Naoto Inti Raymi

Naoto Inti Raymi
Birth name Naoto Nakamura (中村 直人)
Born 15 August 1979
Origin Mie Prefecture
Genres J-Pop, funk, latin
Occupation(s) Singer-songwriter, novelist, radio DJ, amateur soccer player
Years active 1998–present
Labels Sony
(2001-2002)
Rubicon River Entertainment
(2005-2006)
Universal Music Japan (2010-present)
Associated acts Mr. Children
Website nananaoto.com

Naoto Nakamura (中村 直人 Nakamura Naoto), better known by his stage name Naoto Inti Raymi (ナオト・インティライミ Naoto Intiraimi), is a Japanese singer-songwriter. He initially debuted with Sony in 2001 under the stage name Naoto (なおと), however rose to fame in 2010. He is also known for being a radio personality on bayfm in 2005, and for his travel diary Sekai yo Odore, published in 2006.

"Inti Raymi" is Quechuan (Incan language) for "festival of the sun."[1]

Biography

Naoto Inti Raymi was born in Mie Prefecture in 1979, however grew up in Noda, Chiba. He began writing songs in his second year of junior high school,[2] while playing soccer in a junior youth team for Kashiwa Reysol.[2] In high school, Nakamura started producing demo tapes of his songs, and performed street lives in Kashiwa City. In 1998, he formed a band called Freeman. The group managed to sell 1,800 copies of their demo material around the Kashiwa area,[3] however in 1999 he started solo activities (including a performance at the Apollo Theater in New York).[3]

In 2000, Nakamura signed a contract with major label Sony, and debuted in the following year.[3] During this time, he took extended trips alone to countries such as Brazil, Kenya and Thailand.[3] After two singles, he debuted with the album Funk Renaissance in 2002. Following up this album, he released a cover of Kazuhiko Kato's "Ano Subarashii Ai o Mō Ichido" on a compilation album called What's Cover?, and released it as a single two months later.[3] None of Nakamura's Sony releases charted on Oricon's charts.[4]

From August 2003 until the end of 2004, Nakamura travelled overseas to 28 different countries, spending much of his time in South America.[5] The journal entries for this trip would later be published in 2006.

In late 2005 and early 2006, Nakamura released two independent singles, using his stage name Naoto Inti Raymi for the first time. The first was only sold at Shinseido.[6] In 2005, Nakamura became a radio personality for Chiba-based "bayfm", and during his time there, released the single "Sakura Komachi." The song topped the request charts at bayfm.[2]

2009 saw a return to music for Nakamura. He released an EP, Ultra C, which became his first charting release (at #85).[7] He performed at many summer festivals, and joined Mr. Children on their 2009 dome tour as a support member (adding with guitar and background vocals).[1] This led to his second major label debut (this time under Universal Music Japan) with the single "Carnival?" in 2010. His second single, "Takaramono (Kono Koe ga Naku Naru Made)," debuted at #5 on RIAJ's Full-length cellphone download chart.[8]

In 2015, he collaborated with the idol group LinQ to become total producer of their single "Hare Hare Parade". This was the second in a series of LinQ singles created in collaboration with various third-party producers.

Discography

Albums

Year Album Information Oricon
Albums
Charts
[4][7]
Reported
sales
[9]
2002 Funk Renaissance
  • As Naoto
  • Released: June 19, 2002
  • Label: Sony Music Japan (SRCL-5367)
  • Formats: CD
2010 Shall We Travel??
  • Released: July 7, 2010
  • Label: Universal Music Japan (UMCK-1360)
  • Formats: CD, digital download
16 28,000
2011 Adventure
  • Released: May 11, 2011
  • Label: Universal Music Japan
  • Formats: CD, digital download
3 78,000

Extended plays

Year Album Information Oricon
Albums
Charts
[7]
Reported
sales
[9]
2009 Ultra C (ウルトラC Urutora Shī)
  • Released: May 13, 2009
  • Independently released at Tower Records (INTI-00002)
  • Re-released under Universal (POCS-22006) on July 7, 2010
  • Formats: CD, digital download
85 1,800

Singles

Release Title Notes Chart positions Oricon
sales
[9]
Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[4][7]
Billboard Japan Hot 100*
[10]
RIAJ digital tracks*
[11]
2001 "Growing Up!!" As Naoto Funk Renaissance
2002 "High"
"Ano Subarashii Ai o Mō Ichido" (あの素晴らしい愛をもう一度, "That Wonderful Love Once More") As Naoto, Kazuhiko Kato/Osamu Kitayama cover What's Cover? (compilation album)
2005 "Itareri Tsukuseri" (イタレリ ツクセリ, "Very Polite") Independent, released only at Shinseido
2006 "Sakura Komachi" (桜小町, "Little Cherry Blossom Town") Independent
2010 "Carnival?" (カーニバる?, "Carnivalling?") 34 23 3,800 Shall We Travel??
"Takaramono (Kono Koe ga Naku Naru Made)" (タカラモノ~この声がなくなるまで~, "Precious Thing (Until This Voice Fades)") Certified platinum for full-length cellphone downloads, gold for PC downloads[12][13] 15 3 5 16,000
"Aritakke no Love Song" (ありったけのLove Song, "Song with All My Love") Certified gold for full-length cellphone downloads[14] 23 6 8 5,000 Adventure
"Adventure" Digital single 66
2011 "Ima no Kimi o Wasurenai" (今のキミを忘れない, "Won't Forget You in this Moment") Certified platinum for full-length cellphone downloads, gold for PC downloads[15] 26 5 1 11,000
"Brave" 13 2 5 6,700
"Hello" TBA 34 13 TBA TBA
*Japan Hot 100 established February 2008, RIAJ Digital Track Chart established April 2009

Other charted songs

Release Title Chart positions Album
Billboard Japan Hot 100
[10]
RIAJ digital tracks
[11]
2009 "Yume Hanabi" (夢花火, "Dream Fireworks") 28 Ultra C
2010 "Kimi Life" (キミライフ, "Your Life") 61 28 Shall We Travel??

Other appearances

Release Artist Title Notes Album
2006 Sunplaza Nakano & Papparā Kawai "Glory of Reysol" Featured vocals "Taiyō wa Moeteiru: Kashi wa Reysol no Uta" (single)
2007 Naoto Inti Raymi "Viva! Toriko" (ビバ!トリコ) Respect to Ronaldinho (EP)

Bibliography

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "PROFILE" (in Japanese). Oorong-sha. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 アーティスト・プロフィール (in Japanese). CDJournal. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 プロフィール (in Japanese). Sony. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 "アーティスト:なおと". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  5. なおと世界一周旅日記 (2003年8月8日~2004年12月28日) (in Japanese). Oorong-sha. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  6. "NAOTO INTI RAYMI イタレリ ツクセリ" (in Japanese). Shinseido. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "アーティスト: ナオト・インティライミ". Oricon. Retrieved 2010-06-17.
  8. "RIAJ Digital Track Chart: Chart issue May 11, 2010" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved 2010-05-15.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 "オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」". Oricon. Retrieved May 17, 2011. (subscription only)
  10. 10.0 10.1 "Hot 100|JAPAN Charts|Billboard JAPAN" (in Japanese). Billboard.
  11. 11.0 11.1 有料音楽配信チャート (in Japanese). RIAJ.
  12. レコード協会調べ 8月度有料音楽配信認定 <略称:8月度認定>. RIAJ (in Japanese). September 20, 2011. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  13. レコード協会調べ 4月度有料音楽配信認定<略称:4月度認定> [Record Association report: April digital music download certifications (Abbreviation: April Certifications)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). May 20, 2011. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
  14. レコード協会調べ 2月度有料音楽配信認定 <略称:2月度認定> [Record Association report: February digital music download certifications (Abbreviation: February Certifications)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). March 25, 2011. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  15. レコード協会調べ 6月度有料音楽配信認定<略称:6月度認定> [Record Association report: June digital music download certifications (Abbreviation: June Certifications)]. RIAJ (in Japanese). July 20, 2011. Retrieved August 5, 2011.

External links