Yumi Matsutoya

Yumi Matsutoya, born Yumi Arai on January 19, 1954, in Hachioji, Tokyo, is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She began her music career at the age of 14 as a studio musician and songwriter. In April 1972, she released her debut single "Henji wa Iranai" under Toshiba EMI's Liberty sublabel, produced by Hiroshi "Monsieur" Kamayatsu. Her first full album, Hikōki Gumo, followed shortly after. Throughout the 1970s, Matsutoya gained prominence with hits like "Ano Hi ni Kaeritai", which topped Japan's Oricon Charts in 1975. She also composed successful songs for other artists, such as "Ichigo Hakusho wo Mou Ichido" for the folk duo BanBan. In 1976, she married her musical collaborator Masataka Matsutoya and began recording under her married name. Her albums Cobalt Hour, Yuming Brand, and Hikōki-gumo are considered early classics of the J-pop genre. These albums incorporated influences from progressive rock and European pop, producing a sophisticated sound that resonated with contemporary audiences. In 1980, she released "ESPER" and "White Day Dream", which became notable tracks in her discography. Her album The Gates of Heaven (1990) became the first to be certified "2x million" by the RIAJ. She achieved twenty-one Number 1 albums on the Oricon charts and held the record for having at least one number-one album every year for 18 consecutive years. She also uses the pseudonym Kureda Karuho when offering her work to other musicians. Matsutoya's career spans over four decades, during which she has released numerous albums and singles that have left a lasting impact on Japanese popular music. Her discography includes compilations like YUMING BRAND PART 2 (1979), Neue Musik - Yumi Matsutoya Complete Best Vol. 1 (2018), and Yuming Compositions: Faces (2018). She has also collaborated with other artists, such as Nina Kraviz on the remix of "Haru Yo, Koi" (2024). Her work continues to be celebrated, with releases like YUMING BRAND PART 3 (1981) and Yumi Arai The Concert with old Friends (2001). Between 2020 and 2025, Yumi Matsutoya and her husband rediscovered an unreleased late-1970s to early-1980s demo, used AI voice research from the University of Tokyo to turn her younger vocals into the collaboration track “Call me back,” then expanded the idea by blending her present voice with an AI version of her past self for her 40th studio album Wormhole, released on October 29 under the stylized artist name “Yumi AraI” to highlight the “AI” concept.

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