Yo Hitoto
Encyclopedia
is a Japan
ese pop
singer. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwan
ese. She can speak three languages: Japanese
, English
, and Mandarin. Tae Hitoto
is her older sister. Her name Hitoto is not her real surname, it is her mother's maiden name. She changed her name when she came to Japan. Her father died when she was very young, and her mother died when she was 16.
Soon after she was born in Tokyo
, she moved to Taipei
, and after she completed kindergarten in Taipei, she moved back to Tokyo and she has lived there ever since. She graduated from the department of Environmental Information of Keio University
and participated in the Keio University a cappella
group, K.O.E., during her days as a student. She used to have live concerts on the street with fellow K.O.E. members before she met Yōichi Kitayama, a member of the famous Japanese a cappella group the Gospellers
. Mr. Kitayama encouraged Yō Hitoto to compose her own music. Before this encounter, she had been a backup singer for many other artists.
To date, Yō Hitoto has released eleven single CDs and four albums.
Yō Hitoto's debut single "Morai naki" propelled her to stardom, and her songs enjoy wide popularity. Her clear voice and singing style, which is compared to the style of folk songs of Okinawa, attract many fans.
In Taiwan she is known for singing a Taiwanese folk song, which was included in her second album, as part of a Kirin
beer commercial aired in Taiwan.
Yō Hitoto performs a song at the finale of the game Dynasty Warriors 3.
In 2003 she debuted in her first film Café Lumière
, as the lead character Yoko.
Her latest best of album sold over 700,000 copies (Triple-Platinum status in Japan), becoming her best selling album yet.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese 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...
singer. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
ese. She can speak three languages: Japanese
Japanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, and Mandarin. Tae Hitoto
Tae Hitoto
is an actress. Her mother is Japanese and her father is Taiwanese. Yō Hitoto is her younger sister.-External links:**...
is her older sister. Her name Hitoto is not her real surname, it is her mother's maiden name. She changed her name when she came to Japan. Her father died when she was very young, and her mother died when she was 16.
Soon after she was born in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, she moved to Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, and after she completed kindergarten in Taipei, she moved back to Tokyo and she has lived there ever since. She graduated from the department of Environmental Information of Keio University
Keio University
,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...
and participated in the Keio University a cappella
A cappella
A cappella music is specifically solo or group singing without instrumental sound, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. It is the opposite of cantata, which is accompanied singing. A cappella was originally intended to differentiate between Renaissance polyphony and Baroque concertato...
group, K.O.E., during her days as a student. She used to have live concerts on the street with fellow K.O.E. members before she met Yōichi Kitayama, a member of the famous Japanese a cappella group the Gospellers
Gospellers
The Gospellers are a Japanese a cappella vocal group made up of Tetsuya Murakami, Kaoru Kurosawa, Yuji Sakai, Yoichi Kitayama and Yutaka Yasuoka....
. Mr. Kitayama encouraged Yō Hitoto to compose her own music. Before this encounter, she had been a backup singer for many other artists.
To date, Yō Hitoto has released eleven single CDs and four albums.
Yō Hitoto's debut single "Morai naki" propelled her to stardom, and her songs enjoy wide popularity. Her clear voice and singing style, which is compared to the style of folk songs of Okinawa, attract many fans.
In Taiwan she is known for singing a Taiwanese folk song, which was included in her second album, as part of a Kirin
Kirin Brewery Company
is a Japanese company. It is a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu.-Overview:Kirin sells two of the most popular beers in Japan, Kirin Lager--the country's oldest beer brand--and Ichiban Shibori. In the happoshu category, Kirin Tanrei is the top seller. Kirin handles domestic distribution for...
beer commercial aired in Taiwan.
Yō Hitoto performs a song at the finale of the game Dynasty Warriors 3.
In 2003 she debuted in her first film Café Lumière
Café Lumière
is a 2003 Japanese film directed by Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien for Shochiku as homage to Yasujiro Ozu, with direct reference to the late master's Tokyo Story . It premiered at a festival commemorating the centenary of Ozu's birth...
, as the lead character Yoko.
Her latest best of album sold over 700,000 copies (Triple-Platinum status in Japan), becoming her best selling album yet.
Singles
- もらい泣き Morai-Naki (30 October 2002)
- 大家 Dajia (19 March 2003)
- 金魚すくい Kingyo Sukui (4 July 2003)
- 江戸ポルカ／夢なかば Edo Polka/Yume Nakaba (12 November 2003)
- ハナミズキ Hanamizuki (11 February 2004), NTV Tuesday Suspense Drama, JRAJapan Racing AssociationThe Japan Racing Association is a public company established to operate Chūō Keiba and to manage racecourses, betting facilities, and horse-training facilities....
commercial song - 影踏み Kagefumi (20 April 2005), JRA commercial song
- かざぐるま Kazaguruma (21 September 2005)
- 指切り Yubikiri (7 December 2005)
- つないで手 Tsunaide Te (19 September 2007)
- 「ただいま」 Tadaima (5 December 2007)
- 受け入れて Uke-Irete (30 January 2008)
- はじめて Hajimete (19 November 2008), the theme song for "Gyōretsu no Dekiru Hōritsu Sōdanjo Cambodia Gakkō Kensetsu Project" (Nippon Television Network Corp.)
Albums
- 月天心 TsukitenshinTsukitenshinTsukitenshin 月天心 is Hitoto You's first album.-Track listing:#"あこるでぃおん" Accordion#"もらい泣き" Sympathy Tears#"Sunny Side Up"#"イマドコ" Where Are You Now?#"犬" Dog...
(18 December 2002) - 一青想 Hito-Omoi (7 April 2004)
- ＆ (21 December 2005)
- Bestyo (29 November 2006)
- Key (5 March 2008）
Videos
- 姿見一青也 Sugatami Hitotonari (1 October 2003)
- 一青窈 LIVE TOUR 2004 ～てとしゃん Hitoto You LIVE TOUR 2004 ~Tetoshan (11 April 2004)
- 一青窈★夢街バンスキング～はいらんせ～ Hitoto You ★ Yumemachi Vanceking ~Hairanse~ (1 February 2006)
- Yo&U TOUR '06 (6 September 2006)