Salyu

Salyu ([サリュウ Salyuu] Error: {{nihongo}}: text has italic markup (help)) (born October 13, 1980) is a Japanese singer whose ethereal lilting voice is reminescient of Bjork. [[1]] [[2]] [[3]] [[4]] [[5]]

Background

A native of Kikuna, Kōhoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kangawa-ken, Kantō-chihō, Honshū, Japan, Salyu first gained national exposure in 2001 when she portrayed a fictional J-pop singer named Lily Chou Chou in the Japanese film All About Lily Chou-Chou (Rirī Shushu no Subete) by Shunji Iwai.

Although she did not actually appear on camera in the film (exluding a brief shot on a celluloid screen near the end) it is her voice as the character Lily that is central to plot of the film in which a group of disaffected teens bond with each other through their common idolization of her music. It was this exposure that launched her career as vocalist. She has gone on to release numerous singles and three full length albums, appear live in concert and on radio and television programs and interviews.

In 2003 the American movie director Quentin Tarantino included Salyu's song "Wound That Heals" (Kaifuku Suru Kizu) in his film Kill Bill. The song is played during the scene in which Beatrix Kiddo (played by Uma Thurman) is admiring the Samurai swords in the secret attic above the sushi shop of master swordmaker Hattori Hanzo.

In 2004 she collaborated with Ilmari, aka Keisuke Ogihara, a member of the Japanese Rap group Rip Slyme to release the single Valon under the name "Ilmari×Salyu".

In 2005 she won the "Best New Artist Video" for the video to her single "Dialouge" at the Space Shower TV Awards, which are like the MTV VMA in Japan. In 2006 she was nominated for "Best Video" at the Space Shower Awards for the song "Comet" ("彗星") from her album Landmark.

In July of 2006 she released the single "to U" in a collaberation with Bank Band under the name "Bank Band with Salyu"

While not much detail about her personal life has been disclosed, on September 9, 2006 Salyu appeared on the Japanese music variety show Utaban (うたばん) and revealed that her real name is Ayako (あやこ).

As of early 2007, Salyu is promoting her new album Terminal with the "Salyu Tour 2007 TERMINAL", many of the concert dates are sold out in Japan.

Discography

Albums

2001-10-17: Kokyuu (as Lily Chou Chou)
2005-06-15: Landmark
2007-01-17: Terminal

Singles

2000-04-19: Glide {as Lily Chou Chou)
2000-06-21: Kyoumei (Kuukyo na Ishi) (as Lily Chou Chou)
2004-06-23: Valon-1
2004-10-27: Dialogue
2005-03-24: Peaty
2005-05-11: Suisei
2005-10-26: Kaze ni Noru Fune
2006-04-05: Tower
2006-09-06: Name
2006-11-01: Platform

Collaboration

2004-04-21: Valon (Ilmari×Salyu)
2006-07-19: to U (Bank Band with Salyu)

Trivia

Her music is written and produced by Takeshi Kobayashi
Takeshi Kobayashi also came up with the stage name Salyu, a corruption of the french celebratory drinking epitaph "Salut!".
She is represented by the Japanese label Toy's factory
Her bloodtype is O.
Because of her start as the fictional J-pop character "Lily Chou Chou", many fans and reviewers alike mistakenly believe Salyu is really "Lily" from the movie that launched her career.

References

"junk magnet: music: jpop :salyu". Retrieved 2007-01-19.

Chocolate, Apollo. "Pretty Good Year: Salyu.... good good voice, real cool MVs". Retrieved 2007-01-19.

Chocolate, Apollo. "eye spy with my little eye: Salyu- Suisei MV on YouTube". Retrieved 2007-01-19.

Crab, Sarah the. "some_day_music Discography Salyu". Retrieved 2007-01-19.

kenema, khoas. "Lily Chou Chou Breath". Retrieved 2007-01-19.

This article on an individual musician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.