Asami Konno born May 7, 1987, is a Japanese pop singer, best known as former fifth generation member of the all-girl Japanese pop group Morning Musume. She joined the group in the August of 2001, along with fellow fifth generation members Ai Takahashi, Makoto Ogawa, and Risa Niigaki.
She debuted on the group's thirteenth single, Mr. Moonlight Ai no Big Band, released on October 31, 2001. In the same month, during a filming of music variety show Utaban, she injured her leg and was not able to participate in the remaining performances of the group's national tour at that time.
In May of the same year, Konno was unexpectedly given the lead role for the second half of Morning Musume's annual play, Morning Town. In the summer of that year, she also debuted in a shuffle unit, as part of Odoru 11. Coincidentally, she was separated from all the other fifth generation members, who were in Happy 7.
Later in September, all the fifth generation members were placed into a subgroup. Along with Risa Niigaki, Konno was put into Tanpopo as the third generation. They only released one single before becoming inactive. Konno, along with many other members of Morning Musume at that time, starred in a drama entitled Angel Hearts which was released in 2002.
In 2003, when Morning Musume was split into two groups (Sakuragumi and Otomegumi) after the sixth generation members had joined, she was placed into Sakuragumi, releasing two singles. Gatas Brilhantes H.P., Hello! Project's futsal team, was also formed that year and Konno became one of its founding members, quitting only when she was graduating from Hello! Project.
In July of the same year, she was added into Country Musume, (whose theme was girls from Hokkaido) with fellow member Miki Fujimoto. Under this new formation, named Country Musume ni Konno to Fujimoto, three singles were released. She also made a guest appearance in a drama, Kochira Hon Ikegami Sho 2 (which Ai Kago starred in as a regular) that year, as a hit-and-run victim's sister.
She is considered to be one of the most intelligent members after achieving the highest mark during a special episode of Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! in 2001 (shortly after the fifth generation joined) where the Bakajo Test was given to see who was the idiot girl of Morning Musume. She is also athletic, according to another special episode of Mecha-Mecha Iketeru! in 2003 (after the sixth generation joined) focusing on sports, placing as the fifth most athletic Morning Musume member.
In late 2004, Tsunku's choice of putting Konno on the main vocals for "Namida ga Tomaranai Hokago" yet again surprised many people, as it is known that she has rather weak vocals when compared to the other members of Morning Musume.
In March 2006, she proved her athletic abilities by placing first in the 1500 meter race at Hello! Project's 2006 sports festival in the time of six minutes and thirteen seconds, getting her the MVP award plus defeating the previous winner, Maimi Yajima, whom Konno had lost to in Hello! Project's 2003 sports festival. On July 23, 2006, Konno graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project to continue her studies at a university. The last single and album she participated in was Ambitious! Yashinteki de Ii Jan and Rainbow 7 respectively.
On June 18, 2007, Up-Front Agency confirmed that Konno was returning to Hello! Project to rejoin members of Gatas Brilhantes H.P. in the group Ongaku Gatas. Their first single, titled Narihajimeta Koi no Bell was released on August 22, 2007. Despite this new group, it is unclear as to whether Konno will rejoin the futsal team. Konno will remain an active member within the agency and Ongaku Gatas while continuing her university studies.
