On May 12th, it was announced that Yui Kobayashi, who graduated from the idol group "Sakurazaka46" in February last year, will debut as a solo artist. Under the artist name "yousti", she will release a mini album "yousti" (8 songs planned) on August 27th from Sony Music Labels.
A year has passed since Kobayashi graduated from the group, and after reflecting on herself, she has decided to continue her music career through self-production. "When I was faced with something I couldn't handle, I looked in a different place than usual and was saved by escaping from that reality for a little while." Based on her own experiences, she plans to convey messages such as "You don't have to try too hard," "It's okay to run away," and "Just let yourself go" through her music.
Kobayashi explained the artist name, saying, "Yousti is a combination of the word "ostrich," which is an internet slang term meaning escapism, and "yui." The artist name also contains a message to my fans: "i" means to me, "iyou" means you, and "st" means the best."
Regarding the shooting of the released artist photo, she said, "I took the photo with this ostrich, and it's a photo that serves as an introduction to me as yousti," and added, "I look forward to being able to connect with everyone through music as I continue my activities."
In September, a "Real Meet & Greet" talk event will be held for CD purchasers. Reservations for the event will be accepted through the online shopping site "forTUNE music."
Kobayashi was born on October 23, 1999, and is 25 years old and from Saitama Prefecture. In August 2015, she passed the audition for the first generation of Keyakizaka46 and began her entertainment career. Even after the group changed its name to Sakurazaka46 in 2020, she will continue to lead the group as a popular member and graduate in 2024. She is currently a regular model for the fashion magazine andGIRL (DONUTS), and appears in fashion events such as Tokyo Girls Collection and GirlsAward.
