Artist Profile
- Full Name: Oe Riku
- Native Name: 大江梨久
- Nicknames: Squirrel
- Birthday: Oct 26, 2002 (23 years old)
- Blood type: AB
- Height/Weight: 162 cm (5’4”) / 48 kg (106 lbs)
- Gender: Female
- Zodiac Sign: Scorpio
- Debut: Dec 2, 2020
- MBTI: ESFP
- Birthplace: Kyoto Prefecture, Japan
- Current Agency: JYP Entertainment
- Nationality: Japanese
- Profession: Singer
- Language Skills: Japanese, Korean
- Group: NiziU
- Years Active: 2020–present (6 years)
Riku Oe (born October 26, 2002), known mononymously as Riku, is a Japanese singer and a member of the girl group NiziU. Born in Kyoto, Japan, she grew up with an older brother. From a young age, she demonstrated a passion for music and performing. While attending Kohata Junior High School in Uji City, she was a member of the brass band club and performed the trumpet at various school events.
Early life
Riku’s interest in K-pop began during her elementary school years when she became a fan of groups such as KARA, Girls’ Generation, and ITZY. She taught herself Korean and attended K-pop dance classes in Japan, persistently pursuing her dream of becoming an Idol despite linguistic and cultural barriers.
Career
From January to June 2020, Riku participated in the reality survival program Nizi Project, organized by JYP Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment Japan. She ranked second out of 26 contestants, securing her place in the final debut lineup.
In June 2020, she released the pre-debut digital EP Make You Happy with NiziU prior to their official launch. In December 2020, Riku debuted as a lead vocalist of NiziU with the single “Step and a Step,” which topped the Oricon Singles Chart and the Billboard Japan Hot 100.
In 2021, she released the singles “Take a Picture / Poppin’ Shakin'” in April and the digital single “Super Summer” in July with the group. In November 2021, Riku participated in the release of the group’s first studio album, U, which reached number one on the Oricon Albums Chart and received Platinum certification.
In 2022, she released the singles “Clap Clap” in July and “Blue Moon” in December with NiziU.
In July 2023, Riku participated in the release of the second studio album, Coconut, featuring her on the unit track “Secret” alongside Rio and Maya. In October 2023, she made her debut in the South Korean market with the group through the single album Press Play and its title track “Heartris.”
In 2024, Riku released the digital singles “Memories” in February and “Sweet Nonfiction” in March with the group. In July 2024, she participated in the release of the first EP, Rise Up, which included English and Korean versions of the title track. From December 2024 to January 2025, she released the digital singles “Always,” “Buddy Buddy,” and “Yoake.”
In February 2025, Riku participated in the release of the first mini-album, Awake, which reached number one on the Japanese charts and received Platinum certification. In March 2025, she released the Korean single album Love Line, which peaked at number three on the South Korean charts. In November 2025, Riku participated in the release of the third studio album, New Emotion, which reached number one on the Oricon charts.
Fun Facts
- She was once chased by a deer while feeding it in Nara, which gave her a rather amusing “fear of deer.”
- She loves watching mukbangs, especially featuring Korean dishes like live octopus.
- She enjoys admiring beautiful hands and often feels envious of people with long, slender fingers.
- She tends to complain when tired but always stays composed on stage.
- She is “terrible” at filling out administrative forms.
- She loves going out to eat with close members like Miihi and Mayuka.
- As a child, she dreamed of opening a bakery and a flower shop.
- If she were a dog, Riku thinks she would “bark all day” because of her high energy.
Photo Gallery
