Sayumi Michishige

Sayumi Michishige
道重 さゆみ
Michishige at the 13th MTV Video Music Awards Japan in June 2014
Michishige at the 13th MTV Video Music Awards Japan in June 2014
Background information
Also known asSayumin, Shige-san, Sayu, Shige-pink, Misshige
Born (1989-07-13) July 13, 1989 (age 35)
Ube, Yamaguchi, Japan
Occupations
Years active
  • 2003–2014
  • 2017–present
Musical career
GenresJ-pop
LabelsZetima
Websitewww.up-front-promotion.co.jp/artist/

Sayumi Michishige (道重 さゆみ, Michishige Sayumi, (named after Sayumi Horie)[1] born July 13, 1989) is a Japanese singer, actress and model. She is a former sixth-generation member and former leader of the J-pop group Morning Musume. Following the departure of fifth-generation member Risa Niigaki on October 12, 2013, Michishige held the longest tenure of any member in the group's history even after her graduation. She went on to hold this record until surpassed by ninth-generation members Mizuki Fukumura and Erina Ikuta in December 2022.[2]

Michishige was born in Ube, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. She joined Morning Musume in 2003 along with Eri Kamei, Miki Fujimoto, and Reina Tanaka, who all debuted with Morning Musume on the group's nineteenth single, "Shabondama". In 2005, she was assigned as mentor to seventh-generation member Koharu Kusumi, until Kusumi left the group in December 2009. Michishige was also a member of the Hello! Project unit Ecomoni, along with former Morning Musume member Rika Ishikawa.

She portrays a visual-focused, self-confident image of herself in more TV shows, often calling herself the cutest member in Morning Musume and saying that her cuteness overwhelms her poor singing skills.[3] In one of the skits known as Hello! Morning Theatre on their variety show, Hello! Morning, she frequently played a character known as "Ichiban Kawaii" (Cutest).

  1. ^ According to Michishige (on the Youngtown Doyōbi radio show) her father was a fan of NHK announcer and television personality Sayumi Horie and so, hoping his own daughter would grow to resemble Horie, decided to name her Sayumi.
  2. ^ Members of Morning Musume
  3. ^ Music Fighter 2005-07-16