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Yumi Matsutoya

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Yumi Matsutoya

Yumi Matsutōya (松任谷由実, Matsutouya Yumi), nicknamed "Yuming", also known as maiden name Yumi Arai (荒井由実, Arai Yumi) (January 19, 1954 - ) is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She used to be a top-selling solo music artist in Japan.

From 1972 through 1976, she worked as her birthname "Yumi Arai", and made strong impact on Japanese popular music scene. In those years, she wrote some unforgettable classics such as "Yasashisa ni Tsutsumaretanara" (1974) "Rouge no Dengon" (1976), and her first big-hit "Ano Hi ni Kaeritai" (1976).

After the marriage with her producer Masataka Matsutoya, she changed her own artist name to "Yumi Matsutoya". In 1980s and 1990s, she released many hit songs such as "Mamotte Agetai"(1981) "Anniversary" (1989) "Manatsu no Yo no Yume"(1993) and "Hello, My Friend" "Haru yo, Koi" (1994). From 1988 through 1995, she released eight studio albums and all of them sold over million copies. Particularly, The Gates of Heaven(1990) became the first double million-selling album in Japan.

Yumi Matsutoya was one of the most successful and influential Japanese singer-songwriter in 20th century music industry. She has kept on working as an artist up until now. Almost half of her album reached number one at Oricon, and all her albums reached top 10 since her first album Hikōki-gumo(1973). She has sold over 37,800,000 copies of albums and singles, and also has 12 million-selling records. According to the data by RIAJ, now she is the sixth best-selling music artist in Japan.

Biography

Early years

In 1954, Yumi Arai was born in Hachioji, Tokyo. She had three brothers and sisters, and her family had run draper's shop which called "Arai Gofukuten" established in 1912. When she was Junior high school student, she used to go to Itarian restaurent in which called "Chianti". In those days, many celebrities had gone to this reastaurant; Akira Kurosawa, Yukio Mishima, Robert Capa, Kobo Abe, Seiji Ozawa, Ryu Murakami, Taro Okamoto, Kishin Shinoyama and her first record producer Hiroshi "Monsieur" Kamayatsu. Alfa Records; the label which she belonged to in early career was founded by the people who came to "Chanti".

Her nickname "Yuming" was named by her Chinese lover. She began her music career when she was still young. At the age of 14, she experienced work of musician for the first time. Having worked as a studio musician, she also wrote many stocks of original songs. When she was 17 years old, her first original song titled "Ai wa Totsuzen ni" was released. It was sung by Katsumi Kato, the former guitarist of 1960s Japanese influential band The Tigers.

In April of 1972, Arai entered in Tama Art University. At the same time, she signed to Alfa as an music artist. At first, she wanted to be a songwriter. However, the founder of this record company Kunihiko Murai encouraged her to work as singer-songwriter.

Music career

Early career; works as Yumi Arai

On July 5 1972, Arai released her debut single Henji wa Iranai. It was produced by Hiroshi "Monsieur" Kamayatsu, the former vocalist of The Spiders. Her first single sold only 300 copies, but her backgrounds was on hold.

She recorded her first album Hiko-ki Gumo with the band which consists of four big name musicians "Caramel Mama", better known as "Tin-Pan-Alley". It was released in November of 1973. Since her next album Misslim (1974), Masataka Matsutoya who was the keyboardist of Tin-Pan-Alley arranged all her songs. Her third studio album Cobalt Hour(1975) featured her early famous song "Sotsugyō Shashin". In same year, it was covered by chorus group Hi-fi Set on their self-titled album. That cover version also succeeded as the single. In later years, it was covered by many Japanese artists and became one of Japanese classical pops. In same year, the duo composed of male singers called Banban sung her song "Ichigo Hakusho o Mou Ichido" and reached number one at Oricon. Because of these industrial success by other artists making her famous as a songwriter.

The Fourtieth Moon (1976), her final album as "Yumi Arai" had featured Leland Sklar on bass and Mike Baird on Drums. Following the success of "Ano Hi ni Kaeritai", it became first album that reached number one at Oricon chart. Since this album, Masataka Matsutoya has produced all her albums up until now. She considered that her nickname "Yuming" also means name of the unit with her husband.

In 1989, her fifth single "Rouge no Dengon" and "Yasashisa ni Tsutsumaretanara" (it was taken from her second album) were featured as the theme song of film Kiki's Delivery Service. Nowadays, those tunes are known as her early notable songs. Her some songs has deeply influenced from many American and Europe musicians, such as Joni Mitchell and Carole King. As the pioneer of singer-songwriter who mixed Western culture and Japanese pop, she made a strong impression to Japanese popular music. Today, many music critics in Japan consider that works as Yumi Arai were her peak as a musician.

Works as Yumi Matsutoya

After the marriage with Masataka Matsutoya, she had considered retirement. But eventually she decided to continue work as a musician, and changed stage name to new family name Yumi Matsutoya. In 1978, her memorable first album as Yumi Matsutoya which titled Benisuzume was released. However, it and several later albums had not succeeded than when she was single. But she has written several her well-known songs in those years. Moreover, her albums had reached top 10 at Oricon chart absolutely.

Her tenth album Surf and Snow (1980) changed negative tide for her. When the album was released, it had not sold as ever. However, in 1986, one of the contents "Koibito ga Santa Claus" became popular as the theme song of the hit movie Watashi o Ski ni Tsuretette. Because of this strong tieup, the album eventually sold over 400,000 copies after several years. In next year, she returned the top of the Japanese pop music. Her husband wrote score for the movie Nerawareta Gakuen, which was directed by Nobuhiko Obayashi and distributed by Kadokawa Pictures. She wrote "Mamotte Agetai" as theme song for the movie. The single of this song reached number two at Oricon and sold nearly 700,000 copies.

File:NoSidecover.png
The trademark of "Yuming" designed by Hipgnosis

Following the success of the single, her eleventh album Sakuban Oaishimasho (1981) became her second number one album. From that year through 1997, 17 studio albums which she released were absolutely reached number one at the chart.

She had contemplation about artwork on her own albums. Covers of Sakuban Oaishimasho and 1984 album No Side were designed by Hipgnosis. In particular, cover of the latter album also became trademark logo of "Yuming". Since 1970s, she was also famous as an artist who performed concert in gorgeous and novel set. She has ever released two live albums and several videos. In 1985, she released first live album Yuming Visualive DA-DI-DA. It was released on CD and casette tape only, and it become one of her most rare items among her fans for many years.

Industrial peak and decline

Her late 1980s and early 1990s albums had consisted of mechanical sound which featured synclavier. In addition, they were recorded by a lot of famous West Coast musicians. However, Masataka Matsutoya, her record producer and husband regrets cheap rhythm section on those albums in later years. Before the Diamond Dust Fades.... (1987) was sold more than any of her albums at that time. In late 1980s, her record sales were getting more increased. Delight Slight Light KISS (1988) became the first million-selling record for her at that time. From this album to 1995 album Kathmandu, she released eight studio albums and all of them sold over million copies. Above all, two of those albums The Gates of Heaven(1990) and The Dancing Sun(1994) sold over double-million copies. The former is the first double million-selling album in Japan. The Gates of Heaven and several her albums in those days had reflected Japanese optimistic atmosphere caused by economic bubble around the latter 1980s and early 1990s. Before the Diamonds Dust Fades... and The Gates of Heaven won a Japanese gold disc grand prix.

In August of 1996; about twenty years after the marriage, Yumi Matsutoya came back as "Yumi Arai" and performed only 3 days at Nakano Sunplaza, Tokyo. Excerpt of that live recordings were released on video and CD. A month before live performances, new recording version of her early standard song "Machibuse" (it had not sung by herself) was released as the single. Until 1995, she had released studio albums every year. But her popularity was getting declined around 1996. After the twentie-nineth her studio album The Waves of Zuvuya (1997), her record sales has became smaller and smaller.

As "Yumi Matsutoya", she had not released any compilation albums. She didn't want to release compilation album formerly. However, in 1998, she released double album compilation Neue Musik: Yumi Matsutoya Complete Best Vol. 1. It has included 28 songs and 2 new songs which recorded with the former members of Tin-Pan-Alley. In addition, several songs of this album were selected from vote by her fans. At the stage now, it is her biggest selling and final million-selling albums.


Production works

Songwriter

As a songwriter and lyricist, Yumi Matsutoya wrote hundreds of songs for Hi-Fi Set, Asami Kobayashi, Kenji Sawada, Hiromi Go, Toshihiko Tahara, Reimy and many other artists. Some of them became big hits, such as "Ichigo Hakusho o Mou Ichido"(Performed by Banban, 1975) "Machibuse" (Performed by Seiko Miki, Hitomi Ishikawa, originally released in 1975). Most of their hit tunes were sung by an idol singer Seiko Matsuda. Several songs sung by Matsuda had reached number one at Oricon singles chart; such as "Akai Sweet Pea""Nagisa no Balcony"(1982) and "Hitomi wa Diamond"(1986) . These singles are known as notable Matsuda's song. Matsutoya has ever collaborated with many songwriters and lyricists; Yosui Inoue, Takashi Matsumoto, Koki Mitani, Kunihiko Kase, Shizuka Ijuin and many others. When Matsutoya wrote song for other singers, she often used pseudonyms Karuho Kureta (呉田軽穂, Kureta Karuho). It was parody from name of Greta Garbo, who was a Swedish legendary actress.

Collaboration with other artists

In her career over 30 years, she has often collaborated with a lot of other artists. In 1985, she released the single with Kazumasa Oda and Kazuo Zaitsu. This song titled "Imadakara" reached number one at Oricon weekly singles chart.

Album discography

Studio albums

Released as Yumi Arai

Released as Yumi Matsutoya

  • Benisuzume (紅雀) (1978)
  • Ryūsenkei '80 (流線形'80) (1978)
  • Olive (1979)
  • Kanashii Hodo Otenki (Gallery in My Heart) (悲しいほどお天気) (1979)
  • Toki no Nai Hotel (時のないホテル) (1980)
  • Surf and Snow Volume One (1980)
  • Mizu no Naka no Asia e (水の中のASIAへ) (1981, EP)
  • Sakuban Oaisimashō (昨晩お会いしましょう) (1981)
  • Pearl Pierce (1982)
  • Reincernation (1983)
  • Voyager (1983)
  • No Side (1984)
  • DA-DI-DA (1985)
  • ALARM à la mode (1986)
  • Diamond Dust ga Kienumani (Before the DIAMOND DUST fades...) (ダイアモンドダストが消えぬまに) (1987)
  • Delight Slight Light KISS (1988)
  • Love Wars (1989)
  • Tengoku no Door (The Gates of Heaven) (天国のドア)(1990)
  • Dawn Purple (1991)
  • Tears and Reasons (1992)
  • U-miz (1993)
  • The Dancing Sun (1994)
  • Kathmandu (1995)
  • Cowgirl Dreamin' (1997)
  • Zuvuya no Nami (The Wave of Zuvuya) (スユアの波)(1997)
  • Frozen Roses (1999)
  • acacia (2001)
  • Wings of Winter, Shades of Summer (2002)
  • Yuming Compositions:FACES (2003)
  • VIVA! 6×7 (2004)
  • A Girl in Summer (2006)

Live albums

  • Yuming Visualive DA-DI-DA (1986)
  • Yumi Arai the Concert with Old Friends (1996)

Compilation albums

Released as Yumi Arai

  • Yuming Brand (1976)
  • Yuming Brand Part-two (1979)
  • Yuming Brand Part-three (1981)
  • Yuming Singles 1972-1976 (1987)
  • Yuming History (1987)
  • Ketteiban: Yumi Arai Best Selection (決定盤～荒井由実 ベストセレクション)(1990)
  • Yuming Collection (1992)
  • Twins: Super Best of Yumi Arai (1996)
  • Yumi Arai 1972-1976 (Studio Albums box-set Compilation, 2004)

Released as Yumi Matsutoya

  • Album (1977)
  • Neue Musik:Yumi Matsutoya Complete Best Volume One (1998)
  • Yumi Matsutoya 1978-1989 (Studio Albums box-set Compilation, 1999)
  • Sweet, Bitter Sweet:Yuming Ballad Best (2001)

Reference


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