Suzuka Nakamoto

Suzuka Nakamoto (Japanese: 中元 すず香, Hepburn: Nakamoto Suzuka, pronunciation^ⓘ; born December 20, 1997), known by her stage name Su-metal, is a Japanese singer. She is best known as a member of the kawaii metal band Babymetal. She is represented by the talent agency Amuse Inc. and has been a member of three musical groups formed by the company: Karen Girl's, Sakura Gakuin, and Babymetal.

Suzuka Nakamoto 中元 すず香
Nakamoto performing with Babymetal in September 2023
Background information
Also known as	Suzuka (in Karen Girl's) Su-metal (in Babymetal)
Born	(1997-12-20) December 20, 1997 (age 27) Hiroshima, Japan[1]
Genres	Kawaii metal heavy metal J-pop power metal alternative metal
Occupations	Singer
Instrument	Vocals
Years active	2007–present
Labels	Amuse Inc.
Member of	Babymetal
Formerly of	Karen Girl's Sakura Gakuin

Biography

In 2002, Nakamoto won the Grand Prix in the Image Girl contest for Jewel Drop, a line of toy cosmetics produced by Bandai, subsequently starring in several Jewel Drop commercials.^[2][3][4]

In 2006, Nakamoto was admitted to Actor's School Hiroshima (ASH). She studied with another future Sakura Gakuin member, Mariri Sugimoto [ja], with whom she had been acquainted before attending the school.^[5] She also had a rivalry with Riho Sayashi, future Morning Musume member and Babymetal support dancer, as they were considered the school's top two students at the time.^[6]

In 2007, she was signed to the talent agency Amuse Inc. after becoming a runner-up in the 2nd Star Kids Audition held by the company.^[7]

In 2008, her agency formed a trio called Karen Girl's,^[8] and Nakamoto was selected to be in it. The group was introduced as a little sister of the girl trio Perfume and sang several theme songs for the anime Zettai Karen Children, disbanding on March 31, 2009, after the anime ended its run.

In March 2009, Nakamoto was cast in a musical stage adaptation of the 1972 Japanese novel The Adventurers: Gamba and His Fifteen Companions (冒険者たち ガンバと15ひきの仲間, Bōkenshatachi: Ganba to 15-hiki no Nakama) by Atsuo Saitō.^[9] The Adventurers was performed again in June 2010, with Nakamoto playing the role of Shioji.^[10]

In April 2010, Nakamoto became a founding member of Sakura Gakuin, an idol group created by her agency. The group members also formed sub-units called "clubs", each of which released their own songs as a unit. Nakamoto became a member of the "Heavy Music Club" (重音部, Jūonbu),^[11] which released songs under the name Babymetal, and included fellow Sakura Gakuin members Yui Mizuno and Moa Kikuchi.

Nakamoto in 2016, with Babymetal

In the spring of 2013, Nakamoto graduated from junior high school and therefore had to "graduate" from Sakura Gakuin (which limits girls up to the junior high age). Her graduation concert was held on March 31 at the Tokyo International Forum.^[12][13][14] Nakamoto continued to perform with Babymetal, which had been spun off from Sakura Gakuin following her graduation, under the stage name Su-metal.^[15] Her first album with Babymetal was released in February 2014.

Nakamoto ranked ninth place on the Oricon News ranking for "2018 Rankings for Anticipation of New Adults", commenting on her "overwhelming singing ability".^[16] In October 2022, with the release of the single "Divine Attack (Shingeki)", Nakamoto was credited for the first time as a lyricist on a song by Babymetal.^[17]

Personal life

Nakamoto is the youngest of three sisters.^[18][19] Her second sister, Himeka Nakamoto, is a former member of the idol group Nogizaka46. They studied together at the Actor's School Hiroshima (ASH)^[20] and sang together in a duo known as Tween.

Her mother works with gemstones.^[21] Her father played in a rock band called Hooligans.^[22][23][24]

Nakamoto tends to compare songs to colors.^[25][26] She is a fan of the metal band Sabaton.^[27]

Associated acts

• Karen Girl's (2008–2009)
• Sakura Gakuin (2010–2013)
• Babymetal (2010–present)

Timeline

Discography

With Karen Girl's

• Fly to the Future (2009)

With Sakura Gakuin

• Sakura Gakuin 2010 Nendo: Message (2011)
• Sakura Gakuin 2011 Nendo: Friends (2012)
• Sakura Gakuin 2012 Nendo: My Generation (2013)

With Babymetal

• Babymetal (2014)
• Metal Resistance (2016)
• Metal Galaxy (2019)
• The Other One (2023)
• Metal Forth (2025)

Filmography

Anime

• Zettai Karen Children (2009), cameo as herself with Karen Girl's – episode 40

Commercial

• Oshii! Hiroshima (2012)^[28]

Theater

• The Adventurers (冒険者たち, Bōkenshatachi) (2009)
• The Adventurers (冒険者たち, Bōkenshatachi) (2010), Shioji