On November 18, it was announced that Shibata Ayumi, a former member of idol group Melon Kinenbi (disbanded in May 2010), will resume her activities as a solo artist after she transfers agencies.  Currently, she will use "Shibata Ayumi" for her activities in entertainment, but she will start to use "ayumi shibata" for her activities as an artist. 

On May 31 of this year, her contract with "Trick Function"expired and on her official site, Shibata wrote, "From here on out, I will endeavor on a new career path in a new environment."  On November 18, along with the announcement that she has signed with a new agency "SMC Entertainment," it was announced that her activities will focus around rock music. 

Shibata reflected with, "I thought about many things and I worried�I faced myself and realized that I still like music a lot and I thought about how many times music has helped me." She followed happily with, "I am extremely happy that I can resume my activities as a solo artist!"

She implied that she wanted to connect with many people through music with, "I now want to use the power of music to deliver the ideas of 'Dream?Hope?Music' to many people and to cherish each step of the way with everyone!!"

For the first phase after her transition to her new agency, she will release her rock covers album "kick start" (to be released on February 19).  

On her birthday, February 22, she will hold a solo performance entitled "ayumi shibata live 2014~kick start ~ B.D SPECIAL" at the WWW in Shibuya.  Lastly, her official website "ayumi shibata official site" is live starting today (November 18.)

Source and Image: Oricon