Sora Izumikawa

Infobox musical artist
Name = Sora Izumikawa
Background = solo_singer
Occupation = Singer, Songwriter, Producer, Composer
Origin = flagicon|Japan Hiroshima,Japan
Genre = Pop, Rock
Years_active = 1998 - present
Instrument = Vocals, Keyboards
Label = Pioneer LDC, King Records, Pony Canyon, Meer Tracks, Columbia Music Entertainment
URL = http://www.sorasora.com

nihongo|Sora Izumikawa|イズミカワソラ|Izumikawa Sora|born February 14, is a Japanese artist, singer-songwriter, seiyū, composer and producer currently based on Japan.

Biography

Born in Hiroshima, Japan to a chorister father and mother who taught electronic organ, Sora started playing the piano at the age of two. She won a grand prix in the Hiroshima regional stage of the "Yamaha Popular Song Competition" (known as POPCON) when she was four, and went on to win a prize in the national competition. She was a prize winner in the "Yamaha Junior Original Concert" [ cite web|url=http://www.yamaha-mf.or.jp/history/e-history/ijoc/ijoc7.html|title= the 7th Yamaha Junior Original Concert (1978)] while still at her elementary school, where she discovered her interest in song writing. She is a graduate of Doshisha University. [cite web|url=http://www.ohtapro.co.jp/ohta_pro/profile/iz_so/index.html|title=OHTA PRO. Talent List, Izumikawa Sora's Background]

She released her debut single 'Toushindai no Chikyugi' on February 14, 1998 [cite web|url=http://www.ohtapro.co.jp/ohta_pro/profile/iz_so/index.html|title=OHTA PRO. Talent List, Izumikawa Sora's Discography] and has produced various songs since.She formed DAUGHTER, a duo group with her real sister named marhy. She was a member of Spiral Spiders. The group toured in Japan and the U.S., and performed live concerts at Anime Central in Chicago. She is a well-known singer-songwriter for anime and manga and produces music for 'Binzume Yōsei' (Bottle Fairy) [ cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=3016|title=Anime News Network encyclopedia-Bottle Fairy(TV)] . She uses the name Kumoko when writing theme songs for the anime and manga series 'Rave Master'. She is also a member of duo Hitomi Sora for 'Wagaya no Oinari-sama.', opening song [ cite web|url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=8774|title=Anime News Network encyclopedia-Wagaya no Oinarisama. (TV)] . Sora (Avatar name: Solary Clary) [ cite web|url=http://secondlife.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/10/ballet-pixelle-premieres-shuzenji/|title= CNN.com - Ballet Pixelle Premieres “Shuzenji” (10 June 2008)] also got called to compose a three series of ballet music for the fifth production "Shuzenji" for the world first virtual ballet group Ballet Pixelle [ cite web|url=http://balletpixelle.blogspot.com/|title=Ballet Pixelle (formerly Second Life Ballet)] (formerly Second Life Ballet [ cite web|url=http://www.dancemagazine.com/|title= Dance Magazine (December 2007)] ) created by the director and founder Inarra Saarinen [ cite web|url=http://secondlife.blogs.cnn.com/2008/06/10/ballet-pixelle-premieres-shuzenji/|title= CNN.com - Ballet Pixelle Premieres “Shuzenji” (10 June 2008)] in Second Life(R).

Discography

ingles

* 1998: "Toushindai no Chikyugi"
* 1998: "Yahoo!"
* 1998: "Time Capsule"
* 1998: "tu-la-la"
* 1999: "Zutto Motto"
* 1999: "Rocket de"
* 2000: "Futsu Densha ni Notte"
* 2002: "Higher and Higher" for Rave(Rave Master) as Kumoko
* 2003: "Cibimimi" (for Ponkickies21 as Chibi Mimi)
* 2005: "Scene Vol.1" CD and DVD
* 2007: "Ubugoe" (as a member of Spiral Spiders)
* 2008: "Wagaya no Oinari-sama." (opening 'KI-ZU-NA' and c/w 'Kiseki' (lyrics/music-Sora Izumikawa)-singer as Hitomi Sora)

Albums

* 1998: "Sorae"
* 1999: "Hajimaruyo-1 sainari"
* 2001: "Ukare Beat Chika Ikkai"
* 2002: "Hagane Machine"
* 2003: "Tokyo Flamingo"
* 2003: "TRIBUTE TO FLIPPER'S GUITAR FRIENDS AGAIN"
* 2004: "DAUGHTER"
* 2006: "Sora Best"-incl. New single "Ningyohime"
* 2007: "1981 PROJECT”THEME OF ROCKY”TOUR FINAL SHIBUYA AX" (as a member of Spiral Spiders)
* 2007: "SHANGHAI SWING - 1950 SWING COVER JAZZ" (Compilation Album - Shanghai/Get Out and Get Under the Moon)
* 2008: "aMERICAN SWING - Rock meets Jazz" (sora&marhy=DAUGHTER feat. the fascinations)

Works for Others

* Bottle Fairy -"Oshiete Sensei San" (composition)
* Hitomi Mieno -"Yahoo!"
* Mariko Koda -"Kokoro no Yajirushi", "Sekaijuu no Post", "Tomato" (lyrics・composition) "Ta・ra・ra"" (composition) etc.
* Megumi Hayashibara-"Rumba Rumba" (lyrics・composition) "Kirameku Kakera" (lyrics)
* Mayumi Iizuka -"Itsumo no Kaerimichi", "Soyokaze to cafe au lait", "Duet de La La La", "Drive shiyouyo" (composition) , Mini Album "23degrees" (composition), "Akai kutsu no Cowboy" in "10LOVE", "Baby, dance with me♪" in "Crystal Days" and "Stories (Mayumi Iizuka)" etc.
* Yui Horie -"Happy happy * rice shower-type yui-" (composition) etc.
* YeLLOW Generation -"Lost Generation" (composition) etc.
* K Matsumura (Kunihiro Matsumura) -"Sorede Iinoda", "Tomodachi to Shite" (Producing for a project for Nippon Broadcasting System
* Masaki Toriyama -"Kawaita Mune" (composition) etc.
* Sanpei -"Sanpei no Everyday" (composition)
* Miwako Okuda -"Utau Riyu" (composition)
* Yui Ichikawa -"Pure" (lyrics・composition)
* Otoha-"Hatsukoi -Koi no Hane" (lyrics) etc.
* Mayuko Omimura -"Shiawasena Takusan Juice no Shigeki" (composition)
* Seiko Ishii -"Ima mo Itsumo" (composition)
* Tomoe Shinohara -"Sutekina Nichiyoubi" (lyrics・composition)
*Ballet Pixelle (formerly Second Life Ballet) -"Shuzenji" (Ballet music 3 Acts)

TV

* Songra Series (TV Tokyo)
* Ponkickies, Ponkickies21 (Fuji Television) CG Character Seiyu as "Chibi Mimi"
*Tokyo Kids Club (Fuji Satellite Broadcasting) CG Character Seiyu as "Chibi Mimi"

Radio

* Izumikawa Sora no Doremifa Sorajio (RCC Broadcasting Company)
* Doremifa Sorando (FM Ehime)
* Izumikawa Sora no Ya-hoo! Station (FM Ehime)
* MIDNIGHT KISS Part2- Izumikawa Sora no Hochi-Kiss (Kiss-FM KOBE)

References and notes

External links

* [http://www.sorasora.com sorasora] - Sora Izumikawa's solo website
* [http://www.sorasora.com/DAUGHTER.html DAUGHTER] - Official Website
* [http://www.spiralspiders.com SPIRAL SPIDERS] - Official Website