Generasia would not be possible without tokyograph and all the wonderful people who've contributed over the past 15 years. Thank you!

Onitsuka Chihiro

Revision as of 16:18, 7 May 2009 by Solarblade (talk | contribs) (Singles)
Onitsuka Chihiro promoting the ultimate collection (2004)

Onitsuka Chihiro (鬼束ちひろ) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, well-known for a string of high profile drama tie-up ballad singles, the most successful of those being Gekkou (drama TRICK's theme song). Onitsuka was originally signed to Toshiba EMI from 2000 onwards, however in 2004 dropped her label and later was switched to Universal Music. After releasing one single on her new label, Onitsuka would go on an extended hiatus until 2007 when she would return to the music scene.

Profile

  • Name: Onitsuka Chihiro (鬼束ちひろ)
  • Birthday: 1980.10.30
  • Birth Place: Nango, Minaminaka, Miyazaki
  • Blood Type: O
  • Height: 154cm
  • Religion: Christian
  • Family: Parents, two younger brothers, one younger sister
  • Favourite Drink: Coca-Cola
  • Favourite Novel: Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's The Little Prince
  • Favourite Artists: Alanis Morisette, Amanda Marshall, Bon Jovi, Carol King, Incubus, Jewel, Joni Mitchell, Melissa Etheridge, Paula Cole, Sheryl Crow, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, The Carpenters

Information

Onitsuka Chihiro promoting Cage (2000)

Early Days - Insomnia

Onitsuka, since her youth, had been influenced by Western singer-songwriter musicians. She would listen to many Western artists through the interest from her parents such as The Carpenters, though it was US songwriter Jewel's music that inspired her to become a singer of her own. The first song Onitsuka wrote was call, which she wrote at 17 after watching a play about AIDS at a cultural festival. At the time, Onitsuka would write all of her songs in English; however by the time they were recorded the lyrics had been changed into Japanese. After reading an advertisement for a musical audition in De-view magazine, Onitsuka would perform call there and would win the grand prix prize for the audition. This lead to Onitsuka being signed to the management team MELODY STAR RECORDS.

After graduating from senior high school in the spring of 1999, Onitsuka would travel to Tokyo to prepare for her debut (by taking voice lessons, etc). In the six months since Onitsuka first arrived at Tokyo, she had written over 60 songs (such as Shine, Gekkou and We Can Go). In February 2000, Onitsuka would debut under Toshiba EMI with the single Shine. However, this single would not chart on the top 200 on Oricon charts.

After a period of six months, a new Onitsuka song was announced. The drama TRICK would start in July 2000, with Gekkou as its theme song. The single (which was released in the midst of the drama's run) met with prolonged success (a phenomenon not commonly seen in Japanese music charts which favours extreme first week sales). While in its first week it only reached a position of #30, it would later consistently sell over 20,000 copies for 12 weeks. The drama would run until mid-September, with its final episode showing Onitsuka herself making a cameo and performing Gekkou live on location in Okinawa. The single peaked at #11 in late September, and in total would sell approximately 600,000 copies in total.

Onitsuka Chihiro promoting infection / LITTLE BEAT RIFLE (2001)

Onitsuka would follow up this single with a third in November, the variety show Shin-Unnan no Kibun wa Joujou.'s ending theme song Cage. However, this single would not be as successful, reaching #15 and charting in the top 30 for two weeks. Her fourth single, Memai / edge, was released on the anniversary of her debut single's release, and would be Onitsuka first single to break the top 10, at the 6th position. Memai from this single would go on to win the award for best lyrics at the 43rd Japan Record Awards.

After these four singles, Onitsuka's debut album, Insomnia, would be released. It debuted at #1 on Oricon charts (making this Onitsuka's only #1 product to date) and in total has sold app. 1,400,000 copies. A song from the album, Rasen, was later featured in the Hirosue Ryoko-starring internationally distributed film Wasabi as an insert song.

This Armor - Sugar High

Onitsuka Chihiro promoting This Armor (2002)

Onitsuka's comeback single after the success of her first album was the September single infection / LITTLE BEAT RIFLE, with Infection being used as the theme song to the drama Hyouten 2001. This single suffered a sad fate, as the lyrics of Infection could be seen to link to the September 11 Terrorism Attacks (namedly the lyric "bakuha shite tobichitta kokoro no hahen (fragments of my exploded, scattered heart)"). Because of this, Toshiba EMI decided to severely cut back the promotion of the song and only promoted the second A-side, LITTLE BEAT RIFLE. Onitsuka's sixth single Ryuuseigun would once again be a drama theme song, for the second series of TRICK entitled TRICK 2. This single would be quickly followed by Onitsuka's second studio album, This Armor.

Only nine months after the release of This Armor, Onitsuka would release a third original album, Sugar High. Sugar High, with no single releases was an album filled with a myriad of minor tie-ups (the most major of these being that the song Castle・imitation was used as the game Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter's theme song. Unlike Onitsuka other's albums which had 5+ PVs, this would only have one (the song King of Solitude). Despite these promotion short-comings, the album still managed to reach #2 on Oricon album charts.

End of Toshiba-EMI Days - Hiatus

Onitsuka Chihiro promoting Sign (2003)

Throughout 2003, Onitsuka Chihiro would release four singles. The first of which was the simply arranged Sign in May, which was followed in August by a more rock-influenced upbeat track Beautiful Fighter. However, in September Onitsuka would have to undergo emergency throat surgery and her following two singles saw a stripped back release. The first of these two, Ii Hi Tabidachi Nishi e was a cover of the hit song Ii Hi Tabidachi by Yamaguchi Momoe with modified lyrics. The song was featured in commercials for Japan Railway, much like the original before it. The second was the theme song to the third series of TRICK, entitled TRICK 3 (called Watashi to Waltz wo). The lack of Onitsuka promoting these two singles are evident by their tracklists; Ii Hi Tabidachi Nishi e featured Gekkou performed live from her ULTIMATE CRASH '02 LIVE AT BUDOKAN DVD (which had been released five months earlier) and Watashi to Waltz wo featured a song cut from her third album, Sugar High.

Two new releases would then be able to be pre-ordered on online shopping sites, to be both released on 2004.03.17. The first was Onitsuka's fourth album (TOCT-25310) and Onitsuka's third PV clip DVD (TOBF-5300). However, soon both these items would be removed from pre-order permanently. Soon, a new item would replace these two at online shopping sites: a 7,000円 singles box collection. Furthermore, a note would appear at Onitsuka's official website that stated that it was not any intention of Onitsuka herself's to release this. This conflict with her record company is said to be the cause of the succeeding split from Toshiba EMI, and later MELODY STAR RECORDS.

Onitsuka Chihiro promoting Sodatsu Zassou (2004)

In June 2004, Onitsuka was then signed under Sony's music management team, and later in July it was revealed that Onitsuka would be releasing music through the Universal music company. After a new single, Sodatsu Zassou, was announced, Onitsuka would appear as a surprise guest at the televised Space Shower TV event "Sweet Love Shower 2004". There, she would cover the grunge anthem Smells Like Teen Spirit originally sung by Nirvana and also The Police's song King of Pain. Both of these songs were sung in re-arranged, orchestral versions. Onstage, Onitsuka would be adorned with such things as heavy make-up and a more array of clothes. Following this appearance, she would launch into her new single, the heavy rock song Sodatsu Zassou. Onitsuka was to follow this with an appearance on the music show Bokura no Ongaku on 2004.10.30, but however cancelled this due to poor health. When the Sodatsu Zassou single was released it reached to #10 position, despite there being very little promotion for the song at all (including the fact that the song has no PV). Toshiba EMI would, in turn, release a two-set Onitsuka Chihiro best album as well as a complete PV collection in December.

File:270px-Onitsuka Monshen.jpg
Onitsuka Chihiro at a practice live for the preview of the film Monshen (2006)

From now on, there would be little news of Onitsuka as she continued her hiatus. However, there were three notable events that occurred during this time:

  • On 2005.01.31, Sony Music terminated its management contract with Onitsuka Chihiro. Reputedly this was a compromise met to do with the management of copyright when iTunes opens in Japan (as Sony Music has its own music store)
  • On 2005.07.26, Onitsuka was confronted with a stalker who was apprehended after he stood outside of Onitsuka's residence for 30 minutes with a bouquet.
  • On 2005.09.06, Toshiba-EMI would release their second consecutive best album from Onitsuka, called SINGLES 2000-2003. The album features all A-side songs during her stay at the Toshiba EMI record company, as well as three bonus songs: a 'summer radio mix' of We Can Go, the original version of Castle・imitation featured in the game Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter and the cover of Matsutoya Yumi's Mamotte Agetai that Onitsuka sung for the tribute album Queen's Fellows: yuming 30th anniversary cover album. The limited edition of this album also featured footage from The Unplugged Show, including the version of Beautiful Fighter that was to be featured on Onitsuka's third PV clip collection before its cancel.

Return to the Music Scene

In September 2006, reports that Onitsuka had sung at a preview of the movie Monshen had surfaced. Later in the month, detailed information including photos. The event took place on the 10th of September, where Onitsuka would sing a duet with Tamai Yuumi (seiyuu for the character Lin in Spirited Away) on her band Psalm's song Umi no Uta (うみの唄; Song of the Sea).

File:270px-Onitsu everyprom2.jpg
Onitsuka Chihiro promoting everyhome (2007)

In the March '07 edition of the magazine ROCKIN'ON JAPAN, it was revealed that Onitsuka Chihiro would return to the music scene full-time. She is being produced by Kobayashi Takeshi (producer of Hitoto Yo, Mr. Children, Salyu, etc). Three songs were mentioned in the article, namedly Angelina, NOW and everyhome. Further information was released by the Hochi Yomiuri: according to her record label (she is still with Universal) Onitsuka had written roughly 10 new songs, and had been recording since spring 2006. everyhome was released as her return single in the summer, which received moderate success. Onitsuka's second 2007 single, Bokura Barairo no Hibi (September release), features NOW as its B-side. This single was followed by the album LAS VEGAS in October.

Setlist Tracks

Many songs of Onitsuka's have solely been performed live and do not appear on any CD release of hers. The names of some known the tracks are:

Discography

Onitsuka Chihiro promoting her comeback album LAS VEGAS (2007)

Original Albums

Best Albums

Singles

File:270px-Onitsuka girlpop.jpg
Onitsuka Chihiro appearing in the May 2001 edition of GIRLPOP magazine

DVD / VHS

Compilation / Other

External Links