What exactly is NiziU? The Japanese girl group was formed by South Korean music company JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan, via reality TV show! Keep reading to meet the members of NiziU and how the band was formed.
Who Is NiziU?
NiziU was formed through a reality-survival TV program called Nizi Project in 2020. The show was split up into two seasons, with the first showcasing the audtion process, cutting the prospective lineup to 14 from 26 girls chosen by J.Y. Park; and the second season showing the girls moving to train in South Korea for six months.
The band ultimately debuted on December 2, 2020, with the release of their debut single, “Step and a Step.” Since then, they have released a handful of singles, EPs and two albums. The girl group is known for its tracks “Make You Happy” (2020), “Chopstick” (2021) and “Take a Picture” (2021).
Who Are the Members of NiziU?
The group is composed of nine members: leader Mako, Rio, Maya, Riku, Ayaka, Mayuka, Rima, Miihi and Nina.
N early all of the girls have a pretty impressive background in the Japanese entertainment industry prior to debuting with NiziU. Maya was a trainee at YG Entertainment’s Japanese branch, while Rio was in Japanese groups EXILE and KIZZY/BUNNIES. Prior to competing on Nizi Project, members Mako, Rima, Yuna and Miihi were JYP Entertainment trainees. NiziU’s youngest member Nina is both American and Japanese, and was a child actress in both countries.
Did NiziU Make Their Korean Debut?
NiziU made their South Korean debut in October 2023, with a single album titled Press Play. In their music video for lead single “HEARTRIS,” Stray Kids member Felix makes an appearance!
“We would like to thank our fans, WithU, for supporting our Korean debut,” Mako said in a press release prior to the debut. “We believe our Korean debut will be a huge opportunity for us and we hope to give some positive energy through our performances.”
One of the biggest difficulties they faced of their Korean debut came with language barriers, which was overcome through teamwork, according to the members.
“The Korean pronunciation was an obstacle to overcome while recording the song,” Rio said. “But we all worked hard and it was fortunate that we landed such a good song.”
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