BABYMETAL

BABYMETAL formed in Tokyo in 2010 as an offshoot of the idol group Sakura Gakuin, pairing idol-pop vocals and tightly drilled choreography with backing music drawn from thrash, power metal and metalcore. The project was put together by producer Kobametal through the talent agency Amuse Inc, and Suzuka Nakamoto, performing as Su-metal, has fronted the group throughout.

The group started as a trio, with Moa Kikuchi as Moametal and Yui Mizuno as Yuimetal alongside Nakamoto, and became independent from Sakura Gakuin in 2013. Mizuno left in 2018 after an extended absence tied to health issues; Momoko Okazaki, previously a backup dancer for the band, was named the third member, Momometal, in 2023.

The combination drew heavy attention outside Japan from the mid-2010s onward, helped by videos such as 'Gimme Chocolate!!', and the group went on to tour internationally and share stages with established metal acts. The songs mix Japanese-language pop melody with double-kick drumming, breakdowns and shifts in tempo, played live by the backing musicians known as the Kami Band at full metal volume.

The shows are built around synchronised dance routines performed alongside the band. BABYMETAL have released five studio albums: Babymetal (2014), Metal Resistance (2016), Metal Galaxy (2019), The Other One (2023), treated by the group as a separate concept record, and Metal Forth (2025), the first to feature Okazaki, which includes collaborations with Bring Me the Horizon, Electric Callboy and Tom Morello.