Background and career
Momo Hirai (Japanese: 平井 もも; 平井 桃; born November 9, 1996) is a Japanese singer, dancer, and rapper based in South Korea. Signed to JYP Entertainment, she has been a member of the South Korean girl group Twice since 2015. In 2023, she, alongside Twice's other Japanese members, Sana and Mina, began releasing music in its subunit MiSaMo.
Early life and pre-debut activities Momo Hirai was born in Kyōtanabe, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan. She began dancing at the age of three, together with her elder sister, Hana. Momo gained exposure to the South Korean music industry early, appearing in a music video for Lexy in 2008 and on the talent show Superstar K in 2011. Momo and her sister were originally spotted by JYP Entertainment in an online video in 2012. They were both asked to audition, although only Momo was successful, prompting her to move to South Korea in April 2012. Before joining Twice, she danced in a number of music videos as a "K-Pop trainee". Momo was originally planned to debut in a four-member girl group in Japan in 2012; however, JYP suspended the plan due to the deterioration of the Korean-Japanese relationship following the Liancourt Rocks dispute. In 2015, Momo participated in the South Korean reality television show Sixteen, created by JYP Entertainment and co-produced by Mnet. She was initially eliminated from the show but was brought back by J.Y.
Park at the end to become part of the final lineup of girl group Twice, due to her performance abilities.
In October 2015, Momo officially debuted as a member of Twice with the release of their first extended play (EP), The Story Begins, and its lead single "Like Ooh-Ahh". On February 9, 2023, JYP announced that Momo, alongside bandmates Sana and Mina, would officially debut in Japan on July 26 as a sub-unit named MiSaMo with the extended play titled Masterpiece. Prior to the trio's debut, on January 25, they released the track "Bouquet" as part of the soundtrack of TV Asahi's drama series Liaison: Kodomo no Kokoro Shinryōjo.
How Momo makes money
Signed to JYP Entertainment, she has been a member of the South Korean girl group Twice since 2015.
