Quick Facts
Biography
Erika Ikuta (生田 絵梨花, Ikuta Erika, born January 22, 1997 in Düsseldorf, Germany) is a Japanese idol singer and a member of the Japanese idol girl group Nogizaka46. Her father's cousin, Masahide Sakuma, is a music producer known for producing many J-pop music.
Career
In 2011, she auditioned for Nogizaka46 and was selected as one of the 36 first generation members. Her audition song was Aiko's Star. She was chosen as one of the select members for their debut song Guruguru Curtain released on February 22, 2012. In September 2012, she was selected for the leading role Alice in Nogizaka46's musical stage Sixteen Principal.
On April 20, 2014, she announced that she would suspend her activities of Nogizaka46 to prepare for further schooling. On August 3, 2014, in their variety show Nogizakatte, Doko?, it was revealed that she took the center position in Nogizaka46 for their 10th single Nandome no Aozora ka?, and she would resume her activities.
On January 14, 2015, a family drama Zannen na Otto started airing on Fuji TV, and she regularly appeared as a high school girl who had dreams of becoming a pianist. She released her first solo photo book Tenchō on January 21, 2016. It has sold 38,355 copies in a week, and ranked 1st on the Oricon weekly photo book sales chart. It also ranked 1st on the Oricon book ranking photobook category in the first half of the year 2016.
In July 2016, It was also announced that Erika Ikuta has been announced as the new Cosette in the 30th anniversary staging of Les Miserables in Japan.
Appearances
TV series
- Biblia Koshodō no Jiken Techō Episode 5 (Fuji TV, 2013), as Mirei Tanabe
- Umi no Ue no Shinryōjo Episode 1 (Fuji TV, 2013)
- Zannen na Otto (Fuji TV, 2015), as Mika Hosoi
- Hatsumori Bemars (TV Tokyo, 2015), as Chopin
- Honto ni Atta Kowai Hanashi Natsu no Tokubetsu-hen 2016 - Mou Hitori no Elevator (Fuji TV, 2016)
Films
- Chōnōryoku Kenkyūbu no 3-nin (2014), Ikuko Murata
Dubbing
- The Hunger Games (2012), as Rue
Events
- Girls Award (2013 A/W, 2016 A/W)
Stages
- Coco Smile: Asu e no Rock 'n' Roll (August 2007), Coco
- Heidi (2009), Clara
- Rainbow Prelude (Tennōzu Ginga Theater, 2 October 2014 - 5 October 2015), Louise
- Princess Knight (Akasaka ACT Theater, 12 November 2015 - 17 November 2015), Princess Sapphire
- Roméo et Juliette (Akasaka ACT Theater, 22 February 2017 - 5 March 2017), Juliet
- Les Misérables (Imperial Theatre, 25 May 2017 - 17 July 2017), Cosette