Aoyama Thelma

Aoyama Thelma promoting "Summer Love!!" (2010)

Aoyama Thelma (青山テルマ) is a Japanese R&B artist who debuted in 2007. She is one-quarter Afro-Trinidadian from her paternal grandfather. She is famous for her collaboration song with SoulJa, "Koko ni Iru yo", and her answer song, "Soba ni Iru ne", which reached #1 on Oricon weekly chart in its second week.

Profile

• Name: Aoyama Thelma (青山テルマ)
• Birthday: October 27, 1987
• Birthplace: Nara, Japan
• Blood Type: B
• Height: 161 cm

Information

Aoyama Thelma promoting DIARY (2008)

When Aoyama was three years old, she danced to Janet Jackson's music video for "Rhythm Nation". She spent six years at Osaka International School as an elementary school student. When she was 10, she found singing fun and discovered gospel. At 12, she moved to Los Angeles with her family and returned to Japan two years later. She enrolled in the American School in Japan and received voice training. Currently as of 2010, she is studying at Sophia University.

Aoyama first release in the music world was a collaboration single with DS455 called "SUMMER PARADISE ~Risin' To Tha Sun~" in June 2007, which broke the top 50 at #46. She debuted with her own solo single, "ONE WAY", three months later, which scraped into the top 100 at #98. A few weeks later she was featured on the hit single by SoulJa called "Koko ni Iru yo". The single was a long charting hit; despite only reaching #6, it has sold over 100,000 copies.

Aoyama Thelma promoting "ONE WAY" (2007)

Aoyama released an answer single to this in early 2008, "Soba ni Iru ne" which featured SoulJa. The songs are similar, and both share the same chorus. "Soba ni Iru ne" proved to be even more popular than "Koko ni Iru yo", debuting at #3 in its first week and in its second reaching #1 on Oricon weekly chart. Two months later, her debut album, DIARY, was released. It charted for almost a year and sold over 370,000 copies.

Aoyama's next single, "Nandomo", didn't repeat her previous success, but was still more than popular. Two more singles were released in 2008: "Mamoritai Mono" and "Daikkirai Demo Arigato". The first one was used for the drama Team Batista no Iko while "Daikkirai Demo Arigato" was used for Arinori. "Daikkirai Demo Arigato" was also a collaboration with DREAMS COME TRUE, whom Aoyama had admired since kindergarten. At end the year, Aoyama also released a remix album, PARTY PARTY ~Thelma Remix~.

In early 2009, Aoyama released her first compilation album, LOVE! ~THELMA LOVE SONG COLLECTION~. It contains love songs and all of the A-sides from her 2008 singles. The album charted for 13 weeks, peaked at #1 on the Oricon weekly charts, and was certified gold for the shipment of 100,000 copies. In March 2009, she released her sixth single, "Todoketai... / Kono Mama Zutto" featuring KEN THE 390, the answer song for "Todoketakute..." featuring herself from KEN THE 390. On August 5, Aoyama releasing the single entitled "Wasurenai yo", which was sed as the theme song for Hachiko: A Dog's Tale, an American remake of a 1987 Japanese movie.

Discography

Aoyama Thelma promoting "Todoketai... / Kono Mama Zutto" (2009)

Aoyama Thelma promoting Emotions (2009)

Studio Albums

• [2008.03.26] DIARY
• [2009.09.09] Emotions

Other Albums

• [2008.12.10] PARTY PARTY ~Thelma Remix~
• [2009.02.11] LOVE! ~THELMA LOVE SONG COLLECTION~

Singles

• [2007.09.05] ONE WAY
• [2008.01.23] Soba ni Iru ne (そばにいるね; I'm by Your Side) (Aoyama Thelma feat. SoulJa)
• [2008.07.09] Nandomo (何度も; How Many Times)
• [2008.11.12] Mamoritai Mono (守りたいもの; Thing I Want to Protect)
• [2008.12.10] Daikkirai Demo Arigato (大っきらい でもありがと; I Hate You, But Thanks)
• [2009.03.11] Todoketai... feat. KEN THE 390 / Kono Mama Zutto (届けたい... / このまま ずっと; I Want To Reach You... / Always Like This)
• [2009.08.05] Wasurenai yo (忘れないよ; I Won't Forget)
• [2010.01.27] Fall in Love (Aoyama Thelma ｘ SOL from BIGBANG)
• [2010.03.03] Kaeru Basho (帰る場所; The Place We'll Return To)
• [2010.06.30] Summer Love!! feat. RED RICE from Shonannokaze (サマーラブ!! feat. RED RICE from 湘南乃風)

DVDs

• [2009.06.17] Aoyama Thelma TOUR 2009 "DIARY"
• [2009.09.09] Motions -Thelma Clips Vol. 1-

Compilations / Others

• [2007.06.06] DS455 - "SUMMER PARADISE ~Risin' To Tha Sun~ feat. Aoyama Thelma"
• [2007.08.29] Dohzi-T - "ONE MIC" (#5 TURN IT UP feat. VERBAL, LITTLE, KOHEI JAPAN, Aoyama Thelma)
• [2007.09.19] SoulJa - "Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma"
• [2007.11.07] SoulJa - "Spirits" (#2 Koko ni Iru yo feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2008.01.16] DJ CEROLY - "BEAUTIFUL TOMORROW" (#11 LOVE @ 1st Sight feat. COMA-CHI, Aoyama Thelma)
• [2008.03.05] MAKAI - "Garden" (#2 Garden of Love feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2008.03.05] Tanaka Roma - "Forever Love feat. Aoyama Thelma"
• [2008.09.24] Dohzi-T - "12 Love Stories" (#3 Yakusoku no Hi feat. Aoyama Thelma)
• [2009.02.11] KEN THE 390 - "Todoketakute... feat. Aoyama Thelma"
• [2009.09.16] m-flo TRIBUTE ~maison de m-flo~ (#2 come again)
• [2010.05.26] SoulJa - "Hanasanaide yo feat. Aoyama Thelma (放さないでよ)"

External Links

• Official Website
• Universal Music Official Website
• Official Blog
• Oricon Profile
• Japanese Wikipedia