Ōmoto was born and raised in Hiroshima Prefecture and attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and Perfume members Ayaka Nishiwaki and Yuka Kashino. She was placed in the advanced class for singing, as she was always interested in singing. In a letter she wrote to her "Future Me" she recalled her singing teacher telling her if she just wanted to sing and dance because she loved it she was not fit to be a singer. Nishiwaki and Kashino were still in the beginner class at this time, meeting Ōmoto secretly. She joined the group in 2001, replacing the original third member Yūka Kawashima, who left the group to focus on her schoolwork.

Nishiwaki was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, where she attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Yuka Kashino and Ayano Omoto. She formed Perfume in 2001 with Kashino and former member Yūka Kawashima, who left shortly after to focus on her schoolwork. After discussing the issue with her mother, who believed that a three-piece group had more stage presence than a duo, Nishiwaki asked Ōmoto to join the group.

Yuka Kashino was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan, where she attended Hiroshima Actors School with friends and current Perfume members Ayaka Nishiwaki and Ayano Omoto. She and Nishiwaki are the two original members of Perfume.

Kashino and Nishiwaki formed Perfume in 2001 with former member Yūka Kawashima, who left shortly after to focus on her schoolwork. When Ōmoto joined Perfume, after being asked by Nishiwaki, the two had not met.