is a Japanese former singer, actress, and radio personality. Tsugunaga joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids at the age of 10 and later became part of the girl groups Berryz Kobo and Buono! Following Berryz Kobo's hiatus, she became the playing manager of Country Girls. In 2017, Tsugunaga retired from entertainment to become a kindergarten teacher.

Career

2002–2004: Hello! Project Kids and ZYX

In 2002, Tsugunaga auditioned for Hello! Project Kids with the song "Koi wo Shicchaimashita!" by Tanpopo. Her audition tape was aired on Morning Musume's variety show Hello! Morning. She was placed in the group with 14 other girls. In the same year, she starred in the movie Koinu Dan no Monogatari as the main character, Mao Morishita.

In 2003, Tsugunaga appeared in the music video for Miki Fujimoto's "Boogie Train '03." She also became a member of the subgroup ZYX along with Mari Yaguchi from Morning Musume, Erika Umeda, Maimi Yajima, Saki Shimizu, and Megumi Murakami. They released their debut single, "Iku ZYX! Fly High" on August 6, 2003, followed by "Shiroi Tokyo" on December 10, 2003. Later, in 2004, she participated in singing "All for One & One for All!", a collaboration single released by all Hello! Project artists under the name "H.P. All Stars."

2004–2015: Berryz Kobo and Buono!

In 2004, Tsugunaga was one of the eight girls from Hello! Project Kids were selected to form Berryz Kobo. Berryz Kobo debuted on March 3, 2004, with the single "Anata Nashi de wa Ikite Yukenai", and she was one of the lead singers of the group. From 2009 until 2014, Tsugunaga also hosted a radio show titled "Momoko Tsugunaga from Berryz Kobo's Pri-Pri-Princess."

Continuing with her "Momochi" personality, Tsugunaga released a solo song and music video called "Momochi! Yurushite Nyan Taiso", which was released as a B-side to Berryz Kobo's 29th single, "Cha Cha Sing."

In 2007, Tsugunaga also became part of the subgroup Buono! with Miyabi Natsuyaki and Airi Suzuki from Cute. The group formed to perform the opening and ending songs for the anime Shugo Chara! They released their first single, "Honto no Jibun", on October 31, 2007. After the show's end, Buono continued on as a side project until its disbandment in 2017.

2015–2017: Country Girls and retirement

In 2014, Berryz Kobo announced they would end activities the following year. After Berryz Kobo went on hiatus, Tsugunaga took on the role as the "playing manager" for the girl group Country Girls, a revival of a Hello! Project group formerly under the name Country Musume.

On November 5, 2016, at Shinjuku ReNY, during Country Girls' second anniversary event, Tsugunaga announced that she would retire from the entertainment industry the following year to become a kindergarten teacher. To commemorate her graduation, a compilation CD album titled was released on June 21, 2017, with songs selected by fan vote. Tsugunaga held her final concert on June 30, 2017, in an outdoor venue at Odaiba, exactly 15 years after her debut in Hello! Project Kids. 8,000 people attended the concert, including Berryz Kobo and Cute.

Personal life

Public image

During Berryz Kobo's later years, Tsugunaga became known as the "cutesy character" of the group and with her mannerisms and twintail hairstyle. She was often referred to by the nickname in media and press. After Berryz Kobo went on hiatus, she began playing down her "Momochi" image and stopped wearing her hair in twintails, citing that she has grown up. In Tsugunaga's later idol career, she would have her pinky finger raised while performing, which she stated was meant as an "antenna" to "receive her fans' love." Tsugunaga ended her final concert by lowering her pinky finger as a sign of ending her idol activities.

Education Tsugunaga majored in education and graduated from Kokugakuin University in 2014.

Discography

Albums Title Year Album details Peak chart positions Sales JPN Oricon Billboard Japan 2017 Released: June 28, 2017 Label: Up-Front Promotion Formats: CD 19 — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

DVD Title Release date Label / Notes Highestposition OriconWeeklyDVDChart Momo Only December 3, 2008 Piccolo Town 32 Momo OK September 9, 2009 Piccolo Town 20 October 27, 2010 Piccolo Town 58 March 6, 2011 e-LineUP! limited edition December 23, 2011 e-LineUP! limited edition April 25, 2012 Piccolo Town 94 March 6, 2013 e-LineUP! limited edition

Bibliography

Photobooks (June 19, 2007, ) (March 19, 2008, ) (November 21, 2008, Wani Books, ) (August 21, 2009, Wani Books, ) (October 20, 2010, Wani Books, ) (March 6, 2012, Wani Books, )

Photo-essays (Photographic essay, June 22, 2013, Wani Books, )

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 Koinu Dan no Monogatari Mao Morishita Lead role 2004 Promise Land: Clover no Daibōken Sae Ōmori Lead role; television movie 2011 Ring of Curse Shiori Sonoda Lead role; feature film with Buono! 2011 Ōsama Game Yūko Inomoto Supporting role

Television

Year Title Role Network Notes 2002-2007 Hello! Morning Herself TV Tokyo Morning Musume's variety show 2002-2004 Hello Kids Herself TV Tokyo Minimoni's variety show 2005 Musume Document 2005 Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2005-2006 Musume Dokyu! Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2007-2008 Haromoni Herself TV Tokyo Morning Musume's variety show 2008 Berikyū! Herself TV Tokyo Berryz Kobo and Cute's variety show 2008 Yorosen! Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2009 Bijo Houdan Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2010 Bijo Gaku Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2011-2012 Hello Pro! Time Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2012 Sūgaku Joshi Gakuen Tomoko Harajuku NTV Episode 6 2012-2013 Hello! Satoyama Life Herself TV Tokyo Hello! Project's variety show 2014-2017 The Girls Live Herself TV Tokyo Up-Front Works's variety show 2014-2015 Oha Suta Herself TV Tokyo Variety show MC on Thursdays 2014-2016 Haiku Saku Saku Herself NHK Variety show panelist

Theater Year Title Role Notes 2006 Edo Kara Chakushin!?: Timeslip to Kengai! Fuu Lead role 2007 Reverse!: Watashi no Karada Doko Desu ka? Herself Lead role 2008 Berryz Kobo VS Berryz Kobo Herself Lead role 2009 Thank You Very Berry Manaka Konishi Lead role 2010 Sanokuen Shōjo Herself Lead role 2011 Sengoku Jietai Herself Lead role in Defense 2013 Warera Jeanne: Shōjo Seisen Kageki Belle Supporting role

Music video

Year Artist Song Notes 2003 Miki Fujimoto "Boogie Train '03" 2004 W "Aa Ii na!" Back-up dancer (with Berryz Kobo) 2004 W "Robo Kiss" Back-up dancer (with Berryz Kobo)

Radio Year Title Role Notes 2004-2009 Berryz Kobo Chaku! Seki! Rei! Radio host with Berryz Kobo 2009-2014 Berryz Kobo Tsugunaga Momoko no Pri-Pri-Princess Radio host 2011 Viva! Paella presents Music Buono! Radio host with Buono! 2011-2013 Pizza-La presents Cafe Buono! Radio host with Buono! 2013-2015 Pizza-La presents Trattoria Buono! Radio host with Buono! 2016-2017 Ijūin Hikaru to Radio to News correspondent

References

External links Official Hello! Project profile Official blog (Ameba) Country Girls Official blog (Ameba)