Tone Jewel Explained

TJ
Alias: (2012-2014)
Origin:Tokyo, Japan
Years Active:2012-present
Current Members:
  • Kana Machimura
  • Hinano Takayama
Past Members:
  • Chihiro Ayase
  • Riko Kayama
  • Kana Sakura
  • Keekihime Yumi
  • Saki Takimura
  • Miyabi Hazuki
  • Momoka Miyashita
  • Moeka Morimoto
  • Ayane Yokoniwa
  • Yūki Itonaga

is a Japanese idol girl group. The group was originally formed in 2012 by Victor Entertainment and have been performing independently since 2013. To reflect the group's name and concept, the members perform with microphones attached to the jewel on their pinky rings.[1]

The original member line-up made their major label debut with the extended play Kimiiro Note in 2012 and later released the song "Blooming Song" in 2013.

History

2012–2013: Debut

Tone Jewel was formed by Victor Entertainment in 2012. To reflect the group's name and concept, the members performed with wireless microphones attached to their pinky rings.[1] With the lineup consisting of Kana Sakura, Riko Kayama, and Keekihime Yumi, Tone Jewel was marketed as a trio of "hardcore otaku" high school girls and built a fanbase on Niconico.[2] [3] [4] Keekihime, an Austrian native, had been recruited through an online audition held by Victor Entertainment and prior to joining, she was a vlogger on Niconico.[1] [5] The group first recorded music independently for a Touhou Project fan project.[1] Their first extended play, Sistars Trip, was sold exclusively at Comiket 82 on August 11, 2012, with the cover artwork drawn by Keekihime.[6] Tone Jewel made their major label debut on August 22, 2012 with the extended play Kimiiro Note,[7] [8] featuring "Kimiiro Inryoku" as the promotional track.[2] After the release of the song, Kayama departed from the group.[9] In a 2023 Instagram post, Keekihime states that, after this, Tone Jewel was dropped from Victor Entertainment and they performed as an independent group.[10]

On December 30, 2012, Tone Jewel released their first studio album, Meguru Kiseki, independently and sold it exclusively at Comiket 83, with the album illustration provided by Keekihime.[6] Sana Takimura was later recruited as a second generation member.[9] In 2013, Tone Jewel released their debut single, "Blooming Song", which was produced by Arte Refact.[11]

At the end of 2013, Sakura left the group due to family reasons.[1] Later that year, Keekihime and Takimura also departed from the group due to Keekihime's visa issues, which had limited her performances.[1] [12]

2014–present: Line-up and name changes

Miyabi Hazuki, Momoka Miyashita, and Chihiro Ayase, three girls who had previously been recruited into the group as research students (trainees),[1] began performing under the name Tone Jewel Research Students under independent labels.[13] After several member line-up changes, Tone Jewel was renamed and also established sister groups, such as End of Silence, Twist Jewel, and Tradition Jack.

On March 22, 2024, Chihiro announced that she was retiring from the group.[14]

Members

Former members

Discography

Studio albums

TitleYearDetailsPeak chart positionsSales
JPN
2012
  • Released:
  • Label: -
  • Format: CD
 - -
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Extended plays

Major

TitleYearDetailsPeak chart positionsSales
JPN
2012 - [15] -
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Indie

TitleYearDetailsPeak chart positionsSales
JPN
Sistars Trip2012
  • Released:
  • Label: -
  • Format: CD
 - -
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

Singles

TitleYearPeak chart positionsSalesAlbum
JPN
"Blooming Song"2013105[16] -
"—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that region.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Idol Industry Exposé: ARAMA! JAPAN Interviews Former Idol Keekihime . Arama! Japan . 2014-08-30 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203024251/https://aramajapan.com/aramaexclusive/idol-industry-expose-arama-japan-interviews-former-idol-keekihime/7546/ . live .
  2. News: Mikikaze . Komatsu . VIDEO: New Otaku Idol Unit Tone Jewel's 1st Single "Kimiiro Inryoku" . . 2012-08-16 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203032005/https://www.crunchyroll.com/anime-news/2012/08/16-1/video-new-otaku-idol-unit-tone-jewels-1st-single-kimiiro-inryoku . live .
  3. News: 川越シェフ＆松岡充も降臨！「ニコニコ超パーティー II」 . ja . . 2013-03-08 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203022351/https://natalie.mu/music/news/86333 . live .
  4. News: 3月25日21時ニコ生配信 ニコニコ国際交流とは何だ？【ニコ動今昔物語】 . ja . . 2013-03-22 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203022353/https://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/000/134/134518/ . live .
  5. News: オーストリア人のガチヲタ女子高生が作ったアイドルユニット・トーンジュエル、メジャーデビュー決定 . Tone Jewel, an idol unit made up of hardcore otaku and an Austrian, makes major debut . ja . Barks . 2012-07-20 . 2020-02-02 . May 8, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210508220651/https://www.barks.jp/news/?id=1000081602 . live .
  6. News: Tone Jewel CD / Goods . ja . Tone Jewel . 2020-02-02 . July 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170701194735/http://tonejewel.jp/pg89.html#CD/%20GOODS1 . live .
  7. News: ガチヲタアイドル・トーンジュエル、メジャーデビュー作品で2次元化 . ja . Barks . 2012-07-26 . 2020-02-02.
  8. News: "ガチヲタ"トーンジュエルが「キミイロノート」を発表 . "Hardcore otaku" Tone Jewel releases Kimiiro Note . ja . . 2012-07-27 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203082457/https://natalie.mu/music/news/73691 . live .
  9. News: Idol Industry Exposé: ARAMA! JAPAN Interviews Former Idol Keekihime (Part 3) . Arama! Japan . 2014-08-30 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203024304/https://aramajapan.com/aramaexclusive/idol-industry-expose-arama-japan-interviews-former-idol-keekihime/7546/3/ . live .
  10. keekihime . CyFvsAVSvPT . One of the OG members leaving while we were making an album, finding a new member after performing as two for a bit, being more or less dropped from the music label thus going back to indie, performing 3 times a day and generally pretty empty live venues, riding the cheapest night busses between Osaka and Tokyo without getting sleep, and trying our best to grow as a unit without any promotion or advertising budget in a small unknown management.. 2023-10-07.
  11. News: トーンジュエル、ニュー・シングル"BLOOMING SONG" . Tone Jewel, new single "Blooming Song" . ja . . 2013-08-27 . 2020-02-02 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203081700/https://tower.jp/article/feature_item/2013/08/27/0704 . live .
  12. Web site: Keekihime Yumi . Soroche Art . . 2013-11-29 . 2020-02-05 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200205062327/https://soroche-art.tumblr.com/post/68480586877/okaz-guys-thanks-for-all-the-asks-ill-now-tell . 2020-02-05.
  13. News: Tone Jewel Profile . ja . Tone Jewel . 2020-02-02 . July 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170701195602/http://tonejewel.jp/member.html . live .
  14. Web site: Chihiro Ayase . TJPChihiro . . 2024-03-22 . 2024-03-23 .
  15. Web site: キミイロノート . ja . . 2019-12-25 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203022352/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/571286/products/978893/1/ . live .
  16. Web site: BLOOMING SONG(Type A) . ja . . 2019-12-25 . February 3, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200203022351/https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/571286/products/1043073/1/ . live .

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