Yuna Ito: Difference between revisions
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'''Yuna Ito''' born [[September 20]], [[1983]], in [[Los Angeles]] |
'''Yuna Ito''' born [[September 20]], [[1983]], in [[Los Angeles]] is an American singer active in Japan who is of ethnic Japanese and Korean ancestry. She is a [[native-born citizen]] of the [[United States]] and was brought up in [[Hawai'i]]. Her music is mostly sung in both [[Japanese language|Japanese]] and [[English language|English]]. |
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She rose to fame in the movie adaptation of the manga ''[[Nana (manga)|Nana]]'', playing Reira, and singing its primary theme song ''[[Endless Story]]''. She is nicknamed ''Yuna-chan'' by most of her fans. |
She rose to fame in the movie adaptation of the manga ''[[Nana (manga)|Nana]]'', playing Reira, and singing its primary theme song ''[[Endless Story]]''. She is nicknamed ''Yuna-chan'' by most of her fans. |
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Revision as of 11:52, 25 November 2007
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Yuna Ito |
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Yuna Ito born September 20, 1983, in Los Angeles is an American singer active in Japan who is of ethnic Japanese and Korean ancestry. She is a native-born citizen of the United States and was brought up in Hawai'i. Her music is mostly sung in both Japanese and English.
She rose to fame in the movie adaptation of the manga Nana, playing Reira, and singing its primary theme song Endless Story. She is nicknamed Yuna-chan by most of her fans.
Biography
Early life
Yuna Ito was born to a Japanese father and a Korean American mother in Los Angeles, California. Three months later, she and her family moved to Hawai'i, United States, where she remained until the start of her singing career in Japan. She has one sibling, a younger brother named Johnny. She graduated from McKinley High School in 2001. When Ito was little, she used to sing to songs of both Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson and dreamt of becoming a singer.
2005
In early 2005, Ito auditioned for the role of charismatic vocalist Reira from TRAPNEST and eventually was chosen for the role. She debuted under the billing of "REIRA starring YUNA ITO" with her song "Endless Story", which landed on number 2 of Oricon's single ranking. As the singer and the actress picked to play Reira Serizawa from the popular manga, NANA, Ito's identity was kept a secret until the movie's release.
When Nana the movie was finally released in Japan, movie-goers were drawn to the "wonderful, high-pitched", voice of Ito and the movie song "Endless Story" ended its first day of sales on number 2 of Japan's Oricon charts. Ito was featured on magazine covers, posters and eventually had her first TV appearance on Fuji TV's Music Station, performing "Endless Story".
2006
It was only in 2006 that her 2nd single, Faith / Pureyes, was put on the market, with "Faith" being the ending theme to the drama, Unfair, and "Pureyes" being a song for the Bioclen Zero commercial. This single sold about 50,000 copies which was a disappointment considering "Endless Story" had outsold Mika Nakashima's "Glamorous Sky" with over 450,000 copies.
Yuna's third single was perhaps the biggest hit after the NANA-era. Precious was announced as the theme song for the 2006 movie, "LIMIT OF LOVE ~Umizaru~". The single included two b-sides, "I'm Free" and "Secrets", both co-written by Ito herself. Precious sold over 200,000 copies and was the 5th highest downloaded song at the end of year 2006 in Japan.
Sony later announced a 2-month Single Project. She covered "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'", for the Daihatsu "COO" commercial, featured on her 4th single "Stuck on You". She also took charge of the Japanese ending theme song for TV show Lost with her 5th single losin'.
On August 4, Toho announced the role of Reira Serizawa in the sequel to NANA, NANA 2 was still to be played by Ito. A 2nd single for REIRA starring YUNA ITO was scheduled for December 6, with NANA 2 opening on December 9. Truth was released as Ito's last single in 2006 and 6th in total. Previews for the song were put on the net on November 8, 3 weeks after it first aired on the radio.
In December, Ito was shooting NANA2 and promoted the film alongside her co-stars . Toho stated that this time, the role of REIRA would have a more relevant part, however, Ito again only had few appearances.
2007
Sony Music released Yuna's first album, HEART, a CD+DVD compilation, on January 24 2007. The album debuted at the #1 spot on the Oricon Daily Album chart, after which the album also grabbed #1 on the Oricon Weekly Album chart and United World Weekly Album Chart. The official early sales for HEART were 224,000 copies sold, leaving a gap of 116,000 copies between the first and second place. HEART was considered a great success as it managed to stay on the ORICON Weekly charts in the top 3 for 4 consecutive weeks.
Ito's 7th single, I'm Here was released on March 14, 2007. It was used as theme song to "UNFAIR -the movie-" and was coupled with an insert-song "Reason Why." The single had moderate success, not entering the Top 10 at all.
Her 8th single, featuring Micro from the jawaiian band, Def Tech, titled Mahaloha, was released on June 27, 2007. This was also Ito's first Top 5 single since the release of Precious in May of 2006. Ito was also featured on a Celine Dion tribute album, released in September, on which she sang a rendition of the all famous My Heart Will Go On and also appeared on Micro's debut album Laid Back.
While Ito performed in 5 venues for her "YUNA ITO 1st Live Tour ~HEART~" Tour in spring, her latest single is entitled Urban Mermaid, set for a late October release, and being featured in the new LUX Hair Care CM around Japan.
Trivia
 | This article contains a list of miscellaneous information. (July 2007) |
- Her test scores were always great, which was why her mother never was too fond of her daughter becoming a singer.
- Her parents own several restaurants, the current is in Honolulu, Hawai'i- "Aki-no-No".
- She is friends with Hawaiian J-pop singer melody., Angela Aki, Sowelu, Mika Nakashima, Crystal Kay, and AI
- Angela Aki and Ito attended the same Japanese language school.
- J-pop singer Mika Nakashima who starred as Nana Osaki wrote a message to Ito at her very first MUSIC STATION and television performance, wishing her good luck for the performance and that she herself was sitting in front of the TV to follow her. In the Nana storyline, however, Nana was never too fond of Reira.
Discography
Filmography
- NANA -the movie- - as REIRA (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira) (2005)
- NANA II - as REIRA (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira) (2006)
Awards
- Best New Artist (Best Hit Kayōsai 2005, 21.11.2005)
- Best New Artist (Japan Cable Awards 2005, 17.12.2005)
- Special Award for NANA (47th Japan Record Awards, 31.12.2005)
- Best New Artist (JAPAN GOLD DISC AWARDS 2006, 9.3.2006)
- Gold Artist Award (Best Hit Kayōsai 2006, 20.11.2006)
- Audience Request Award (39th Yūsen Taishō, 16.12.2006)
- Best Asia from Japan (MTV Video Music Awards Japan, 25.05.2007)
Radio program
From October 4, 2005 until March 28, 2006, Yuna was moderator of her own radio show, Journey, that aired on Tokyo's InterFM radio station. It was called off because Ito was too busy promoting her songs with television performances and interviews therefore, didn't have enough time to record and moderate the show. In an interview she stated that it was "a weird feeling leaving the radio staff" and that "she would love to have a radio show someday again" hence she "loves to connect with her fans". In 2007, Ito will once again host a radio show entitled HEART to HEART that will be broadcasted by JFN.