Tsunku

Tsunku (つんく, often stylized as つんく♂), real name Terada Mitsuo (寺田光男), is an extremely prolific Japanese record producer, songwriter, and vocalist.
He is best known for having two major roles in the Japanese music landscape: first as the lead singer of the popular rock group , and as the producer, primary songwriter, and main studio backing vocalist for idol supergroup Morning Musume, in addition to Matsuura Aya and other associated artists under the Hello! Project banner, for whom he has written and produced a number of chart-topping hits. He has also produced music for other Japanese artists, including Hamasaki Ayumi when she debuted. His musical influences include The Beatles, Queen, and Onyanko Club.
==Biography==
Tsunku was born as Terada Mitsuo on October 29, 1968 in Higashiosaka, Osaka, Japan.
Tsunku is the original producer of and mastermind behind Hello! Project, TNX, and , as well as producer of some non-Hello! Project acts such as Deka Moni and EE JUMP.
Tsunku later worked with Nintendo under the subsidiary to create the music video game Rhythm Tengoku. It was released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance on August 3, 2006, and later for arcades on September 20, 2007. He also worked on Rhythm Tengoku Gold (Rhythm Heaven in North America) for the DS, Minna no Rhythm Tengoku (Rhythm Heaven Fever in North America) on the Wii and Rhythm Tengoku: The Best Plus+ (Rhythm Heaven Megamix in North America) on the 3DS family consoles.
On October 1, 2006, it was announced that Tsunku had created a new company under UP-FRONT GROUP named consisting of singers such as Tokito Ami and other people including Naka Tatsuya, a magician who appeared on Hello! Morning. The company launched on October 6."ＴＮＸ株式会社" (in Japanese). Tsunku Official Blog. 2006-10-05.
On September 26, 2007, Tsunku released a compilation album with the temporary title of "Sharam Q ~ Morning Musume" ~Tsunku 15 Years in Entertainment Commemoration Album~, containing songs by both Sharam Q and Morning Musume, and another one on December 5, 2007 titled Tsunku Best Work Collection, containing songs sung by Tsunku himself.
On July 1, 2011, Tsunku started a new entertainment show titled TsunTube, airing on TOKYO MXTV every Friday and focusing on music, games, anime, idols, software, and manga."つんく♂レギュラー開始！" (in Japanese). Tsunku Official Blog. 2011-06-30.
On September 10, 2015, Tsunku released a memoir titled Dakara, Ikiru. discussing his life up until the removal of his vocal cords in October 2014. In the memoir, he revealed that he "graduated" as the general producer of Hello! Project after the Morning Musume '14 Live Concert in New York on October 5, 2014."つんく♂衝撃の初告白！ハロプロのプロデューサー“卒業していた”" (in Japanese). Sankei Sports. 2015-09-09. However, he remains as one of the company's songwriters and Morning Musume's sound producer.Tsunku, "Tsunku♂ “Dakara, Ikiru” Final Chapter: The Door to the Future (2015.4~)." Dakara, Ikiru. Published: 2015-09-10. Translated: 2016-02-23."NHKさんで！鞘師里保" (in Japanese). Morning Musume Qki Official Blog. 2015-09-12.
On November 20, 2015, it was announced that Tsunku won the Composer Award from the 57th Japan Record Awards for the song "Umaretekite Kurete Arigatou" by Kumiko."第57回「日本レコード大賞」各賞発表" (in Japanese). modelpress. 2015-11-20. Tsunku accepted the award at the live TBS broadcast on December 30, and he accompanied Kumiko's performance on the acoustic guitar.
On September 29, 2016, it was reported that Tsunku had immigrated with his family to Hawaii, United States at the end of July."つんく♂　ハワイに自宅を購入、7月末に一家で移住" (in Japanese). livedoor NEWS. 2016-09-29. They bought a home in Waikiki on O'ahu Island, where his children began attending a local school. Tsunku moved to expand his career abroad, but also considered his children's education, wishing for them to grow up as global citizens. Currently, he travels back and forth between Japan and Hawaii.
On June 1, 2020, Tsunku held an idol audition as part of his “Twitter Discovery Project” called “Idol Produce Project”.Official Twitter
On June 19, Iida Kaori, Yasuda Kei and Tsuji Nozomi, attended an online event called "Mou Sugu Papa no Hi ~Papa to Mama no Iiwake!! Dousoukai Special~" (もうすぐパパの日!~パパとママのいいわけ!!同窓会スペシャル!~). It was streamed live on YouTubeYouTube. It is tied up to the release of Tsunku's new childrens' book "Nee, Mama? Boku no Onegai!".Tsunku Official Blog
==Personal Life==
==Profile==
*Birth Name: Terada Mitsuo (寺田光男)
*Stage Name: Tsunku (つんく)
*Birthdate: 
*Birthplace: Higashiosaka, 
*Blood Type: B
*Height: 
*Western Zodiac: 
*Eastern Zodiac: 
*Band: (vocalist)
==Discography==
==Awards==
*[2015.11.20] 57th Japan Record Awards (第57回 輝く！日本レコード大賞) - Composer Award (for "Umaretekite Kurete Arigatou" by Kumiko)第57回 輝く！日本レコード大賞
==Trivia==
*Shares the same birthday as former Morning Musume member, Ogawa Makoto, and former member, .
*He is apparently good friends with AKB48 mastermind, Akimoto Yasushi (also known as Aki-P).
*In the anime Gintama, idol singer Terakado Tsuu's producer, who goes under the name of Tsunpo, was meant to parody Tsunku.
*Tsunku appears in the Regular Edition cover and the Single V cover of "Kono Chikyuu no Heiwa wo Honki de Negatterun da yo!"
*He has said he would like to create ENK48.
*He considers Hello! Project an expansion of himself, and says Hello! Project is a production not a product.
*He says because the Hello! Project members' parents trust him, he thinks of the Hello! Project members like his own daughters.
*He went by the stage name "Nijuukyuu-sensei" (二十九先生) while writing and composing the songs for .
==Terada Family Tree==
==References==
==External Links==
*Official Site
*Official Blog
*Official Facebook Page
*Official Twitter account
*Official Facebook Account
*Tsunku Site
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Category:Tsunku
Category:Members who formerly attended university
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