AI TAKAHASHI

高橋愛

 

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Takahashi was selected from Love Audition 21 to join Morning Musume as a fifth generation member on August 26, 2001, along with Konno Asami, Ogawa Makoto, and Niigaki Risa. Tsunku credited her exceptional singing ability as one of the reasons for choosing her. She debuted on the single "Mr. Moonlight ~Ai no Big Band~," and she first appeared on the fourth studio album 4th Ikimasshoi!.

Early on, Takahashi's strong Fukui accent frequently drew comments from television interviewers and other Hello! Project members. She has gradually grown out of it since she moved to Tokyo and took up professional voice training, but she still occasionally slips into it when she is nervous or surprised. It was even the subject of her verse in the original "Joshi Kashimashi Monogatari."

In September 2002, when the fifth generation were placed into the Morning Musume subgroups, Takahashi was added to the Minimoni roster. She first appeared in the subgroup's movie, Minimoni ja Movie: Okashi na Daibouken!, with a memorable turn in a black catsuit. Takahashi filled the spot left open by the graduation of leader Yaguchi Mari, and she went on to release a total of seven singles and one full-length album, Minimoni Songs 2.

Takahashi was placed in Morning Musume Sakura Gumi in January 2003 and released two singles as a part of the group before it went inactive.

Although Takahashi had received a big push to the center since the release of "Do it! Now," it wasn't until "Roman ~MY DEAR BOY~" that Takahashi began to be prominently featured on songs. "The MANPOWER!!!," Morning Musume's first single of 2005, featured Takahashi as a co-lead vocal and it is a position she has retained on most singles released since then.

She even went on to sing with Tsunku on his solo album, TAKE 1, covering a re-arranged version of his duet with Hamasaki Ayumi, "Love ~since 1999~."

In 2006, she became a member of the kickball team Metro Rabbits H.P.. When Kago Ai was suspended from activities due to her smoking scandal, Takahashi was named as the new team captain.

In Ribbon no Kishi: The Musical, Morning Musume's summer musical for 2006, Takahashi played the lead role of Sapphire.

In summer 2006, Takahashi released her first solo single "Yume Kara Samete" as an online-only audio purchase.

On January 2, 2007, Tsunku announced that Yoshizawa Hitomi will graduate from Morning Musume in May of 2007, thus Fujimoto Miki will become the group's new leader, and Takahashi will become Morning Musume's new subleader.