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Yuna Ito

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Yuna Ito

Yuna Ito (伊藤 由奈, Itō Yuna, born September 20, 1983) is a Japanese pop singer-songwriter and actress in Japan. Ito was born in Los Angeles and raised in Hawaii. She is currently signed onto Sony Music Japan. She rose to fame due to the movie adaptation of the manga Nana, playing Reira Serizawa. She sang one of the main theme songs of the movie, "Endless Story", which peaked #2 on the Oricon charts.

Biography

Early life and music interest

Ito was born to a Japanese father and a Korean American mother in Los Angeles, California.[1][2] Three months later, she and her family moved to Hawaii, where she remained until the start of her singing career in Japan. She has one sibling, a younger brother named Johnny [3]. She graduated from McKinley High School in 2001. When Ito was little, she used to sing to songs of both Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson and dreamt of becoming a singer.[2]

She has participated in Cho PD's song "(When I Need To) Somebody" in 2004 before she debuted in Japan. She sings in Korean and English in this song.[4]

When Ito was 15 she was offered a music contract, but decided to turn it down.

Once, I did an audition for a company, but I realized they were seeing me not as a singer, but as a girl. I thought about it, because it’s your dream on a platter... then I said sorry, thanks for your time, but ’bye.[1]

Ito's parents disapproved of her becoming a singer at first. Ito said that her parents told her that "We’d rather you go to a good school and meet a nice guy." Ito disagreed with her parents and they eventually grew to support her singing career.[1]

2005-January 2007: Debut

In early 2005, Ito auditioned and was chosen for the role of charismatic vocalist Reira Serizawa in the feature film adaptation of Ai Yazawa's manga series Nana. She also subsequently performed a theme song to the movie, "Endless Story", while debuting under the billing "Reira starring Yuna Ito". Endless Story debuted at the #2 spot on the Oricon chart. Endless Story is currently Ito's highest selling single.

When Nana the movie was released in Japan, Ito was featured on magazine covers, posters and eventually had her first TV appearance on TV Asahi's Music Station, performing "Endless Story".

On March 1, 2006 Ito's second single, Faith / Pureyes, was released. Faith / Pureyes is Ito's first and (currently) only double a-side. "Faith" was used as the ending theme song to the television drama, Unfair and "Pureyes" was used as the theme song for a Bioclen Zero contact lens commercial, which featured Ito.

Three months later, Ito released her third and second highest selling single Precious. It was announced that Precious would be used as the theme song for the 2006 movie, "Limit of Love: Umizaru". The single included two b-sides, "I'm Free" and "Secrets", both co-written by Ito herself. Precious debuted at #3 on the charts. In the 2007 Japanese MTV Music Awards, Ito won the Best Buzz of Asia (Japan) for Precious.[5]

She covered "These Boots Are Made For Walkin'", for the Daihatsu "Coo" commercial, featured on her fourth single "Stuck on You". She also performed the ending theme song to AXN Japan's Japanese television broadcast of the American television series Lost with her fifth single Losin'.

On August 4, 2006, film production company Toho announced that Ito would reprise her role of Reira Serizawa in Nana 2, with a second single for Reira starring Yuna Ito scheduled for December 6, 2006 and Nana 2 opening on December 9, 2006. Previews for the song were put on the net on November 8, 2006, three weeks after it first aired on Japanese radio.

Sony Music released Ito's first album, Heart. The album was released in both CD only and CD+DVD versions, on January 24 2007. The album debuted at the #1 spot selling 224,428 copies. On Oricon's yearly chart, Heart reached the #14 spot just ahead of Namie Amuro's Play.[6] Heart was certified Double Platinum by the RIAJ.[7]

March 2007-present: Wish and beyond

Ito's seventh single, I'm Here was released on March 14, 2007. It was used as the theme song for "Unfair -the movie-" and the b-side "Reason Why" (sung entirely in English) was used as the insert song.

Her eighth single, featuring Micro from the jawaiian band, Def Tech, titled Mahaloha, was released on June 27, 2007. This was Ito's third single to enter the top 5, since the release of Precious in May 2006. Ito was featured on a Celine Dion tribute album, released only Japan in September, on which she sang a cover of Dion's song "My Heart Will Go On". Ito was featured on Micro's debut album Laid Back. Ito sang Heal, which featured other artists such as Wise, PJ, Bigga, Raiji and Primary Color Allstars.[8][9]

While Ito performed in 5 venues for her -"Yuna Ito 1st Live Tour: Heart"- tour in spring, her ninth single, entitled Urban Mermaid. The song Urban Mermaid was featured in the Lux Hair Care commercial that aired in Japan.[10]

Her tenth single, entitled Anata ga Iru Kagiri: A World to Believe In, was released in Japan on January 16 2008. The song is a duet with Celine Dion. When Dion heard Ito's rendition of her song, she proposed the idea of a duet.[11] Dion originally released this song on her latest album Taking Chances. The song was used in an au LISMO commercial.[12] [13] A World to Believe In was nominated for 'Best Collaboration Video', for the MTV Video Awards Japan '08,[14] but loss to Kumi Koda's Last Angel.[15]

The singer's second album Wish was released on February 20 in both CD and CD+DVD formats. Wish debuted at #3 on the charts. Since the release of Wish, the album has been certified gold by the RIAJ.[16] Unite As One a song on her album as used as the ending theme song for Konami's Time Hollow.[17] In March, Ito became spokesperson for Proactiv Japan.[18] Ito was featured in the commercial along with her song being the theme song "Tokyo Days".[18]

In June of 2008, Ito collaborated with popular Japanese music producer Takeshi Kobayashi (who produced music for Mr. Children, a famous Japanese band) and Russian conductor Mikhail Pletnev, to sing Gate, the theme song for documentary movie -with the same name-, Gate.[19][20] The release date for the single, Gate is currently unknown.

Her eleventh single entitled "Miss You" was originally slated for a July release. However, that release has now been pushed back to September 3, 2008.[2]. "Miss You" is currently being used as the theme song for Ito En Vitamin Fruit.[21] "Miss You" inspired the cellphone novel Tenshi no Koi (天使の恋, lit. Angel's Love), which was written by sin.[22] Love Machine Gun will be used as the main theme song for the novel.[23]

Ito was featured in the 6/4 edition as number 5 for most suited for bridal wear.[24] She was also featured in the 6/11 edition as number 6 for most princess-like.[25]

Acting career

Ito's acting career started when she was chosen for the role of Reira Serizawa in the film adaptation of the popular manga, Nana, in 2005. A year later Ito, reprise her role as Reira Serizawa for the sequel. Ito enjoyed playing the role of Reira because it made her feel like a girl explaining,

“Reira lets me bring out my feminine side. I hardly ever wear skirts... I have a really tomboyish side.[1]

Discography

Further information: Yuna Ito discography

Filmography

  • Nana -the movie- - as Reira Serizawa (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira) (2005)
  • Nana II - as Reira Serizawa (芹澤レイラ Serizawa Reira) (2006)

Awards

  • Best New Artist (Best Hit Kayōsai 2005, 21.11.2005)
  • Best New Artist (Japan Cable Awards 2005, 17.12.2005)
  • Special Award for Nana (47th Japan Record Awards, 31.12.2005)
  • Best New Artist (Japan Gold Disc Awards 2006, 9.3.2006)
  • Gold Artist Award (Best Hit Kayōsai 2006, 20.11.2006)
  • Audience Request Award (39th Yūsen Taishō, 16.12.2006)
  • Best Asia from Japan (MTV Video Music Awards Japan, 25.05.2007)

Radio programs

From October 4, 2005 until March 28, 2006, Ito was moderator of her own radio show, Journey, which aired on Tokyo's InterFM radio station. Ito later returned with a new radio show, Heart to Heart.[26]

On February 27, 2008, Ito did a public live talk show with Hilary Duff on Tokyo FM's radio show entitled Wonderful World. Although she appeared on the radio show, Hilary Duff's main purpose was to promote Disney Mobile, which she did also on the show.[27]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Japan Today article". Japan Today. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  2. ^ a b c "Yuna Ito Official website" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. Retrieved 2008-01-21.
  3. ^ "Yuna's Thank You's". Heart booklet. January 24, 2007. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Cho PD "(When I Need To) Somebody" ft. Yuna Ito". Immem. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  5. ^ "Precious MTV Award" (in Japanese). news.livedoor. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  6. ^ "Heart's yearly position" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  7. ^ "Certification for Heart" (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  8. ^ "Yuna Ito featured on Heal" (in Japanese). news.livedoor. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  9. ^ "Micro's album information" (in Japanese). universal-music.co.jp. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  10. ^ "Urban Mermaid single information" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  11. ^ "Anata ga Iru Kagiri information" (in Japanese). barks.jp. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  12. ^ "Anata ga Iru Kagiri commercial information" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  13. ^ "Anata ga Iru Kagiri commercial information" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  14. ^ "Anata ga Iru Kagiri nomination" (in Japanese). MTV Japan. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  15. ^ "Anata ga Iru Kagiri loses to Last Angel" (in Japanese). MTV Japan. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  16. ^ "Certification for Wish" (in Japanese). RIAJ. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  17. ^ "Yuna Ito's "Unite As One" site" (in Japanese). Konami. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  18. ^ a b "Yuna Ito's "Proactiv" site" (in Japanese). Proactiv Japan. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  19. ^ "Yuna Ito's Gate page" (in Japanese). Sony Music Japan. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  20. ^ "GND Fund Gate site" (in Japanese). GND. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  21. ^ "Yuna Ito's "Ito En" site" (in Japanese). Ito En. Retrieved 2008-07-13.
  22. ^ "Tenshi no Koi Official site" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  23. ^ "Yuna Ito "Tenshi no Koi" music page" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  24. ^ ""Oricon Style 6/4"" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  25. ^ ""Oricon Style 6/11"" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
  26. ^ "Heart to Heart" (in Japanese). Japan FM Network. Retrieved 2008-08-19.
  27. ^ "ヒラリー・ダフ＆伊藤由奈、ラジオ公開生放送で初共演!" (in Japanese). Sankei Sports. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
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