Angela Aki

Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Angela Aki
Img_capt =
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Kiyomi Aki
安芸 聖世美
Alias = Angie, Lina
Born = birth date and age|1977|9|15
Died =
Origin = Itano, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan
Genre = J-pop
Occupation(s) = singer
Years_active = 2000–present
Label = Sony Music Japan, Tofu Records
URL = [http://www.angela-aki.com/ Official site] jp icon [http://www.tofurecords.com/artists.php?artistid=angelaaki Tofu Records: Angela Aki] en icon
Current_members =
Past_members =
Notable_instruments = |nihongo|Angela Aki|アンジェラ・アキ|Anjera Aki, born on September 15, 1977, in Itano, Tokushima Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan, to a Japanese father and an Italian-American mother [ [http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20080912a1.html She, herself and AI sidebar: Mixed blessings] ] , is a Japanese singer-songwriter. Her birth name was Kiyomi Aki (安芸 聖世美 "Aki Kiyomi").

Angela Aki speaks English and Japanese as she was raised in Japan, but moved to Hawaii at the age of fifteen where she graduated from 'Iolani School. From there she moved on to George Washington University where she graduated with majors in politics and music.

She originally released an indie album in the United States in 2000, called "These Words", which received much critical acclaim. In 2002, she composed two tracks for "Let It Fall" by Dianne Eclar, a teenage pop singer from the Philippines. In 2005, in Japan, she released an indie mini-album under Virgo Music entitled "One", which alerted Nobuo Uematsu to her music. Angela Aki is now signed under Sony Japan. In 2005, she was announced as the singer of the "Final Fantasy XII" theme song, "Kiss Me Good-Bye."

On March 9, 2007, she revealed in her official blog that she is married to a music director who has been supporting her before her debut. She also revealed that while she was in Washington D.C., she had married once before but the marriage ended in a divorce.

She is good friends with JPOP star Yuna Ito. Both singers attended the same Japanese language school.

Angela Aki is the daughter of Kiyoshi Aki, the owner/co-founder of AEON Institute of Language Education. This is one of the "Big Four" Eikaiwa (English conversation) schools in Japan.

Reaching an English audience

In May 2006, Angela signed with Tofu Records in order to release English singles and albums. Her first release with Tofu was releasing "Kiss Me Good-Bye" as a digital single in the USA, with a slightly altered track list. Later that month she performed the "Final Fantasy XII" theme song, "Kiss Me Good-Bye" at the premiere PLAY! A Video Game Symphony concert in Chicago on May 27, 2006. With orchestral backup, she played piano and sang the English lyrics, which she had written herself. She also performed a cover version of "Eyes On Me", the theme song of "Final Fantasy VIII", with a piano accompaniment.

Marriage

On Aki's blog dated March 9, 2007, she announced her marriage to Japanese music producer, Hide Sanjougi(三上義英). She also mentioned that it will be the second marriage for her. [ [http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/Music/Info/AngelaAki/info/info_fr.html Marriage announcement] ] Her first marriage was to engineer, producer, and artist Tony Alany [ [http://www.myspace.com/tonyalany Tony Alany MySpace Page] ] who coproduced her first album in Vienna, VA.

Discography

Albums

ingles

DVDs

*Angela Aki MY KEYS 2006 in Budokan - March 28, 2007
*Angela Aki Concert Tour 2007-2008 “TODAY” - October 1, 2008

References

External links

* [http://www.angela-aki.com/ Official Site] ja icon
*musicbrainz artist|id=d5eb154a-8768-4ee8-91db-9c2467b4e0f0|name=Angela Aki
* [http://www.oricon.co.jp/artists/364306/ Angela Aki Profile at Oricon] ja icon
* [http://www.tofurecords.com/artists.php?artistid=angelaaki Official English site (Tofu Records)]
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Persondata
NAME= Aki, Angela
ALTERNATIVE NAMES= アキ, アジェラ (Japanese); 安芸, 聖世美 (Japanese birth name); Aki, Kiyomi (birth name)
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Musician
DATE OF BIRTH= September 15, 1977
PLACE OF BIRTH= Itano, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=