Hanako Oku
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| Hanako Oku | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | 奥華子 Oku Hanako |
| Born | March 20, 1978 |
| Origin | Funabashi, Chiba, Japan |
| Genre(s) | J-pop, ballad |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, Songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Singing, piano |
| Voice type(s) | Mezzo-soprano |
| Years active | 2004–present (solo) |
| Label(s) | Pony Canyon |
| Website | http://www.okuhanako.com/ |
| Notable instrument(s) | |
| Piano | |
- In this Japanese name, the family name is Oku.
Hanako Oku (奥華子 Oku Hanako?, born March 20, 1978 in Funabashi, Chiba, Japan) is a J-Pop singer famous in her native Japan for her piano ballads. She rose to fame after performing the end-title track for the Madhouse film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time in 2006. She was signed to a major record label the preceding year.
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[edit] Biography
Hanako's musical training began at age 5 with piano lessons, but by age 9 she had progressed to the trumpet and was a member of her school's brass band.
In 2004 Hanako began to perform on the streets of Tokyo, mainly in Shibuya ward, but once sold 402 CDs in four hours outside Kashiwa railway station. Later that same year she released her first mainstream single Fireworks and performed her debut one-woman show to an audience of 135. Approached by Chiba TV, she made an appearance on the show Chiba Fighting Spirit.
Over the next year she toured western Japan and self produced two more CD singles before releasing an album in April 2005. Soon afterwards she was signed up by record company Pony Canyon.
In April 2006, the animated film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time was released, and the end-title track single Garnet sells more than a million copies, and was placed highly in the Oricon charts for 16 weeks in a row.
Come spring 2007, Hanako performed to a sell-out crowd at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall, and with the release of her album TIME NOTE, she once again performed sell-out concerts there over three nights in July 2007.[1]
Hanako still occasionally busks in Tokyo railway stations, drawing a crowd, and selling her CDs there.[2]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Release Date: | Title: |
|---|---|
| April 20, 2005 | Vol. Best (Indies Best) |
| March 1, 2006 | Yasashii Hana no Saku Basho (やさしい花の咲く場所?) "The Place Where Flower Blooms" |
| March 21, 2007 | TIME NOTE |
| March 5, 2008 | Koi Tegami (恋手紙?) "Love Letter" |
[edit] Singles
| Release Date: | Title: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|
| August 26, 2004 | Hanabi (花火?) "Fireworks" | Independently released single |
| July 27, 2005 | Yasashii Hana (やさしい花?) "Friendly Flowers" | |
| January 18, 2006 | Mahou no Hito (魔法の人?) "Magician" | |
| February 15, 2006 | Koi Tsubomi (恋つぼみ?) "Love Bud" | |
| July 12, 2006 | Garnet (ガーネット ?) "Garnet" | End-title track for the Madhouse film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time |
| November 29, 2006 | Chiisa na Hoshi (小さな星?) "Little Star" | |
| January 23, 2008 | Tegami (手紙?) "Letter" |
[edit] DVD
| Release Date: | Title: |
|---|---|
| July 18, 2007 | Hanako Oku: 2007 Spring Concert ~ TIME NOTE ~ at Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Hanako Oku's Official Website (In Japanese)
- Hanako Oku's Personal Blog (In Japanese)
