Flower was a Japanese pop girl group formed and managed by LDH from 2009 to 2019 and signed to the record label Sony Music Japan.
Flower was formed firstly as a performance group, with LDH recruiting four EXPG (Exile Professional Gym) students: Elina Mizuno, Manami Shigetome, Mio Nakajima, and Shuuka Fujii in 2009.
[7] On January 25, Manami Shigetome and Chiharu Muto were invited to meet British girl group Little Mix prior to their first performance in Japan.
On August 20, the group participated in the VERBAL Presents OTO_MATSURI 2014 × m-flo TOUR “FUTURE IS WOW” Special Final at Yoyogi National Stadium.
[12] The title track was chosen as the theme song for the Nippon TV drama Binta!~ Bengoshi jimu-in Minowa ga ai de Kaiketsu Shimasu ~ (ビンタ！～弁護士事務員ミノワが愛で解決します～) which stars Exile's Matsu in its leading role.
[27] The song was used as the ending theme for the anime Kindaichi Case Files (R): Season 2, for which member Reina Washio dubs a character.
[29] On June 1, the group released their 12th single "Yasashisa de Afureru You ni" (やさしさで溢れるように; Like It's Overflowing with Kindness), a cover of singer JUJU and used for the movie Shokubutsu Zukan ~Unmei no Koi, Hiroimashita~, in which their label mate Takanori Iwata from Exile/Sandaime J Soul Brothers plays the leading role.
[42][43] In the same month, they performed at the COUNT DOWN TV GIRLS FES supported by d hits / d point, a live event for female artists by TBS.
[47][48] On October 22, 2017, Shuuka Fujii posted a message on E.G.family mobile reporting that she got diagnosed with cervical spinal disc herniation and that she will be halting her activities for a while to recover.
[49][50] On December 31, 2017, she officially announced her departure from the group and retirement from the entertainment industry due to worsening symptoms of her injuries that would take time to heal.
On March 27, they released their third album F.[54][55][56] On September 20, it was announced that member Mio is pregnant, would marry soccer player Cayman Togashi (FC Machida Zelvia) and thus would retire from the entertainment industry within the rest of the year.
After talks between the Flower members and the staff of LDH in light of Mio's retirement, it was decided that the group would disband at the end of the same month.