English version
Similar artists: Youmi Kimura, Yumi Matsutoya, Aoi Teshima
Inoue Azumi (井上あずみ)
Many J-Pop fans know the ending theme of Hayao Miyazaki’s movie “My Neighbour Totoro“.
Here’s the original version released in 1987 and a self-cover made in 2010:
However, few people know well the career of the singer who provided this famous song: we are talking about Inoue Azumi, born in Kanazawa on 10th February 1965.
The singer debuted on 21st April 1983 with a double a-side and an album under the name of Inoue Azumi (井上杏美). The single was called “STAR STORM / Yume Hikoo“, while the album was called “SPACE FANTASY“.
After several lable changes, four singles and four years, the singer changed her name to Inoue Azumi.
Her first release with her real name was the single “Tonari no Totoro” (となりのトトロ), published on 25th October 1987. The b-side was “Kimi wo Nosete” (君をのせて), ending theme of Miyazaki’s movie “Laputa: Castle in the Sky”. The b-side was re-released as a single on 25th March 1988.
You can listen to the 2010 version here:
“Tonari no Totoro” was re-released as a single on the same day, along with the new b-side “Sanpo” (さんぽ), opening theme of the same movie:
In the following years, Azumi released “Meguru Kisetsu” (めぐる季節) for the movie “Kiki’s Delivery Service” on 25th June 1990 and “Sakura, Mau” (桜、舞う) for the programme “Minna no Uta” on 25th March 1992.
Post-Ghibli
The songs we just posted are known and covered by many singers and animation fans and are now part of the Japanese music culture.
Still, Azumi’s career continued with slow and steady releases throughout the years till now, even with several label changes.
Her second original album, “Harmony“, was released in 2008 with TEAM Entertainment. In some countries it still isn’t available on streaming services.
In 2010 she released a self-cover album including her Ghibli songs:
In 2018 her first best album “Ai ni Naru. -Touch the Heart-” (愛になる。-Touch the Heart-) was published to celebrate her 35th career anniversary.
On streaming services you can find several digital singles published since 2020. The latest one is called “Kimi no Egao ga Mitai kara” (きみの笑顔がみたいから) and it was released on 15th December 2021.
The singer is currently signed to Doremi Co. (有限会社ドレミ).
Collaborations: Sound Horizon and her daughter Yuyu
Her Ghibli songs are not her only collaborations. Azumi is known for her role in REVO’s project Sound Horizon from 2009 to 2011. She was one of the singers in the album “Märchen“, namely in the songs “Sei to Shi wo Wakatsu Kyoukai no Furuido” (生と死を別つ境界の古井戸) and “Bara no Tou de Nemuru Himegimi” (薔薇の塔で眠る姫君).
In 2012 her daughter Yuyu (ゆーゆ, born in 2004) officially debuted when she was 8 years old with the song “6 sai no Ballad” (6さいのばらーど) for “Minna no Uta”.
From that moment on, Azumi dedicated part of her activities to her daughter’s career, among several collaborations on social networks, Youtube and concerts.
As a solo, Inoue Azumi celebrates her 40th anniversary this year, in 2023: follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and subscrine to her Youtube channel for the latest news!
Source and useful links: official site, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube
