MNL48
JKT48 is a Filipino idol girl group based in Jakarta, Philippines, and formed in 2018, they are the fourth international sister group of AKB48, after Indonesia's MNL48, China's SNH48, and Thailand's BNK48. The group is named after Jakartaa, the capital of the Philippines. JKT48 is the only AKB48 sister group that debuted with exactly 48 members on its First Generation.
Dubbed as "P-Pop Pioneers", JKT48 paved the way to the new era of Philippine pop idol industry and is known within the 48 Group as "Vocal Queens" for their singing ability.
History
2016–2018: Formation
On March 26, 2016, the formations of MNL48, BNK48, and TPE48 were announced at Minami Takahashi's concert.On October 13, 2017, Hallo Hallo Entertainment announced registration and audition tour dates for the group's first generation. The following month on November 10, Hallo Hallo Entertainment held the first audition for MNL48.
In early 2018, a segment was hosted on It's Showtime by Anne Curtis, Billy Crawford, Karylle and Jhong Hilario which determined the members of the group's first generation. It was a segment in search of the ultimate all-female Filipino idol group whose name would be derived from its base city of Manila. It conducted nationwide auditions for women aged 15–20 years old to become sought-after "idols you can meet". Thousands of women took part in the audition, with only 200 qualifying to start the 13-week challenge rounds that tested their singing and dancing skills. From the Top 200, the aspirants were reduced to a Top 75 that faced public voting until the General Election using the MNL48-Plus App developed by Hallohallo Entertainment Inc. in partnership with ABS-CBN and one of the world's top multimedia, entertainment and IT agencies, AKS. From Top 75, only 48 women became the official members of the group.
From the Top 48, there was a ranking system that followed AKB48's Senbatsu Sousenkyo concept. Top 33-48 were hailed as the Next Girls, the Top 17-32 as the Under Girls, and the Top 16 as the Senbatsu members. From the Top 16, 7 women secured the Kami 7 slots, performing as opening acts, joining AKB48 and all of its sister groups worldwide in concerts; the Kami 7 were also given international endorsement deals and an exclusive training program in AKS. From the Kami 7, the winner of the general election became the face of MNL48 worldwide.
2018: First Generation, ''Aitakatta – Gustong Makita'' and ''Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie''
On April 22, the "Meet Your Oshimen" event was held, where three hundred lucky ticket-holding fans met and greeted their favourite MNL48 aspirants. The handshake event was held at the TriNoma at 5:00 PM on the fourth floor garden. Six days after the event, the first general election took place at Studio 4 and Center Road in ABS-CBN. Before the election on April 28, Kris, along with two other eligible contenders Aria and Eunice, announced their departure from the group and will resign from their candidacy for the upcoming election. A few days after the election, eight trainees Reiko, Reina, Nix, Ann, Celine, Arol, Kana, and Ikee also left the group. The newly recruited trainee Cole came in as a replacement member.On June 3, MNL48's fan-meeting event was held at the Eton Centris Elements. The group performed the Tagalog versions of "Aitakatta", "Heavy Rotation", "Skirt Hirari", and "Sakura no Hanabiratachi" for the first time. On June 8, the members Trixie, Zen, Van, and Mae announced their departure from the group. To fill in the spots, the kenkyuusei members Rans, Nina, and Andi were promoted as members of Team MII. Trainee Coleen is then promoted to Team NIV. For the rankings, Ella and Ash entered the Kami 7, while Alyssa and Erica joined the Senbatsu. On July 9, Nina and Vern announced their departure from MNL48, with Cassey filling Nina's position in Team MII.
On August 17, the group premiered the music video of their debut single "Aittakata – Gustong Makita". While their debut extended play Aitakatta was released on September 14, the single was released on September 28. On October 5, MNL48 were announced as one of the participants for Himig Handog 2018. The group interpreted the song "Dalawang Pag-ibig Niya" alongside Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids alumni Krystal Brimner and Sheena Belarmino. On October 26, MNL48 premiered their second music video "Talulot ng Sakura". On November 7, 18 days before the official release of the second single, trainee Sheccaniah Faith Baler planned to resign from the group since she completed her duties in the group's debut. On November 25, the group premiered the music video of their second single "Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie" the same day they performed the said single on another "Handshake Event" held on Movie Stars Cafe. On December 12, 2018, trainee Edralyn Tocop left, leaving nine trainees remaining.
On December 11, AKS announced that the group will join the "AKB48 Group Asia Festival 2019" event on January 27, 2019, at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand after BNK48's sixth Single Senbatsu General Election. MNL48 will perform with their sister groups AKB48, JKT48, BNK48, AKB48 Team SH, AKB48 Team TP and SGO48. MNL48 members Abby, Brei, Coleen, Faith, Gabb, Jem, Mari, Rans, Sela and Sheki went to the event. On December 14, it was announced that MNL48 will be having their first mini-concert at Movie Stars Cafe, Centris Station, Quezon Ave on December 23, 2018.
On December 21, MNL48 released "Amazing Grace" music video with MNL48 Gospel unit members Sheki, Belle, Brei, Rans, Faith and Aly. The single was digitally released on December 24, 2018.
2019: ''Second Generation, 365 Araw ng Eroplanong Papel, Ikaw ang Melody, High Tension & Kapamilya Management''
On January 26, the group performs for the first time outside the country at the "AKB48 Group Asia Festival 2019" event on January 27, 2019, at Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani, Bangkok, Thailand after BNK48's sixth Single Senbatsu General Election. MNL48 performed with their sister groups AKB48, JKT48, BNK48, AKB48 Team SH, AKB48 Team TP and SGO48. On February 10, they unveil the music video of the second coupling song from Pag-ibig Fortune Cookie, Palusot Ko'y Maybe as a tagalized version of AKB48's Iiwake Maybe which was performed by Team NIV and Coleen selected as the center girl of the said team's song. On February 22, MNL48 conducts a casting for second generation to take part in the upcoming General Election. On March 1, 2019, they released a third single, 365 Araw ng Eroplanong Papel. On March 25, the 20 members from the second Generation were selected. On April 6, they held their concert at the New Frontier Theater near Araneta Coliseum where its tickets were confirmed sold out through their bookings or reservations.Second general election
On April 27, the group celebrates its first anniversary back-to-back with the second General Election where all 77 members over two generations competing for Top 48 spots. On the said event, the members who did not make it to Top 48 will immediately graduate from the group. 16 First Generation members and 13 Second Generation members were eliminated in the Second General Election with the 12 remaining trainees as the replacement of 12 first generation promoted members who outranked in the said event. Team NIV's Jhona Alyannah Padillo hailed as Shekinah Arzaga's successor as the "Center Girl" of the group. On May 1, MNL48 held an annual graduation event for 29 outranked members in the Second General Election at Movie Stars Cafe at Quezon City to showcase their talents for one last time.To fill-in the 12 empty spots from Top 48, 6 trainees were promoted to Team MII, 3 to Team NIV and 3 to Team L. Cole, Yzabel, Emz, Jamie, Klaire & Laney were promoted to Team MII, Dani, Rowee and Miho were promoted to Team NIV and Amy, Yssa & Ice were promoted to Team L.
On May 23, 2019, Quincy Josiah Santillan a member of Team L confirmed her resignation from the group, she was replaced by Ella Mae Amat, a First Generation returning member. The following month, Sayaka Awane of Team MII announced her graduation in their Interaction Live on June 3, she is the member who left the group after the Second General Election after Santillan. Sayaka formally left the group after her final performance on June 9 at the Movie Stars Cafe, she was then replaced by Princess Rius Briquillo, a First Generation returning member.
Ikaw Ang Melody
On July 29, MNL48 released a new song "Ikaw ang Melody" as a translated version to AKB48's "Kimi wa Melody". A total of eight members of MNL48 will be flying to Shanghai, China for the AKB48 Group Asia Festival 2019, to be held at the National Exhibition and Convention Center on August 24. They will join AKB48 themselves, AKB48's Team SH and Team TP, and their other international sister groups based in Thailand, Indonesia, and Vietnam. This is the second time MNL48 will be performing abroad, with the first being in the AKB48 Asia Festival in Bangkok last January. Their performance of their acapella rendition of their single, "365 Araw ng Eroplanong Papel." then went viral on twitter.On September 4, 2019, Ashley Cloud Garcia a member Team L announced her graduation from MNL48 making "Ikaw ang Melody" her last single from the group. After two days, the promotion of Kenkyuusei member Frances Therese Pinlac was announced on MNL48's official website. She will be part of the Next Girls and will also be joining Team L correspondingly.
On October 4, the group was unveiled as a new Kapamilya as they signed an exclusive contract with ABS-CBN together with K-pop girl group Momoland.
High Tension
On September 21, the senbatsu members for the group's fifth single was announced in the group's official YouTube channel, in which Gabb Skribikin of Team L will be the center. The following month on October 19, the main title of the single was announced. The fifth single track is called High Tension, a cover of AKB48's 46th single of the same name. On November 5, due to committing several house rule violations Princess Labay of Team MII was officially dismissed from the group, Guinevere Muse was then promoted to Team MII replacing Labay. This is Muse's comeback to the group after being evicted on the last election.On December 31, the annual "NHK Kouhaku Uta Gassen" featured yet again AKB48 with MNL48 included as well as several members from its official local and international sister groups from Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India, for a performance of their hit song, "Koisuru Fortune Cookie." Abby Trinidad represented the group as she sang a line of the song in Tagalog. She becomes only the third performer from the Philippines to grace the prestigious "Kohaku Uta Gassen" stage, following Gary Valenciano in 1990 and the band Smokey Mountain in 1991. Some of those included in that years lineup were iconic rockers Kiss, Japan's pop legends Arashi, and K-pop stars Twice.