Pour Lui

Pour Lui (プールイ, Puu Rui, born August 20, 1990 in Saitama) is a Japanese singer known for her work as the founder and leader of the "alternative idol" group BiS. Pour Lui started her career in November 2009 as a solo singer, being promoted as a "new age rock icon". She announced that she would be indefinitely suspending her solo career, and would be forming an idol group, which would eventually become BiS. She was one of only two original members remaining by the time BiS disbanded in July 2014. She was often seen as the "face" of the group, and was often supportive of the sometimes drastic and extreme measures that were used to gain the group publicity. This led to tensions between the members, most notably Yufu Terashima and Rina Yokoyama. Pour Lui formed the rock band LUI FRONTiC Akabane JAPAN (then named LUI◇FRONTiC◆Matsukuma JAPAN) in December 2013 with former members of The Storefront and BiS sound producer Kenta Matsukuma. Once BiS disbanded, she has been focusing her activities with this band, which is now signed with Universal Japan.

Career

Solo Singer (2009–2010)

Pour Lui's debut digital single "Kagirareta Toki no Naka de☆" was released on November 4, 2009, and was nominated in the 4th Rekochoku New Artist Awards, gaining her some attention. Her second digital single "WHY?" was released on January 13, 2010, and she performed her first live show on March 25. This was followed by a mini-album "Minna no Pour Lui" (released internationally as "The World is Pour Lui's") on June 23, which topped the Tower Records Online Pre-order Daily chart for the 20th, and the Online Sales chart for the 24th. By this time she had gained a local fanbase, and was performing more concerts.

Her solo music was billed as "cyber emo" and "Beat Crusaders meets Perfume", with its combination of alternative rock music and electro-pop vocal editing.

On September 9, she suddenly announced that she would be indefinitely suspending her solo career, and that she would be forming an idol group in the near future. She performed her last concert as a solo artist on December 9, 2010, where she also announced the formation of BiS.

BiS (2011–2014)

Pour Lui has stated that she originally made the decision to form an idol group out of a desire to cause trouble for her manager Junnosuke Watanabe, who she strongly disliked at the time. She later overcame this, and has been on good terms with him since. The original lineup of BiS debuted in January 2011, and actively performed in support of their first album Brand-new idol Society. However tensions began to rise when the music video for "Paprika" was being filmed, and eventually resulted in Rina Yokoyama, who was unsatisfied with the "un-idol" like direction the group was starting to take, leaving the group in June. Pour Lui was behind the idea of the music video involving members headbanging while wearing stockings on their heads, which directly led to Yokoyama's departure.^[1] More controversy followed with the release of the single "My Ixxx" and its music video. The video, showing the three members of BiS running naked (albeit heavily censored in an artistic way) through a forest, drastically spread their name across a wide audience, and led to an increased fanbase. However it also led some to wrongly associate BiS's members and their management to pornography, and the subject is still being debated after the group's break up.^[2]

After BiS made its major label debut through Avex Trax, tensions rose again during the making of the music video for "ASH". Pour Lui proposed the group follow in the steps of "My Ixxx" but was met with fierce opposition from the other members, especially Yufu Terashima. This resulted in a rift forming between the two, which has never been fully repaired to this day. Pour Lui continued to lead BiS into never-before-seen territory as idols, including a 100 km super-marathon. Pour Lui was unable to complete the run, but Yurika Wakisaka came close, only to run out of time. However, this resulted in Wakisaka injuring her leg, and her eventual departure from the group. Yufu Terashima followed shortly after.^[3]

While several tensions between members plagued the lineups from 2011–2012, after First Summer Uika, Ten Tenko and Saki Kamiya joined the group in May 2013, the number of such incidents dropped significantly, and most clashes that occurred were with their management. When Rio Michibayashi left in September, it was due to the fact that she wanted a stable income, and not because of internal tensions. The general good relations stayed with the group until its disbandment. While Pour Lui maintains almost no contact with Rina Yokoyama and Yufu Terashima, she still meets with the members of the final lineup often.^[4]

In 2013, Pour Lui appeared in a Dramatic Dream Team professional wrestling match in order to promote BiS. She defeated Fukuda Hiroshi with her signature move, the Pour Lui Special Cowper Vacuum.

LUI FRONTiC Akabane JAPAN (2013–present)

Pour Lui announced the formation of a rock band named LUI◇FRONTiC◆Matsukuma JAPAN in December 2013, to be active alongside BiS. The band consisted of Tempest Takeuchi and Ohara Just Begun, both formerly of The Storefront, and Kenta Matsukuma, BiS's sound producer. They released their debut mini-album "JAPONiCA!!" on February 19, 2014. After BiS's disbandment, Pour Lui has focused activity on this band. Their second mini-album "JAPONiCA!!2" came out in August, followed by extensive touring. The band was dealt a loss when Matsukuma, part of the band's namesake, announced his departure in November. They continued on, and announced that their Concert of January 11 at the Shibuya Club Quattro would be their last as an indie band. They also stated that if the show sold out, they would move up to "The Next Step", while if it didn't, they would go on hiatus. The show sold out, and it was announced at the concert that they would be making their major label debut from Universal Japan in March. It was also announced that they would change their name to LUI FRONTiC Akabane JAPAN, and continue as a three piece.^[5]

Pour Lui underwent throat surgery in October 2014, which resulted in their tour being held off for nearly a month.

BiS Reformation (2016-present)

It was announced on July 8th 2016, exactly two years after the disbandment of BiS, that the group would reform around Pour Lui under a new lineup, and that auditions were going to be held. Pour Lui played a key role in initiating the reformation by contacting ex.BiS manager Junnosuke Watanabe. ^[6]

Discography

Digital Singles

Albums

References

External links

• OFFICIAL WEB SITE
• Official Blog
• Pour Lui on Twitter
  
  （2010年3月6日 – ）
• Pour Lui's channel on YouTube