Yuko Nakazawa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Yuko Nakazawa | ||
|---|---|---|
 Nakazawa, 2006
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| Background information | ||
| Also known as | Yuuchan | |
| Born | June 19, 1973 | |
| Origin |  Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, Japan |
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| Genre(s) | Japanese Pop | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer | |
| Years active | 1997-present | |
| Label(s) | zetima | |
| Associated acts |
Morning Musume, Akagumi 4, H.P. All Stars, Puripuri Pink | |
| Website | Hello! Project.com | |
Yuko Nakazawa (中澤裕子? born June 19, 1973 in Kyoto Prefecture, Japan), is a Japanese pop singer and actress, best known as a founding member of the all-female supergroup Morning Musume. Currently, she is a solo artist as well as one of the hosts of the Japanese TV show Hello! Morning.
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[edit] Biography
Yuko Nakazawa was one of five runners-up in a 1997 talent contest for a new Japanese rock idol. After the contest, musician and producer Tsunku offered Yuko and the 4 other runners-up (Natsumi Abe, Kaori Iida, Aya Ishiguro, and Asuka Fukuda) the chance to be taken under his wing on one condition: that they sell 50,000 CDs of their song "Ai no Tane" in 5 days. The quintet accomplished that task in 4 and, thus, the birth of Morning Musume in 1997. The group has since been increasingly popular and is infamous for its fluctuation of memberships, with members leaving and joining frequently.
Shortly after the formation of Morning Musume, Nakazawa began a solo career in 1998 — starting out with songs in enka-style (traditional Japanese folk) but gradually moving to pop, though often more slow, mature, and ballad-like compared to most songs in Hello! Project.
Nakazawa is also a regular featured singer in Hello! Project's "Folk Songs" series, where Yuko and other Hello! Project groups/soloists sing covers of various folk songs. She was also placed in Akagumi 4 in Hello! Project's 2000 summer shuffles. In Morning Musume, Yuko mostly sings harmonies with a few solo lines.
Being the oldest of the 1st generation of Morning Musume; she was 24 at the time of formation and nearly 28 upon her leaving the group; Nakazawa was made leader of the group until her leaving in spring 2001, when Kaori Iida and Kei Yasuda took on the leadership role. In explaining the reason for leaving the group, Nakazawa said she wanted to pursue other things by the time she was 30. When she left, she was 14 years older than the youngest member of the troupe, then 13-year-old Ai Kago.
Since then, Nakazawa has done some work in Japanese dramas such as "Beauty 7" and "Home Maker", and has continued in her solo singing career at a steady pace with reasonable success. She still works closely with Morning Musume, and has been a regular host of their weekly show "Hello! Morning".
On April 11, 2005, she became a performer of "Tchunen", a TV program on Mainichi Broadcasting System, Inc., on Mondays, and on April 11, 2006, she became a performer of "Chichin Pui Pui" (MBS) on Tuesdays.
[edit] Discography
For releases as a member of Morning Musume please see the Morning Musume discography.
[edit] Album
| # | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nakazawa Yuuko Dai Isshou (中澤ゆうこ 第一章?) | 1998.12.12 |
| 2 | Dai Nisshou ~Tsugari~ (第二章～強がり～?) | 2004.07.22 |
[edit] Single
| # | Title | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Karasu no Nyoubou (カラスの女房?) | 1998.10.05 |
| 2 | Odaiba Moonlight Serenade (お台場ムーンライトセレナーデ?) (Duet with Takayama Gen) |
1998.12.02 |
| 3 | Junjou Koushinkyoku (純情行進曲?) | 1999.06.09 |
| 4 | Shanghai no Kaze (上海の風?) | 2000.07.12 |
| 5 | Kuyashi Namida Porori (悔し涙ぽろり?) | 2001.02.15 |
| 6 | Futari Gurashi (二人暮し?) | 2001.08.01 |
| 7 | Tokyo Bijin (東京美人?) | 2002.08.28 |
| 8 | GET ALONG WITH YOU | 2003.05.21 |
| 9 | Genki no nai Hi Komoriuta/Nagaragawa no Hare (元気のない日の子守唄／長良川の晴れ?) | 2004.02.11 |
| 10 | DO MY BEST (Theme for Home Maker (ほーむめーかー hōmu mēkā?)) | 2004.05.26 |
| 11 | Urara (うらら?) | 2006.09.27 |
[edit] Video and DVD
- FOLK DAYS ~Ichii Sayaka with Nakazawa Yuuko~ (FOLK DAYS～市井紗耶香with中澤裕子～?) — February 28, 2002
- Nakazawa Yuuko SINGLES M COLLECTION 1 (中澤裕子シングルMクリップス 1?) — November 27, 2002
- Shishi wa MINI ga Osuki ~at studio DREAM MAKER~ (紳士はミニがお好き！～at studio DREAM MAKER～?) — January 22, 2003
- FS3 LIVE — February 26, 2003
[edit] Photobooks
- [2001.08] Feather
- [2002.11] Watashi ga Omou, Konna Onna (私が思う、こんな女?)
[edit] Appearance
[edit] Television
- Hello! Morning
- Idol wo Sagase!
- M no Mokushiroku
- Helloland
- NHK Junior Special
- Osaka Hatsu Kenki DASH! DOYAH
- CCHU~NEN
[edit] Drama
- Aiken Rosinante no Sainan — January 3, 2001
- Beauty 7 — July 9, 2001
- Ginza no Koi — January 3, 2002
- Gokusen — April 6, 2002
- Homemaker
- Kochira Honikegamisho
[edit] Movie
- Minimoni. Jya Movie Okashi na Daibouken!
- Detsujin 28 Gou
[edit] Radio
- Nakazawa Yuko no allnightnippon SUPER
- Nakazawa Yuko no allnightnippon sundayspecial/Nakazawa Yuuko no allnightnippon Sunday SUPER!
- (Music Plaza's) Kimama ni Classic
- Young Town Douyoubi
- Maji Asa
[edit] Commercial
- ERUSEENU
- Nihon Chouou Keiba
- ORIKOGAADO
- Sukeodou SHITEI BUURU
[edit] Books
- Feather ~ Nakazawa Yuko Sashinshou — 2001
- Kaishin — 2002
- Watashi ga Omou, Konna Onna - Nakazawa Yuko Sashinshou — 2003
- Zutto Ushirokara Mitekita — 2003
