Erika Umeda

Erika Umeda (梅田 えりか, Umeda Erika, born on May 24, 1991 in Minami-ku, Yokohama, Japan) is a Japanese singer and model. She was a member of the Japanese pop girl group ZYX and Cute up until departing to pursue a solo career in modeling. In 2014, she returned to her musical career with the release of her debut solo single "Crush On You."

Career

Umeda was born on May 24, 1991 in Minami-ku, Yokohama. She was a student at Up-Front Music School. In 2002, she successfully passed the Hello! Project Kids Audition along with fourteen other girls. During that time, she participated in the girl group ZYX, who released a total of two singles.

Eight of the Hello! Project Kids were chosen for Japanese pop idol group Berryz Kobo with the intention of rotating the girls around. The idea was eventually dropped, and Cute was formed. As the oldest member of the group, Umeda was to be leader, but she declined the position and it was offered to the second oldest member of the group, Maimi Yajima. In 2004 Umeda joined Little Gatas.

On August 1, 2009, Hello! Project's website announced that Umeda was scheduled to graduate from Cute on October 25, 2009, the last day of their concert tour, with aspirations to become a fashion model.

In January 2014, she released the music video "Crush on You" on her YouTube channel.

Modeling career

In 2010, Umeda was signed into a model agency called Illume Models. On May 22, 2010, her long-awaited model debut took place on stage at the Girls Award 2010, a large music and fashion event held in Tokyo.

On July 16, 2011, Umeda was signed into her new model agency called Peach Co.Ltd.

Personal life

Umeda has an older sister. She is friends with Kanna Arihara, Airi Suzuki, Maimi Yajima and Tomomi Itano.

For Erika Umeda's releases with Cute, see Cute discography.

Filmography

• Koinu Dan no Monogatari

Radio

• Cutie Party
• C-ute Cutie Paradise

TV Programs

• Haken OL wa mita!

Commercials

• ABC MART
• Universal Studios Japan