artist
6Sugaya, Risako
菅谷 梨沙子
- Birthdate
- Apr 4, 1994 (32 yrs)
- Birthplace
- Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
- Blood type
- A
- Height
- 161cm
- Active since
- 2002
- Gender
- Female
Links
Personal Information
Born on April 4, 1994, in Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, Risako Sugaya is a pop singer and idol best known as a member of the Japanese musical group Berryz Koubou. Her journey in the Hello! Project began in 2002 after successfully passing the Hello! Project Kids Audition. Her debut within the organization occurred with the premiere of the first Minimoni feature film, where she performed as part of 4Kids, a shuffle group assembled specifically for the movie. In 2003, Sugaya took on the role of Hikari in the film Hotaru no Hoshi (蛍の星), portraying a fragile elementary school student who, aided by a caring teacher, experiences a brief reunion with her deceased mother and resolves her emotional struggles. That same year, she starred in the drama Shonan Kawarayane Monogatari. Her television presence expanded when she appeared as one of Aya Matsuura's backup dancers on the 54th edition of the prestigious NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen. Additionally, she lent her voice to a commercial for the Nihon Shokuniku Shouhi Sougou Center in October 2003. Early 2004 marked her entry into the newly formed Berryz Koubou, where she has since participated in the group's weekly radio show, Berryz Koubou Kiritsu! Rei! Chakuseki!. Like many Hello! Project members, she featured in several episodes of the Musume Dokyu! segments, specifically episodes 39, 40, 54, 55, and 56. In August 2006, she was interviewed by MC Maki Goto for the 12th installment of the online-only program Hello! Pro Hour, later reappearing alongside Momoko Tsugunaga for the 20th and final episode. On October 12, 2006, Sugaya made history as the first Berryz Koubou member and the youngest Hello! Project artist to release a solo photobook. The project received mixed reactions from fans both in Japan and overseas prior to its launch. In an interview with Sanspo.com, she admitted to initial doubts about the photoshoot but expressed that the experience was ultimately pleasant, hoping fans would appreciate the different sides of her personality. She returned to the stage of the 57th NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen on December 31, 2006, serving as a backup dancer for Morning Musume's performance of Aruiteru alongside members of Berryz Koubou, Country Musume, and C-ute. In mid-2009, Sugaya joined the new unit Guardians 4.
