Babymetal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Babymetal
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Babymetal performing at Ancienne Belgique in December 2023 (L-R: Moametal, Su-metal, Momometal)
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Tokyo, Japan |
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| Years active | 2010–present |
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| Members | |
| Past members | Yuimetal |
Babymetal (Japanese: ベビーメタル, Hepburn: Bebīmetaru) is a Japanese band that mixes heavy metal music with J-pop (Japanese pop music). This unique style is called kawaii metal. The band has three main members: Suzuka Nakamoto (known as Su-metal), Moa Kikuchi (Moametal), and Momoko Okazaki (Momometal).
Their music features strong vocals and heavy metal sounds. These sounds are played by a group of talented musicians called the "Kami Band" during their live shows. Babymetal was formed in 2010. The idea was to combine the powerful energy of heavy metal with the fun and catchy style of Japanese idol groups.
The band started as a sub-group of a Japanese idol group called Sakura Gakuin. But in 2013, Babymetal became an independent band. This happened after Su-metal finished junior high school and left Sakura Gakuin.
Since they started, Babymetal has released four studio albums. Their first album, Babymetal, came out in 2014. Then came Metal Resistance in 2016, Metal Galaxy in 2019, and The Other One in 2023. Babymetal has toured all over the world, playing many concerts outside of Asia.
In 2018, Yui Mizuno (Yuimetal), one of the original members, left the band due to health reasons. After she left, the band sometimes had other dancers join them on stage. One of these dancers, Momoko Okazaki, officially joined Babymetal as the third main member in 2023. She is now known as Momometal.
Contents
Discovering Babymetal: How the Band Began
Forming a New Sound: 2010 to 2012
In 2009, a producer named Kobametal had a cool idea. He wanted to create a music group that mixed idol pop with heavy metal. He was really impressed by Suzuka Nakamoto's singing. He thought she would be perfect as the main singer for his new group.
The band officially started in 2010 in Tokyo, Japan. It was part of a school-themed idol group called Sakura Gakuin. Babymetal was known as the "heavy music club" within that group. The name "Babymetal" combines "baby" and "heavy metal." It also sounds like "heavy metal" in Japanese. The "baby" part means "the birth of a new kind of music."
Kobametal added Yui Mizuno (Yuimetal) and Moa Kikuchi (Moametal) to the group. They were smaller and danced around Su-metal "like angels." None of the girls knew much about metal music before joining the band.
Babymetal's first live show was on November 28, 2010. It was at Sakura Gakuin's first big concert. In July 2011, Babymetal performed their song "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" ("No More Bullying") at a Sakura Gakuin concert. This song was later released in 2013.
Their first single, "Doki Doki Morning", was on Sakura Gakuin's first album in 2011. A music video for this song was put on YouTube in October 2011. By the end of 2012, it had over a million views!
Babymetal's first CD single was a team-up with another band called Kiba of Akiba. It was released in March 2012. This single did very well on the indie music charts in Japan. In the summer of 2012, they released a music video for their next single, "Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!!".
In August 2012, Babymetal played at Japan's Summer Sonic Festival. They were the youngest group ever to perform there! That same year, Babymetal performed outside Japan for the first time. This was at the Anime Festival Asia in Singapore.
Breaking Through: Major Debut and First Album (2013-2015)
On January 9, 2013, Babymetal released "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" with a major record label. It sold 19,000 copies in its first week! It reached number six on the Japanese singles chart. In spring 2013, Su-metal finished junior high. This meant she had to "graduate" from Sakura Gakuin. But the band's managers decided Babymetal would keep going as its own group.
The group released their next single, "Megitsune", on June 19, 2013. In August, Babymetal played at the Summer Sonic Festival again. Later, in October, they became the youngest artists to perform at the Loud Park heavy metal festival.
On February 26, 2014, Babymetal released their first album, also called Babymetal. It had thirteen songs and was very popular. It sold over 37,000 copies in Japan in its first week. The album also topped metal charts on iTunes in Germany, the UK, and the US. It even reached number 187 on the US Billboard 200 chart.
On March 1 and 2, 2014, the band played two concerts at the Budokan in Japan. Their average age was 14.6 years old. This made them the youngest female group to ever perform there! About 20,000 people came to these two concerts.
After their Budokan show, Babymetal announced their first world tour. They started by playing in Paris and Cologne. Fans in the UK wanted them to play at the Sonisphere Festival. Their campaign worked, and Babymetal was invited to play! After their UK shows, the band played their first US show in Hollywood.
They also performed at Heavy Montréal in Canada in August 2014. They shared the stage with famous bands like Metallica and Slayer. Babymetal also opened for five of Lady Gaga's concerts on her 2014 tour in the US.
In November 2014, Babymetal returned to London for a show. They also played in New York City. At their London show, they played a new song called "Road of Resistance." This song was a team-up with Sam Totman and Herman Li from the band DragonForce. In 2015, Babymetal's first album was re-released internationally.
In June 2015, the band made a surprise appearance at the Download Festival in the UK. They performed "Gimme Chocolate!!" with DragonForce. This was a big deal because the festival organizer had said he would never book Babymetal!
Global Success: Metal Resistance and World Tours (2016-2017)
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In December 2015, Babymetal announced their second album would be released on April 1, 2016. They also announced a world tour. It would start in London at the Wembley Arena and end in Japan at the Tokyo Dome. On January 15, 2016, the album title was revealed: Metal Resistance.
This second album was different from their first. Yuimetal said they "challenged themselves to a lot of new, different types of genres of music." They also used more positive lyrics. The band wanted to offer many styles to reach more people. They even performed a full song in English.
The band chose the title Metal Resistance because it showed who they are. Su-metal said it was "about them exploring new, different aspects of what they can do."
On April 2, 2016, Babymetal made history. They became the first Japanese act to headline Wembley Arena! They also sold the most merchandise for a single event in the venue's history. Their album Metal Resistance also reached the highest spot ever for a Japanese album on the UK charts. The Guardian newspaper gave their Wembley show a perfect five-star rating.
On April 5, Babymetal appeared on US television for the first time. They performed "Gimme Chocolate!!" on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. In 2016, Babymetal was even added as a character in the Wii U video game Super Mario Maker.
In July 2016, Babymetal made a special appearance at the Alternative Press Music Awards. They performed "Karate" and then were joined by Judas Priest singer Rob Halford. They all performed parts of Judas Priest songs together. Later that month, Metal Hammer magazine readers voted Babymetal's first album as the best album of the 21st century!
In September 2016, Babymetal finished their world tour by playing at the Tokyo Dome. Both nights were sold out, with about 55,000 people attending each night! Fans came from Japan and all over the world. Yuimetal said she was "still in shock" that she was playing there. Su-metal had always dreamed of performing at the Tokyo Dome.
In December 2016, Babymetal opened for the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their UK tour. At their last show together, the Red Hot Chili Peppers' drummer, Chad Smith, joined Babymetal on stage. He performed with them and even led the audience in singing "Happy Birthday" to Su-metal!
In 2017, Babymetal also opened for Metallica and Guns N' Roses in Japan. They also supported the Red Hot Chili Peppers on their US tour. In June 2017, they played at the KISW Pain in the Grass music event in Washington. They also toured with Korn during the summer.
In October 2017, Babymetal sang the theme song for the TV show Unikitty!. On December 2 and 3, 2017, Babymetal performed in Su-metal's hometown of Hiroshima. These shows were a special celebration for her 20th birthday. It was also Babymetal's first show without all three members, as Yuimetal was sick and could not perform.
Sadly, Kami Band guitarist Mikio Fujioka passed away in January 2018. Babymetal shared a message on Twitter to remember his work with the band.
New Beginnings: Metal Galaxy and Momometal (2018-Present)
On April 1, 2018, Babymetal shared a video called "Metal Resistance Episode VII – The Revelation." It hinted at a "dark side" of Babymetal and a "new era." A graphic novel about the band was also announced.
On May 1, 2018, Babymetal announced their own record label, Babymetal Records. On May 8, they released a music video for a new song, "Distortion". Yuimetal was not with the band for their US tour in May 2018. Fans wondered why. The band's management said Yuimetal was still a member but was not on that tour. They also hinted that the band's "storyline" was changing.
Yuimetal remained absent for the rest of the tour. In October 2018, the band officially announced that Yuimetal had left the group. She later explained that she wanted to start a solo career. During their tour, Babymetal also played at big festivals like Rock on the Range and Download Festival.
On April 1, 2019, Babymetal announced they would release their third album later that year. On May 10, 2019, they released the single "Elevator Girl". On May 29, 2019, it was announced that Babymetal would perform at the Glastonbury Festival in England. This made them the first Japanese band to play on one of the festival's main stages!
Babymetal also planned their first arena concert in the United States. It was set for October 11, 2019, in Los Angeles. This date was also when their third album, Metal Galaxy, was released. Their performance at The Forum was later released as a live album and video.
On June 27, 2019, Babymetal released the single "Pa Pa Ya!!", featuring Thai rapper F.Hero. The video for this song included footage from their concert in Yokohama. It also showed Kano Fujihira, one of the "Avengers." These "Avengers" were backup dancers who filled in for Yuimetal. The other Avengers were Riho Sayashi and Momoko Okazaki.
After their performance, they announced the Metal Galaxy World Tour. It started in September 2019 and was supposed to end in March 2020. Some concerts were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, they streamed two "Stay Home, Stay Metal" shows online. These shows featured footage from past concerts.
In October 2019, Babymetal made history again. They became the first Asian act to reach the top of the Billboard Top Rock Albums Chart! In 2020, Babymetal teamed up with the band Bring Me the Horizon on their song "Kingslayer."
In November 2020, Babymetal was announced to perform on the 71st NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen on New Year's Eve. This was their first time in this famous Japanese TV competition. Their performance of "Ijime, Dame, Zettai" was the most anticipated song of the night!
New Album and a New Member: The Other One (2021-Present)
Babymetal released a collection of their best songs, 10 Babymetal Years, in December 2020. To celebrate their 10th anniversary, their live concert videos were released on vinyl records in 2021. In October 2021, the band released a mysterious video. It hinted at a break or even the end of the band. The message said their "metal spirits" would "shine forever."
Babymetal announced their fourth album, The Other One, on October 11, 2022. They said it would be a concept album and would be released on March 24, 2023. The first song from the album, "Divine Attack (Shingeki)", came out on October 20, 2022. This was the first Babymetal song where Su-metal wrote all the lyrics! The second song, "Monochrome", was released with a lyric video.
On January 19, 2023, Babymetal released the song "Metal Kingdom." They also shared the full list of songs for The Other One. On October 18, 2022, the Swedish metal band Sabaton announced that Babymetal would perform at their shows in Europe.
On January 28 and 29, 2023, Babymetal played their first live concerts in almost two years at Makuhari Messe. They played 13 songs, including five from their new album. Videos from these concerts were used for the "Metal Kingdom" music video. They also released the song "Light And Darkness" with a music video from these shows.
Su-metal and Moametal performed a piano version of "Monochrome" for The First Take. This video came out on YouTube on March 10, 2023. On March 15, the band announced their first tour since 2019. It would include shows in Asia and Australia. Babymetal released the main song from their new album, "Mirror Mirror", on March 23. The album was released the next day.
Babymetal's concerts in January made fans wonder if a third member would join. Momoko Okazaki was a popular guess. On April 1, 2023, during a concert in Kanagawa, Momoko Okazaki was officially announced as the new member! She took the stage name Momometal. Her first video appearance as an official member was in the music video for "Mirror Mirror."
Two concerts were held in March 2024 to celebrate Momometal's birthday. About 30,000 people attended these shows. On May 23, 2024, the band worked with German band Electric Callboy on a song called "Ratatata."
Babymetal's Unique Style
Music and Messages
Most Japanese pop idols are known for bright, happy music and cute smiles. But Babymetal is different. They bring a darker, more complex kind of cuteness to their music. The band calls their style "kawaii metal" ("kawaii" means "cute"). They say it's a mix of J-pop idol music and heavy metal. People have also described their music as alternative metal, death metal, power metal, and hard rock.
Tristan Peterson, a music reviewer, said that Babymetal makes metal "cute without losing any of its edge." Patrick St. Michel from MTV 81 praised their live shows. He said their style mixes "throat-mauling screeches and cuddly choruses."
Babymetal's songs often talk about real-life issues. They share messages of positivity and self-empowerment. Their music often has fun and playful themes. For example, they sing about body image worries for girls, bullying, going to your first concert, and even chocolate! These topics are different from what most metal bands sing about.
Live Shows and Music Videos
Su-metal is the main singer and dancer. Moametal and Momometal (and Yuimetal before) are the "scream and dance" members. They stand on either side of Su-metal in a triangle shape. In their early days, the band members didn't talk or smile much at the audience. But now, they interact more with the crowd. Between songs, the stage goes dark, or they freeze in a pose.
Babymetal's costumes are inspired by Japanese Gothic and Punk Lolita styles. They mostly use red and black colors. During their 2018 tour, when Yuimetal was absent, Su-metal and Moametal performed in front of each other. Two backup dancers performed on the sides. After Yuimetal officially left, the traditional triangle shape was brought back with a non-singing backup dancer.
Instead of the usual "sign of the horns" hand gesture used in metal, Babymetal uses the kitsune (fox) hand gesture. This is because they thought the "horns" sign looked like a fox head! Their managers liked the mistake, so the fox sign became their symbol. Also, Babymetal has a special way of moshing (dancing in a crowd) called "mosh'sh." It's described as a safe, fun, and friendly way to push and shove.
At their concerts, Babymetal is joined by a backing band. This band is called the "Kami Band" (Gods of Metal). They wear white robes and special makeup. The Kami Band plays all the music live. Since 2014, the Kami Band has been Babymetal's main backing band.
The Kami Band has different musicians who play. The main members include guitarists Takayoshi Ohmura, Leda, and Isao, bassist Boh, and drummer Hideki Aoyama. Sometimes other guitarists fill in. Kami Band member Leda has also helped write some of Babymetal's music.
Babymetal's music videos are very eye-catching. They have helped the band become very popular. Their video for "Gimme Chocolate!!" became a huge hit in 2014. Brian Mansfield from USA Today said the video looked like "some kind of bizarre animé." He noted the "dark-goth set" and the girls doing "intricate choreography."
Moametal said she was proud that their "Karate" music video showed Japanese culture. The song's lyrics are about never giving up and moving forward. Yuimetal said the dance moves for the song helped show the song's message. Since most of their lyrics are in Japanese, their dancing helps break the language barrier for international fans.
Babymetal's Impact on Music
Babymetal is famous for creating the kawaii metal music style. This style mixes J-pop and heavy metal. It has introduced metal music to many new fans. Many new kawaii metal bands have started since Babymetal first appeared. Most of these bands are in Japan, but the style is spreading to other countries, like South Korea.
Babymetal's influence goes far beyond Japan. In 2016, Babymetal became the highest-charting Japanese band ever in the UK's music charts. This happened when their album Metal Resistance was released. In the US, Metal Resistance was the first Japanese album to reach the Billboard Top 40 in over 50 years! It reached number 39 in its first week. The last Japanese artist to be in the Top 40 was Kyu Sakamoto in 1963. In 2019, Babymetal became the first Asian act to top the Billboard Rock Albums chart with their album Metal Galaxy.
Meet the Members of Babymetal
Only the names of the main members of Babymetal are officially shared.
Core members
- Su-metal (Suzuka Nakamoto) – main singer and dancer (2010–present)
- Moametal (Moa Kikuchi) – screams and dance (2010–present)
- Momometal (Momoko Okazaki) – screams and dance (2023–present; was a backup dancer from 2019 to 2023)
Kami Band (Backing Musicians)
- Takayoshi Ohmura – guitar (2013–present)
- Leda Cygnus – guitar (2013–present)
- Isao Fujita – guitar (2015–present)
- Boh – bass (2013–present)
- Hideki Aoyama – drums (2013–present)
- Anthony Barone – drums (2019–present)
- Chris Kelly – guitar (2019–present)
- CJ Masciantonio – guitar (2019–present)
- Clint Tustin – bass (2019–present)
Past members
- Yuimetal (Yui Mizuno) – screams and dance (2010–2018)
- Mikio Fujioka – Kami Band; guitar (2013–2018; passed away 2018)
Timeline
Babymetal's Albums
- Babymetal (2014)
- Metal Resistance (2016)
- Metal Galaxy (2019)
- The Other One (2023)
Babymetal's Tours
- Babymetal World Tour 2014 (2014)
- Babymetal World Tour 2015 (2015)
- Babymetal World Tour 2016: Legend Metal Resistance (2016)
- Babymetal US Tour 2017 (with Korn and Stone Sour) (2017)
- The Five Fox Festival in Japan (2017)
- Babymetal World Tour 2018 (2018)
- Metal Galaxy World Tour (2019–2020)
Awards and Recognitions
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
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| 2014 | Babymetal | 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards — Wild Card for Best Japanese Act | Pre-nominated |
| NEO Awards 2014 — Best Musical Act | Won | ||
| 2015 | Babymetal | 7th CD Shop Awards — Grand Prix | Won |
| Babymetal | Loudwire 4th Annual Music Awards — Best New Artist of the Year Award | Won | |
| Kerrang! Awards 2015 — Spirit of Independence Award | Won | ||
| Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards 2015 — Breakthrough Award | Won | ||
| 2015 MTV Europe Music Awards — Best Japanese Act | Nominated | ||
| 2015 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Metal Artist | Won | ||
| GQ Men of the Year 2015 Award, Special Prize "Discovery of the year" | Won | ||
| Vogue Japan Women of the Year 2015 | Won | ||
| NEO Awards 2015 — Best Musical Act | Won | ||
| Loudwire 5th Annual Music Awards — Most Devoted Fans of 2015 | Won | ||
| Loudwire 5th Annual Music Awards — Best Live Act of 2015 | Won | ||
| "Road of Resistance" | Loudwire 5th Annual Music Awards — Best Metal Song of 2015 | Won | |
| 2016 | Metal Resistance | Loudwire — Most Anticipated Release of April 2016 | Won |
| 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Album of the Year -Japan- | Won | ||
| "Karate" | 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Metal Video (Japan) | Won | |
| 2016 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Group Video (Japan) | Nominated | ||
| Babymetal | Kerrang! Awards 2016 — Best Live Band | Won | |
| Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards 2016 — Best International Band | Nominated | ||
| 2016 Alternative Press Music Awards — Best International Band | Nominated | ||
| 2016 AIM Independent Music Awards — Best Live Act | Won | ||
| Revolver Music Awards 2016 — Best New Talent | Nominated | ||
| 2017 | Metal Resistance | Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Best Metal Album of 2016 | Won |
| Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Best Metal Song of 2016 - "Karate" (music video) | Won | ||
| Babymetal | Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Rock Goddess of the Year 2016 — "Su-metal" | Won | |
| Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Best Live Act 2016 — "Babymetal" | Won | ||
| Loudwire 6th Annual Music Awards — Most Devoted Fans 2016 | Won | ||
| Loudwire 7th Annual Music Awards — Most Dedicated Fans 2017 | Won | ||
| 2017 MTV Europe Music Awards — Best Japan Act | Won | ||
| 2020 | Metal Galaxy | 2020 MTV Video Music Awards Japan — Best Album Of The Year | Won |
See also
In Spanish: Babymetal para niños
