H!P news: Taiwan audition, new unit High-King starts PR

At the end of this month, Hello! Project is starting an audition in Taiwan, called the “Hello! Project New Star Audition.” It will reportedly run for three months and aired on TV in Taiwan, with the winners getting their chance to debut in Japan as part of Hello! Project.

In separate news, the PR campaign has begun for H!P’s newest project High-King, a temporary group composed of five stars from the company’s major units. Morning Musume’s Ai Takahashi and Reina Tanaka are being joined by Berryz Koubou captain Saki Shimizu, C-ute leader Maimi Yajima, and Hello! Pro Egg Yuuka Maeda. Tsunku says he chose the members for their dancing ability, as their debut song “C/C (Cinderella Complex)” is a rhythmic tune that is also being described as different from Hello! Project’s usual fare.

Scheduled for release on June 11, “C/C” is a support song for the upcoming “Cinderella the Musical,” a production being done in collaboration with the Takarazuka Revue. Details were announced in March, and it takes the stage this August.

Including major groups, soloists, shuffle units, and temporary groups, High-King is reportedly the 83rd act to come out of Hello! Project. Tsunku said that even though using the word “queen” in the group’s name would’ve been appropriate, he opted for “king” because it had more punch.

Source:
Hello!Online, Sankei Sports