Bis

Formed in Japan in 2010, BiS – Brand-new idol Society – is a Japanese female idol group founded by former solo artist Pour Lui. After the release of her debut solo album, The World is Pour Lui’s (2010), she announced her desire to form a new female idol group and began holding auditions. Once the four-member lineup was chosen, they made their debut with a digital single and the release of their first album, Brand-new idol Society, in 2011. The group’s music veered in a heavier direction and the group’s dark, confrontational image was unlike most idol groups of the time, which led to BiS being referred to as an ‘alternative idol’ group. This direction caused dissatisfaction in the group and this ‘first generation’ lineup began to fracture after the release of their debut album. Their second album, Idol is Dead (2012), reached number 30 on the Japanese Albums chart and featured three singles that landed in the Top 100. In 2013, they released their third album, Who Killed Idol?, which featured three Top 10 hits: “Die,” “Fly,” and “Hi.” After some controversy over their image, videos, and music, BiS disbanded in July 2014. Several members went on to form a new idol group called Bish, but original leader Pour Lui did not participate. Instead, she formed the ‘second generation’ of the group with all new members. This new five-member version of BiS released their album Brand-new idol Society 2, in 2016. The album reached the Top 30 in Japan and was followed four months later by the equally successful album Re:Stupid (2017). More auditions were held for new additions to BiS’ lineup as well as for other groups who were managed by the same agency (WACK). More controversy followed involving Pour Lui, who was ‘suspended’ from BiS because of her weight gain, but it was later revealed that it was a publicity stunt. Nevertheless, Pour Lui left BiS in January 2018 and she was replaced by several members. After several bizarre promotional incidents – which included the nine-member strong BiS sleeping on stage – the ‘second generation’ BiS split up in May 2019. One month later, a ‘third generation’ line-up of BiS was announced and it featured no original members from either of the two previous incarnations of the group. This new lineup released their Top 10 album Brand-new idol Society in 2019, and followed it with Lookie (2020), which climbed to number 6. In December 2021, BiS released a covers album entitled BiS Dive Into Rocks, which was followed in July 2022 with the single. “Hey Boy Hey Girl.” In July 2023, they issued the single “E-R-T-H-C-Na-H-Q-ka-H-K-M-B-Ne-Z-Om,” which was followed four months later by “Lazy Day.” In 2024, BiS released the album Never Mind, which their eighth album overall and the third full-length from the third-generation version of the band.