Ai Takahashi

History

Ai Takahashi joined Morning Musume in 2001 as part of the group's fifth generation, along with Makoto Ogawa, Asami Konno and Risa Niigaki. Her debut appearance with the band was on their single "Mr. Moonlight (Koi No Big Band)", and her first appearance on a Morning Musume full-length release was their fifth studio album, the appropriately named No. 5. Her first appearance on a Hello! Project Summer Shuffle release was on the 2002 single "Shiawase Beam! Sexy Sexy Beam!" under the group name Happy 7.

Related Topics:
2001 - Makoto Ogawa - Asami Konno - Risa Niigaki - No. 5 - Hello! Project Summer Shuffle - 2002

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In 2003, she was tapped to replace Mari Yaguchi in the Morning Musume spinoff group MiniMoni, first appearing in the band's movie ' and its accompanying soundtrack. Her most well-known nickname, "Takitty", derived from the catsuit (complete with tail) that she wears in the movie.

Related Topics:
2003 - Mari Yaguchi - MiniMoni

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That same year, she was part of the Morning Musume splinter group Morning Musume Sakuragumi, which performed mainly slower numbers on its two EP's, Hare Ame Nochi Suki and Sakura Mankai, and the shuffle group 7AIR, an R&B-inspired septet.

Related Topics:
Morning Musume Sakuragumi - Hare Ame Nochi Suki - Sakura Mankai - 7AIR

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Takahashi's vocals became more prominent on the second and final MiniMoni album, MiniMoni Songs 2 (2004), as well as on Morning Musume's singles from their Spring 2004 release "Roman ~My Dear Boy~" onward. She also had a duet (with Tsunku on the remake version of "Love ~since 1999~" on Tsunku's solo album TAKE1.

Related Topics:
MiniMoni Songs 2 - 2004 - Roman ~My Dear Boy~ - Tsunku

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In 2005, Morning Musume's first single release of the year, "The Manpower!!!", featured Takahashi in a prominent co-lead-vocal role. In the summer of that year, she became part of the 2005 Shuffle Group Elegies.

Related Topics:
2005 - The Manpower!!! - Elegies

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