Keiko (singer, born 1985)

Keiko Kubota (窪田啓子, Kubota Keiko, born December 5, 1985),[2] who goes by the mononymous stage name Keiko (stylized all caps)[3][4] is a Japanese pop singer. She is one of the vocalists of the FictionJunction project started by Yuki Kajiura, and was a core member of the vocal group Kalafina which ran for ten years from 2008 to 2018.

Keiko
Background information
Birth nameKeiko Kubota
Also known as
  • FictionJunction Keiko
  • Azuki Hino (日野あずき)[1]
Born (1985-12-05) December 5, 1985
OriginShibuya, Tokyo, Japan
GenresAnison, J-pop
OccupationsSinger
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2005–present
LabelsAvex Trax (2020–present)
Member ofFictionJunction
Formerly ofKalafina

Biography

Keiko is from Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Prior to FictionJunction and Kalafina, she was in a rock vocal duo called Itokubo. She joined the FictionJunction project in 2005,[3] and has performed on many of Kajiura's soundtracks and theme songs for anime shows. "Kaze no Machi e" (風の街へ, "To the City of Wind") was used as an insert song in episodes 19 and 21 of the anime show Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, and "Nohara" (野原, "Field") was the B-side for the FictionJunction single "Toki no Mukou, Maboroshi no Sora".

In 2007, she and FictionJunction member Wakana joined Kajiura's vocal project Kalafina, releasing the song "Oblivious". During her ten years there, Kalafina released five studio albums and two compilation albums, all of which have charted in the Oricon top 10. Space Craft describes her singing as a "captivating bass voice".[5] Following the resignation of Kajiura from Space Craft, Keiko soon left the group in April 2018.[6] She also rejoined FictionJunction for Kajiura's concert performance of tracks from the Princess Principal anime television series.[7]

In April 2020, she announced she was working on a solo album with Avex Trax.[8] Her first solo single, which has the songs "Inochi no Hana" and "Be Yourself", was released in May.[8][9] "Inochi no Hana" was her first song where she wrote lyrics. In September, she held a live performance titled KEIKO First Live K001 – I'm home. Her studio album Lantana was released on December 2.[10][11][12] Her solo concert KEIKO Live K002 ** Lantana * Saita yo to promote the album is scheduled for December 16 at Zepp Tokyo and includes a livestreaming of the event.[10] Lantana reached No. 32 on the Oricon Albums Chart.[13]

Discography
See also: Kalafina discography and FictionJunction § Albums

As lead artist
List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
JPN Oricon JPN Hot 100
2020 Inochi no Hana (命の花, Flower of Life) / Be Yourself ——[upper-alpha 1] Lantana
Ray / Hajimari wa (始まりは, The Beginning) —
2021 Sakura wo Goran (桜をごらん, Look at the Cherry Blossoms) / Waratte Yaru (笑ってやる, I'll Laugh) — dew
"Nobody Knows You" —
Tōriame (通り雨, Street Rain) —
Genjitsu no Metaphor (現実のメタファー, Reality Metaphor) —
2022 Hitori Janai Kara (ひとりじゃないから, I'm not Alone) — CUTLERY
"Alcohol" —
Yoru No Uso To (夜の嘘と, The Lie Of The Night) —
Kirai (キライ, I hate you) —
"Close to you" —
Amanojaku (天邪鬼) —

As a collaborating artist
List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
JPN Oricon JPN Hot 100
2021 "My Hero ~ kiseki no uta 〜" (My Hero〜奇跡の唄〜, "My Hero ~ Miracle Song ~")[15] (with various artists)[upper-alpha 2] —— Pediatric Cancer Treatment Support Charity Live Theme Song

Studio albums
List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album information Oricon[13]
Peak
position		 Weeks
charted
Lantana
  • Release date: December 2, 2020
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Catalog no.: AVCD-96602
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 32 3
dew
  • Release date: December 8, 2021
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Catalog no.: AVCD-96875
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 52 2
Cutlery
  • Release date: February 8, 2023[16]
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Catalog no.: AVCD-63419
  • Format: Digital download, CD
 37 1

Video albums
List of video albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak positions
JPN
DVD
[17]		 JPN
Blu-ray
[18]
KEIKO Live K002 Lantana - Saitayo (KEIKO Live K002 Lantana 咲いたよ, Nanda Korekushon, "KEIKO Live K002 Lantana - Bloomed")
  • Release: March 10, 2021
  • Label: Avex Trax
  • Format: DVD, Blu-ray
 5527

Other appearances
List of non-studio album or guest appearances that features KEIKO
Title Year Album
"Kaze no Machi e" (風の街へ?, "To the City of Wind")
(credited as FictionJunction KEIKO)		 2005 Tsubasa Chronicle Future Soundscape II

Notes
  1. "Inochi no Hana" did not enter Billboard Japan Hot 100 Chart, but peaked at position 77 on the component Billboard Japan Download Songs Chart.[14]
  2. Artists who sang on "My Hero ~ kiseki no uta 〜" include: SSA (DA PUMP), Ohno Yudai & Hanamura Sota (from Da-iCE), Hiroya Ozaki, Kawamura Ryuichi, Yusaku Kiyama, Shō Kiryūin (Golden Bomber), KEIKO, Sunplaza Nakano-kun, Ami Suzuki, Shinji Nira (Wakadanna), HIKAKIN & SEIKIN, Pikotaro, hitomi, Beverly, FANTASTICS, Matsuura Kodai, Miracle Vell Magic, Kaori Mochida (Every Little Thing), YU-KI (TRF), YUKA (moumoon), Koda Kumi, LEC Kodomo Gasshoudan

References
  1. "KEIKO【けいこ部屋】#8 ひとひらの花／日野あずき（self cover）生配信". YouTube (in Japanese). 2021-04-30. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  2. Tiary TV (December 11, 2019). KEIKOの知られざる素顔を大公開⁉️🌟"KEIKOに10クエスチョン"【ゲストコーナー#49】 (in Japanese). Event occurs at 1m5s – via YouTube.
  3. "FictionJunctio – プロフィール" [FictionJunction – Profile]. FlyingDog (in Japanese). JVC Music. Retrieved February 19, 2014.
  4. "Yuki's Vocalists". Canta per me. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  5. "Keiko". Space Craft Group. Archived from the original on 16 March 2021. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  6. Morrissy, Kim (May 14, 2019). "Bunshun: Kalafina Members Want to Get Back Together". Anime News Network.
  7. "動漫界配樂大師梶浦由記再來港 Yuki Kajiura LIVE TOUR 8月開演" [Anime soundtrack master Kajiura Yuki returns to Hong Kong Yuki Kajiura LIVE TOUR starts in August]. HK01 (in Japanese). May 24, 2019.
  8. Pineda, Rafael Antonio (April 15, 2020). "Former Kalafina Member Keiko Kubota Resumes Singing Career". Anime News Network.
  9. "元Kalafina・KEIKO、5・27ソロデビュー 作詞に初挑戦 YouTubeチャンネルも開設" [Former Kalafina / KEIKO debuts solo on May 27. First challenge to write lyrics YouTube channel opened]. Oricon News (in Japanese). May 18, 2020.
  10. "Keiko, Ex Member of Japanese Vocal Group Kalafina, Releases Debut Solo Album 'Lantana' on December 2". Anime News Network (Press release). December 2, 2020.
  11. "KEIKO、初のソロアルバム『Lantana』詳細発表 "新しいKEIKO"を多種多様な音色で表現" [KEIKO announces details of his first solo album "Lantana" Expressing "new KEIKO" with a wide variety of tones]. Realsound.jp (in Japanese). September 18, 2020.
  12. "KEIKO、初のソロアルバム詳細発表". Barks.jp (in Japanese). September 18, 2020.
  13. KEIKOのアルバム作品 [A Look at Keiko's releases]. Oricon (in Japanese). Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  14. "Billboard Japan Download Songs [ 2020/06/03 公開]" [Billboard Japan Download Songs [released on 03/06/2020]] (in Japanese). Billboard Japan. June 3, 2021. Retrieved August 21, 2021 – via billboard-japan.com.
  15. THEME SONG [THEME SONG] (in Japanese). Avex Marketing. 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2021.
  16. https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c0166102b1e162c55c5bded7a329e67a3ee3c245
  17. KEIKOのDVD作品 [Keiko's releases on DVD]. Oricon (in Japanese).
  18. KEIKOのBlu-ray作品 [Keiko's releases on Blu-ray]. Oricon (in Japanese).
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