- Kotoko (singer)
Infobox musical artist
Name = KOTOKO
Img size = 200
Img_capt = KOTOKO
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Born = birth date |1980|1|19
Origin =Sapporo ,Hokkaidō ,Japan
Genre =J-pop , trance,techno
Occupation =Singer ,songwriter
Years_active = July 28, 1999 – present
Label = Geneon Entertainment
Associated_acts =I've Sound Love Planet Five
URL = [http://www.geneon-ent.co.jp/rondorobe/music/kotoko/ KOTOKO web]
[http://www.kotoko.asia/ www.kotoko.asia]nihongo|KOTOKO|ことこ is a female
J-pop singer who has released five albums (three associated withGeneon and two associated withI've Sound ), ten maxi singles and one DVD that is scheduled for a US Domestic release. She also composes and writes lyrics (not just for herself, but for other singers in I've Sound) for numerous other song collections. She frequently works with the producersI've Sound , and has contributed songs to numerousanime andvideo games includingOnegai Teacher ,Mahou Shoujo Tai Arusu ,Onegai Twins ,Ren'ai CHU! ,Maria-sama ga Miteru ,Hayate the Combat Butler ,Colorful Kiss ,Kannazuki no Miko ,Starship Operators andShakugan no Shana .Biography
KOTOKO was born in
Sapporo ,Japan , on January 19, 1980. From elementary school, she believed her career would be influenced by her voice and tried to involve herself in as many auditions as possible. In addition to regular education KOTOKO attended courses at the music school Haura where she polished her musical talents.She became a professional singer in 1999. Her first successful audition was with
I've Sound , a team of producers using the talents of various female vocalists for their productions—best recognized for their manydating sim anderoge game soundtracks. Since then, KOTOKO has performed opening and ending themes for a fewanime and has gained significant recognition from her two I've Sound-related album releases. Her second album, "Glass no Kaze", released in June 2005 has been praised within multiple online communities. OnOctober 13 ,2005 , she released her fourth maxi single, which featured a song from her "Glass no Kaze" album, "421 -a will- " and its B-side song called nihongo|"Shuusou"|秋爽|The Refreshing Autumn Breeze, which is featured in her third album, "Uzu-Maki ".Although not listed on her official
Geneon website, KOTOKO has actually released four albums. Her very first album was called, "Sora o Tobetara", which was released in 2000. Many of the tracks on this album were later re-recorded for her first I've Sound album, nihongo|Hane|羽 -hane-|Feather, and was attributed as her first album. Her first I've Sound CD appearance was on the CD "Dear Feeling" (only released at "Comic Market 59".) with previous singer AKI. She then appeared on I've Girls Compilation Album Vol.3 "Disintegration", a series of albums with various songs from the I've Sound singers.KOTOKO's first official performance in
North America was her highly successful American concert debut at Anime Expo 2005, followed soon after by the KOTOKO LAX Tour. A little-known fact is that KOTOKO's music has been influenced by musicians likeBjörk . Now that her self-composed hybrid of pop and techno beats—sometimes pop—have crossed the Pacific, KOTOKO's lyrics have elevated her presence among thousands of North American J-pop/anime fans.Discography
North American appearances
* Anime Expo 2005: Anaheim, CA (July 1–4, 2005)
** Anaheim Convention Center
* Anime North 2006:Toronto ,Ontario , Canada (May 26–28, 2006)
** Toronto Congress Centre, Doubletree International Plaza Hotel
* A-Kon 2006: Dallas, TX (June 9–11, 2006)
** Adam's Mark HotelReferences
External links
* [http://www.kotoko.asia Official website] ja icon
* [http://www.geneon-ent.co.jp/rondorobe/music/kotoko/ Official website] at [http://www.geneon-ent.co.jp Geneon Entertainment] ja icon
* [http://ive.mu/ I've Sound official site] ja icon
* [http://animesecrets.org/reports/an2k6/an2k6kotoko.html Anime North 2006: KOTOKO Q&A] en icon
* [http://www.haura.co.jp/ Music Training Center "Haura"] , Sapporo ja icon
* [http://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/artist/290441/ Oricon Profile] ja icon
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.