Yui Kobayashi (Japanese: 小林 由依, Hepburn: Kobayashi Yui, born 23 October 1999) is a Japanese model and former member of the idol group Sakurazaka46. She is represented by Sony Music Records and is an exclusive model with a fashion magazine with.[2]
Career
Keyakizaka46 / Sakurazaka46
On August 21, 2015, Kobayashi along with 22 other members was announced for the newly created idol group, Toriizaka46 (now Sakurazaka46).[3] Kobayashi made her musical debut with Keyakizaka46's first single, Silent Majority.[4] In October of the same year, Kobayashi made her runway debut at the GirlsAward 2016 Autumn/Winter fashion show.[5]
As of 2019, Kobayashi has made an appearance in all Keyakizaka46 singles. She formed a duo named "Yuichanzu" (ゆいちゃんず) with Yui Imaizumi, first appearing in Silent Majority with the song "Shibugakawa".[4] With Imaizumi's graduation in 2018, Kobayashi and Mizuho Habu formed another duo named "Senko Shimai" (線香姉妹), appearing in Ambivalent with "302-Goshitsu".[6] She held performance center roles typically held by Yurina Hirate when Hirate was unavailable, including the 60th Japan Record Awards and the 69th NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen.[7][8]
On November 29, 2023, Kobayashi announced that she would be leaving Sakurazaka46 after the graduation concert on January 31-February 01, 2024.[9][10]
Other ventures
Kobayashi has been an exclusive model in fashion magazine with since July 27, 2018.[2] Additionally, on 13 March 2019, she released a photo-book titled Kanjō no Kōzu (感情の構図), published by Kadokawa.[11]
Kobayashi's first independent acting role was in the 2020 live-action adaptation of Wasteful Days of High School Girls by TV Asahi. She played the role of Lily Someya, a multiracial transfer student; Kobayashi dyed her hair blonde for the role.[12][13] She will appear in Sakura, an upcoming movie to be released on 13 November 2020.[14]