Artist Profile
- Full Name: Shimizu Keiko
- Native Name: 清水恵子
- Nicknames: Keiko, Kee-chan, Kei-chan, Hyeja
- Birthday: Nov 27, 2005 (20 years old)
- Blood type: A
- Height/Weight: 160 cm (5’3”) / N/A
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius
- MBTI: ENFP
- Birthplace: Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
- Nationality: Japanese
- Job Title: Singer, Rapper, Idol
- Language Skills: Japanese, Korean, English
- Current Agency: LAPONE GIRLS
- Debut: Apr 17, 2024
- Fandom: YOU:ME
- Years Active: 2023–present (3 years)
- Group: ME:I
Keiko (born Shimizu Keiko, 清水 恵子) is a Japanese singer and member of ME:I under LAPONE Girls, where she is a vocalist and rapper.
Early life
Shimizu Keiko was born on November 27, 2005, in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Her father is Korean and moved to Japan before she was born, and her mother is Japanese. She is the third of seven siblings, with two older brothers and four younger brothers. Her father and two older brothers are doctors, and she once hoped to become a doctor herself.
Shimizu attended Kinjo Gakuin, a private girls’ school in Nagoya. In her second year of high school, she transferred to a correspondence school to focus on idol activities.
Before joining Produce 101 Japan The Girls, she attended KPOP ART SCHOOL, a K-pop training school based in Japan. There, she met Kasahara Momona, who would later join ME:I alongside her.
Career
2023
On September 3, 2023, Shimizu was announced as a contestant on Produce 101 Japan The Girls. The show premiered on Lemino on October 5. In episode 1, she received an A ranking from the trainers, but was later re-evaluated to B rank after struggling with the theme song. In the group battle round, she joined team AWAKE for TOKYO GIRL and placed 35th overall following the stage.
On December 16, 2023, Shimizu finished in 8th place with 591,650 votes and debuted as a member of ME:I.
2024
On April 17, 2024, Shimizu debuted with ME:I through their first single MIRAI. In May 2024, she performed with the group at KCON JAPAN 2024. In July 2024, she performed with the group at KCON LA 2024, where she often spoke in English on behalf of the group.
2025
In March 2025, Shimizu took part in ME:I’s third single MUSE, with fans praising her English delivery in the track on social media.
Awards
- In 2024, Shimizu received the J-Music Rookie Idol Award in the group category at Billboard Japan as a member of ME:I.
Fun facts
- Her father and brothers are all doctors. She wanted to become a doctor herself as a child.
- In her one-minute introduction video for the selection program, she appeared in a villain costume, which stood out among the contestants.
- Her special skill is moving one eye independently of the other.
- She can communicate in Japanese, Korean, and English.
- She and Kasahara Momona knew each other before the show through KPOP ART SCHOOL, and they consider each other their closest friend in the group.
- While filming in South Korea, she said she missed her mother the most.
- Her hobby is drawing, and she prefers spending time outdoors.
- She once had a bulldog named Bull.
- After learning she had made the final lineup, she listened to YOASOBI’s Idol on repeat every day, saying the song helped her stay motivated during the most stressful part of the competition.