Stephanie
Stephanie (ステファニー) is a Japanese/American singer who debuted in 2007 under Sony Music Japan with the single Kimi ga Iru Kagiri (anime KISS DUM -ENGAGE planet-'s ending theme song). Her fourth single, Friends, was used as the anime Mobile Suit Gundam 00's second ending theme song. She will release her debut album in March. She typically dresses in short shorts, her songs typically include a whistle note (her debut song started with such a note) and reputedly she can sing in five octaves.
Profile
- Stage Name: Stephanie (ステファニー)
- Real Name: Unknown
- Birthday: 1987.08.05
- Height: 165cm
- Blood Type: AB
- Favourite Artists: Christina Aguilera, Hamasaki Ayumi, Michael Jackson, Utada Hikaru
Information
Stephanie has an Armenian-American father and a Japanese mother who came from Yamaguchi Prefecture, and grew up in California. When she 13, she sent a demo of her singing shela's sepia to music producer Joe Rinoie, who was extremely impressed with her.
A year later, in 2002, she moved from California to Tokyo. After graduating high school, she enrolled at Aoyama Gakuin University and is continuing to study law.
On April the fourth 2007, in the second episode of the anime KISS DUM -ENGAGE planet-, her song Kimi ga Iru Kagiri was used for the first time as the ending theme song for the anime. On the same day her official site opened, however her face was not revealed. Her face was finally revealed officially at her website on the 29th of May, a day before the release of her debut single. Kimi ga Iru Kagiri did not fare well on the charts, only debuting at #91; however after an appearance at Music Station the single shot up to #22 on the daily charts and eventually settled at a weekly position of #36.
Stephanie's second single, because of you, replaced Kimi ga Iru Kagiri as the ending theme song of Kiss Dum and was her second successive ballad single. It followed a similar charting life to Kimi ga Iru Kagiri; charting at its highest only after appearing on Music Station.
Stephanie won an award at the 49th Japan Record Awards for best new artist along with the likes of JYONGRI and °C-ute. Her third single was released in November, and instead of it being a ballad single like her previous two, was an upbeat pop song. Her fourth single, Friends, was an upbeat pop-rock song used as the second ending theme song for Mobile Suit Gundam 00 (her first major tie-up).
She is friends with fellow Aoyama Gakuin-student and singer-songwriter Yazumi Kana, who she has written the lyrics to many of her songs together with, and will do a duel live together on the 14th of February.
Discography
Albums
- [2008.03.05] Stephanie (ステファニー)
Singles
- [2007.05.30] Kimi ga Iru Kagiri (君がいる限り; As Long as You are Here)
- [2007.08.29] because of you
- [2007.12.12] Winter Gold
- [2008.01.30] Friends (フレンズ)
- [2008.07.23] Changin' (Stephanie feat.Tanaka Roma)
- [2009.01.14] Pride ~A Part of Me~ feat.SRM
- [2009.04.29] FUTURE
