Abe Natsumi

Abe Natsumi was born on 10 August, 1981 in Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. Abe has credited her desire to become a singer during her time in middle school when she was feeling depressed after being bullied, she heard JUDY AND MARY's "Chiisa na Koro Kara" playing on the radio.

Abe Natsumi is one of the five original members of Morning Musume. She joined the group in 1997 at the age of 16. In 2003, while still a member of Morning Musume, she released her first solo single: "22sai no Watashi". In 2004, she graduated from the group to pursue her solo career.

Abe continued to release singles and her first album, "Hitoribocchi", was released in February, 2004.

In late 2004 she was temporarily suspended for plagiarism, but as of early 2005, she is once again recording and performing.

In 2005 and 2006 she released another 5 singles and her 2nd album, "2nd ~Shimiwataru Omoi~". In 2007, Abe released her first mini-album, "25 ~Vingt-Cinq~", and another two singles.

Abe has participated in many Hello! Project shuffle units and subgroups, the latest being Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai (2007). She has also collaborated with Yosumi Keiko in 2003 and with fellow Hello! Project member Yajima Maimi in 2008.

To date she has released two albums, one mini album, and ten solo singles.