NiziU

NiziU is a female J-Pop band formed by JYP Entertainment in Seoul, South Korea. The group’s members were chosen in 2020 through Nizi Project, a survival reality show that ran for two seasons. The first season featured the audition process of 26 contestants and ended with the final 14. The second season focused on the final 14 and their training in South Korea. On June 26, 2020, the official nine member line-up of NiziU was publicly revealed, with Maya Katsumura, Miihi Suzuno, Mako Yamaguchi, Riku Ōe, Nina Hillman, Mayuka Ogō, Ayaka Arai, Rima Yokoi, and Rio Hanabashi all earning a place on the roster. Signed to Sony Music through JYP Entertainment, NiziU released Make You Happy, the group's debut mini album, on June 30, 2020. The mini album reached number 1 on the Billboard Japan chart and went gold, while its title track went platinum. A full-length album, U, followed in 2021, went platinum, and became the group's second release to peak at number 1 on Billboard Japan. U also featured the back-to-back number 1 singles "Step and a Step" and "Take a Picture," both of which topped the Oricon Singles chart. One year later, NiziU returned to number 1 with "Clap Clap," the first release from the group's 2023 album Coconut. "Paradise," another track from the same album, reached number 1 in 2023, and Coconut hit the top of the charts as well. Later that year, NiziU released the compilation album, Press Play, which reached the Top 10 in both Japan and South Korea. In 2024, they released the singles “Memories,” “Sweet Nonfiction,” and “Rise Up,” all three of which were lifted from the Rise Up. They released their 1st mini album AWAKE in 2025.