Aiko (singer)

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Aiko
Birth name 柳井 愛子 (Yanai Aiko)
Born November 22, 1975 (1975-11-22) (age 32)
Flag of Japan Suita, Osaka, Japan
Genre(s) J-Pop
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter
Years active 1996-present
Website Official Site

Aiko Yanai (柳井 愛子 Yanai Aiko?, born November 22, 1975 in Suita, Osaka), better known as aiko, is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. She is known for her cheerful disposition. Her music primarily consists of love songs and is particularly popular among young girls all over East Asia. Oricon published the results of a survey of 20,000 subscribers' favourite singers, and Aiko topped the list in both 2005[1] and 2006[1].


Contents

[edit] Emergence and career

Aiko studied popular music vocals at the Osaka College of Music, and after graduating in 1996, she became a DJ on FM OSAKA. She made her nationwide debut in July 1998 with her song "Ashita". Since then, she has had a successful career with her songs being used in television commercials and TV dramas.

After the release of her third single "Hanabi", Aiko became recognised nationwide, due to much television promotional coverage for every one of her subsequent commercial releases. Her second album, "Sakura no Ki no Shita" sold over one million copies, and her sixth single, "Boyfriend", became her best-selling CD single, and she achieved an appearance in NHK's 2000 Kohaku Uta Gassen. Incidentally, since the song's lyrics contain the word "tetrapot", similar to "tetrapod", a registered trademark, Aiko encountered controversy and brief legal problems since NHK is a public broadcasting station. However, the episode was resolved without any restriction being placed on the lyrics.

Aiko has previously been romantically linked with DJ Barbara Yone. She was also involved with fellow Japanese star Taichi Kokubun of the boy-band TOKIO. She has a slight feud with Japanese singer Zoxy Doll, who maligned Aiko in an interview with NTV. After the programme, complaints from Aiko's fans resulted in Zoxy Doll's BBS being closed, and Aiko expressed shock and upset at the comments in her blog.

Japanese manga artist Yukari Ichijo Ichijo based the character "Eiko", in Pride (2003-) on Aiko, and Aiko has several times expressed admiration for Ichijo.

Aiko has been chosen to do the insert song for "Hana Yori Dango Final" which premiers on 6/28/2008.

[edit] Discography

Main article: Aiko discography

[edit] Aiko Live

[edit] Tours

  • "Love Like Pop" (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005, 2006) - Love Like < 愛好 (ai [to love] + ko [to like])
  • College musical festivals (1999, 2003; 7 places in all)
  • "Baby Peenats Meeting" (2001, 2004; fan club members only)
    • "Baby Peenats" (not peanuts) is a name of the Aiko's official fun club managed by "ever for music". Aiko loves Snoopy (and dogs in general). Her recent live tour books feature pictures of Aiko with a variety of dogs every time.
  • "Love Like Rock" (2002, 2003, 2006,2007(fan club members only); no-seat concerts)
  • "Love Like Aloha" (Summer 2003, at Katase beech [1], Enoshima; Summer 2006, at Southern Beach, Chigasaki)

[edit] Guest appearances and duets[2]

  • At "Yuzu winter solstice live 1999" in Saitama, Aiko joined Yuzu onstage for duets of 夏色 [natsu-iro; summer colour] and 友達の唄 [tomodachi no uta; song of friends]
  • Aiko appeared as a secret guest at "Chikuzen Sato Presents Cross your fingers 4", in 2000 in Osaka. Aiko and Chikuzen Sato covered Fairground Attraction's Perfect.
  • Aiko made a guest appearance in Dreams Come True's end-year event of 2000, and Miwa Yoshida and Aiko sang duets of うれしい!たのしい!大好き! [ureshii, tanoshii, daisuki; happy, fun, dearest] from the album "うれし はずかし朝帰り" [ureshi, hazukashi asagaeri; happy but shameful morning go-home] and LOVE LOVE LOVE.
  • In July 2004, Miwa and Aiko sang duets of Dreams Come True's マスカラまつげ [mascara matsuge; the eyelashes in mascara] and Aiko's Andromeda at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of NBS
  • In "Baby Peenats Meeting, vol.1" of 2001, Aiko covered:
    • Kirinji's 1998 track 甘やかな身体 [Amayaka-na Karada?/Shintai? (sweet body)] from "Paper Driver's Music".
    • moonriders' 1996 track ニットキャップマン [Knit-cap Man].
    • Chu Kosaka's 1975 track 流星都市 [Ryusei Toshi (shooting-star city)] from "ほうろう" [Horo (wanderings)].
  • In "Baby Peenats Meeting, vol.2" of 2004, Aiko covered:
    • The Beatles' 1968 track Julia from "The White Album".
    • KAN's 1996 track 今度君に会ったら [Kondo Kimi ni Attara; if I see you next time] from "MAN". She also had covered this song, accompanied by KAN himself on piano on Free Beat on FNN in 1999. In December, 2004, Aiko and KAN sang Aiko's Kabutomushi (1999) together in "Act against AIDS Live" in Osaka.

[edit] Other media appearances

[edit] TV programmes[3]

  • "Love Love あいしてる" [Love Love aishiteru; Love, Love, I love you; (1996 – 2001)] was a CX's variety show hosted by KinKi Kids, Takuro Yoshida and Tomoe Shinohara. March 2001
    • Sugar Babe (1975; 1999), 今日はなんだか [kyo wa nandaka; I don't know why, but today …] in "Songs", re-recorded edition, Warner Music Japan. Covered by Aiko
    • Aiko's Hatsukoi (2001). Sung with KinKi Kids
  • "SMAP × SMAP" (1996 –) is a CX's variety show hosted by SMAP. Aiko has made a guest appearance twice. Both of them sing their own songs together in a show. SMAP unofficially asked Aiko to make an original song in the first appearance (2002).
    • September 2002
      • Aiko's Anata to Akushu (2002)
      • Aiko's Hanabi (1999)
      • SMAP (1997), セロリ [celery], Victor Entertainment.
    • March 2005
      • Aiko's Boyfriend (2000)
      • SMAP (1993), 君は君だよ [kimi wa kimi dayo; you're only one], Victor Entertainment.
      • Aiko's Mikuni Eki (2005)
  • "松任谷由実のオールナイトニッポンTV" [ Matsutoya Yumi no @llnightnippon TV] (2005) was a special TV programme on Christmas.
    • Yumi Arai (1973), ひこうき雲 [hikoki-gumo; contrail], Alfa Records. Sung with Yumi Matsutoya.
  • Aiko appeared in Glico's TV commercial for "カフェオーレ" [café au lait] (2003). The music used on the advertisement is Aiko's Andromeda (2003). Also, her song Kiss-suru mae ni (2006) was used on a 2006 NTT DoCoMo commercial[2].

[edit] Radio programmes

Aiko has presented several regular radio programmes, including local radio programmes in the Kansai area before she achieved widespread fame in July 1998.

  • COUNT DOWN KANSAI TOP40 (fm osaka, April 1996 – December 2001)
  • Poppun Kingdom (MBS, April 1997 – ?)
  • Young Town MUSIC MAX (MBS, October 1997 – September 1999)
  • Baby Peanuts (fm osaka, October 1998 – ?)
  • Aiko's @llnightnippon.com (NBS, November 1999 – March 2003), containing the popular musical feature Sing! Aiko.

[edit] Books

  • "Aiko Bon" (2005) was the first official book about Aiko. The book contains her autobiography (in an interview style), photos, feature articles from monthly magazine GbMusicnet and liner notes by herself[4].

[edit] Awards

Year Type Title
1996 Music Quest Japan Final Excellence Prize – Himawari ni Nattara
2000 Teen's Music Festival Final Teen's Grand Prize – Aitsu wo Furimukaseru Hoho
Saku ya Kono Hana Award, Music (Osaka city) * This award is given to a person or an organisation who contributes to a promotion of Osaka culture.
2002 Metropolitan Action on Smoking or Health Stop-smoking Grand Prize
The Japan Gold Disc Award Rock Album of the Year – Natsufuku
2004 The Japan Gold Disc Award Rock & Pop Album of the Year – Akatsuki no Love Letter

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b '05好きなアーティストランキング -ORICON STYLE ミュージック
  2. ^ SANSPO.COM (17th July, 2004), Aiko、大感激！ドリカム吉田と一夜限りのデュオ結成, the Sankei Shimbun.
  3. ^ スマスマ・レポ　2002-09-02
  4. ^ ISBN 4-7897-2496-4

[edit] External links