First of all, sorry for taking so long to post again! I was preparing a post yesterday when there was a power shortage here, which made me lose everything I had written (don't know why it wasn't saved by Blogger). Anyways, I'm back \o/ yay~
Rie Fu
Connected to music and art since her childhood, Rie Fu started to showcase her talents at a really young age. She signed her contract with Sony Japan while still in high school, releasing the first single in 2004. Later that year, however, the singer-songwriter was chosen to sing the first ending to what would become one of the most important animes of all time: "Bleach". "Life Is Like a Boat" was a good way to gain recognition among different kinds of public.
"Life Is Like a Boat" Promotional Video (credits to the uploader)
In the following year, Rie Fu produced her first full-length album as well as two more singles, including "I Wanna Go To A Place...", chosen as "Gundam Seed Destiny"s ending theme. It was a fairly calm period for the singer's fans as Rie was studying at the University of the Arts London. In 2006, she released "Rose Album" and two more singles.
"Until I Say" jacket - a 2006 single
Another important moment in the girl's career came in 2007 with "Tsukiakari", a single used as the second ending theme for the "Darker than Black" anime. Still one of my personal favorites and definitely one her best-selling songs, "Tsukiakari" revealed a smooth, emotional, pure voice from Rie Fu, which captivated many listeners' hearts.
"Tsukiakari" Promotional Video
Graduating from the university, the singer came back to Japan so as to concentrate once again on her music career. "Home" was released in 2008 and featured a beautiful cover of "The Carpenters", which would lead to many other covers of the band and even a tour only made of those songs. It's easy to understand why Rie Fu chose to continue making these covers: they're astoundingly pretty!
"(The Long to Be) Close To You" - Rie's cover of "The Carpenters"
In 2009, the young talent produced her fourth album, "Urban Romantic". I must say this is her best album ever. From the experimental songs to the usual style, every song is delicately composed and polished. "drummy", for example, is something I wouldn't expect from Rie Fu. Still, it became one of my favorite songs from her! Other songs such as "Something In My Head" and "She Can't Say No" also contribute to this album's masterpiece condition, at least in my opinion.
"drummy" - it surpassed my expectations~
Participating in many live tours, Rie Fu spent almost a whole year before releasing something new. The fifth album, and the first totally self-produced, was released in March 2010, featuring many famous artists as collaborations. Giving a break to focus on her own musical studies, the songwriter would take another year in order to release the next single. "For You" hit the stores in February 2011 and marked the most recent return of Rie Fu to the Japanese music scenario.
"at Rie sessions" - the first fully self-produced album
With a beautiful, strong yet calm voice, Rie Fu was able to capture my eye since her first songs. I hope this post helped you discover this awesome Japanese artist. Remember: support the artists you like by purchasing their music! I don't know how much it will take for her to announce new releases, but when it happens I'll be sure to post about it here!
Kono tsukiakari no shita de~ *-*