Sowelu

Sowelu is a Japanese pop and R&B singer. She was also known by her real name, Harada Aki, during her brief career as a model in the late 1990's/early 2000's. Sowelu debuted as a singer in the music business with her first single "beautiful dreamer" in April of 2002 under label DefSTAR Records. She was with the label until summer of 2009, where she switched to the avex trax sub-label rhythm zone.
Contents
Profile
- Stage Name: Sowelu (ソエル)
- Birth Name: Harada Aki (原田亜希)
- Date of Birth: November 6, 1982
- Place of Birth: Tokyo, Japan
- Ethnicity: 75% Japanese, 25% Irish
- Blood Type: O
- Height: 159cm
- Bands / Groups:
- Voices of KOREA/JAPAN (2003)
Information
Sowelu's name is a transliteration of the Proto-Germanic s-rune, which means "sun". She tends to make music with a distinct R&B sound. At 19 she got her big break when her song "across my heart" was added to Kiyoshi Matsuo's compilation album, SMOOTH. She then went on to host several radio shows, only increasing her popularity. In 2002 she and the R&B band CHEMISTRY teamed up to represent Japan and Korea at the FIFA World Cup, where she preformed in the opening ceremony. She is one-fourth Irish-American from her maternal grandfather. Sowelu is best known for her album Geofu and her single "I Will", which was used as an ending song for the anime FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST.
Sowelu has announced through her official blog that she will be going on hiatus after her last album, “29 Tonight“, which will be released on May 30th. Regarding her hiatus, Sowelu explained that it was decided not because she’s going to quit singing, but because she wants to continue singing. “If I continue running like this, I thought that a day would come when I wouldn’t be able to continue singing,” she said. During the production process of “29 Tonight”, Sowelu also realized that she was missing many things, and seriously felt that she needed room for growth. She expressed, “It’s not that I want to become better at singing, but I feel that growing as a person is the only way to become a better artist.” Sowelu also revealed that she broke up with her boyfriend in order to change her weak self and face music earnestly. From here on, she plans to open up other possibilities by challenging herself to things she’s never done before such as going overseas and holding performances on the streets.
Discography






Studio Albums
- [2003.06.25] Geofu
- [2005.01.07] SWEET BRIDGE
- [2006.07.12] 24 -twenty four-
- [2008.04.09] Naked
- [2010.12.01] Love & I. ~Ren'ai Henreki~ (恋愛遍歴; Travels of Love)
- [2012.05.30] 29 Tonight
Best Albums
- [2009.03.18] Sowelu THE BEST 2002-2009
- [2013.01.16] Sowelu Best
Collaboration Albums
- [2005.07.20] Heads or Tails?
Mini-Albums
- [2011.08.24] Let me...
Singles
- [2002.04.17] beautiful dreamer
- [2002.10.23] Part of me
- [2003.02.26] Rainbow / breath ~Omoi no Youryou~ (想いの容量; The Capacity of Thoughts)
- [2003.05.28] Fortune
- [2003.10.08] Glisten
- [2004.04.21] No Limit
- [2004.09.01] I Will
- [2004.11.17] Last Forever
- [2005.02.02] Do You Remember That?
- [2005.06.22] Let's go faraway
- [2005.11.16] Get Over
- [2006.02.01] to YOU
- [2006.05.10] Dear friend
- [2007.01.24] Shiawase no Chikara (幸せのちから; The Strength of Happiness)
- [2007.06.20] Dare Yori Suki na no ni (誰より好きなのに; And Yet I Like You More Than Anyone)
- [2007.12.19] Hikari (光; Light)
- [2008.03.12] Wish
- [2009.02.25] MATERIAL WORLD
Split Singles
- [2007.08.29] 24karats -type S- (Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC)
Video Releases
- [2005.01.07] Sowelu Video Clips Vol.1
- [2007.06.20] Sowelu LIVE TOUR「Be happy ♥ 2006」
Other Video Releases
- [2006.01.25] HIT STYLE DVD ~BRAND NEW CLIPS~ (#14 "Last Forever")
- [2006.02.22] m-flo - m-flo TOUR 2005 BEAT SPACE NINE at Nippon Budokan (#4 "SO EXCLUSIVE" (m-flo loves Sowelu))
- [2010.04.07] m-flo - m-flo 10 Years Special Live "we are one" (#4 "SO EXCLUSIVE" (m-flo loves Sowelu))
Compilations / Other
- [2002.01.09] SMOOTH (#10 "across my heart")
- [2003.12.17] Lovely You (#5 "Rainbow (Original Mix)")
- [2004.02.25] SOUL TREE ~a musical tribute to toshinobu kubota~ (#6 "Candy Rain")
- [2004.05.19] Yamaguchi Momoe Tribute Thank You For... (#4 "Pearl Color ni Yurete")
- [2004.06.13] Miss Monday - Akatsuki ni Omou feat. Sowelu
- [2004.06.23] RELAXIN' WITH JAPANESE LOVERS VOLUME 3 JAPANESE LOVERS ROCK MORE COLLECTIONS (#10 "beautiful dreamer (Tica's Dreamer in Love & Dub Remix)")
- [2005.02.09] JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO for AQUARIUS - GET READY -Nite 2 Remember- feat. Sowelu & BIG-O
- [2005.02.23] FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST COMPLETE BEST (#15 "I Will")
- [2005.03.09] animation BECK soundtrack "BECK" (#4 "SLY", #7 "FOLLOW ME", #9 "MOON ON THE WATER")
- [2005.03.24] JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO for AQUARIUS - JHETT (#2 "GET READY -Nite 2 Remember-" feat. Sowelu & BIG-O)
- [2005.03.24] We ♥ Dance Classics vol.1 (#5 "Play That Funky Music" feat. urb)
- [2005.05.11] female Original Sountrack (#2 "Uh" feat. HI-D and JUN 4 SHOT, #3 "LOVE IS STRONGER THAN PRIDE" feat. Jake Shimabukuro, #9 "Slow Jam" feat. LEO)
- [2005.05.18] Fullmetal Alchemist Original Soundtrack 3 (#53 "I Will")
- [2005.06.22] LIV - Mi Vida Loca (#1 "New Civilization Of Massive Destruction" feat. Sowelu)
- [2005.08.24] m-flo - BEAT SPACE NINE (#4 "SO EXCLUSIVE" (m-flo loves Sowelu)
- [2005.08.24] JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO for AQUARIUS - JHETT BLACK EDITION (#1 "GET READY -Nite 2 Remember- (Notorious D.O.I.Remix)" feat. Sowelu & BIG-O)
- [2005.09.28] Diva (#5 "I Will")
- [2005.11.02] m-flo - DOPE SPACE NINE (#2 "SO EXCLUSIVE <CLAZZIQUAI PROJECT remix>" (m-flo loves Sowelu))
- [2006.01.25] HIT STYLE (#21 "I Will")
- [2006.02.01] STARZ presents rhythm zone (#6 "GET READY -Nite 2 Remember-" feat. Sowelu & BIG-O (JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO for AQUARIUS))
- [2006.05.24] Ukatrats FC - Win and Shine
- [2006.06.21] Angel Heart Vocal Collection Vol.1 (#1 "Finally")
- [2006.07.26] Pokemon Ranger to Umi no Ouji Manaphy Music Collection (#28 "Mamoru Bekimono (Movie Version)")
- [2006.11.29] WANNA BE THE PIANO MAN (#7 "Piano Man")
- [2007.01.24] HI-D - 24 -twenty four- (#14 "Uh" with HI-D and JUN 4 SHOT)
- [2007.01.24] DJ MASTERKEY - FROM THE STREETS (#22 "GET READY -Nite 2 Remember-" feat. Sowelu & BIG-O (JHETT a.k.a. YAKKO for AQUARIUS))
- [2007.07.18] Miss Monday - FOOTSTAMP vol.1 (#10 "Akatsuki ni Omou" feat. Sowelu)
- [2007.08.29] EXILE - Toki no Kakera / 24karats -type EX- (#2 "24karats -type EX-" (Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC))
- [2007.08.29] DOBERMAN INC - THE BEST (#1 "24karats -type D.I-" ( Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC))
- [2007.12.12] EXILE - EXILE LOVE (#14 "24karats -type EX-" (Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC))
- [2008.03.26] 39 Anime x Music Collaboration '02-'07 (Disc 2 #2 "I Will")
- [2008.07.23] SOFFet - Jam the Universe (#4 "The moment I saw you" with Sowelu)
- [2008.07.23] EXILE - EXILE ENTERTAINMENT BEST (#9 "24karats -type EX-" (Sowelu, EXILE, DOBERMAN INC))
- [2008.07.23] We Love Cyndi -Tribute to Cyndi Lauper- (#2 "Time After Time")
- [2008.09.24] D.Gray-man COMPLETE BEST (#33 "Wish")
- [2008.09.24] Shiawase ni Nareru Uta (#28 "Shiawase no Chikara")
- [2008.11.26] DJ KOMORI - What's R&B? (#16 "Do You Remember That?")
- [2008.12.17] D.Gray-man Original Soundtrack 3 (#61 "Wish (TV size)")
- [2009.03.04] Pikachu The Movie Song Best 1998~2008 (#30 "Mamoru Bekimono")
- [2009.03.18] m-flo inside -WORKS BEST III- (#12 "MATERIAL WORLD")
- [2009.03.25] EXILE - EXILE Perfect Year 2008 Ultimate Best Box
- [2009.04.29] Yume ga Kanau Uta (#25 "No Limit")
- [2009.09.02] J-Girls' Celebrity Mix (#8 "24karats -type S- [J-Girls' Celebrity Mix ver.]")
- [2009.09.30] We Love Cyndi -Tribute to Cyndi Lauper- (#2 "Time After Time")
- [2009.09.30] SOFFet - Jam the Universe (#4 "The moment I saw you" with Sowelu)
- [2009.12.30] G - I am GHOST -Kodoku na Jinsei- feat. Sowelu
- [2010.01.27] Quadraphonic - Quadraphonic (#2 "Kimi wo Omou yo..." feat. Sowelu)
- [2010.04.07] HOME MADE Kazoku - FAMILY TREE ~Side Works Collection Vol.1~ (#5 "Let's go faraway (Mine-Chang Remix)" feat. MICRO from HOME MADE Kazoku)
- [2010.06.09] S'capade - S'CAPADE (#3 "HOT BODY" feat. Sowelu)
- [2010.10.20] KG - Songs of love (Disc 1 #7 "Where Is The Love" duet with Sowelu)
- [2010.12.08] AILI - Future (#15 "Brand new day" (AILI thanx to Sowelu))
- [2011.10.05] Utahime Premiere -White- (#9 "Rainbow")
- [2016.11.30] SPICY CHOCOLATE - Shibuya Junai Monogatari 3 (#9 "Ima mo Omou Dake de feat. Sowelu & KYO Tora)
- [2017.05.10] SPiCYSOL - SIGNAL (#6 "You Find Me, I Find You" ft. Sowelu & JAZEE MINOR)
External Links
- Official Website
- Rhythm Zone Official Profile
- Official Blog
- Official Facebook
- Official Twitter
- Official Instagram
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