Kokia (singer)
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese singer-songwriter
, who performs under the stage name Kokia (stylised as KOKIA). She is best known for her songs (which reached #1 in Hong Kong
when it was covered by Sammi Cheng
) and "The Power of Smile
." She is also recognised for her numerous contributions to anime
/game soundtracks, the most notable being "Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)
" for the film Origin: Spirits of the Past, "Follow the Nightingale
" for the game Tales of Innocence
and "Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi
" for the anime Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino.
Kokia often performs in Europe, basing her activities in Paris and releasing music through Wasabi Records, a subsidiary of Kazé
.
When Kokia was 10, she went abroad to America
with her sister Kyoko to study at the Summer music school (and did so again when she was 14). In high school, she studied in vocal music and opera, later majoring in opera at the Toho Gakuen School of Music
.
While at university, a friend gave a demo tape Kokia had recorded to a record executive. Kokia was then signed to Pony Canyon
, and debuted in 1998 while still at university. She created her stage name by reversing the syllables of her birth name, Akiko (something she had done as a game when she was very young). Her first released song, "For Little Tail," was used as the opening theme song for the game Tail Concerto
(although this was released as the secondary track to the "Road to Glory" single album.). Her first few official singles were not primarily written by Kokia, instead were written by Toshifumi Hinata and Yoko Kanno
. After four singles, she released her debut album Songbird
in 1999. Unlike the singles before it, the majority of the songs were written by Kokia herself.
None of the releases charted very highly, however the leading single from the album, , found success in Hong Kong
. It was awarded third in the 1999 Hong Kong International Popular Song Award (香港國際流行音樂大赏). Hong Kong entertainer Sammi Cheng
covered the song, and released it as the eponymous track from her album "Arigatou" in October 1999. The song became a big hit in Hong Kong.
. Her first releases after this were five songs for Luna Sea
vocalist Ryuichi Kawamura
's production project, ЯKS, in 2000. The album was released under Victor Entertainment
, heralding in Kokia's relationship with the label. In 2001, she re-debuted in proper under Victor, and released three singles.
Kokia continued to have success throughout Asia, with her music used in Asia-wide ad campaigns. In 2001, she performed at two high-profile Chinese concerts: an anti-drugs concert to 30,000 people with the so-called Four Heavenly Kings of Hong Kong entertainment (Jacky Cheung
, Andy Lau
, Aaron Kwok
and Leon Lai
), and also to over 120,000 people at a 2001 new year's countdown event in Taiwan
. In January 2002, Kokia released her second album, Trip Trip
, her first album to be self-produced. Much like her debut album, none of the releases charted well in Japan.
In 2003, however, Kokia first gained public notice. Her single "Kawaranai Koto (Since 1976)
" was used as the drama Itoshiki Mono e's theme song, breaking Kokia into the top 50. Her biggest hit, however, was "The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss
." It gained notoriety after being used in a Kao haircare commercial. After which, Kokia was asked to perform on popular music show Music Station
. The single broke the top 20 in Japan and was certified gold by the RIAJ. The resulting album, Remember Me
, also broke the top 20, and sold over 45,000 copies.
Her Pony Canyon-era songs "I Catch a Cold" and were used in the soundtrack for the popular Chinese drama At the Dolphin Bay in 2003. This marked the end of Kokia's active participation in the Chinese music market.
Kokia's fourth album Uta ga Chikara
(released in 2004) also found modest success, selling 20,000 copies. The biggest single from this album, "Yume ga Chikara
," was used as the encouragement song for the Japan team at the 2004 Athens Olympic games
.
While Kokia has been associated with game/anime music since her debut, it was only until 2006 when a theme song of hers became successful. Her single "Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)
" was used as the two theme songs for the anime film Origin: Spirits of the Past, and it reached #30 on Oricon's single charts.
In February 2006, Kokia released her greatest hits collection, Pearl: The Best Collection
, and a greatest video clips collection, Jewel: The Best Video Collection. The best collection reached #19 on the albums charts, and is currently her most recent top 20 release.
, and performed at the Midem
music industry trade fair. Pearl was released a month earlier than its Japanese release throughout France and Spain.
In June 2006, Kokia decided to set up her own production company separate from Victor Entertainment, called Anco & Co., after desiring more creative control over her works. In November, she debuted in France with the anime-based retailer Wasabi Records, releasing her 5th album Aigakikoeru: Listen for the Love
there six months before its Japanese release.
In November 2007, Kokia had her second successful game/anime tie-up single, with "Follow the Nightingale
." The song, used for the game Tales of Innocence
, reached #30 on Oricon.
Kokia's greater creative control allowed for her music to be released at a much greater pace. In 2008, Kokia released three albums: the neoclassical The Voice
, the Ireland
-themed album Fairy Dance
and her first Christmas album Christmas Gift
. In 2009, Kokia released two albums simultaneously (Kokia Infinity Akiko: Balance
and Akiko Infinity Kokia: Balance
) to celebrate her 10th anniversary. She also held her first world tour, with performances in Japan
, France
, Ireland
, Poland
, Belgium
and Germany
.
For Kokia's 11th album, Real World
, she travelled to the Tunisia
n Sahara
desert for inspiration.
In 2004, on the TV show Daimei no Nai Ongaku-kai 21 (題名のない音楽会21), Kokia attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the longest note held. In her a cappella performance of 'O Sole Mio
, she held a note for 29.5 seconds, but did not break the record.
, Kokia has written every original song that appears on her albums. Kokia even occasionally writes the music for the songs she appears in in game/anime OSTs (though this is not a rule, and many songs have been written by others).
Kokia writes the majority of her songs in Japanese, though many are in English or partial English (such as "The Rule of the Universe," "Say Hi!!" and "So Sad So Bad."). She occasionally branches into different languages, such as Italian ("Il Mare dei Suoni," "Insonnia.") and Irish ("Taimse im' chodhadh" and "Siuil a Run" from her Irish-themed album Fairy Dance
).
Occasionally in songs, such as and "Follow the Nightingale
," Kokia writes lyrics in code. For both of these songs, they featured reversed syllables (such as the lyric "nimiunooto denzush," when reversed gives ). In "Chōwa Oto," Kokia also has a separate code (the numbers 3 25 15 21 23 and 1) which correspond to the letters of the English alphabet
(1=A, 26=Z) to write the song's name in wāpuro rōmaji
(C Y O U W A).
Music critic Issei Tomisawa considers Kokia to be one of his favourite musicians.
.
Kokia's grandfather was the manager of a Japanese shipbuilding company. She created a short-film and a song (Grandfather's Ship) in his honour.
Kokia was raised as a Christian, and attended Sunday mass from a young age. She writes many of her songs about God, such as "Why Do I Sing?," "Everlasting," and .
Kokia has done humanitarian work for various causes. At high school, she was a member of the volunteer committee, and strived to help the disabled, elderly and AIDS
victims. She has performed at a concert for drug abuse, supported the Japanese Social Welfare
Organisation (社会福祉法人), and released a special charity single for the victims of the 2007 Niigata earthquake
. Kokia also feels great sympathy for the September 11 attacks. She gave out 10,000 copies of a special EP, Music Gift, on the streets of New York
in memory of the attacks. Many of Kokia's songs are messages about humanitarian/environmental causes, or about ways for people to live their lives better. Kokia primarily makes songs about love and peace.
Kokia is an avid dog lover. Throughout most of the 2000s, she owned four dogs: Donna, Muta, Nero and Titti. However, Donna passed away in February 2010. She has made references to dogs in several of her songs, such as , and in "Say Hi!!," where the lyrics speak of "driving to the beach to play with our Donna." Many of her blog posts are centred around her dogs, with a special category dedicated to these posts.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, who performs under the stage name Kokia (stylised as KOKIA). She is best known for her songs (which reached #1 in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
when it was covered by Sammi Cheng
Sammi Cheng
Sammi Cheng Sau-Man is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress. Having enjoyed much success in the Hong Kong music industry, Sammi has been known as a diva and has been one of the most successful female singer in Hong Kong since the 1990s. Her albums have sold more than 25 million copies through...
) and "The Power of Smile
The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss
"The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss" is Kokia's 10th single, released on September 24, 2003. It is currently Kokia's most commercially successful single, after being used as the Kao Essential Damage Care shampoo commercials in 2003, featuring actress Yūko Takeuchi.-Background:This single was the...
." She is also recognised for her numerous contributions to anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
/game soundtracks, the most notable being "Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)
Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)
is Kokia's 15th single, released on January 1, 2006, a month before her greatest hits collection Pearl: The Best Collection. The songs were used as the ending and opening theme songs for the animated film Origin: Spirits of the Past...
" for the film Origin: Spirits of the Past, "Follow the Nightingale
Follow the Nightingale
"Follow the Nightingale" is a song by Kokia, released as her 18th single on November 21, 2007. The song, along with the single's B-side "Say Goodbye & Good Day," were used as the opening and ending theme songs for the Nintendo DS game Tales of Innocence....
" for the game Tales of Innocence
Tales of Innocence
is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation...
and "Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi
Tatta Hitotsu no Omoi
is a song by Kokia, released as her 19th single on November 21, 2007, a month before her sixth studio album The Voice . The song was used as the opening theme song for the anime Gunslinger Girl's second series, Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino...
" for the anime Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino.
Kokia often performs in Europe, basing her activities in Paris and releasing music through Wasabi Records, a subsidiary of Kazé
Kazé
Kaze is the name of a French publisher which specializes in anime. Founded in 1994, the company began its debut publishing Chronicles of Lodoss War on VHS....
.
Early life, Pony Canyon debut
Kokia was born in 1976, and raised by her mother. She started playing the violin when she was two and a half years old, but preferred the family piano. Often instead of playing with toys, Kokia played with the family piano. Kokia remembers putting picture books on the music stand and creating music that represented the scenes.When Kokia was 10, she went abroad to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her sister Kyoko to study at the Summer music school (and did so again when she was 14). In high school, she studied in vocal music and opera, later majoring in opera at the Toho Gakuen School of Music
Toho Gakuen School of Music
is a private conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.-History:Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior...
.
While at university, a friend gave a demo tape Kokia had recorded to a record executive. Kokia was then signed to Pony Canyon
Pony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
, and debuted in 1998 while still at university. She created her stage name by reversing the syllables of her birth name, Akiko (something she had done as a game when she was very young). Her first released song, "For Little Tail," was used as the opening theme song for the game Tail Concerto
Tail Concerto
Tail Concerto is a 3D anime-style action-adventure and platform game developed by CyberConnect2. It was published by Bandai in Japan on April 16, 1998 and by Atlus in North America on August 31, 1999. Bandai would later release it in France in the same year...
(although this was released as the secondary track to the "Road to Glory" single album.). Her first few official singles were not primarily written by Kokia, instead were written by Toshifumi Hinata and Yoko Kanno
Yoko Kanno
is a composer, arranger and musician best known for her work on the soundtracks for many games, anime films, TV series, live-action movies, and advertisements...
. After four singles, she released her debut album Songbird
Songbird (Kokia album)
Songbird is Kokia's debut album, released on . It is her only album released under Pony Canyon, the rest being released with Victor Entertainment or ....
in 1999. Unlike the singles before it, the majority of the songs were written by Kokia herself.
None of the releases charted very highly, however the leading single from the album, , found success in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. It was awarded third in the 1999 Hong Kong International Popular Song Award (香港國際流行音樂大赏). Hong Kong entertainer Sammi Cheng
Sammi Cheng
Sammi Cheng Sau-Man is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer and actress. Having enjoyed much success in the Hong Kong music industry, Sammi has been known as a diva and has been one of the most successful female singer in Hong Kong since the 1990s. Her albums have sold more than 25 million copies through...
covered the song, and released it as the eponymous track from her album "Arigatou" in October 1999. The song became a big hit in Hong Kong.
Victor Entertainment
After the release of her debut album, Kokia did not continue to release music with Pony CanyonPony Canyon
is a Japanese company, established on October 1, 1966 , which publishes music, DVD and VHS videos, movies and video games. It is a subsidiary of Japanese Media Group, Fujisankei Communications Group.-History:...
. Her first releases after this were five songs for Luna Sea
Luna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
vocalist Ryuichi Kawamura
Ryuichi Kawamura
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor and record producer. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea. After the group disbanded in 2000, Ryuichi went on to a successful solo career. In 2005 he formed Tourbillon with, fellow Luna Sea member, Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama...
's production project, ЯKS, in 2000. The album was released under Victor Entertainment
Victor Entertainment
is a subsidiary of Japan Victor Company that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It was formerly known as...
, heralding in Kokia's relationship with the label. In 2001, she re-debuted in proper under Victor, and released three singles.
Kokia continued to have success throughout Asia, with her music used in Asia-wide ad campaigns. In 2001, she performed at two high-profile Chinese concerts: an anti-drugs concert to 30,000 people with the so-called Four Heavenly Kings of Hong Kong entertainment (Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung
Jacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
, Andy Lau
Andy Lau
Andy Lau MH, JP is a Hong Kong Cantopop singer, actor, and film producer. Lau has been one of Hong Kong's most commercially successful film actors since the mid-1980s, performing in more than 160 films while maintaining a successful singing career at the same time...
, Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok
Aaron Kwok Fu-shing is a Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor. He has been active since the 1980s to the present. The media refer to him, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . Kwok's onstage dancing and displays is influenced by Michael Jackson...
and Leon Lai
Leon Lai
Leon Lai is a Hong Kong-based actor and Cantopop singer. The media refer to Aaron Kwok, Jacky Cheung, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings . He uses the stage name "Li Ming" or "Lai Ming" which literally means "dawn."-Biography:...
), and also to over 120,000 people at a 2001 new year's countdown event in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. In January 2002, Kokia released her second album, Trip Trip
Trip Trip
Trip Trip is Kokia's second album, released in January 2002. It was her first album released with Victor Entertainment, and her only released under Gai Records management...
, her first album to be self-produced. Much like her debut album, none of the releases charted well in Japan.
In 2003, however, Kokia first gained public notice. Her single "Kawaranai Koto (Since 1976)
Kawaranai Koto (Since 1976)
is Kokia's 9th single, released on May 21, 2003. It is currently Kokia's second most commercially successful single after "The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss," due to being used as the daytime TV drama Itoshiki Mono e's theme song.-Background:...
" was used as the drama Itoshiki Mono e's theme song, breaking Kokia into the top 50. Her biggest hit, however, was "The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss
The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss
"The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss" is Kokia's 10th single, released on September 24, 2003. It is currently Kokia's most commercially successful single, after being used as the Kao Essential Damage Care shampoo commercials in 2003, featuring actress Yūko Takeuchi.-Background:This single was the...
." It gained notoriety after being used in a Kao haircare commercial. After which, Kokia was asked to perform on popular music show Music Station
Music Station
is a Japanese music television program. It began broadcasting on October 24, 1986 and continues to be broadcast weekly in High-definition from 8PM-9PM on tv asahi...
. The single broke the top 20 in Japan and was certified gold by the RIAJ. The resulting album, Remember Me
Remember Me (Kokia album)
The album was Kokia's first to chart on the Japanese Oricon albums charts, reaching #15 and selling over 45,000 copies. It is currently also Kokia's most sold release, as of 2010....
, also broke the top 20, and sold over 45,000 copies.
Her Pony Canyon-era songs "I Catch a Cold" and were used in the soundtrack for the popular Chinese drama At the Dolphin Bay in 2003. This marked the end of Kokia's active participation in the Chinese music market.
Kokia's fourth album Uta ga Chikara
Uta ga Chikara
-Singles:-Japan Sales Rankings:-Personnel:* Kiyotsugu Amano - acoustic guitar * Katsuhiko Asano - recording/mixing* Masashi Fujimori - art direction, art work * Sayaka Hayakawa - violin * Ayako Himata - violin...
(released in 2004) also found modest success, selling 20,000 copies. The biggest single from this album, "Yume ga Chikara
Yume ga Chikara
is Kokia's 12th single, released on June 23, 2004. It was the lead single from Kokia's fourth studio album Uta ga Chikara, and was used as the official cheering song for the Japan team at the 2004 Summer Olympics.-Background:...
," was used as the encouragement song for the Japan team at the 2004 Athens Olympic games
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
.
While Kokia has been associated with game/anime music since her debut, it was only until 2006 when a theme song of hers became successful. Her single "Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)
Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)
is Kokia's 15th single, released on January 1, 2006, a month before her greatest hits collection Pearl: The Best Collection. The songs were used as the ending and opening theme songs for the animated film Origin: Spirits of the Past...
" was used as the two theme songs for the anime film Origin: Spirits of the Past, and it reached #30 on Oricon's single charts.
In February 2006, Kokia released her greatest hits collection, Pearl: The Best Collection
Pearl: The Best Collection
Pearl: The Best Collection is Kokia's first greatest hits album, released on December 2, 2009. It was released simultaneously with her first video clips collection, Jewel: The Best Video Collection....
, and a greatest video clips collection, Jewel: The Best Video Collection. The best collection reached #19 on the albums charts, and is currently her most recent top 20 release.
Anco & Co., France
From 2006 onwards, Kokia began working in European markets, as well as taking greater control over her musical releases. In January, she held her first European concert in ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and performed at the Midem
Midem
-MIDEM:Short for Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale, MIDEM is the world's largest music industry trade fair, which has been held annually at and around the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France, since 1967...
music industry trade fair. Pearl was released a month earlier than its Japanese release throughout France and Spain.
In June 2006, Kokia decided to set up her own production company separate from Victor Entertainment, called Anco & Co., after desiring more creative control over her works. In November, she debuted in France with the anime-based retailer Wasabi Records, releasing her 5th album Aigakikoeru: Listen for the Love
Aigakikoeru: Listen for the Love
Aigakikoeru: Listen for the Love is Kokia's fifth album. It was originally released under Wasabi Records in France in November 2006, however was eventually released in Japan six months later...
there six months before its Japanese release.
In November 2007, Kokia had her second successful game/anime tie-up single, with "Follow the Nightingale
Follow the Nightingale
"Follow the Nightingale" is a song by Kokia, released as her 18th single on November 21, 2007. The song, along with the single's B-side "Say Goodbye & Good Day," were used as the opening and ending theme songs for the Nintendo DS game Tales of Innocence....
." The song, used for the game Tales of Innocence
Tales of Innocence
is the ninth mothership title in the Tales series for the Nintendo DS. The game was developed by Alfa System, and was released on December 6, 2007 in Japan. Tales of Innocences characteristic genre name is . The game has not been released outside of Japan although there is a full fan translation...
, reached #30 on Oricon.
Kokia's greater creative control allowed for her music to be released at a much greater pace. In 2008, Kokia released three albums: the neoclassical The Voice
The Voice (Kokia album)
The Voice is Kokia's sixth studio album, released in February 2008. It is the first of four album releases in 2008 celebrating her 10th anniversary as a singer....
, the Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
-themed album Fairy Dance
Fairy Dance: Kokia Meets Ireland
-Japan Sales Rankings:...
and her first Christmas album Christmas Gift
Christmas Gift (album)
Christmas Gift is Kokia's eighth studio album, released in October/November 2008. It is her first full-length Christmas album, though she had released a special Christmas EP for fans, A Piece of Christmas, in November 2006...
. In 2009, Kokia released two albums simultaneously (Kokia Infinity Akiko: Balance
Kokia Infinity Akiko: Balance
Kokia Infinity Akiko: Balance is Kokia's ninth equal studio album, released simultaneously with Akiko Infinity Kokia: Balance in March 2009....
and Akiko Infinity Kokia: Balance
Akiko Infinity Kokia: Balance
-Personnel:* Takeshi Arai – guitar * Katsuhiko "Chara" Asano – mixing engineer * Toshihiko Fujimi – publicist* Takashi Furuta – drums * Yuya Haraguchi – acoustic/electric guitars...
) to celebrate her 10th anniversary. She also held her first world tour, with performances in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
For Kokia's 11th album, Real World
Real World (album)
Real World is Kokia's 11th studio album, released on March 31, 2010. Kokia travelled to the Tunisian Sahara for inspiration for songs on the album...
, she travelled to the Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
n Sahara
Sahara
The Sahara is the world's second largest desert, after Antarctica. At over , it covers most of Northern Africa, making it almost as large as Europe or the United States. The Sahara stretches from the Red Sea, including parts of the Mediterranean coasts, to the outskirts of the Atlantic Ocean...
desert for inspiration.
Voice
Her voice is often praised by critics, for its clarity of sound. It is described by Kay of JaME World as fragile and breathy.In 2004, on the TV show Daimei no Nai Ongaku-kai 21 (題名のない音楽会21), Kokia attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the longest note held. In her a cappella performance of 'O Sole Mio
'O Sole Mio
"O sole mio" is a globally known Neapolitan song written in 1898. The lyrics were written by Giovanni Capurro and the melody was composed by Eduardo di Capua. Though there are versions in other languages, "'O sole mio" is usually sung in the original Neapolitan language...
, she held a note for 29.5 seconds, but did not break the record.
Song writing
Since her second album, Trip TripTrip Trip
Trip Trip is Kokia's second album, released in January 2002. It was her first album released with Victor Entertainment, and her only released under Gai Records management...
, Kokia has written every original song that appears on her albums. Kokia even occasionally writes the music for the songs she appears in in game/anime OSTs (though this is not a rule, and many songs have been written by others).
Kokia writes the majority of her songs in Japanese, though many are in English or partial English (such as "The Rule of the Universe," "Say Hi!!" and "So Sad So Bad."). She occasionally branches into different languages, such as Italian ("Il Mare dei Suoni," "Insonnia.") and Irish ("Taimse im' chodhadh" and "Siuil a Run" from her Irish-themed album Fairy Dance
Fairy Dance: Kokia Meets Ireland
-Japan Sales Rankings:...
).
Occasionally in songs, such as and "Follow the Nightingale
Follow the Nightingale
"Follow the Nightingale" is a song by Kokia, released as her 18th single on November 21, 2007. The song, along with the single's B-side "Say Goodbye & Good Day," were used as the opening and ending theme songs for the Nintendo DS game Tales of Innocence....
," Kokia writes lyrics in code. For both of these songs, they featured reversed syllables (such as the lyric "nimiunooto denzush," when reversed gives ). In "Chōwa Oto," Kokia also has a separate code (the numbers 3 25 15 21 23 and 1) which correspond to the letters of the English alphabet
English alphabet
The modern English alphabet is a Latin alphabet consisting of 26 letters and 2 ligatures – the same letters that are found in the Basic modern Latin alphabet:...
(1=A, 26=Z) to write the song's name in wāpuro rōmaji
Wapuro romaji
, or kana spelling, is a style of romanization of Japanese originally devised for entering Japanese into word processors while using a Western QWERTY keyboard....
(C Y O U W A).
Music critic Issei Tomisawa considers Kokia to be one of his favourite musicians.
Personal life
Violinist Kyoko Yoshida is Kokia's older sister, and also attended the Toho Gakuen School of MusicToho Gakuen School of Music
is a private conservatoire located in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan.-History:Toho Gakuen was founded in 1948 in Kudan as a music school for children, and two years later opened the Toho High School of Music, to provide quality musical education to teenage girls. 1955 saw the establishment of the Junior...
.
Kokia's grandfather was the manager of a Japanese shipbuilding company. She created a short-film and a song (Grandfather's Ship) in his honour.
Kokia was raised as a Christian, and attended Sunday mass from a young age. She writes many of her songs about God, such as "Why Do I Sing?," "Everlasting," and .
Kokia has done humanitarian work for various causes. At high school, she was a member of the volunteer committee, and strived to help the disabled, elderly and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
victims. She has performed at a concert for drug abuse, supported the Japanese Social Welfare
Social welfare in Japan
Social welfare, assistance for the ill or otherwise disabled and for the old, has long been provided in Japan by both the government and private companies. Beginning in the 1920s, the government enacted a series of welfare programs, based mainly on European models, to provide medical care and...
Organisation (社会福祉法人), and released a special charity single for the victims of the 2007 Niigata earthquake
2007 Chuetsu offshore earthquake
The Chūetsu Offshore Earthquake was a powerful magnitude 6.6 earthquake that occurred 10:13 a.m. local time on July 16, 2007, in the northwest Niigata region of Japan. The earthquake shook Niigata and neighbouring prefectures...
. Kokia also feels great sympathy for the September 11 attacks. She gave out 10,000 copies of a special EP, Music Gift, on the streets of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in memory of the attacks. Many of Kokia's songs are messages about humanitarian/environmental causes, or about ways for people to live their lives better. Kokia primarily makes songs about love and peace.
Kokia is an avid dog lover. Throughout most of the 2000s, she owned four dogs: Donna, Muta, Nero and Titti. However, Donna passed away in February 2010. She has made references to dogs in several of her songs, such as , and in "Say Hi!!," where the lyrics speak of "driving to the beach to play with our Donna." Many of her blog posts are centred around her dogs, with a special category dedicated to these posts.
Studio albums
- 1999: SongbirdSongbird (Kokia album)Songbird is Kokia's debut album, released on . It is her only album released under Pony Canyon, the rest being released with Victor Entertainment or ....
- 2002: Trip TripTrip TripTrip Trip is Kokia's second album, released in January 2002. It was her first album released with Victor Entertainment, and her only released under Gai Records management...
- 2003: Remember MeRemember Me (Kokia album)The album was Kokia's first to chart on the Japanese Oricon albums charts, reaching #15 and selling over 45,000 copies. It is currently also Kokia's most sold release, as of 2010....
- 2004: Uta ga ChikaraUta ga Chikara-Singles:-Japan Sales Rankings:-Personnel:* Kiyotsugu Amano - acoustic guitar * Katsuhiko Asano - recording/mixing* Masashi Fujimori - art direction, art work * Sayaka Hayakawa - violin * Ayako Himata - violin...
- 2006: Aigakikoeru: Listen for the LoveAigakikoeru: Listen for the LoveAigakikoeru: Listen for the Love is Kokia's fifth album. It was originally released under Wasabi Records in France in November 2006, however was eventually released in Japan six months later...
- 2008: The VoiceThe Voice (Kokia album)The Voice is Kokia's sixth studio album, released in February 2008. It is the first of four album releases in 2008 celebrating her 10th anniversary as a singer....
- 2008: Fairy Dance: Kokia Meets IrelandFairy Dance: Kokia Meets Ireland-Japan Sales Rankings:...
- 2008: Christmas GiftChristmas Gift (album)Christmas Gift is Kokia's eighth studio album, released in October/November 2008. It is her first full-length Christmas album, though she had released a special Christmas EP for fans, A Piece of Christmas, in November 2006...
- 2009: Kokia Infinity Akiko: BalanceKokia Infinity Akiko: BalanceKokia Infinity Akiko: Balance is Kokia's ninth equal studio album, released simultaneously with Akiko Infinity Kokia: Balance in March 2009....
- 2009: Akiko Infinity Kokia: BalanceAkiko Infinity Kokia: Balance-Personnel:* Takeshi Arai – guitar * Katsuhiko "Chara" Asano – mixing engineer * Toshihiko Fujimi – publicist* Takashi Furuta – drums * Yuya Haraguchi – acoustic/electric guitars...
- 2010: Real WorldReal World (album)Real World is Kokia's 11th studio album, released on March 31, 2010. Kokia travelled to the Tunisian Sahara for inspiration for songs on the album...
- 2011: Moment
Compilation albums
- 2006: Pearl: The Best CollectionPearl: The Best CollectionPearl: The Best Collection is Kokia's first greatest hits album, released on December 2, 2009. It was released simultaneously with her first video clips collection, Jewel: The Best Video Collection....
- 2008: Kokia Complete Collection 1998-1999Songbird (Kokia album)Songbird is Kokia's debut album, released on . It is her only album released under Pony Canyon, the rest being released with Victor Entertainment or ....
- 2009: Coquillage: The Best Collection IICoquillage: The Best Collection IICoquillage: The Best Collection II is Kokia's second greatest hits album, released on December 2, 2009.-Background:...
- 2010: Musique a la CarteMusique a la Carte- Chart rankings :- Reported sales :...
(cover album) - 2011: PiecesPieces"Pieces" is the title of a song recorded by Canadian alternative rock group Sum 41. It was released in February 2005 as the second single from the album, Chuck.-Content:...
Top 50 charting singles
- 2003: "Kawaranai Koto (Since 1976)Kawaranai Koto (Since 1976)is Kokia's 9th single, released on May 21, 2003. It is currently Kokia's second most commercially successful single after "The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss," due to being used as the daytime TV drama Itoshiki Mono e's theme song.-Background:...
" - 2003: "The Power of Smile/Remember the KissThe Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss"The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss" is Kokia's 10th single, released on September 24, 2003. It is currently Kokia's most commercially successful single, after being used as the Kao Essential Damage Care shampoo commercials in 2003, featuring actress Yūko Takeuchi.-Background:This single was the...
" - 2004: "So Much Love for YouSo Much Love for You"So Much Love for You" is Kokia's 11th single, released on April 21, 2004. -Background:"So Much Love for You" was the first single released after Kokia's commercially successful third album, Remember Me. During this stage of her career, Kokia had releases that generally charted in the low end of...
" - 2004: "Yume ga ChikaraYume ga Chikarais Kokia's 12th single, released on June 23, 2004. It was the lead single from Kokia's fourth studio album Uta ga Chikara, and was used as the official cheering song for the Japan team at the 2004 Summer Olympics.-Background:...
" - 2006: "Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)Ai no Melody/Chōwa Oto (With Reflection)is Kokia's 15th single, released on January 1, 2006, a month before her greatest hits collection Pearl: The Best Collection. The songs were used as the ending and opening theme songs for the animated film Origin: Spirits of the Past...
" - 2007: "Follow the NightingaleFollow the Nightingale"Follow the Nightingale" is a song by Kokia, released as her 18th single on November 21, 2007. The song, along with the single's B-side "Say Goodbye & Good Day," were used as the opening and ending theme songs for the Nintendo DS game Tales of Innocence....
" - 2008: "Tatta Hitotsu no OmoiTatta Hitotsu no Omoiis a song by Kokia, released as her 19th single on November 21, 2007, a month before her sixth studio album The Voice . The song was used as the opening theme song for the anime Gunslinger Girl's second series, Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino...
" - 2009: "KarmaKarma (Kokia song)"Karma" is a song by Kokia, released as her 20th single on April 22, 2009. It was used as the first opening theme song for the anime Phantom: Requiem for the Phantom, and would later feature in an edited version on the anime's soundtrack...
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