Sonoko Kawai

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Sonoko Kawai
Birth nameSonoko Kawai (河合その子)
Born (1965-06-20) June 20, 1965 (age 56)
Chita, Aichi, Japan
GenresJ-pop
Occupation(s)Singer
Years active1985–1990, 2010
LabelsCBS Sony
Associated actsOnyanko Club

Sonoko Kawai (河合その子, Kawai Sonoko, born June 20, 1965), married name Sonoko Gotō (後藤その子, Gotō Sonoko) is a former Japanese singer. She was originally member number 12 of Onyanko Club.

History[]

Biography[]

Kawai was born and raised in Chita, Aichi. She attended high school at Nihon Fukushi University Affiliated High School (日本福祉大学付属高等学校, Nihon Fukushi Daigaku Fuzoku Kōtō Gakkō). She first entered the entertainment business in 1983 after winning second place in CBS Sony's Teens Pop Contest. However, her activities with the label were few, and after graduating high school, she continued her studies at a computer-oriented vocational school.

In 1985, she auditioned for Onyanko Club in their show , and was chosen to be a part of the group. Nicknamed the "eternally young girl" (永遠の少女, eien no shōjo), she immediately gained great popularity which led to her participation in various dramas such as Sukeban Deka. She made her solo debut the same year, with the single "Namida no Jasmine LOVE", making her the first Onyanko Club member to launch a solo career. Her first album followed a few months later. In 1986, she released "Aoi Stasion", which stayed at the No. 1 place on the Oricon charts for two consecutive weeks, making it Kawai's signature song. In April, she graduated from Onyanko Club at the Nippon Budōkan venue of their first concert tour and officially became a solo artist. She would later become one of the hosts of Yūyake Nyan Nyan's sister show, .

In 1988, she decided to stop making television appearances, opting to promote her newest material on the radio or live events instead. She also started to work with a varied lineup of producers, showing more maturity in her work, which culminated in her composing four songs on her album Dancin' In The Light, released the following year. In 1990, she released what would be her final album, Replica, in which all the tracks were composed by Kawai herself. After the promotional tour for the album, she announced the dissolution of her fanclub and her temporary retirement from music. After a long absence from the media after her marriage, in the year 2000 she appeared on a single scene of an episode of the television drama . Ten years later, in 2010, she teamed up with fellow 80s idols Yōko Oginome, and for a promotional campaign for the cosmetics brand Shiseido.[1][2]

Personal life[]

In 1994, she married Tsugutoshi Gotō, who had composed a big part of her songs. She adopted his surname, though she still uses Kawai as her artist name. In a press conference in 2010, it was revealed that she and Gotō have a child.[1][2]

Discography[]

Singles[]

Year Title Details Peak chart
position (Oricon)
1985 "Namida no Jasmine LOVE" (涙の茉莉花ジャスミンLOVE)
  • Release date: September 1, 1985
  • B-side: "Koi no Chapter A to Z" (恋のチャプターA to Z) (featuring Onyanko Club)
#1
"Ochiba no Crescendo" (落葉のクレッシェンド)
  • Release date: November 21, 1985
  • B-side: "Gogo no Pas de Deux" (午後のパドドゥ)
#2
1986 "Aoi Stasion" (青いスタスィオン)
  • Release date: March 21, 1986
  • B-side: "Sayonara wa Iwanaide" (さよならは言わないで) (featuring Onyanko Club)
#1
"Saikai no Labyrinth" (再会のラビリンス)
  • Release date: July 2, 1986
  • B-side: "Giovanni no Sasayaki" (ジョバンニの囁き)
#1
"Kanashii Yoru wo Tomete" (悲しい夜を止めて)
  • Release date: October 22, 1986
  • B-side: "Yasashisa Nante Iranai" (やさしさなんていらない)
#1
1987 "Aishū no Carnaval" (哀愁のカルナバル)
  • Release date: February 26, 1987
  • B-side: "Romance no Yukue" (ロマンスの行方)
#3
"JESSY"
  • Release date: June 17, 1987
  • Alternate version of "Jessy no Higeki" (ジェシーの悲劇) from Rouge et Bleu
  • B-side: "Sekidō wo Koeta Somerset Maugham" (赤道を越えたサマーセットモーム)
#3
"Yume kara Sameta Tenshi" (夢から醒めた天使)
  • Release date: October 21, 1987
  • B-side: "Asu e no Tegami" (明日への手紙)
#11
1988 "Ame no Memorandum" (雨のメモランダム)
  • Release date: April 21, 1988
  • B-side: "Lavender ga Mejirushi" (ラヴェンダーが目印)
#29

Studio albums[]

  • Sonoko (1985)
  • (1986)
  • (1986)
  • (1987)
  • (1988)
  • (1989)
  • (1990)

Compilation albums[]

  • Dedication (1988)
  • sonnet (1990)
  • Kawai Sonoko Best Collection (河合その子 ベスト・コレクション) (1997)
  • Golden Best Kawai Sonoko (ゴールデン☆ベスト 河合その子) (2002)
  • Kawai Sonoko Premium (河合その子プレミアム) (2009)

Video releases[]

  • Sonoko Genki desu. Kawai Sonoko First Concert (その子元気です。 河合その子ファーストコンサート) (1985, VHS) (2004, DVD)
  • Aphrodite no Yume -Aphrodite- (アフロディーテの夢 -Aphrodite-) (1987, VHS)
  • Sonoko no Natsu (その子の夏) (1987, VHS) (2004, DVD)
  • JESSY (1988, CD video)
  • Sweet Contrast (1989, VHS)
  • Kawai Sonoko Complete DVD-BOX (河合その子 コンプリートDVD-BOX) (2007, DVD)

Television appearances[]

Dramas[]

  • Sukeban Deka (1985)
  • (1985–1986)
  • : "Tōmei Shōjo" (1986)
  • (1986)
  • : "Miyuki" (1986)
  • (1987)

Variety shows[]

  • (1985–1986)
  • (1986)

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b 「よみがえれ、私」荻野目洋子ら４人が共演. Sankei Sports (in Japanese). March 30, 2010. Archived from the original on March 31, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b 元アイドル４人、ＣＭ共演 薬丸秀美、河合その子ら. (in Japanese). April 2, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2015.

External links[]

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