Shimabukuro Hiroko

File:hiro.jpg

Hiroko Shimabukuro

Profile

• Name: 島袋寛子 / Shimabukuro Hiroko / hiro
• Birthday: April 7, 1984
• Birthplace: Okinawa, Japan
• Zodiac: Aries
• Blood Type: A
• Height: 163 cm

Biography

Shimabukuro Hiroko is one of the former lead vocalists of the popular group SPEED. She has been singing under the name hiro since SPEED broke up on the 31st of March, 2000. Her solo debut single AS TIME GOES BY topped the Oricon charts at the #2 position. Her two full albums to date, BRILLIANT and Naked and True, both secured a spot at #2 on Oricon as well.

She has won three consecutive awards in the Japan Record Awards for Treasure (2000), Your innocence (2001), and Eternal Place (2002).

In terms of CD sales, hiro is the most popular amongst the four SPEED members. This was also shown by Avex choosing to send her to perform in the United States at Seattle's Sakura-con in April 2004. Her songs range from soothing ballads to quick, catchy songs with fine-tuned dance choreographies.

Ever since the beginning of SPEED, hiro played a crucial role in the group with her skilled vocals. Despite their young age, SPEED was seen as an authentic artist thanks to their main vocalists ability to sing lives on music shows.

Although when SPEED debuted hiro was just twelve years old and the youngest in the group, hiro did not look very childish. She had always been seen as older than she actually was because she was relatively tall and matured early. This would help attract not only her contemporaries but an adult audience as well.

In 1999, SPEED announced that it was going to disband in March of 2000. Their respective career development was the formal explanation as their reason for disbanding.

In August 2004 Hiro released an all-English jazz album under the name of Coco d'or . Her single Hikari no naka de was featured on the soundtrack to the movie Devilman.

After almost a year, her single "clover" was released. It's also the ending theme of anime "Black Jack".

Discography

Singles

1. [1999.08.18] AS TIME GOES BY
2. [2000.02.16] Bright Daylight
3. [2000.10.25] Treasure
4. [2001.08.01] Your innocence
5. [2001.11.21] Confession
6. [2002.04.17] love you
7. [2002.06.05] Eternal Place
8. [2002.07.17] Notice my mind
9. [2003.02.26] Baby don't cry
10. [2003.07.24] Ai ga naiteru
11. [2004.09.23] Hikari no naka de
12. [2005.08.03] clover
13. [2006.02.01] Hero

Albums

1. [2001.01.31] BRILLIANT
2. [2002.08.07] Naked and True
3. [2006.02.01] hiro Singles Collection

DVDs

• [2001.04.18] BRILLIANT ON FILMS
• [2003.03.19] Naked and True Clips
• [2006.02.01] hiro Clip Collection

Awards & Achievements

• [2000] Japan Record Awards - Treasure
• [2001] Japan Record Awards - Your Innocence
• [2002] Japan Record Awards - Eternal Place

Tokyo-Nights Links

• Official Forum Discussion Thread

External Links

• hiro's Official Website