Bis

A Japanese idol girl group (stylised BiS - alternative tags ＢｉＳ and Brand-new idol Society), formed in 2010 and fronted by Pour Lui (プー・ルイ). They stand out from their idol peers through their evocative and often shocking music videos, as well as their music. Using sounds such as punk, ska, metal and shoegaze, they gained a reputation as being "alternative" idols, e.g. collaborating with noise band Hijokaidan (非常階段). Their output often criticises aspects of the idol industry (e.g. their 2012 album Idol is Dead), which makes them relatively subversive and an alternative to the likes of AKB48 and モーニング娘。.
BiS' first formation included four members: Pour Lui (leader), Hirano "Nozoshan" Nozomi, Nakayama "UK" Yukiko, and Yokoyama "Rinahamu" Rina. Rinahamu chose to graduate from the group after the release of their debut album "Brand-new idol Society", and the group continued with three members until the release of their first single, My Ixxx, for which a new fourth member (Terashima Yufu) was added. (However, Terashima does not appear on the A-side track and sings only on three B-side tracks.) The music video for My Ixxx quickly gained infamy for showing the members of the group naked, and a second single primal. soon followed. After the release of "primal.", UK chose to graduate from the group at their one-man concert "IDOL is DEAD", held on the 31st of December 2011. (She is now the frontwoman of the band Morphine Tokyo.)
In 2012, BiS added new members following an audition: Wakisaka "Wacky" Yurika, and Michibayashi "Mitchel" Rio. Now a five-member group, they announced that they would make a major-label debut with a new single, "PPCC". It was released that summer, and included a cover of "survival dAnce ~no no cry more~" by legendary dance-pop act TRF. In the same year, they released a second album, "IDOL is DEAD", and a B-movie-styled horror film featuring the members of the group.
Wacky injured her leg running a 100-km supermarathon as part of promotional activity for "IDOL is DEAD", and subsequently could not perform at concerts. She still participated in single recording, including 2013's "GET YOU", a collaboration with idol group Dorothy Little Happy, but she chose to graduate for the sake of her health later that year and "BiSimulation" became her final work with the group. Terashima Yufu graduated in the same year, owing to disputes with Pour Lui and a difference in creative vision.
At the 2013 concert BiS48, three new members were added, making BiS a 6-member group for the first time. First Summer Uika, Tentenko and Kamiya Saki made their debut with the single "DiE" and participated in the recording of a noise album as BiS Kaidan. However, Mitchel announced her graduation, citing a desire to look for a stable job. She was given a graduation song with the double-A-side single "Fly / Hi" in September.
After Mitchel's departure, BiS announced that a "JK" (typically shorthand for "joshi kousei", or "female high-school student") would take her place. The new member was revealed to be the septuagenarian Junko Koshino, a world-renowned fashion designer. She was an active BiS member for only two days, but was proclaimed an honorary lifetime member upon her departure from the group.
More auditions followed to find a replacement member, and eventually Koshouji "Megumon" Megumi was added to the group, with the digital hardcore number "STUPiG" becoming her debut single at the very beginning of 2014.
This FiNAL lineup of BiS released a third album, "WHO KiLLED IDOL?", that year, and announced that they would disband at Yokohama Arena in July with one final concert together. Before that, they released a farewell single ("FiNAL DANCE / nerve") and a best-of album.
Eventually, BiS did split up at Yokohama Arena, where they were joined by former members Mitchel, Rinahamu and UK as they performed their representative song nerve together. The concert was made up of 49 full-length songs, with the members taking only one break.
The members of BiS have since gone on to various different careers:
Pour Lui - the frontwoman of rock band LUI FRONTiC AKABANE JAPAN.
Hirano Nozomi - a member of new wave girl group BILLIE IDLE.
Yokoyama Rina - a solo idol operating under the name Ichigo Rinahamu, and the founder of idol group Akishibu Project. Currently also working as part of the duo BPM15Q.
Nakayama Yukiko - the leader of rock band Morphine Tokyo.
Terashima Yufu - a solo idol.
First Summer Uika - also a member of BILLIE IDLE.
Kamiya Saki - a member of idol group pla2me.
Tentenko - a solo artist and DJ, also a member of the band Florida. Her name is also stylized as テンテンコ
After the disband of BiS, manager Watanabe Junnosuke vowed to start a successor to the group, which eventually became BiSH (Brand-new idol SHiT). BiSH debuted in 2015 and released their first album in May.
In July 2016, exactly two years after the original group's disbandment, Pour Lui announced the revival of BiS. She released a solo song "BiSBiS" under the BiS name (taking numerous musical and lyrical cues from previous BiS songs such as "BiS" and "primal."), and announced that she would audition new members for the group together with Watanabe Junnosuke (JxSxK). The fourth BiS album (and first as the new group), "Brand-new idol Society 2", will be released in November 2016.
Starting in September, eleven auditioning members were trained in dance and singing by Pour Lui and Matsukuma Kenta, and they were eventually narrowed down to four members who joined Pour Lui for their first concert as BiS on the 4th of September. The current BiS lineup is Pour Lui, Kika Front Frontal, Go Zeela, Peri Ubu, and Aya Eightprince.
The reformed BiS released "Brand-new idol Society 2" in November, featuring re-recordings of classic BiS songs, along with four new ones (Happy Birthday, Not Special, BiSBiS, Human after all). The new album charted at #24 on the Oricon weekly album charts, and shortly after the album's release, they announced a follow-up, "Re:STUPiD", to be released in 2017.