Artist Profile
- Full Name: Nina Hillman
- Native Name: 牧野仁菜
- Nicknames: Nina Makino, Woof Woof, 니나
- Birthday: Feb 27, 2005 (20 years old)
- Blood type: O
- Height/Weight: 171 cm (5'7") / N/A
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Pisces
- Debut: Dec 2, 2020
- MBTI: INFJ
- Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, USA
- Nationality: Japanese-American
- Profession: Singer
- Language Skills: Japanese, English
- Group: NiziU
- Years Active: 2020–present (6 years)
Nina, whose full name is Nina Makino-Hillman, was born on February 27, 2005, in Seattle, Washington, United States. She is an American singer, dancer, and actress of Japanese descent, currently under the management of JYP Entertainment. Nina is the youngest member (maknae) and the main vocalist of the girl group NiziU.
Early life
Nina was born in Seattle, Washington, to a French-American father and a Japanese mother. She is the youngest of two siblings. In 2018, her family relocated to Japan. Prior to joining JYP Entertainment, Nina gained early experience in the entertainment industry as a child actress in both the United States and Japan, appearing in various musical theater productions, television shows, and the film Blood Friends (2019).
Career
Nina began performing in local theater at the age of eight, primarily in Broadway children’s musicals and independent short films. Her roles in Divine Shadow (2016) and Blood Friends (2019) served as significant milestones in her professional acting career. In 2018, at age 13, she moved to Japan to pursue a career in Asia, where she studied Japanese and appeared on the NHK educational program Suiensā.
In 2019, Nina participated in the JYP Entertainment global audition for the Nizi Project. She gained attention for her bright soprano vocals and natural stage presence. The show aired via Hulu Japan and JYP Entertainment’s YouTube channel starting in January 2020. In June 2020, Nina placed ninth in the finale, officially becoming the main vocalist and youngest member of NiziU.
The group made their Japanese debut in December 2020 with the single “Step and a Step,” which topped the Oricon Singles Chart. In 2021, she participated in the release of the single “Take a picture/Poppin’ Shakin'” in April and the group’s first studio album, U, in November. In 2022, following activities for the singles “Asobo,” “Clap Clap,” and “Blue Moon,” her film Blood Friends was released on iTunes after previous delays.
In 2023, Nina released the single “Paradise” and the second studio album Coconut. In October 2023, she made her South Korean debut with the single album Press Play. Throughout 2024, she released the digital singles “Memories,” “Sweet Nonfiction,” and “Rise Up.” That same year, Nina was appointed as a brand ambassador for Nike Japan and GU (Uniqlo Group), appearing in major campaigns in Shibuya and Harajuku, as well as fashion editorials for ViVi, NYLON Japan, and Elle Girl Japan.
In 2025, Nina continued the “Awake” tour with performances in Sapporo, Osaka, and Rifu. Following the release of the EP Awake in February and the second Korean single album LOVE LINE in March, she performed at “Show! Music Core in JAPAN” at the Belluna Dome in August. In November 2025, she participated in the release of the third studio album New Emotion.
Challenges
Nina faced criticism from netizens regarding her Japanese pronunciation, with some observers noting her speech patterns felt unnatural due to her multicultural background. These critiques subsided as she became more fluent through consistent activities with NiziU.
In 2023, following the teaser release for “Blue Moon,” discussions regarding “concept plagiarism” emerged due to perceived similarities with TWICE‘s “Feel Special.” While management denied these allegations, the issue generated significant social media debate. In 2024, her public image became a topic of discussion as fans argued that her “cute” styling no longer matched her age. The hashtag #LetNinaBeNina trended in Japan following the “Sweet Bomb” teaser release, calling for more mature creative direction.
Fun facts
- Fans often call her “Woof Woof” because she likes to draw small dogs in her signature.
- Nina often wakes up the entire group in the morning by shouting, acting as a human alarm clock.
- She is multilingual and can communicate in English, Japanese, Korean, and some French.
- She became a fan of K-pop after hearing BLACKPINK‘s “As If It’s Your Last” at a restaurant in Japan.
- Nina is close friends with Jiwoo of NMIXX, and the two frequently communicate via video calls.
- She has a strong fear of insects and often runs away if she sees a spider.
- She has a habit of writing her nightly diary entries using only emojis.
- She is considered the “mood maker” of NiziU for her ability to energize the group.
- Her daily fashion style is casual, consisting of wide-leg pants, hoodies, and white sneakers.
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