Toshinobu Kubota
| Toshinobu Kubota | |
|---|---|
 Toshi Kubota performing during his Timeless Fly Tour, 2010. |
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Toshinobu Kubota |
| Born | July 24, 1962 |
| Origin | Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan |
| Genres | R&B, pop, soul, dance |
| Occupations | Singer-songwriter, music producer, record producer |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, keyboard |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels | Mastersix Foundation, Sony |
| Associated acts | Angie Stone, Caron Wheeler, Mos Def, SunMin, Naomi Campbell |
| Website | Toshinobu Kubota |
Toshinobu "Toshi" Kubota (久保田 利伸 Kubota Toshinobu, born 24 July 1962) is a Japanese R&B/pop singer[1][2] who is originally from Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. He is a part of Sony Music Japan. His music styles have varied over the years, from pop-oriented sounds through to reggae and soul.
Kubota has released a total of fourthteen Japanese albums, three English albums, and five compilation albums since his debut.
Kubota made his Japanese debut in 1986 with the album Shake It Paradise. His popularity peaked with his award-winning 1990 release Bonga Wanga. Kubota's albums have consistently sold over a million copies each in Japan. His biggest hit single came in 1996 in a duet with Naomi Campbell entitled "La La La Love song". The single was used as a theme song of a television drama Long Vacation and sold two million copies in Japan.
Kubota made his English debut in 1995 with the album Sunshine, Moonlight, and followed up with 2000's Nothing But Your Love. In August 2011, Kubota released his seventeenth album "Gold Skool". He has over ten million records worldwide to date.[3]
[edit] Musical career
[edit] 1981-1982: Beginnings
Kubota got his start in 1981 when he met Haneda Ichiro at Komazawa University where they started the band HOTTENTOTS. Then a year later, he entered the contest EASTWEST'82 and won the Best Vocalist award. By winning the contest, Kubota earned a record deal for his band to release their own music. He also started to appear as a guest vocalist for various albums for artists like Matsuoka Naoya. By the mid-80s, Kubota began to compose for various artists like Iwasaki Hiromi, Koizumi Kyoko, and Tahara Toshihiko.
[edit] 1986-1987: Shake it Paradise and Groovin'
In June 1986, he finally debuted as a singer with the single "Shitsui no Downtown". In September 1986, Kubota released his first album "Shake It Paradise". It wasn't until the release of the fourth single "Cry On Your Smile", which cracked the top ten on the Oricon charts, that the album received a buzz.
In 1987, Kubota released his sophomore album "Groovin'".
[edit] 1988-1989: Such A Funky Thang! and The Baddest
In 1988, Kubota released his third album "Such A Funky Thang!". The album spawned the singles "Dance If You Want It", "Indigo Waltz", and "High Roller". In 1988, he released his video albums "Super Duper Vol. 1" and "Keep On Dancing". Before the decade was over, he would release his first greatest hits album, entitled "The Baddest", which sold over a million copies.
[edit] 1990-1993: Various albums and career breakthrough
In 1993, Kubota went to New York to work on his music. Two years later, he debuted in America under the name Toshi Kubota. In June 1990, Kubota released the single "Give You My Love". In July 1990, he released his fourth studio album "Bonga Wonga". In October 1990, he released the single "Be Wanabee". In December 1990, he released the single "Our Song".
In September 1991, he released fifth album "Kubojah: Parallel World I". The album spawned the singles "Forever Yours", "Honey B", "Keep On Jammin'", and "Amaoto".
In July 1992, he released his sixth album "Neptune". The album featured the singles "Yume with You" and "Futari no Oruke Star".
[edit] 1995-1998: Various albums and transition to American music
In January 1995, Kobuta released his seventh album "Bumpin' Voyage". The album spawned the singles "A Night in Afro Blue", "Za-Ku-Za-Ku Digame", "SUNshine, MOONlight", and "Niji no Grand Slam". In September, Kobuta released his eighth album "Sunshine, Moonlight", which is his first English album. The album's lead single "Funk It Up" was well received in the United States. The follow-up single "Just the Two of Us", a duet with Caron Wheeler, was also well received.
In May 1996, he released the single "La.La.La Love Song", a duet with model Naomi Campbell, which became his best selling single which sold over a million copies. In October 1996, he released the second single "Body-Cation" from his upcoming album. In December 1996, he released ninth album "La.La.La Love Thang". Kubota also went on tour and released his concert DVD "Toshinobu Kubota Concert Tour 96: Oyeees!" in March 1997. In February 1997, Kubota released a single "Cymbals". In the following year, he released another single "Ahhhhh!".
[edit] 1999-2000: Return to the music industry, As One and Nothing But Your Love
In July 1999, Kubota returned the music industry and released two singles "Soul Bangin'" and "The Sound of Carnival". On June 21, 2000, Kubota released lead titled single "Nothing But Your Love". On June 28, 2000, he released his tenth album "Nothing But Your Love", which is his second English album. Later that year, Kubota released the second single "Masquerade".
In September 2000, he released his eleventh album "As One". In November 2000, he released the second single "Always Remain" to his album "As One".
[edit] 2001-2003: United Flow
In November 2001, Kubota released the lead single "Candy Rain" from his upcoming album. In February 2002, Kubota released the second single "Respect (This & That)". In April 2002, Kubota released his album "United Flow". In July 2002, he released his third compilation album "The Baddest: Only for Lovers in the Mood?". In December 2002, he released his fourth compilation album "The Baddest III".
In May 2003, he released his video album "Super Duper Vol. 7 The Baddest III on FILMs". On December 10, 2003, Kubota released his Christmas maxi-single "Our Christmas". The single also contained songs "La vie son Musique", "Funky Dogs", and a karaoke version of "Our Christmas".
[edit]
In September 2004, Kubota released his thirteenth album "Time To Share". The album was Kubota's third and final English album. The album featured the singles "Breaking Through", "Living for Today", and "Shadows of Your Love". In the same year, Kubota appeared on the American television show Soul Train, becoming one of the few Japanese singers to appear on the show.
In April 2005, Kubota released a single "A Love Story". In August 2005, he released another single "Club Happiness". In March 2006, he released his fourthteenth album "For Real?". In July 2006, he released a duet single with SunMin called "Keep Holding U". In 2007, he released single "Magic". In 2008, he released another single "Flying Easy Loving Crazy", which featured singer Misia.
[edit] 2010: Second return to the music industy and Timeless Fly
In January 2010, Kubota released the lead singles "Tomorrow Waltz" and "Star Light" from his upcoming album "Timeless Fly". In February 2010, he released his fifthteenth album "Timeless Fly" and began his "Timeless Fly Tour".
In June 2010, he released the single "Love & Rain". In November 2010, he released his sixthteenth studio album "Love & Rain ~ Love Songs".
[edit] 2011: Gold Skool and present
In July 2011, Kubota released his single "Missing You". In August 2011, Kubota released his seventeenth album, Gold Skool and began his tour. In September 2011, he released the second single "Naegareboshi to Koi No Ame" from the album.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Tours
- 1988: Keep On Dancing Tour
- 1991: Bonga Wonga Tour
- 1996: Toshinobu Kubota Concert Tour 1996: Oyeees!
- 2001: Toshi Kubota Tour 2001
- 2005: We For Real? Tour
- 2010: Timeless Fly Tour
- 2011: Gold Skool Tour
- 2012: 25th Anniversary Toshinobu Kubota Concert Tour 2012: Party Ain't No Party
[edit] References
- ^ Lee, Chris (25 July 2010). "America, meet Yoshiki". WPMT. http://www.fox43.com/entertainment/la-ca-yoshiki-20100725,0,544894.story. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
- ^ "久保田利伸がユーミン、陽水をカバー" (in Japanese). Natalie. 25 October 2010. http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/entertainment/news/20101026-OHT1T00016.htm. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
- ^ http://cooljapanmusic.com/toshi-kubota-bio/
