| Background | solo_singer |
|---|---|
| Origin | Nakano, Tokyo, Japan |
| Genre | Japanese pop, folk, kayōkyoku, pop |
| Occupation | Singer, composer, lyricist, keyboardist |
| Instrument | Vocals, piano |
| Website | itsuwamayumi.com |
Mayumi Itsuwa (五輪 真弓, Itsuwa Mayumi) is a Japanese vocalist, composer, lyricist, and keyboardist who made her debut in 1972.
Her first studio album entitled Shoujo was recorded in Los Angeles, produced by Grammy Award winner John Fischbach, with distinguished musicians such as David Campbell, Carole King and Charles Larkey who was King's husband at that time. Owing to her introspective compositions, Itsuwa was often nicknamed "Japanese Carole King", along with other Japanese singer-songwriters like Yumi Matsutoya (who had worked under her birth name "Yumi Arai" during the mid-1970s) and Minako Yoshida.
Itsuwa gained moderate success on the Japanese albums chart in her early career, and received massive popularity and acclaim through the single "Koibito yo" released in 1980. The song topped Japan's Oricon chart for three consecutive weeks, and won the 22nd Japan Record Award for "Gold Prize" in the same year.[1][2] It was covered by the country's legendary singers including Hibari Misora and Noriko Awaya in later years, and became a signature song for Itsuwa. In 1981 her song "Revival" also became a very well recognized hit.
After "Koibito yo" became a hit, Itsuwa gained popularity also in non-Japanese Asian countries during the 1980s.
In Indonesia, "Kokoro No Tomo", "Amayadori" and "Rebaibaru" become the most popular songs ever released by her. In 2006, Mayumi Itsuwa and Delon Thamrin recorded an Indonesian and Japanese version of the song. This was later included on the 2006 compilation album "Duet Love Songs". Many of her songs would fall into the musical genre of torch songs because they often describe the lingering memory of past loves.
Discography
Albums
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| JP [3] | ||
| Shoujo (少女) |
| 6 |
| Kaze no Nai Sekai (風のない世界) |
| 14 |
| Toki wo Mitsumete (時をみつめて) |
| 25 |
| Mayumity (Utsuro na Ai) (MAYUMITY・うつろな愛) |
| 37 |
| Etranger (えとらんぜ, Etoranze) |
| 34 |
| Aozora (蒼空) |
| 50 |
| Nokoribi (残り火) |
| 17 |
| Kiro (岐路) |
| 17 |
| Koibito yo (恋人よ) |
| 1 |
| Marionette (マリオネット) |
| 5 |
| Shiosai (潮騒) |
| 6 |
| Mado (窓) |
| 15 |
| 'Kaze no Uta (風の詩) |
| 31 |
| Toki no Nagare ni (時の流れに) |
| 12 |
| Wind and Roses |
| 31 |
| Nostalgie (ノスタルジー) |
| 29 |
| Na mo Naki Michi (名もなき道) |
| 47 |
| The Memorial Album |
| 70 |
| Personal |
| - |
| 21st Century (21世紀) |
| - |
| Time to Sing |
| - |
| Welcome |
| 6 |
Live albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| JP [3] | ||
| Fuyuzareta Machi (冬ざれた街) |
| 9 |
| Hontou no Koto wo Ieba (本当のことをいえば) |
| 9 |
| The SHOW - best concert album '75 |
| - |
| Shunshu (春愁) |
| 9 |
| Live '83 |
| 32 |
| Atsui Sayonara (熱いさよなら) |
| 15 |
| Mayumi Itsuwa Live: Kokoro no Tomo AFTER DECADES (五輪真弓ライブ～心の友～AFTER DECADES) |
| - |
Compilation albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| JP [3] | ||
| Collection |
| 17 |
| Collection '82 |
| 64 |
| Best |
| 33 |
| Best Collection |
| 64 |
| Best Selection |
| 36 |
| Singles |
| 67 |
| New Best Collection |
| 64 |
| Anniversary Eve |
| 82 |
| Anthology Vol. 1/2 |
| - |
| Now And Forever |
| - |
| Mayumi Classics |
| - |
| Blue Anthology |
| - |
| Mayumi the Best: Kokoro no Tomo |
| - |
| Golden Best Deluxe Mayumi Itsuwa Complete Single Collection (GOLDEN☆BEST deluxe 五輪真弓 コンプリート・シングルコレクション) |
| - |
| Mayumi Itsuwa 40th Anniversary Best Album "Lovers and Friends" (五輪真弓40周年記念ベストアルバム「Lovers & Friends」) |
| 5 |
| Mayumi Itsuwa Best Encore (五輪真弓BEST ENCORE) |
| - |
Singles
| Year | Album | Chart positions (JP)[3] | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Shoujo (少女) | - | CBS Sony |
| 1973 | Ame (雨) | - | |
| Kinou Made no Omoide (昨日までの想い出) | - | ||
| Tabako no Kemuri (煙草のけむり) | - | ||
| 1974 | Fuyuzareta machi (冬ざれた街) | - | |
| Mister Grundy Sky (ミスター・クラウディ・スカイ) | - | ||
| Sakeyokusa (酒酔草) | - | ||
| 1975 | Rakujitsu no Theme (落日のテーマ) | - | |
| Utsuro na Ai (うつろな愛) | - | ||
| 1976 | Jungle Gym (ジャングルジム) | - | |
| 1977 | Umi (海) | - | |
| Game (ゲーム) | - | ||
| 1978 | Sayonara dake wa Iwanaide (さよならだけは言わないで) | 13 | |
| Nokoribi (残り火) | - | ||
| 1979 | Yoru Ressha (夜汽車) | - | |
| Aikagi (合鍵) | - | ||
| 1980 | Yakusoku (約束) | - | |
| Koibito yo (恋人よ) | 1 | ||
| 1981 | Unmei (運命) | - | |
| Revival (リバイバル) | 21 | ||
| 1982 | Jigsaw Puzzle (ジグソーパズル) | - | |
| Towazu Tabako (問わず煙草) | - | ||
| Dakishimete (抱きしめて) | - | ||
| 1983 | Mayonaka no Love Song (真夜中のラブソング) | - | |
| Dokei (時計) | - | ||
| Yasei no Namida (野性の涙) | - | ||
| 1984 | Tanin Gaeru (他人がえり) | - | |
| Atsui Sayonara (熱いさよなら) | |||
| 1985 | Mikkai (密会) | - | |
| 1986 | Sora (空グ) | - | |
| Toki no Nagare ni: Tori ni nare (時の流れに〜鳥になれ〜) | 84 | ||
| Nakanaide (泣かないで) | - | ||
| 1987 | Soshite Sayonara (そしてさよなら) | - | |
| 1988 | Hello My Friend (ハロー、マイ・フレンド) | - | |
| 1990 | Omae (おまえン) | - | |
| 1992 | Sayonara wa Ichido dake (さよならは一度だけ) | - | Sony |
| Itsumo Soshite Itsumademo (いつも そして いつまでも) | - | ||
| 1994 | Kanashimi ni Makasete (悲しみにまかせて) | - | |
| 1996 | Utakata (うたかた) | - | |
| - | |||
| 1997 | Toki wa Sugite (時は過ぎて) | - | |
| 2000 | Ai no Yakusoku/Kokoro no Uta (愛の約束/心の歌) | - | |
| 2004 | Fureau Toki wo Shinjite (ふれあう時を信じて) | - | |
| 2013 | Born Again | - | Sony Music Direct |
Collaboration singles
| Year | Album | Chart positions (JP)[3] | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Kokoro Tomo
| - | Sony Music |
Songwriting credits
| Year | Title | Artist(s) | Album/Single |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Suna no Shiro (砂の城) | Nana Kinomi | Suna no Shiro |
| 1982 | Ai no Saffron (愛のサフラン), Hagure Ai (はぐれ愛) | Mirei Kihara | Ai no Saffron |
| Ame no Hi ni Wakare (雨の日の別離) | Noriko Awaya | Ame no Hi ni Wakare | |
| 1983 | Marianne' (マリアンヌ) | Jackie Chan | Marianne |
| Tsumiki Kusuji (積木くずし) | Chiyoko Shimakura | Tsumiki Kusuji | |
| Omoide Sagashi (石原裕次郎) | Yūjirō Ishihara | Omoide Sagashi | |
| 1986 | Haru Gokoro (春ごころ), Nippaime kara no Hajimari (二杯目からのはじまり) | Yoshie Kashiwabara | Haru Gokoro |
Videography
Live albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| JP [3] | ||
| Itsuwa Mayumi'83 (五輪真弓'83) | - | |
| Itsuwa Mayumi Live: Toki no Nagare ni (五輪真弓 ライブ・時の流れに) |
| - |
| Wind And Roses |
| - |
| Master Piece |
| - |
| Itsuwa Mayumi 20 Shuunen Collection Concert Tour '92-'93 (五輪真弓20周年コレクション コンサートツアー '92〜'93) |
| - |
References
- ^ "List of number-one hits on the Japanese Oricon Weekly Singles Chart". Archived from the original on December 26, 2008. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
- ^ "History of the Japan Record Awards – List of the 22nd Award Winners" (in Japanese). Japan Composer's Association. Archived from the original on February 13, 2012. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
- ^ "List of the Oricon Top 100 Charting Albums by Mayumi Itsuwa". Yamachan Land (Japan's charts archives) – Albums Chart Daijiten –. Archived from the original on November 11, 2007. Retrieved December 13, 2008.