, Flava, is their most successful album, peaking at number one on both Oricon and Japan's Billboard charts,[5] [6] and certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for sales of 100,000.[7] In 2018, they won an award at the 2018 MTV Europe Music Awards for Best Japanese Act.[8] In July 2022, following the extended absence and ultimate resignation of two original members for health reasons, Watanabe Entertainment and Sony Music jointly established the "Monster Groove Lab" to audition new members.[9] From the audition process, three new singers joined in November 2022.

Members

Current members[10]
Former members

Discography

Studio albums

TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart positionsCertifications
JPN
Oricon

[11]
JPN
Billboard
Little Glee Monster 77[12]
Colorful Monster
  • Released: January 6, 2016
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
43[13]
Joyful Monster
  • Released: January 6, 2017
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
44[14]
Juice
  • Released: January 17, 2018
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download
22[15]
Flava
  • Released: January 16, 2019
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
11[17]
  • RIAJ: Gold
Bright New World
  • Released: February 12, 2020
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
11[18]
Journey
  • Released: April 20, 2022
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
22[19]
Unlock
  • Released: March 20, 2024
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
45[20]

Extended plays

TitleEP detailsPeak chart positionsSales
JPN
Oricon

I Feel the Light
  • Released: December 11, 2019
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
5
Re-union
  • Released: September 22, 2021
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
4
Fanfare
  • Released: March 22, 2023
  • Label: Sony Music
  • Formats: CD, digital download, streaming
6

Singles

TitleYearPeak positionsNotesAlbum
JPN
Oricon

[24]
"Houkago High Five"
(放課後ハイファイブ, "After School High Five")
201418Colorful Monster
"Seishun Photograph / Girls be Free"
(青春フォトグラフ/Girls be Free!)
201525
"Jinsei wa Ichido Kiri / Roaring All-Stars"
(人生は一度きり/ガオガオ・オールスター)
14
"Suki da."
(好きだ。, "Love")
6
"My Best Friend"20165Joyful Monster
"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)
6
"Hajimari no Uta"
(はじまりのうた, "First Song")
17
"Dakara, Hitori Janai"
(だから、ひとりじゃない, "Therefore, I'm not Alone")
20173Juice
"Ashita e"
(明日へ, "To Tomorrow")
2
"Over / Hikaru Kakera"
(Over/ヒカルカケラ)
6
"Gyutto / Close to You"
(ギュッと/Close to You, "Tightly / Close to You")
20186Flava
"Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikakete Iru"
(世界はあなたに笑いかけている, "The World Is Smiling at You")
6
"Natsu ni Natte Utae"
(夏になって歌え, "Sing in Summer")
34
"Kimi ni Todoku Made"
(君に届くまで, "Until I Reach You")
20194Bright New World
"Echo"6
"Ashiato"
(足跡, "Footprints")
20205Gradati∞n
"Dear My Friend"
9
"Toumei na Sekai"
(透明な世界, "Transparent World")
20219Journey
"Your Name"20227
"Magic/ Ikinakucha"
(Magic!/生きなくちゃ)
6
"Ima Kono Toki wo"
(今この瞬間を)
20237Unlock
"Up to Me"4
"Origami"20248

Other songs

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee/workResult
2018MTV Video Music Awards JapanBest Cinematography"Sekai wa Anata ni Waraikakete Iru"[26]
MTV Europe Music AwardsBest Japanese ActLittle Glee Monster
2020MTV Video Music Awards JapanBest Pop Video"Ashiato"[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Little Glee Monster Information . Little Glee Monster . 11 January 2019.
  2. Billboard. J-Pop Group Little Glee Monster Talks Streaming, Connecting with Fans Outside of Japan: Interview. 13 September 2018. 17 January 2019.
  3. Web site: JaME USA. Interview with Little Glee Monster. 21 September 2015. 17 January 2019.
  4. Web site: Asia Pacific Arts. University of Southern California. JPOP Summit 2015 with Vocal Group Little Glee Monster. 20 August 2015. 17 January 2019. Nguyen. Mai.
  5. Web site: Oricon. ja. Flava Little Glee Monster. 28 January 2019. 11 October 2019.
  6. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Hot Albums Charts. 28 January 2019. 11 October 2019.
  7. Web site: Recording Industry Association of Japan. ja. Japanese CD Certifications 2019. September 2019. 11 October 2019. Select 2019年09月 on the drop-down menu.
  8. Web site: MTV Asia. Korea's Loona, China's Loura Lou and Japan's Little Glee Monster score wins at their first EMA. 5 November 2018. 17 January 2019.
  9. Web site: Important Notice Regarding Little Glee Monster. 16 July 2022. 16 July 2022.
  10. News: https://hochi.news/articles/20221116-OHT1T51013.html?page=1 . ja:新生「リトグリ」 藤平美香、カマラみゆアイダ、永井結海の3人が新メンバー 「THE TIME,」で決定…「夢みたい」 . ja . スポーツ報知 . 報知新聞社 . 16 November 2022 . 6 December 2022 .
  11. Web site: Oricon. Japanese. Little Glee Monsterのアルバム. Little Glee Monster albums. 27 March 2024.
  12. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales Charts. 21 November 2016. 17 January 2019.
  13. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales Charts. 18 January 2016. 17 January 2019.
  14. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales Charts. 16 January 2017. 17 January 2019.
  15. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales Charts. 29 January 2018. 17 January 2019.
  16. Web site: Little Glee Monster CD Certifications. Enter Little Glee Monster into the アーティスト then select 検索. Recording Industry Association of Japan. Japanese. 11 October 2019.
  17. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales Charts. 28 January 2019. 24 January 2019.
  18. Web site: Billboard Japan. ja. Billboard Japan Top Albums Sales Charts. 24 February 2020. 15 November 2021.
  19. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums. Billboard Japan. ja. 27 April 2022. 27 April 2022.
  20. Web site: Billboard Japan Hot Albums. Billboard Japan. ja. 27 March 2024. 27 March 2024.
  21. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2019-12-23/. ja:週間 CDアルバムランキング 2019年12月23日付. Weekly CD Album Ranking on December 23, 2019. Oricon. December 18, 2019. Japanese.
  22. Web site: オリコン週間 アルバムランキング 2021年09月20日~2021年09月26日. Oricon. October 4, 2021. September 29, 2021. September 29, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210929034736/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2021-10-04/. dead.
  23. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2023-04-03/. ja:週間 CDアルバムランキング 2023年04月03日付. Weekly CD Album Ranking on April 3, 2023. Oricon. ja. March 29, 2023. March 29, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230329022734/https://www.oricon.co.jp/rank/ja/w/2023-04-03/. dead.
  24. Web site: Oricon. ja. Little Glee Monsterのシングル. Little Glee Monster singles. 21 August 2024.
  25. Web site: https://natalie.mu/music/news/437202 . ja:「コカ・コーラ」公式ソングにAI、秦基博、リトグリ、三浦大知、Perfume、テミンら14組参加 . . ja . July 16, 2021 . July 22, 2021.
  26. News: 「MTV VMAJ 2018」の受賞作品発表. MTV VMAJ 2018 winners announced!. MTV Japan. 7 September 2018. 17 January 2019. ja.
  27. Web site: BTS, Dua Lipa, Doja Cat and JO1 Among Winners of MTV Japan 2020 Video Music Awards. Vacancy. December 6, 2020. October 30, 2020.