Kokia Japanese pop singer Date of Birth: 22.06.1976 Country: Japan

1. Biography of Kokia
2. Early Career
3. Rise to Stardom
4. Continued Success
5. International Recognition
6. Philanthropy and Recent Work

Biography of Kokia

Kokia (real name Yoshida Akiko) was born in Tokyo, Japan in 1976. Her father left the family when she was a child, and she was raised by her mother. It was her mother who instilled in her a love for music and encouraged her to pursue piano lessons. Kokia started playing the violin at the age of 2, but later decided that the piano was her true passion.

Early Career

At the age of 10, Kokia attended a summer music camp in the United States. After completing high school, she was accepted into the prestigious Toho Gakuen School of Music. It was during her time at university that a friend gave a cassette of Kokia's songs to the music label 'Pony Canyon'. Impressed by her talent, they immediately signed her to a contract. She came up with the stage name 'Kokia' by writing her name backwards and rearranging the letters.

Rise to Stardom

Kokia's debut song, 'For Little Tail', gained popularity through the computer game 'Tail Concerto', in which the song played multiple times. After releasing four singles, Kokia released her debut album 'Songbird', which featured songs she had written at different stages of her life. One of the songs, 'Arigatō', became an international hit after a cover version by Hong Kong singer Sammi Cheng was released. Kokia's popularity continued to grow, and she performed in front of tens of thousands of people at various events.

Continued Success

Kokia released her second album 'Trip Trip' in 2002, which was also a commercial success in Japan. However, her career reached new heights with the release of the song 'Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss'. The song became a national sensation, with its lyrics known by every Japanese citizen. Despite her success, her third album 'Remember Me' sold fewer copies but still featured multiple chart-topping hits.

International Recognition

For several years, Kokia focused on releasing albums and performing concerts in Asia. It wasn't until 2006 that she gave her first "European" concert in Paris, France and showcased her songs at the 'Marché International du Disque et de l'Edition Musicale' music exhibition. In January 2006, she founded her own label, 'Anco & Co', and released the album 'Listen for the Love' in Europe six months before its Asian release.

Philanthropy and Recent Work

Throughout her career, Kokia has maintained a passion for helping others. She has dedicated part of her earnings to charity and often participates in or organizes charity concerts. Kokia believes that the most important things in the world are life and love, and she expresses these sentiments through her music. In 2010, she performed her first concert in Russia, in Moscow.

Kokia continues to release albums regularly, always striving to bring something new to her listeners. Most recently, she released her 13th studio album, 'Moment 3msec', and shows no signs of stopping.