Everything started with ATSUSHI (EXILE) and his plan to create a solo project in 2004. He planned to create a vocal group to perform "black" music. He met KIKURI and YORK during his time at a music technical college, and TAKA was chosen as the fourth man through auditions. This was the group that debuted with the major single Special love. Over the next two years, this line-up released three more singles and the album RED ~Love is all around~. COLOR toured together with EXILE throughout Asia from September to December 2005.
The withdrawal of ATSUSHI, KIKURI and YORK came unexpectedly on October 21, 2006. ATSUSHI said that he wanted to produce the group in the future and made the remaining TAKA the new leader of the chorus group. However, KIKURI and YORK wanted to focus on their solo careers. With the EXILE Vocal Battle Audition 2006 -ASIAN DREAM-, three new members were found: YUICHIRO, KEISEI and RYO. The line-up was complete again. They demonstrated their worth on December 16, where they performed at Avex event Rhythm Nation.
In 2007 they participated at au presents WAVE MUSIC LIVE in March before the first single of this new line-up was released on April 25. The release followed another tour alongside EXILE, and the group participated in the a-nation'07 tour, too. COLOR embarked on their first solo tour in October, and the tour gave audiences a taste of what was to come on their new album.
On January 23, the time finally came for their second album, BLUE ~Tears from the Sky~, and the single Kimi no inai michi. While on their tour COLOR LIVE TOUR 2008 "BLACK", which spanned from May 31 to July 4, the group released the single Midnight call and their first DVD COLOR LIVE TOUR 2007 BLUE. Soon after the tour, a third album came out. To end the year, COLOR released two more singles and another live DVD.
2009 saw some new changes. Up until the end of June, everything was running as before: a single in January, a new album in February and in June their tour COLOR LIVE TOUR 2009 ~DEEP~ took place. However, in July ATSUSHI and COLOR suddenly parted ways. The group started self-producing, and they changed their name into DEEP. To underscore this change, the quartet released the single Endless road in early October. The release was accompanied by a new tour; their final was held on March 14, 2010.
Right after was another tour titled DEEP LIVE HOUSE TOUR 2010 ~THE ROOTS~, and another single and a new album. The whole first half of the year, the group was touring nearly non-stop. In early July their new single milestone/SORA ~kono koe ga todoku made~ was released. In September, rapper Dohzi-T's single Kimi no yume came out featuring additional vocals by TAKA. DEEP themselves have been on tour since October and announced the release of single Mirai e no tobira for November 24. For the lyrics of the song, the musicians worked closely with the producer of the drama "Iryuu Team Medical Dragon 3" and the song was used as the show's theme song.
2011 was a busy year for DEEP. In the first quarter of the year they released a new single, Shiroi Muffler, and a new album, LOVE STORY. In June, DEEP launched into a live house tour, consisting of 47 lives, and while the tour was running, their next single Kimi janai dare nante ~Tejina~ was released. The new release charted on rank 3 at the Oricon Weekly Charts.
However, the new year started with the release of Callin You. Even this single made its way into the top 10 of the weekly charts. Just one month later the next album followed. For its promotion, DEEP embarked on the hall tour, DEEP LIVE TOUR"YOUR STORY". Afterwards, in August they released their next maxi single, GO. Till the end of the year the band was touring around Japan and participated at various festivals.
The group's separation from ATSUSHI hasn't affected their eagerness or their style of music in any way. The four men are still quite successful and will continue to make great music.
