Kei Yasuda

**Kei Yasuda** (保田圭, Legal Name: **Kei Kozaki** (小崎圭)) is a Japanese singer, musician, and actress formerly under UP-FRONT PROMOTION's Hello! Project. She was member and sub-leader of Morning Musume. Yasuda, along with Mari Yaguchi and Sayaka Ichii, were the second generation of singers to be recruited into Morning Musume. She's a part of Dream Morning Musume.

## History

### Early Life

Yasuda Kei was born on December 6, 1980 in Futtsu, Chiba Prefecture to a couple whose name are undisclosed.

### 1998-2000

In 1998, she, along with Mari Yaguchi and Sayaka Ichii, were chosen to be a part of the second generation of singers to be recruited into Morning Musume.

After the second generation joined, Morning Musume went on to produce one album and three more singles until Asuka Fukuda decided to graduate to further pursue her studies. Yasuda was given almost all of Fukuda's lines in future performances of these early songs. She had also collaborated with other Morning Musume members in special projects during these early days. One of the more notable ones was when she co-wrote and co-sang with Natsumi Abe the song "Sanpo" for a radio contest. It became wildly popular and a petition was circulated to make it an official single, though that never did happen.

### 2001-2002

Yasuda and Ichii sang a particularly catchy duet known as "Otome no Shinrigaku" (Girl's Psychology) for Morning Musume's second album. In response to the popularity, Tsunku decided to group them together with the third generation member, Maki Goto to create Morning Musume subgroup Petitmoni (also known as Pucchimoni) in 2001. Their first single, "Chokotto LOVE", has sold over a million copies since its release date.

After Ichii graduated from Morning Musume and Petitmoni, fourth generation member Hitomi Yoshizawa was placed into the subgroup. Yasuda had taken on the role of leader of Petitmoni and the group continued to produce three singles and an album.

After Morning Musume's then-leader Yuko Nakazawa graduated in 2001, Yasuda (who was the oldest member of the group at the time) became a co-leader along with Kaori Iida.

### 2003

Yasuda graduated in mid-2003, to concentrate on an acting career. At the same time when Morning Musume's 6th generation became full-fledged members. Tsunku commented that this one-time sixteen-member formation will be the largest Morning Musume will ever be. During her graduation concert, Yasuda sang a remixed rock version of "Never Forget", which was also Fukuda's graduation song. Additionally, as a special gift, Tsunku gave Yasuda a CD of her own soloist version of "AS FOR ONE DAY", her last single with Morning Musume.

Following Yasuda's graduation, Iida was given the title of leader of Morning Musume and Yaguchi was given the title of sub-leader. Petitmoni's leadership was handed over to Yoshizawa, and two members were added (fifth generation Morning Musume member Makoto Ogawa and Coconuts Musume's Ayaka Kimura) and Goto was removed. This new line up of Petitmoni never had another release, but a few of their songs were featured on compilation albums.

### After Morning Musume

Yasuda is still in Hello! Project after graduation and has acted in dramas outside of H!P. Within H!P, she has collaborated with Yuko Nakazawa and other H!P artists on 2 Folk Songs albums, performed and MCed in Natsumi Abe's first solo concert, sang backup for Maki Goto's single "Daite Yo! Please Go On," and had hosted Morning Musume's weekly TV show Hello! Morning until Ishikawa Rika took that position. Yasuda had participated in the H.P. All Stars single "ALL FOR ONE & ONE FOR ALL!" and the Puripuri Pink shuffle unit. Puripuri Pink was a new type of shuffle unit, since it was the first unit to feature graduated Morning Musume members, who were usually not included in the shuffles.

During a promotional appearance on Utaban in 2004, Yasuda revealed that she has been learning psychology, how to play golf, how to play the flute, and also that she is pursuing a career in the theater.

In August 2007, she acted with Kimura Ayaka in the Otona no Mugicha play Chigaimasu Sisters.

On March 31, 2009, Yasuda graduated from Hello! Project along with the rest of the H!P Elder Club.

On May 25, 2009, she took the photos for the Hello! Pro Eggs photobook that would be sold in June at the Shinjin Kouen ~Nakano STEP~ concert.

On September 21, 2009, Kei had to have surgery to remove her tonsils. On her blog she revealed that she has had chronic tonsillitis since the time of her debut and as a result has gotten fevers since then.

In September of 2010, She joined the unit Afternoon Musume with 7 of her fellow OG members.

On September 8, 2010, it was announce that Yasuda along with Natsumi Abe and Koharu Kusumi will be in a stage play titled Abe Naikaku. The play is about the prime minister and politics. The performances starting and lasting from December 22-27 of the same year.

On January 28, 2011, It was announced that Yasuda was part of the OG member group Dream Morning Musume and that they will be releasing the groups first album, called "Dorimusu ①", on April 20, 2011.

On April 11, 2011, It was announced that her and two other Dream Morning Musume members Mari Yaguchi and Yuko Nakazawa will be holding casual dinner shows on both Osaka and Tokyo.

Yasuda, Natsuyaki Miyabi, and Sudo Maasa will perform in a comedy play titled B・B ~bumpy buddy~. It will be performed on May 15, 2012.

On February 15, theuflicks channel release the first episode of UF Licks show, where Yasuda, along with Tasaki Asashi, was the host for the episode. At the end of the event, she revealed that she will attend Forest For Rest ~SATOYAMA e Ikou~ SATOYAMA movement in YOKOHAMA on March 2nd and 3rd.

On May 2, it was announced that she will be getting married to Kozaki Yoichi.

On May 29, Yasuda and Kozaki Yoichi registered their marriage and are now legally married.

On August 7, it was announced that Yasuda's father was reported missing. At an event, Yasuda said she hasn't been able to contact him in any way since May and filed a report for a missing person to the police department in July. The police are currently searching for the man.

On December 14 and 15 Yasuda Kei and Makoto Ogawa hosted a Christmas Dinner show titled Yasuda Kei Ogawa Makoto Christmas Dinner Show 2013

Sometime in late 2013, Yasuda was transferred to J.P. Room alongside Rika Ishikawa and Hitomi Yoshizawa.

On December 14 and 15 Yasuda Kei and Makoto Ogawa hosted a Christmas Dinner show titled Yasuda Kei Ogawa Makoto Christmas Dinner Show 2013

On July 28, Yasuda announced that she was expecting her first child. She gave birth to her son on January 7, 2018.

On February 29, Yasuda and Mari Yaguchi were scheduled to hold a live event called "M-line club 10 Shuunen Kikaku 'Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari' FC Event" (M-line club 10周年企画「保田圭・矢口真里FCイベント」), but it was later cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On June 19, Yasuda, along with Iida Kaori 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 YouTube. It is tied up to the release of Tsunku's new childrens' book "Nee, Mama? Boku no Onegai!".

On July 11, Yasuda was an MC at the Hello! Project 2020 Summer COVERS ~The Ballad~.

On August 28, Yasuda appeared at the presentation of the product Shiramen Wrinkle Duo .

On December 20, Yasuda was a guest at Goto Maki's Goto Maki 20th Anniversary SPECIAL ONLINE EVENT.

Yasuda was among the original OGs of Morning Musume to appear on Nakai Masahiro No Kinsuma, and picked right up with Ishibashi Takaaki when he made a surprise appearance in the studio. Yasuda relayed a heart felt message that she grew in popularity thanks to the antics of Utaban and had a sizeable segment dedicated to her during this special.

On July 2, Yasuda appeared alongside Kaori Iida and Aya Ishiguro on TBS 爆笑！ターンテーブル2時間SP (Bakushou! Turntable 2-jikan SP).

On January 1, she was transferred from J.P ROOM to UP-FR0NT CREATE alongside Miki Fujimoto, Rika Ishikawa, Maasa Sudo, Yurina Kumai, Erina Mano, Maimi Yajima, Saki Nakajima, Haruka Kudo, Haruna Iikubo and Rina Katsuta.

On May 26, Mari Yaguchi and Yasuda will hold an event with guests called Morning Musume Niki Yasuda Kei & Yaguchi Mari Presents "2 (ni)" to celebrate their 25th debut anniversary. Yaguchi and Yasuda made a special request for Beyooooonds' talented dance member, Hirai Miyo. They asked her to design the choreography for their debut song Summer Night Town, which the three (Ichii Sayaka included) will perform at the upcoming 2nd gen event.

## Appearance

Kei wears a teal shirt with a red cardigan over it. She also wears red joggers and olive shoes. She has long black hair.

## Trivia

* Her official YouTube username is YasudaOfficial.