Tomomi Kahala

Infobox Musical artist

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Name = Tomomi Kahala
華原ともみ (current)
華原朋美 (former)
Background = solo_singer
Alias =
Born = August 17, 1974
Died =
Origin = Tokyo, Japan
Genre = J-Pop
Years_active = 1995-present
Label = Orumok Records
(1995-1998)
Warner Music Japan
(1998-2003)
Universal Music Japan
(2004-2007)
TBA
(2008/2009-)
Associated_acts =
URL =
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments =

nihongo|Tomomi Kahala, sometimes spelled Kahara 華原ともみ|formely 華原朋美|Kahara Tomomi| (born Shimogawara Tomomi on August 171974 in Tokyo), is a Japanese J-pop singer. She is famous for working with Tetsuya Komuro who gave her much success in the 1990s, which ironically led to her deep dip in popularity after 1999, the year in which she released her first non-TK produced album, "One Fine Day". Tomomi Kahala and Tetsuya Komuro dated for a few years, but they suffered from personal problems which led to their breakup. After a period of sickness, Kahala's talent agency kicked her out on June 29, 2007 [http://www.japannewsreview.com/entertainment/celebrities/20070629page_id=227]

Musical career

Rise to fame

While working with Tetsuya Komuro, her first single "Keep Yourself Alive" was released in late 1995, selling over 360,000 copies and went Top 10, peaking at #8. Her second single, "I Believe", was her first million-seller and added to her popularity. In March 1996, she released the single "I'm Proud" which peaked at #2 and was her best-selling single, outselling all of Namie Amuro's singles released that year. In June 1996, she finally released her first album, "Love Brace", a collection of songs about love and stated by Tetsuya Komuro to be his best work to date. It was a huge success selling over 2.5 million copies, half of them within the first week of release.

Already a big star, she and Tetsuya Komuro became an item and she continued to release singles, all peaking at 1. In December 1997, she finally released her second album, "Storytelling". It went to the top of the charts and sold 1.37 million copies, much less than the 2.5 million copies that her previous album has sold.

Decline

Since the release of "Storytelling", her popularity began to decline and her relationship with her mentor, Tetsuya Komuro, was in every tabloid. Gossip magazines rumored that both of them were abusing drugs and that their relationship was beginning to fall apart. Her next single "tumblin dice" went only to the Top 20, and her music did not reach the top position again. Her next album, "nine cubes", sold a depressing 261,000 copies, much less than her first two albums.

Her breakup with Tetsuya Komuro, frequent scandals, and suicide attempts shedded her in a negative light in the conservative Japanese media. She finally left her record company, who released a compilation which sold well, over 600,000 copies and debuted at #1. At that time, gossip magazines were labeling rising-star, Suzuki Ami, as Kahala's replacement.

After some time relaxing after the scandals, Tomomi Kahala resumed her career at Warner writing her own lyrics.

Post-Tetsuya Komuro

After Komuro, Kahala worked with a variety of producers at Warner Music Japan, such as American Andy Marvel (Diana King, Jessica Simpson) and recorded songs by Gary Carolla (N Sync) and Vincent Degiorgio (N Sync, Atomic Kitten, Love Inc., Mink, Nakano Mori Band) which appeared on her albums "One Fine Day" and "Love Again", released in 1999 and 2001, respectively.

In 2004, Kahala signed with Universal Music Japan. Her most recent recordings for Universal Music Japan have shown her in a dazzling and sultry light with some of her best vocal performances to date. She covered some of her biggest hits and also recorded new songs from Korean and Japanese composers as well as pop standards such as "Ben," a famous song by Michael Jackson. Her best-selling album at Universal sold a little over 50,000 copies and her latest album, "Naked", sold only 12,000 copies, but she was still be seen in the media.

In 2006, after years of average fame, Tomomi Kahala returned briefly to the spotlight. She starred in a musical and her latest photobook, Crystallize II, which came with two strawberry condoms, sold unexpectedely well. [http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/face/archive/news/2006/20060414p2g00m0dm018000c.html] She was one of the voice actors for the 'Sound of Music' Japanese DVD and she sang the theme song for a NHK Taiga drama.

On June 29, 2007, Kahala was fired by her talent agency after repeated personal problems affected her professional appearances. [http://www.japan-zone.com/news/2007/07/index.shtml] As of late 2008, she wants to come back to the music industry. This time, she does not want to have her stage name entirely in Kanji anymore.

Discography

ingles

* Keep yourself alive September 81995
* "I believe" October 111995
* "I'm proud" March 61996 #2 1,372,420 copies sold
* "Love Brace" July 221996
* "Save your dream" October 21996 808,570 copies sold
* "Hate tell a lie" April 231997 1,058,610 copies sold
* "Love is all music" July 21997 653,000 copies sold
* "Tanoshiku Tanoshiku" Yasashikune September 181997
* "I wanna go" February 111998
* "You Don't give up" April 81998
* "tumblin' dice" June 171998
* "here we are" July 291998
* "Daily News" October 141998
* "as A person" July 221999
* "Be Honest" October 271999
* "Believe In Future" February 232000
* "Blue Sky" July 262000
* "Never Say Never" April 182001
* "Precious" August 82001
* "Anata no Kakera" October 242001
* "Akiramemashou" April 242002
* "Pleasure" February 262003
* "Anata Ga Ireba" September 282004
* "Namida No Tsuzuki" May 242005
* "Hana/Keep on Running" February 22 2006
* "Ano sayonara ni sayonara wo" July 52006

Mini-albums

* "Untitled" 2008/2009

Albums

* "Love Brace" June 31996
* "Storytelling" December 241997 1,365,860 copies sold
* "Nine cubes" November 261998
* "Kahala Compilation" February 101999 695,730 copies sold
* "One Fine Day" November 251999
* "Best Selection" September 272001
* "Love Again" November 212001
* "Natural Breeze" - Kahala Best 1998-2002- July 172002
* "Naked" July 172005
* "Super Best Singles Collection" December 142005

DVD

* "Tomomi Kahala First Live" December 122001
* "very best of Music Clips"March 272002
* "10th Anniversary Celebration Concert 2005" December 72005

Books

* "Mirai wo Shinjite" January 272000
* "Ku ari Raku ari: Mirai wo Shinjite Part 2" July 252001
* "Showbiz"December 122001
* "Crystallize" December 202005
* "Crystallize II" March 272006

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