Techno-Pop Trio Perfume Enters Hiatus in 2026

Japanese girl group Perfume has announced that they will enter a temporary hiatus, describing it as a "cold sleep," beginning in 2026. The announcement was made on Sunday through their official website, coinciding with the group's 20th major debut anniversary. Perfume expressed in their statement that live performances have always been the core of their activities. "Our hearts have always burned with the thought that each live show might be the last miracle. The time we shared with everyone has been our greatest joy," they wrote. Explaining their decision, they continued, "Now, at a moment when we can proudly say we are shining, we want to engrave this memory and take a step toward becoming a new Perfume. To move forward with fresh challenges as our lives continue together, we decided to draw a line and enter a cold sleep." They further shared that the hiatus is meant to give each member the opportunity to focus on their individual lives while preparing for an eventual comeback. "We have never once taken a break as Perfume, so we want to take some time for ourselves. But this is also so that each of us can power up and return as an even cooler Perfume. Until we meet again, we hope you will watch over us warmly," they stated. Perfume reassured fans that activities will continue through 2025, including their Tokyo Dome concerts "Perfume ZO/Z5 Anniversary "Nebula Romance" Episode TOKYO DOME" on September 22 and 23, the latter of which will be livestreamed worldwide. They also confirmed future projects scheduled for 2026 despite the upcoming hiatus. Perfume concluded their message by affirming their intention to return: "No matter the form, as long as the three of us are together, we will always be Perfume. We will come back stronger as the better and cooler Perfume." The technopop trio formed in Hiroshima in 2000, consisting of Oomoto Ayano (Nocchi), Kashino Yuka (Kashiyuka), and Nishiwaki Ayaka (A-chan), made their major debut in 2005 with "Linear Motor Girl" and rose to prominence with the 2007 hit "Polyrhythm." Perfume achieved nine consecutive number-one albums in Japan and became one of the country's most influential pop acts. In 2012, they signed a global contract with Universal Music Group to expand internationally. Their contributions to anime music include theme songs for Doraemon (2005), Beyblade X, Koneko no Chi: Ponponra Daibouken (Chi's Sweet Adventure), Sushi Police, and the latest Fumetsu no Anata e Season 3 (To Your Eternity Season 3). They also performed the theme song for the live-action Chihayafuru films. Official site: https://www.perfume-web.jp/ Official global site: https://perfume-global.com/