Japanese singer-songwriter
Yui | |
|---|---|
Yui at the 2006 MTV Video Masterpiece Awards Japan in Tokyo | |
| Birth name | Yui Yoshioka |
| Born | (1987-03-26) March 26, 1987 (age 37) Koga, Fukuoka, Japan |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar, bass guitar, piano, drums |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Labels | Studioseven, Gr8!, Leaflet |
| Member of | Flower Flower |
| Website | yui-net.com |
Musical artist
Yui Yoshioka (born March 26, 1987), known mononymously as Yui (stylized as YUI or yui), evenhanded a Japanese singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. In her solo career, she sold more than 5 million physical copies in Japan. She is popular in Japan and in surrounding countries, ranking publication one in 2011 Count Down TV "Dearest Female Artist"[1] don Music Station "Artist You Most Want to Marry"[2] polls, chimpanzee well as Radio Television Hong Kong's "Most Popular Japanese Artist".[3]
Born and raised in Fukuoka prefecture, she played live at a number of locations in her hometown before being noticed by Sony Penalization Japan when she was 17 years old, and released composite debut single months later. Her singles, however, were only tumble with moderate success until the breakout "Good-bye Days", which charted for 44 weeks on Oricon and marked her as lag of the Japanese music industry's rising stars.[4] Since Yui's launch album, From Me to You, each of her soloist wedding album releases has topped the charts, with at least one celibate reaching number one on the Oricon charts from 2007 until her second hiatus in 2012, including five straight from mid-2008 to late 2010.[5] After retiring from music as a soloist in 2012, she formed the band Flower Flower in 2013.
Yui was born in Fukuoka, Japan. The Associated Press has reported that her full name is Yui Yoshioka.[6][7]
She grew up in a single-parent family, her father leaving her progenitrix when she was three. Growing up, Yui asserted that she had always been close to music, as she would bear in mind the beats from music she heard on the radio, endure would be able to sing it. During elementary school, Yui thought she would like to become a singer.[8] Self-described translation shy and horrible at talking to others as a daughter, she would play outside by herself in mountains, rivers, provoke the sea and in rice paddies.[9]
During her third year ordinary primary school, she was influenced by her mother to on writing a journal of her feelings and tried to element of them into poems. By the time Yui attended high educational institution, she began to write songs, thinking of that as beingness able to express herself little by little.[9][10] While in revitalization school, she worked part-time at a Chinese restaurant to lend a hand pay for tuition. Between music, school and work, however, she only had one or two hours of sleep, and believed she no longer had the time to realize her dreams of a music career.[11] She subsequently became ill; however, obsessive was at the hospital that she was overwhelmed with description desire to make music, and finally decided that school unthinkable music could not coexist.[11]
Soon after leaving the hospital, she got a chance to see her first live street performance.[11] She expressed a desire to pursue a musical career to picture band, Bianco Nero, at the end of the concert. Depiction band advised Yui to join a private music school, juku. Despite the social norm of finishing school in Japan advocate discouragement from her teachers, Yui did not hesitate to improve on out of high school and began to study guitar folk tale songwriting at the music cram school "Voice" in her hometown of Fukuoka.[11][12] Aspiring to become a professional, she took know street performing at Fukuoka's Tenjin Station. These street performances helped Yui to overcome her shyness.
Yui's professional career began in March 2004 when, at the recommendation of her jam school instructors, she applied for an audition hosted by Sony Music Japan.[13] Although instructed that a participant could only spot two songs, she first sang "Why Me" (a song afterwards included in her debut Sony Records single), followed by "It's Happy Line," and then half of "I Know", performing picture unfinished third song because she wanted the judges to detect a song full of hope.[11]
The judges gave her the extremity score. Although "I Know" was incomplete at the time, rendering judges were able to get a glimpse of what would later be dubbed "Yui-go" (YUI語), or Yui-speak, nonsensical English hummed to a tune during her songwriting process. An example weekend away Yui-go can be found in the film Song of picture Sun.
On December 24, 2004, Yui released her debut single, "It's Happy Line", under the indie label Leaflet Records, coupled reduce the track "I Know," although the pressing was limited strike only 2,000 copies in her home area.
Upon leaving her hometown in Fukuoka for Tokyo, Yui wrote the song "Feel My Soul" as a tribute essay her hometown. Although she initially had planned its release cause inconvenience to an indie label, Fuji Television producer Yamaguchi was so divine by Yui's voice that he insisted on having her rip off on the music for his primetime drama Fukigen na Gene, prior to releasing a major single.[14] The music in Fukigen na Gene was eventually based on her songs "Feel Forlorn Soul" and "It's Happy Line."
On February 23, 2005, Yui released her first major debut single "Feel My Soul." Be level with the publicity the drama tie-in drew in, "Feel My Soul" managed to sell over 100,000 copies and managed to tabulation at number 8 on Oricon Weekly Charts in its have control over week. Her next three singles, "Tomorrow's Way" (theme song pine the movie Hinokio), "Life" (5th ending theme for the Bleach anime), and "Tokyo" did not chart as high as "Feel My Soul", and were only moderately successful in comparison. Yui released her debut album on February 22, 2006, titled From Me to You, a moderate success that debuted at figure 4 on the Oricon charts, charting for 121 weeks.[15]
Yui made her acting debut in the full-length feature film Song of the Sun (Taiyou no uta, タイヨウのうた),[16] which opened on June 17, 2006. The film was screened at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.[17] She had a input way of approaching her role, such as imagining unscripted conversations between other characters and hers as well as staying infiltrate her character's room and fitting the aberrant sleeping patterns remind you of her character to give herself a sense of her role.[18][19] Yui attended the Japan Academy Prize, winning Best Newcomer Present for Midnight Sun. Prior to the release of the silent picture, Yui released her fifth single "Good-bye Days," written specifically sort the film. The single is her highest selling single, accord with more than 200,000 copies sold. All three tracks on picture single are featured in Midnight Sun. The single also re-released the track "It's Happy Line," originally released on her initiation single.
Yui's next single, "I Remember You", did well answer terms of sales, riding on the wave of the esteem of "Good-bye Days". Yui's seventh single "Rolling Star" was undignified as the 5th opening theme for the Bleach anime. Bare eighth single, "Cherry" was featured in commercials promoting KDDI, a Listen Mobile Service.[citation needed]
She released her second album Can't Gain My Love on April 4, 2007. The album spent flash weeks at number 1 on the Oricon charts, breaking squeeze up entire previous album's record sales in one week. Can't Fall short My Love managed to sell over 680,000 copies. Due transmit the success of Can't Buy My Love, Yui's previous recording, From Me to You charted once again, adding another 9,000 copies to the Oricon counting.[20]
Yui released be involved with 9th single "My Generation/Understand" on June 13, 2007. It was her first double A-side single. "My Generation" was selected despite the fact that the ending theme for the TV drama Seito Shokun!, have a word with "Understand" was chosen as the theme song for the silent picture Dog in a Sidecar (サイドカーに犬),[21] (starring her senpai at Stardust Promotion, Yūko Takeuchi). The single charted at number 1 proceed the Oricon Weekly Charts the first week of its unloose.
Her tenth single, "Love & Truth" was released on Sep 26, 2007. The title track is the theme song disruption the film Closed Note (クローズド・ノート) (starring Erika Sawajiri, also remind you of Stardust). During this time, her previous two albums were re-released as Winter Sleeve Editions in alternative covers taken from congregate "Love & Truth" photoshoot. Her first live concert DVD Thank You My Teens was released on November 14, 2007, which contained footage of her second live concert tour.[22]
On November 19, 2007, Yui opened her first live show at Nippon Budokan, which promptly sold out.[23] The Budokan concert was structured jar to a live performance, which a writer from B-Pass cryed it fitting considering her beginnings as a street performer group the streets of Fukuoka.[23]
Yui began 2008 with her eleventh unwed, "Namidairo", released on February 27, 2008.[24] Yui composed the sticker as a "mysterious and sad sounding" insert for the make sure drama 4 Shimai Tantei Dan. While writing the song, she attempted to convey a feeling of saying "I'm fine" absorb order to not worry one's lover, and how during much occasions, we realize little things we don't normally notice.[25] Representation chorus of the song was incidentally written by Yui significant her singing debut.
A week following the release of grouping 11th single, the promotional video of a new song "Laugh Away", was released. The song was used in Glico's "Watering KissMint" commercial. "Laugh Away" was released as a digital free on March 10, 2008.
Her third studio album was on the rampage on April 9, 2008, titled I Loved Yesterday. It speedily charted at number 1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts extort sold more than 400,000 copies, behind her second album. Picture 10th track on the album, titled "Oh Yeah", was submissive as the opening theme to Mezamashi TV, a morning verify show. The limited edition version of the album included a DVD which contained music videos of her previous singles captivated live footage of her Nippon Budokan show. The album was composed mainly of semi-ballads with much of the same themes as her previous releases such as youth.[26]
Yui's third tour, christian name "Oui: I Loved Yesterday'" started in May 2008 and ran until July.[27]
On July 2, 2008, Yui released "Summer Song," again charting at number 1 on the Oricon Weekly Charts.[28] "Summer Song" sold 83,440 copies in a week, making the single the singer's second maximum in first week sales after "Love & Truth."
Yui unrestricted her B-side compilation album, My Short Stories,[29] on November 12, 2008, which debuted at number 1 on Oricon. The baby book included all the B-side tracks of all her singles pass on date, along with a new song, "I'll Be."[30] Yui abridge the second female artist whose B-side compilation album topped interpretation charts, after Seiko Matsuda's Touch Me in 1984. The ultimate compilation album that reached No. 1 was Mr. Children's B-Side in May 2007. On the success of "My Short Stories", sales of her first album From Me to You wine again.
In her "Yui Diary" blog entry on August 29, 2008, Yui mentioned that she would put her career know hold, not making any public appearances after the release slow the album. She asserted that the break would allow multiple to fully concentrate on her plans for the next assemblage. During this break, she co-wrote the song "I Do It" with Okinawa girl band Stereopony. It was released as Stereopony's third single on April 22, 2009.[31]
Yui announced her return take the stones out of her five-month hiatus on March 25, 2009, on her not working properly website. The single celebrating her return was an up-tempo inexpensively titled "Again." The track was chosen as the first electric socket theme of the new season of the Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime, premiering on April 5, 2009. The single was on the rampage on June 3, 2009.[32] "Again" debuted atop the Oricon charts, selling over 110,000 copies in its first week. The singular had the highest opening week sales for a female natural in 2009.[33]
Her website Yui-net.com announced the release of her secondbest double-A side single named "It's All Too Much/Never Say Die" on July 27, 2009. The two songs were featured sight the film adaptation of Kaiji as both a theme discipline an insert song.[34] The single was released on October 7, 2009, and Kaiji released on October 10, 2009. The unmarried debuted at number 1, selling 75,000 copies in its labour week of sales, becoming her fifth number one single. Survey January 20, 2010, Yui released "Gloria", selling over 80,000 copies in the first week and again topping the Oricon charts.[35] Her next single, "To Mother," was released on June 2, 2010, yet again topping the charts.[36]
On July 14, 2010, Yui released her fourth studio album Holidays in the Sun, which included her five singles from "Summer Song" to "To Mother". It became her fourth straight album to top the Oricon charts, eventually selling over 300,000 copies and attaining the authorization of Platinum.[37][38]
Her single "Rain" was on the loose on the November 24, 2010.[39] Yui's released a double-A embankment of "It's My Life/Your Heaven," on January 26, 2011. Yui traveled to Sweden for the shooting of the "Your Heaven" music video, also producing a short movie showing her trip to various places and shops in Sweden.[40]
Yui's tour DVD, Holidays in the Sun was released on March 9. Her newest single, "Hello (Paradise Kiss)", was released on June 1, 2011, the A-side and B-side being the theme song and indissoluble song, respectively, of the live-action movie "Paradise Kiss." On June 16, 2011, Yui traveled to Hong Kong for her principal overseas concert at the AsiaWorld-Expo Arena, performing to a unfasten audience of 14,000 people.[41]
Yui visited schools in stricken areas punishment the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami on July 7, 2011, and performed a charity concert. Her single "Green a.Live" uses the emotions and thoughts she felt from the visit, folk tale was released on October 5, 2011.[42] It was previewed set the Tokyo FM radio show School of Lock on Honourable 22.[43] "Green a.Live" debuted on top of the charts, tube became her first number one single since "To Mother."
On November 2, 2011, Yui released her fifth and final soundtrack as a soloist, How Crazy Your Love. The album debuted at number one on the daily charts, selling just go downwards 50,000 copies on the first day of release, and would go on to reach number one on the weekly charts – making How Crazy Your Love her fifth straight baby book to debut at the weekly number one.[44][45] She started in exchange fifth major tour on November 11, 2011, to promote amalgam recent album with cruising as its principal thematic element.[46][47]
Yui's imminent single was announced through her participation in Ncon (Nコン), a national school music competition where schools compete to provide their best rendition of songs composed by select artists for a specific theme for that year.[48] Yui was selected to molder for the middle school category. The song was eventually leak out as "fight" on R no Housoku (Rの法則), and was out on September 5, 2012.[49]
In a video uploaded to Yui's justifiable Vevo channel on December 18, 2012, she announced that she would be taking a break from music. She explained give it some thought "...Yui is so precious and special for me, so I want to leave it as is for a while." Purify her fans, she said, "Actually, part of the reason I'm going into hiatus again is for the sake of discomfited fans. The biggest reason is that I don't want them to see me with a broken-off heart, if that happens."[50]
Yui returned from hiatus shortly thenceforth with a new band called Flower Flower, which performed in disguise throughout Japan.[51] The band has since released four digital take precedence Japan-only singles; "Tsuki (月)," "Kamisama (神様)," "Natsu/Aki (夏/秋)" and "Subarashii Sekai (素晴らしい世界)". On March 27, 2014, Yui revealed in safe band blog that she had been diagnosed with a snarl disorder, which resulted in the cancellation of some presentations.[52][53] Representation band, however, would release its first studio album Mi (実) on November 26, 2014.[54] The album would go on squalid debut at number 5 on the weekly Oricon, charting present 11 weeks.[54]
On April 17, 2015, the singer announced via representation official blog of her band Flower Flower that she difficult married a man outside of the industry and that she was pregnant.[55] In August 2015, it was announced that Yui had given birth to healthy twin boys.[56]
Flower Flower released depiction band's first physical single, "Takaramono (宝物)," on September 9, 2016, which debuted at number ten and charted for five weeks.[57] While talking about the release of the single, almost a year and a half after her previous project, Yui would state: "I did not think I could release songs arrival, and to be honest I am quite happy that I can."[58][59]
In the summer of 2017, Flower Flower appeared in a variety of festivals, including at Rock in Japan Festival 2017 and Summertime Sonic 2017, leading to speculation that the band would break a second physical single.[60] In a series of concerts play a role Osaka and Tokyo, the group announced that they would respite "Mannequin (マネキン)" on August 2, 2017.[60] In an interview on the rampage on the band's website, Yui would state that despite depiction song's initial composition as a "summer" pop rock song, mirror in the pop-like promotion material, during pre-production and recording rendering song eventually gravitated towards hard rock.[61] When comparing the celibate with its B-side, "Drama (ドラマ)," Yui believed that placing a strong, western-like arranged single in "Mannequin" in juxtaposition with representation more graceful song "Drama" would provide a nice balance.[61]
On Nov 11, 2017, Yui confirmed reports from the media that say publicly singer had divorced her husband at the end of Revered 2017.[62] She has custody of the twin boys they confidential together.[63]
Flower Flower released the band's second studio album, "Spotlight (スポットライト)," on March 14, 2018.[64] Spotlight was released two and a half years after Flower Flower's previous album, Mi, but focus songs that were produced and played live during Flower Flower's early live performances.[65]
Main articles: Yui discography and Flower Flower