On January 31st, it was revealed that Shimakura Rika, a member of the idol group "BEYOOOOONDS", will be graduating from the group and Hello! Project. She will graduate after the concert tour this spring. She plans to continue her entertainment career after graduation.
Shimakura is 24 years old, born on August 20, 2000. She is from Tokyo. She began her activities in 2018 as a member of "BEYOOOOONDS" and "CHICA#TETSU".
Regarding Shimakura's graduation, her agency explained, "As she thought about her future, she came to us with the idea that she wanted to end her group activities and study abroad in order to learn English and broaden her horizons, and after that she wanted to sing Showa-era pop songs and other pop music, which she is interested in. After considering her wishes and taking them into consideration, we have come to the conclusion that she will graduate at the end of this year's spring tour."
Through her approximately six years of activities with the group, Shimakura said, "I was able to find new dreams and goals in life. Thanks to all the fans, I learned that the things I like are connected to my own individuality, which has broadened the scope of my activities. I also developed a strong desire to sing my favorite Showa era songs." She continued, "In the future, I plan to continue my musical activities towards realizing my new dream. I also plan to study abroad. I want to gain experience by studying languages and being exposed to various cultures so that I can see things from various perspectives. I will continue to study so that I can make use of it in my future activities."
"I am truly proud of having worked as BEYOOOOONDS. Meeting such cool and respectable members and such kind fans is a treasure in my life. If I could be greedy, I would like even more people to get to know about BEYOOOOONDS. BEYOOOOONDS is amazing! We will cherish the time we have left as BEYOOOOONDS and work to the best of our ability. Please keep an eye on us now. Please continue to support BEYOOOOONDS!" she said.
