Ryuichi Kawamura
| Ryuichi Kawamura | |
|---|---|
Ryuichi (center) performing with Luna Sea in Singapore 2013
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| Background information | |
| Native name | 河村 隆一 |
| Also known as | ЯK, Rayla |
| Born |
May 20, 1970 Yamato, Kanagawa, Japan |
| Genres | |
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| Years active | 1985–present |
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| Website | www |
Ryuichi Kawamura (河村 隆一 Kawamura Ryūichi?, born May 20, 1970 in Yamato, Kanagawa) is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actor and record producer. He is best known as lead singer of the rock band Luna Sea. After the group disbanded in 2000, Kawamura continued his successful solo career. In 2005 he formed Tourbillon with fellow Luna Sea member Inoran and Hiroaki Hayama. He has recently rejoined Luna Sea, as they reunited in August 2010.
Kawamura's second album Love topped the Oricon chart with sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only male solo artist ever to have an album sell over one million copies within its initial week in Oricon charts history. That same album sold over 2,788,000 copies, therefore it holds the record for best selling male solo album. In 1997 alone, with his mini and full-length albums and four singles (of which "Glass" sold over one million itself), he sold over six million records.
Ryuichi Kawamura started his musical career as vocalist of the bands Cradle and Slaughter, while still in high school, under the name Rayla. On May 6, 1989, he was invited by Inoran to join their band Lunacy. In 1991, hide of X Japan found them on the indie circuit, he eventually got them signed to X Japan co-founder Yoshiki's Extasy Records. They went on to become very successful, having sold more than 10 million certified units in Japan, and are considered one of the most influential bands in the visual kei movement. Ryuichi provided vocals for the B-side version of hide's 1994 song "Scanner". During Luna Sea's temporary break in 1997, Ryuichi started his solo career. Going by his full name, Ryuichi Kawamura, he changed his vocals and music from the powerful rock sound to more of a pop idol sound. That year, he released four singles, one mini-album and his first full album, Love. The album includes his cover version of the song "Namida Iro," which was formerly sung by Japanese female singer Noriko Sakai with his songwriting. Love topped the Japanese Oricon charts with the sales of around 1,021,000 copies, making him the only solo male artist ever to have an album sold over one million copies within its initial week release in Oricon charts history. In total, Love sold over 2,788,000 copies on the Oricon charts. Kawamura later started his own production house titled "RK", and in 1999, he went on to produce many artists including Azumaya Toga, Hideki and Izam.
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