Ryuichi Kawamura
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese singer-songwriter
, actor
and record producer
. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea
. After the group disbanded in 2000, Ryuichi went on to a successful solo career. In 2005 he formed Tourbillon
with, fellow Luna Sea member, Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama. He has recently rejoined Luna Sea, as they reunited in August 2010.
Ryuichi's debut album Love topped the Japanese Oricon
chart with sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only male solo artist ever to have an album to sell over one million copies within its initial week in Oricon charts history. Also, that same album sold over 2,788,000 copies, therefore it holds the record for best selling male solo album. In 1997 alone, with his mini and full length albums and four singles (of which "Glass" sold over one million itself), he sold over six million records.
, then named Lunacy.
In 1992, hide
of X Japan
found them on the indie circuit, he eventually got them signed to X Japan co-founder Yoshiki Hayashi's Extasy Records
. The band became commercially successful in the 90s. During Luna Sea's temporary break in 1997, Ryuichi started his solo career. Going by his full name, Ryuichi Kawamura, he changed his vocals from the powerful rock sound to more of a pop idol sound. That year, he released four singles, one mini-album and his first full album, Love. The album includes his cover version of the song "Namida Iro," which was formerly sung by Japanese female singer Noriko Sakai
with his songwriting. Love topped the Japanese Oricon
charts with the sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only solo male artist ever to have an album sold over one million copies within its initial week release in Oricon charts history. In total, Love sold over 2,788,000 copies on the Oricon charts. Ryuichi would later start his own production house titled "RK". In 1999, he would go on to produce many artists including Azumaya Toga, Hideki and Izam.
Following Luna Sea's disbandment in 2000, Ryuichi started his first solo tour and created a subsidiary of "RK" intended for the production of film music. Shortly after, he composed music for the film So Faraway. In mid-2001, the his fan-club "RKF" (Ryuichi Kawamura Family) opened. His single "Ne" was used in the ending credits for an NTV drama. Later, Ryuichi released the singles "Shizuka na Yoru wa Futari Iyou" and "Julia", both of which received high praise from the fans and critics alike.
With his faithful and fast-growing fan base, Ryuichi started making several appearances on popular music shows including Music Station and Heyx3. Following the release of the single "Kimi no Mae de Paino wo Hikou," he landed a role in the film Picaresque based on the life of Dazai Osamu.
as an attempt to gain more foreign fans. When he returned to Japan, there were several meet and greet events at Zepp
Fukuoka and Zepp Osaka, where he sold special merchandise (including manga he illustrated and figurines, etc.). Later, Ryuichi starred as a lead role in the TV Asahi drama series Kowloon de Aimashou and he also wrote the ending theme "Sugar Lady".
A special photobook was released in 2003 during his new tour. While putting his album and single releases on pause that year, he went on to produce artists such as Memory Cats and Kiyoshi. In 2004, Ryuichi released the single "Spoon" and the album Vanilla, followed by a handful of tours. His fellow Luna Sea's band mate Inoran was also a guest during his New Year's Eve live.
After taking a short vacation in Europe, Ryuichi reunited with Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama to announce the formation of their band Tourbillon
in 2005. Their first official concert was held at the Nippon Budokan
on July 2 and it received good attendance and reviews. The band would release two albums, Heaven and A Tide of New Era in 2005 and 2006, respectively. In March 2008, Tourbillon's single "Break the Chain" was used as an opening theme of the new Kamen Rider series.
and Akiko Kobayashi
, as well as the song "I for you" by Luna Sea
. A year later, he released a second cover album to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his solo career. The covered songs included his original solo works and songs by other classic Japanese artists, such as Dead End, Kenji Sawada
, Tetsurō Oda
and Dreams Come True.
On December 24, 2007 Ryuichi reunited with Luna Sea to perform the concert "God Bless You ~One Night Dejavu~" at the Tokyo Dome
. The band would then play again at the "hide memorial summit" on May 4, 2008 along with X Japan, T.M.Revolution and many more.
On February 3, 2008, Ryuichi held a special concert at the Nippon Budokan
titled "Yuki no Budokan ~70 Stories~" sponsored by Sports Nippon. The show celebrated the 10th anniversary of his solo career where he performed half of every song recorded from one of his six original albums, amounting to a 70-song set. Inoran also appeared to perform with Ryuichi during the concert, which lasted four and a half hours. The DVD of the concert is available only through Ryuichi's official website.
Ryuichi also sang the Japanese National Anthem for the occasional sporting event, including the 7th Grand Prix D1 series and one of the J-League's Kashima Antlers
soccer game in March 2008. Recently, he had been busy with his new solo tour called "Tour 2008 Unchangable Songs" around the country.
In October 2008, Ryuichi co-starred in the Broadway musical Chicago
, along with Takarazuka top star Yoka Wao
and Ryoko Yonekura
where he played the lawyer Billy Flynn. This event marked the first time ever that a cast of a Japanese production of a Broadway music has been introduced on Broadway.
In July, Ryuichi released a new photo exhibition book called "Japanesque". He went on to perform international tour in Taiwan in late August.
On September 30, 2009, Ryuichi released a new single "Brilliant Stars" including a tie-up song with the jewellery brand GemCeree. As with a new contract with Avex Group (after leaving Columbia Music Entertainment
), Ryuichi performed at the "Hard na Yaon 2009" concert that same month along with many other artists from the company.
Following a single "Dakishimete" and the album Sora in February 2010, according to Ryuichi's official website, he would co-star in the second Broadway Musical Chicago
in June. Also, Ryuichi held the tour "No Mic, No Speakers Concert #003" from August through September, which, as the name suggests, he performed without a microphone or any type of speakers. On August 13 he performed at the Jack in the Box 2010 Summery festival. Also in August, he appeared with the other members of Luna Sea
at a press conference in Hong Kong
, where they officially announced their reunion and their "20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot -to the New Moon-
".
On October 17, Ryuichi appeared in a television documentary, broadcast on BS Fuji, called Kawamura Ryuichi x Garyuu, where he traveled to the famous Angkor Wat
. Awed by the structure and it's impressive echoes, he decided that he wants to perform there in the near future, playing acoustic guitar and piano but singing without the use of a microphone. It appears that Kawamura has already composed a new song inspired by the experience, though the lyrics have not yet been written. Naturally, he hopes to perform the song at Angkor Wat in 2011.
Ryuichi also participated in Bobby Kim's (South Korea R&B singer) album My Soul, writing Japanese lyrics for the song "Tsuioku no Kaze".
on March 13, 2011. At the concert, entitled "Genkai no Sono Saki e: 100 no Monogatari ~Epilogue~", he will be aiming to perform a total of 100 songs over a span of more than 6 hours (back in February 2008, at a concert titled "Yuki no Budokan ~70 Stories~", he sang 71 songs over a span of 4 hours at the same venue). However, due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
on March 11, the concert was postponed. On May 3 he was successful, performing a total of 104 songs within 6 and a half hours and was awarded the Guinness World Record, beating the previous record of 100 songs within 8 hours.
Ryuichi will also co-star in the stage musical, Wuthering Heights
(also known as Arashigaoka) in Japan. Though several previous adaptions of Emily Bronte
's classic novel were made, this one will be a new adaptation written by playwright Sanae Iijima and directed by Nobuhiro Nishikawa. Kawamura will take the lead role of the revenge-seeking Heathcliff and perform alongside popular Japanese stars including voice actress Aya Hirano
and singer Natsumi Abe
. The musical will be performed at Tokyo's Akasaka Act Theater on July 6–24, then at Osaka's Theater Drama City on July 25–31.
Ryuichi and his fellow Luna Sea member Sugizo
collaborated with the musical group M.o.v.e, best known for providing music for the Initial D
anime, to provide a theme song for the movie Gakudori. The song is called "Overtakers", was released on March 9, 2011, and features Ryuichi on vocals and Sugizo on guitar. He also released a cover album, The Voice, on March 9 covering hit songs by western artists, including "How Deep Is Your Love
", "Ave Maria", "Amapola
" and "Over The Rainbow
".
On April 30, Kawamura held a charity concert in Thailand
, entitled "Ryuichi Kawamura Exclusive One Night Only Charity Concert in Bangkok", where he performed at the Royal Paragon Hall with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and special guest Pod (lead singer from Thai alternative rock band Modern Dog
). Part of proceeds were donated to the victims suffered from the tragic 2011 Japanese earthquakes.
On May 29, Ryuichi and the rest of Luna Sea gave an interview, at the premier of Luna Sea 3D in Los Angeles
at Toho
Cinema Roppongi Hills, which was broadcast live on Ustream.tv. They announced a concert at the 30,000 seat Saitama Super Arena
titled "Luna Sea for Japan A Promise to the Brave" on October 22. The profits of the performance will go to the Japanese Red Cross
to support the victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
It was confirmed that Kawamura will be making several tour dates from September to October, called "Tour 2011 Greatest Voice". He also announced that his new single, "Yo ga Yonara", is scheduled to be released in July. The song will be included in his next album, which is scheduled for release at the end of August. Ryuichi was announced to be one of the artists performing at the charity concert "Smile Again II ~Song of Hope~" on August 14, with the proceeds supporting the victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Ryuichi covered "Beauty and the Beast" for the cover album V-Rock Disney, which was released on September 7, 2011 and features visual kei
artists covering Disney
songs. His own song "Beat" will be covered by Zuck on the compilation Crush! 2 -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, that will be released on November 23, 2011 and features current visual kei bands covering songs from bands that were important to the '90s visual kei movement.
. He was inspired both vocally and visually by Morrie, frontman of the influential Japanese metal
band Dead End
. From the early to mid-90s, his style often included screamed singing during their hard rock songs. However, due to this style, it was reported that Kawamura suffered from laryngitis
. In 1997, his voice trainer recommended him changing his singing style to pop
. Thus, Ryuichi slightly changed his vocal style to be more traditional, seen on his first solo album. When Luna Sea disbanded in 2000, Ryuichi switched completely to pop and ballad tunes in his solo work. Six years later, Ryuichi started changing to a more operatic style. Possibly due his work in Chicago, his first of several musical
s.
in 2002. Although the pair stated that they had no plans for a wedding ceremony or a reception, a representative visited the local city office to register their marriage on January 23, 2006. Kumi gave birth to their first son on June 18, 2009.
He is good friends with his Luna Sea bandmate Inoran. Together, they are avid car racers. Ryuichi also likes boxing and surfing, and says that he plans to open a surfing store once he retires from his singing career.
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
and record producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea
Luna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
. After the group disbanded in 2000, Ryuichi went on to a successful solo career. In 2005 he formed Tourbillon
Tourbillon (band)
is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005 by Luna Sea members Ryuichi Kawamura and Kiyonobu "Inoran" Inoue , and D-Loop member Hiroaki "H...
with, fellow Luna Sea member, Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama. He has recently rejoined Luna Sea, as they reunited in August 2010.
Ryuichi's debut album Love topped the Japanese Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
chart with sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only male solo artist ever to have an album to sell over one million copies within its initial week in Oricon charts history. Also, that same album sold over 2,788,000 copies, therefore it holds the record for best selling male solo album. In 1997 alone, with his mini and full length albums and four singles (of which "Glass" sold over one million itself), he sold over six million records.
1989–2000: Luna Sea, Solo Debut
Ryuichi Kawamura started his musical career as vocalist of the band Slaughter, while still in high school, under the name Rayla. On May 6, 1989, he was invited by Inoran to join Luna SeaLuna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
, then named Lunacy.
In 1992, hide
Hide (musician)
, better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
of X Japan
X Japan
is a Japanese heavy metal band founded in 1982 by Yoshiki and Toshi. Originally named X , the group achieved their breakthrough success in 1989 with the release of their second album Blue Blood...
found them on the indie circuit, he eventually got them signed to X Japan co-founder Yoshiki Hayashi's Extasy Records
Extasy Records
Extasy Records is a Japanese record label founded in April 1986 by Yoshiki Hayashi, co-founder of the heavy metal band X Japan...
. The band became commercially successful in the 90s. During Luna Sea's temporary break in 1997, Ryuichi started his solo career. Going by his full name, Ryuichi Kawamura, he changed his vocals from the powerful rock sound to more of a pop idol sound. That year, he released four singles, one mini-album and his first full album, Love. The album includes his cover version of the song "Namida Iro," which was formerly sung by Japanese female singer Noriko Sakai
Noriko Sakai
is a Japanese pop singer and actress. She was born in Fukuoka, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. She married in 1998, and divorced on July 31, 2010. She and Yūichi have one son, born in 1999. She is particularly popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan...
with his songwriting. Love topped the Japanese Oricon
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
charts with the sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only solo male artist ever to have an album sold over one million copies within its initial week release in Oricon charts history. In total, Love sold over 2,788,000 copies on the Oricon charts. Ryuichi would later start his own production house titled "RK". In 1999, he would go on to produce many artists including Azumaya Toga, Hideki and Izam.
Following Luna Sea's disbandment in 2000, Ryuichi started his first solo tour and created a subsidiary of "RK" intended for the production of film music. Shortly after, he composed music for the film So Faraway. In mid-2001, the his fan-club "RKF" (Ryuichi Kawamura Family) opened. His single "Ne" was used in the ending credits for an NTV drama. Later, Ryuichi released the singles "Shizuka na Yoru wa Futari Iyou" and "Julia", both of which received high praise from the fans and critics alike.
With his faithful and fast-growing fan base, Ryuichi started making several appearances on popular music shows including Music Station and Heyx3. Following the release of the single "Kimi no Mae de Paino wo Hikou," he landed a role in the film Picaresque based on the life of Dazai Osamu.
2002–2006: International Tour, Tourbillon
His first international solo tour came in 2002 when he performed an exclusive concert in SeoulSeoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
as an attempt to gain more foreign fans. When he returned to Japan, there were several meet and greet events at Zepp
Zepp
The Zepp music halls are a group of Japanese music halls covering every area of the country. The Zepp halls play host to many international tours and are a popular stop among Japanese musicians. Each venue takes the Zepp name, along with the city in which it is located...
Fukuoka and Zepp Osaka, where he sold special merchandise (including manga he illustrated and figurines, etc.). Later, Ryuichi starred as a lead role in the TV Asahi drama series Kowloon de Aimashou and he also wrote the ending theme "Sugar Lady".
A special photobook was released in 2003 during his new tour. While putting his album and single releases on pause that year, he went on to produce artists such as Memory Cats and Kiyoshi. In 2004, Ryuichi released the single "Spoon" and the album Vanilla, followed by a handful of tours. His fellow Luna Sea's band mate Inoran was also a guest during his New Year's Eve live.
After taking a short vacation in Europe, Ryuichi reunited with Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama to announce the formation of their band Tourbillon
Tourbillon (band)
is a Japanese rock band formed in 2005 by Luna Sea members Ryuichi Kawamura and Kiyonobu "Inoran" Inoue , and D-Loop member Hiroaki "H...
in 2005. Their first official concert was held at the Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
on July 2 and it received good attendance and reviews. The band would release two albums, Heaven and A Tide of New Era in 2005 and 2006, respectively. In March 2008, Tourbillon's single "Break the Chain" was used as an opening theme of the new Kamen Rider series.
2006–2008: 10th Year Anniversary, Chicago on Broadway
In 2006, Ryuichi released his first cover album titled Evergreen - Anata no wasuremono. He covered songs by artists such as Yutaka OzakiYutaka Ozaki
was a popular Japanese musician.He is ranked at No. 23 in a list of Japan's top 100 musicians by HMV.-Biography:He was born in Tokyo Setagaya Ward SDF Central Hospital to Kinue and Kenichi Ozaki. He has one older brother, Yasushi. Early in life, he was hospitalized with intestinal torsion and...
and Akiko Kobayashi
Akiko Kobayashi (singer)
, also known by her alias Holi, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, composer and arranger.Kobayashi collaborated with Brian Eno and U2 on their 1995 project, the Passengers...
, as well as the song "I for you" by Luna Sea
Luna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
. A year later, he released a second cover album to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his solo career. The covered songs included his original solo works and songs by other classic Japanese artists, such as Dead End, Kenji Sawada
Kenji Sawada
, nicknamed "Julie" , also-known as vocalist for the Japanese rock band The Tigers, is a Japanese singer, composer, lyricist and actor. He was born in Tsunoi, Iwami , Tottori Prefecture, Japan, and raised in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto at age 3...
, Tetsurō Oda
Tetsurō Oda
is a Japanese composer, record producer, and singer-songwriter.In the 1990s, Oda composed a number of hit songs such as B.B.Queens' "Odoru Pompokolin", Zard's "Makenaide", and Noriko Sakai's "Aoi Usagi"....
and Dreams Come True.
On December 24, 2007 Ryuichi reunited with Luna Sea to perform the concert "God Bless You ~One Night Dejavu~" at the Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome is a 55,000-seat baseball stadium located in Bunkyo Ward of Tokyo, Japan.The stadium opened for business on March 17, 1988. It was built on the site of the Velodrome which was next door to the site of the predecessor ballpark, Kōrakuen Stadium...
. The band would then play again at the "hide memorial summit" on May 4, 2008 along with X Japan, T.M.Revolution and many more.
On February 3, 2008, Ryuichi held a special concert at the Nippon Budokan
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
titled "Yuki no Budokan ~70 Stories~" sponsored by Sports Nippon. The show celebrated the 10th anniversary of his solo career where he performed half of every song recorded from one of his six original albums, amounting to a 70-song set. Inoran also appeared to perform with Ryuichi during the concert, which lasted four and a half hours. The DVD of the concert is available only through Ryuichi's official website.
Ryuichi also sang the Japanese National Anthem for the occasional sporting event, including the 7th Grand Prix D1 series and one of the J-League's Kashima Antlers
Kashima Antlers
are a Japanese professional association football club playing in the J. League Division 1. Antlers is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island"....
soccer game in March 2008. Recently, he had been busy with his new solo tour called "Tour 2008 Unchangable Songs" around the country.
In October 2008, Ryuichi co-starred in the Broadway musical Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
, along with Takarazuka top star Yoka Wao
Yoka Wao
' is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters . She joined the revue in 1988 and resigned in 2006....
and Ryoko Yonekura
Ryoko Yonekura
is a Japanese ex-fashion model and actress. She studied classical ballet for 15 years from the age of five. A member of the Oscar Productions agency, she won a national young beauty award in 1992. In 1993 she started her career as a model, working for fashion magazines such as CanCam. She announced...
where he played the lawyer Billy Flynn. This event marked the first time ever that a cast of a Japanese production of a Broadway music has been introduced on Broadway.
2009–2010: Sora, Luna Sea Reunion, Debut in Cambodia
Following an overseas performance in Hong Kong on March 2009, Ryuichi released a new single "Heroine" on February 4, which was a collaborated his work with Tetsuro Oda. He then released the album Piano on April 1, which included the environmental-conservative themed single "Midori no Uta". Following the release of Piano, Ryuichi has currently been busy with several media promotional appearances, including a recent tour in Hong Kong which marked his first international tour as a solo artist.In July, Ryuichi released a new photo exhibition book called "Japanesque". He went on to perform international tour in Taiwan in late August.
On September 30, 2009, Ryuichi released a new single "Brilliant Stars" including a tie-up song with the jewellery brand GemCeree. As with a new contract with Avex Group (after leaving Columbia Music Entertainment
Columbia Music Entertainment
is a Japanese record label founded in 1910 as . It affiliated itself with the Columbia Graphophone Company of the United Kingdom and adopted the standard UK Columbia trademarks in 1931. The company changed its name to Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. in 1946. It used the Nippon Columbia name until...
), Ryuichi performed at the "Hard na Yaon 2009" concert that same month along with many other artists from the company.
Following a single "Dakishimete" and the album Sora in February 2010, according to Ryuichi's official website, he would co-star in the second Broadway Musical Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
in June. Also, Ryuichi held the tour "No Mic, No Speakers Concert #003" from August through September, which, as the name suggests, he performed without a microphone or any type of speakers. On August 13 he performed at the Jack in the Box 2010 Summery festival. Also in August, he appeared with the other members of Luna Sea
Luna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
at a press conference in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, where they officially announced their reunion and their "20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot -to the New Moon-
20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot
20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot -to the New Moon- is a concert tour by Japanese rock band Luna Sea. The tour is the first set of regular concerts given by the band in ten years since their Final Act concerts in December 2000, following a one night reunion concert in 2007 and a performance at the...
".
On October 17, Ryuichi appeared in a television documentary, broadcast on BS Fuji, called Kawamura Ryuichi x Garyuu, where he traveled to the famous Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu,...
. Awed by the structure and it's impressive echoes, he decided that he wants to perform there in the near future, playing acoustic guitar and piano but singing without the use of a microphone. It appears that Kawamura has already composed a new song inspired by the experience, though the lyrics have not yet been written. Naturally, he hopes to perform the song at Angkor Wat in 2011.
Ryuichi also participated in Bobby Kim's (South Korea R&B singer) album My Soul, writing Japanese lyrics for the song "Tsuioku no Kaze".
2011: Breaking the Guinness World Record, Thailand Debut
On January 7, Ryuichi announced that he is aiming to outdo himself with a special solo concert at the Nippon BudokanNippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena in central Tokyo, Japan.This is the location where many "Live at the Budokan" albums were recorded...
on March 13, 2011. At the concert, entitled "Genkai no Sono Saki e: 100 no Monogatari ~Epilogue~", he will be aiming to perform a total of 100 songs over a span of more than 6 hours (back in February 2008, at a concert titled "Yuki no Budokan ~70 Stories~", he sang 71 songs over a span of 4 hours at the same venue). However, due to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
on March 11, the concert was postponed. On May 3 he was successful, performing a total of 104 songs within 6 and a half hours and was awarded the Guinness World Record, beating the previous record of 100 songs within 8 hours.
Ryuichi will also co-star in the stage musical, Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
(also known as Arashigaoka) in Japan. Though several previous adaptions of Emily Bronte
Emily Brontë
Emily Jane Brontë 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet, best remembered for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, now considered a classic of English literature. Emily was the third eldest of the four surviving Brontë siblings, between the youngest Anne and her brother...
's classic novel were made, this one will be a new adaptation written by playwright Sanae Iijima and directed by Nobuhiro Nishikawa. Kawamura will take the lead role of the revenge-seeking Heathcliff and perform alongside popular Japanese stars including voice actress Aya Hirano
Aya Hirano
from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, is a Japanese voice actress and J-pop singer who has had roles in several anime, visual novels, and TV commercials in Japan. She was contracted to Space Craft Produce, a branch of the Space Craft Group, for her voice acting career, and for her singing career,...
and singer Natsumi Abe
Natsumi Abe
is a Japanese singer and actress, a former member of Morning Musume, and currently a member of Dream Morning Musume.-Career:On August 13, 2003, she released her first single, "22 Sai no Watashi," which means "Me, 22 years old," just a few days after her 22nd birthday...
. The musical will be performed at Tokyo's Akasaka Act Theater on July 6–24, then at Osaka's Theater Drama City on July 25–31.
Ryuichi and his fellow Luna Sea member Sugizo
Sugizo
, born , is a Japanese musician, singer-songwriter and record producer. Referred to by his stage name Sugizo, he is best known as lead guitarist of the rock band Luna Sea, who were popular in the 1990s. He started his solo career in 1997 and has since collaborated with many artists...
collaborated with the musical group M.o.v.e, best known for providing music for the Initial D
Initial D
is a manga by Shuichi Shigeno which has been serialized in Kodansha's Young Magazine since 1995. It has been adapted into a long-running anime series by OB Planning, Studio Comet, Studio Gallop, Pastel, and A.C.G.T, and a live action film by Avex and Media Asia...
anime, to provide a theme song for the movie Gakudori. The song is called "Overtakers", was released on March 9, 2011, and features Ryuichi on vocals and Sugizo on guitar. He also released a cover album, The Voice, on March 9 covering hit songs by western artists, including "How Deep Is Your Love
How Deep Is Your Love
"How Deep Is Your Love" is a pop song recorded by the Bee Gees in 1977 and released as a single in September. Originally intended for Yvonne Elliman, it was ultimately used as part of the soundtrack to the film Saturday Night Fever. It was a number three hit in the United Kingdom and Australia...
", "Ave Maria", "Amapola
Amapola (song)
"Amapola" is a 1924 song by Cádiz-born composer José María Lacalle García , with Spanish lyrics. After the composer died in 1937, English language lyrics were written by Albert Gamse....
" and "Over The Rainbow
Over the Rainbow
"Over the Rainbow" is a classic Academy Award-winning ballad song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg. It was written for the movie The Wizard of Oz, and was sung by Judy Garland in the movie...
".
On April 30, Kawamura held a charity concert in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, entitled "Ryuichi Kawamura Exclusive One Night Only Charity Concert in Bangkok", where he performed at the Royal Paragon Hall with the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and special guest Pod (lead singer from Thai alternative rock band Modern Dog
Modern Dog
Modern Dog is a Thai rock band, formed in 1992. They issued their first album in 1994, selling 500,000 copies. The band has issued five studio albums, selling a total of 2 million copies....
). Part of proceeds were donated to the victims suffered from the tragic 2011 Japanese earthquakes.
On May 29, Ryuichi and the rest of Luna Sea gave an interview, at the premier of Luna Sea 3D in Los Angeles
Luna Sea 3D in Los Angeles
Luna Sea 3D in Los Angeles is a live album and 3D concert film by Luna Sea. It was recorded at the Hollywood Palladium in the United States on December 4, 2010, as part of their 20th Anniversary World Tour Reboot -to the New Moon-. The album was released on June 1, 2011, while the video began...
at Toho
Toho
is a Japanese film, theater production, and distribution company. It is headquartered in Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group...
Cinema Roppongi Hills, which was broadcast live on Ustream.tv. They announced a concert at the 30,000 seat Saitama Super Arena
Saitama Super Arena
is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Chūō-ku, Saitama City, Saitama, Japan. Its spectator capacity is 37,000 at maximum settings.This main arena capacity is between 19,000-22,500 when events such as basketball, volleyball, tennis, ice hockey, gymnastics, boxing, mixed martial arts and...
titled "Luna Sea for Japan A Promise to the Brave" on October 22. The profits of the performance will go to the Japanese Red Cross
Japanese Red Cross
The ' is the Japanese affiliate of the International Red Cross.The Imperial Family of Japan traditionally has supported the society, with Empress as Honorary President and other royal family members as vice-presidents. Its headquarters is located in Tokyo and local chapters are set up in all 47...
to support the victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
It was confirmed that Kawamura will be making several tour dates from September to October, called "Tour 2011 Greatest Voice". He also announced that his new single, "Yo ga Yonara", is scheduled to be released in July. The song will be included in his next album, which is scheduled for release at the end of August. Ryuichi was announced to be one of the artists performing at the charity concert "Smile Again II ~Song of Hope~" on August 14, with the proceeds supporting the victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Ryuichi covered "Beauty and the Beast" for the cover album V-Rock Disney, which was released on September 7, 2011 and features visual kei
Visual Kei
is a movement among Japanese musicians, that is characterized by the use of make-up, elaborate hair styles and flamboyant costumes, often, but not always, coupled with androgynous aesthetics. Some sources state that visual kei refers to a music genre, or to a sub-genre of Japanese rock, with its...
artists covering Disney
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
songs. His own song "Beat" will be covered by Zuck on the compilation Crush! 2 -90's V-Rock Best Hit Cover Songs-, that will be released on November 23, 2011 and features current visual kei bands covering songs from bands that were important to the '90s visual kei movement.
Musical Style
Ryuichi Kawamura is best known for his unique and charismatic vocal ability during his work with Luna SeaLuna Sea
Luna Sea is a rock band from Kanagawa, Japan, formed in 1989. The band was initially founded by bassist J and rhythm guitarist Inoran, when they were in high school. They soon recruited lead guitarist and violinist Sugizo, drummer Shinya and vocalist Ryuichi, a lineup that has remained the same...
. He was inspired both vocally and visually by Morrie, frontman of the influential Japanese metal
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
band Dead End
Dead End (band)
is an influential Japanese metal/rock band formed in Tokyo in 1984. They were one of few Japanese metal bands who had international exposure in the United States during the eighties...
. From the early to mid-90s, his style often included screamed singing during their hard rock songs. However, due to this style, it was reported that Kawamura suffered from laryngitis
Laryngitis
Laryngitis is an inflammation of the larynx. It causes hoarse voice or the complete loss of the voice because of irritation to the vocal folds . Dysphonia is the medical term for a vocal disorder, of which laryngitis is one cause....
. In 1997, his voice trainer recommended him changing his singing style to pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
. Thus, Ryuichi slightly changed his vocal style to be more traditional, seen on his first solo album. When Luna Sea disbanded in 2000, Ryuichi switched completely to pop and ballad tunes in his solo work. Six years later, Ryuichi started changing to a more operatic style. Possibly due his work in Chicago, his first of several musical
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
s.
Personal life
Ryuichi was introduced to Kumi Sano by a mutual friend in early 2005, and several months later they began dating. Sano had been crowned Miss JapanMiss Japan
is a beauty contest that has been held by a diet gym company and Yomiuri news group every year between winners of the Japanese block pageants.Winner is chosen out of 2000 candidates.- Winners :-External links:* on Sports Nippon...
in 2002. Although the pair stated that they had no plans for a wedding ceremony or a reception, a representative visited the local city office to register their marriage on January 23, 2006. Kumi gave birth to their first son on June 18, 2009.
He is good friends with his Luna Sea bandmate Inoran. Together, they are avid car racers. Ryuichi also likes boxing and surfing, and says that he plans to open a surfing store once he retires from his singing career.
Achievement/Awards
- Drama Academy Award - Best Newcomer (Spring 1997)
- Best Japanese Male Singer (1997)
- OriconOricon, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc...
- Best Selling Male Solo Album - Love released in 1997 - Guinness World Record - Solo Artist Who Sings 100 Songs In 8 Hours (May 3, 2011)
Original albums
- Cranberry Soda (June 21, 1997)
- sold approximately 724,000 copies
- Love (November 22, 1997)
- 1998 4# yearly best-selling album with 2,798,170 copies sold
- (December 19, 2001)
- (July 17, 2002)
- Very Best of Songs... (September 26, 2002)
- Dear... (March 24, 2004)
- Vanilla (April 7, 2004)
- Orange (June 20, 2007)
- Piano (January 4, 2009)
- Sora (February 24, 2010)
- Fantasia (August 31, 2011)
Cover albums
- (May 24, 2006)
- Evergreen ~Anniversary Edition~ (December 5, 2007)
- The Voice (March 9, 2011)
Singles
- "I Love You/Cielo" (February 21, 1997)
- 25# yearly best-selling single with 753,640 copies sold
- "Glass" (April 23, 1997)
- 15# yearly best-selling single with 1,011,350 copies sold
- "Beat/Ki•se•ki" (July 18, 1997)
- 21# yearly best-selling single with 778,470 copies sold
- "Love is/Xyz" (October 15, 1997)
- 44# yearly best-selling single with 617,940 copies sold
- "Ne" (April 25, 2001) (June 21, 2001) (August 22, 2001) (October 24, 2001) (November 21, 2001)
- "Sugar Lady" (April 24, 2002)
- "F114B" (March 3, 2004, official fan club members only)
- "Spoon/Missing You" (March 3, 2004) (April 18, 2007)
- "Once Again" (October 31, 2007) (2008, available only at Ryuichi's official website) (February 4, 2009)
- "Brilliant Stars" (September 30, 2009) (January 20, 2010)
- "Yo ga Yonara..." (July 20, 2011)
Home videos
- Time of Legend 1997~2002
- Ryuichi Kawamura at Nippon Budokan "70 no Monogatari" Yuki no Budokan (May 16, 2008)
- Ryuichi Kawamura x Garyu -Dai Issho Hibiki- (December 15, 2010)
- Ryuichi Kawamura x Garyu -Dai Issho Private- (December 15, 2010)
- No Mic, No Speakers Concert Sekai Isan Angkor Isekigun vs Ryuichi Kawamura Kamigami no Tasogare (May 28, 2011)
- Genkai no Sono Saki e 100 no Monogatari ~Epilogue~ (2011)
Books
- Wave -Ryuichi Kawamura-
- 1997 Ryuichi Kawamura ~Natural~
- Diamond and Stones
- Ryuichi Kawamura Works "Your Tears are like Silver" (poem book)
- I Looked up at the Blue Sky (picture book)
- Deai ~Kono Netsu ga Same Teshimau Mae ni~ (novel)
- Glass Melody (novel)
- Dakishimete (February 10, 2009, novel co-written with Izumi Tadashi)
- Voices (December 24, 2010, autobiography)