General information

KOKIA is the stage name used by Akiko Yoshida (). She was born in Tokyo, Japan, at July 22 1976. Her blood type is O, which in Japan means she's creative, social and popular. Akiko also has a famous sister, Kyoko, who plays the violin.

Akiko can play both the piano and the violin, and went to several music schools. At the ages of ten and fourteen, she went to America to study English and music, and she eventually went to the private university Toho Gakuen School of Music to study Opera and classical music. In 1998, the big music and movie publisher Pony Canyon scouted Akiko, and that year became her year of debut with the single Aishiteiru kara ('because I love you'), with You as its B-side. Both songs were insert songs of the drama Brothers. Before, the song For Little Tail by her had already appeared on the Tail Concerto OST (Official Soundtrack). Ever since this early beginning, Akiko has used the stage name of KOKIA.

Another song for an anime series and a second single later, KOKIA wrote and composed her first song by herself. This was Arigatou... ('Thank you...'). It was also used as a theme song, and it made her very popular in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The song was even covered by the popular Cantonese singer Sammi Cheng. After Arigatou..., KOKIA's debut album Songbird was released.

In 2001, KOKIA switched to Victor Entertainment. Under this label, she published various singles and albums, and she also released a 'best of' album. 2006 was the year of her first live not in Japan: she performed in Paris January 21 that year. In June, she announced she'd leave Victor Entertainment.

The French label Wasabi Records, in the mean while, had picked up on KOKIA and released her new album Aigakikoeru ('listen for the love') in November, several months before the Japanese release under Victory Entertainment. Her latest album, The VOICE, also has an European release, around two weeks after the Japanese one.

KOKIA will soon come to France for the third time to perform, and she has released six albums, one 'best of' album, nineteen singles and several songs featured on compilations of some sort.

Trivia

• The single Watashi ni dekiru koto ('I can do it') was not only KOKIA's 16th single, but it was also a song specially made for the victims of the Ch�etsu offshore earthquake in 2007 and sold in the area.
• KOKIA's single Yume ga Chikara ('dreams are strength') was used as the official cheering song for the Japanese Olympic team in Athens, 2004.
• KOKIA's most popular single up until now is The Power of Smile/Remember the Kiss. It reached #15 and charted for nine weeks.
• KOKIA starred in a short, 35 minutes movie: Ojii-chan no Chuurippu ('Grandfather's tulips').
• KOKIA has four dogs. Three are males: 9-year-old Nero, 7-year-old Muta, 1-year-old Tutti and one female, the 8-year-old Donna. She especially loves Muta and has a room just for her dogs.
• One of the called dogs, Donna, appears in KOKIA's song Say Hi!!! I'm talking about this line: 'And driving to the beach to play with our Donna.'