≠Me (ノットイコールミー; pronounced "Not Equal Me", stylized as ≠ME), is a Japanese idolgirl group that formed in early 2019.[1] The twelve-person group is produced by former AKB48 and HKT48 member Rino Sashihara and is the sister group of =Love.
History
2019–present: Formation and debut
In late 2018, auditions for what would be =Love's sister group were held. On February 24, 2019, a line-up of eleven members was confirmed.[1] The final member was revealed on April 8. They released their eponymous debut digital single on August 3. On August 4, the group performed alongside their sister group at Tokyo Idol Festival 2019.[2] The group featured as the sole performer on =Love's sixth single B-side track "Kimi no Oto Dattanda" (君の音だったんだ) which was released on October 30.[3] In October 2020, the group performed at Tokyo Idol Festival 2020.[4] On April 7, 2021, they released their first EP, Chōtokkyū ≠Me Iki (超特急 ≠Me行き).[5] On July 14, they released the single "Kimi wa Kono Natsu, Koi wo Suru" (君はこの夏、恋をする).[6] Their second single, "Mahoroba Asterisk" (まほろばアスタリスク), was released on November 10.[7] The group's third single, "Chocolate Melancholy" (チョコレートメランコリー), was released on February 16, 2022,[8] followed by their fourth single, "Su, Suki Janai!" (す、好きじゃない！), on August 3,[9] and their fifth single, "Hanikami Short" (はにかみショート), on November 23.[10] Their sixth single, "Tenshi wa Doko e" (天使は何処へ), was released on April 12, 2023[11]
