{{Short description|Japanese singer and lyricist}} {{Infobox person | name = Kaoru Akimoto | native_name = 秋元薫 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1964|06|05}} | birth_place = Tokyo, Japan | occupation = Singer | years_active = 1985 - present }}
'''Kaoru Akimoto''' (秋元薫, born June 5, 1964 in Tokyo) is a Japanese J-pop singer who performed during the 80s and 90s, during which the music genre Kayōkyoku was popular. She is most known for her 1986 album ''Cologne''<ref name=":0">{{Citation |last=Kaoru Akimoto |title=Kaoru Akimoto Discography 1986-1991 |url=http://archive.org/details/2._20210813 |access-date=2026-05-18}}</ref> and the song "Dress Down",<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2026-04-19 |title=KAORU AKIMOTO |url=https://www.5elevenmag.com/post/kaoru-akimoto |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=5ELEVEN Magazine |language=en}}</ref> which became popular in the 2010s and 2020s due to the city pop music boom. Since its' release, it has been remastered as ''Cologne'' + ''1.'' Akimoto is also known for providing the vocals to soundtracks for various video games and providing backup vocals for other singers and music groups.
== Early life == Akimoto was born in Tokyo, Japan on June 5, 1964, into "a very ordinary family with no connection to music".<ref name=":1" /> As a child, Akimoto played the piano, which started her love of music and her future career as a singer.<ref name=":1" /> She participated in various singing auditions, winning several of them during her elementary school years.<ref name=":1" /> She went to First Girls High School in Sendai, during which she played in the school band and attended several more singing auditions. She also began writing her own lyrics, something she had done since childhood.<ref name=":1" /> Akimoto cites her musical style as being influenced by singers such as Chaka Khan and Saki Kubota, the latter of whom she often listened to throughout high school.<ref name=":1" />
== Career == During her college years at Aoyama Gakuin University in Tokyo, Akimoto started her singing career, providing background vocals for singer Yumi Matsutoya as well as being a chorus singer for his international music tours.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=2013-03-20 |title=秋元薫(Akimoto Kaoru) “Dress down” (1986) |url=https://billiebirkin.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/%e7%a7%8b%e5%85%83%e8%96%abakimoto-kaoru-dress-down-1986/ |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=billiebirkin |language=ko-KR}}</ref> In 1985, she released the single "Paradox", which became the theme song for the OVA anime TV series ''Fire Tripper''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=J-canuck |date=2015-11-07 |title=Kayo Kyoku Plus: Kaoru Akimoto -- Dress Down |url=https://kayokyokuplus.blogspot.com/2015/11/kaoru-akimoto-dress-down.html |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=Kayo Kyoku Plus}}</ref> According to Akimoto, this paved the way for her debut as a solo artist.<ref name=":1" /> The following year, Akimoto released her debut album ''Cologne'' featuring lyrics all self-written by Akimoto.<ref name=":1" /> The album initially was not a huge success, but increased in popularity decades later during the 2010s and 2020s with a resurgence of the city pop music genre amongst newer generations of music listeners.<ref name=":1" /> In 1989, Akimoto along with members of the jazz fusion band Casiopea joined together to form the music group Shambara, performing with the band in the 1990s.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":2" /> Akimoto continued to provide vocals for other singers and musicians into the 90s.<ref name=":3" /> Akimoto also provided vocals to soundtracks from other games and TV series such as GALAXY FRAULEIN Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust Works (銀河お嬢様伝説 ユナ あきたか みか イラストワークス) and Slow Step (1991).<ref>{{Cite web |title=GALAXY FRAULEIN Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust Works - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/release/22329 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=TYCY-5157 {{!}} SLOW STEP ORIGINAL SOUND TRACK - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/26129 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> In the 1990s, Akimoto retired from performing but made a comeback in 2021 with the re-issued and remastered release of the 1986 album ''Cologne'' titled ''Cologne + 1''. She also partnered with South Korean music producer Night Tempo to create an album titled ''The Showa Groove'', featuring a remixed version of her hit "Dress Down".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-19 |title=Kaoru Akimoto - Night Tempo presents The Showa Groove / Night Tempo, Kaoru Akimoto(아키모토 카오루/秋元薫) |url=https://music.bugs.co.kr/album/4063887 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=벅스! |language=ko}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> In 2022, Akimoto released the single "Narcissist".
== Credits ==
* ''Rumic World Part 1: Flame Tripper Music Edition'' (るーみっくわーるど Part 1: 炎トリッパー音楽篇) (soundtrack, 1985, Victor Records)<ref>{{Cite web |title=JBX-25079 {{!}} Rumic World PART 1 "Fire Tripper" Music Compilation - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/63024 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Paradox'' (1985 album) (パラドックス) (Victor Musical Industries Inc.) (from the soundtrack of the anime television series ''Fire Tripper'') * ''VIDEO ANIME vs TV ANIME Anime Song Best Collection'' (ビデオアニメvsテレビアニメ アニメソング ベストコレクション) (1986 vinyl LP)<ref>{{Cite web |title=JBX-2051 {{!}} VIDEO ANIME vs TV ANIME Anime Song Best Collection - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/84331 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref>
* ''Cologne'' (1986 album) * ''Rumic World PART 1 Fire Tripper <Drama Version>'' (るーみっく わーるど PART 1 炎(ファイヤー)トリッパー <ドラマ篇>) (1986 LP album)<ref>{{Cite web |title=JBX-25084 {{!}} Rumic World PART 1 Fire Tripper - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/143405 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Shambara'' (1989 album)<ref>{{Citation |last=Shambara |title=Shambara (Kaoru Akimoto & Yurie Kokubu) - SHAMBARA |date=1989 |url=http://archive.org/details/shambara-shambara_202202 |access-date=2026-05-18}}</ref> * ''Slow Step'' (スローステップ オリジナル・サウンド・トラック) (1991 anime series soundtrack)<ref name=":4" /> * ''Reflected in the Eyes'' (瞳に映して) (1991 album, Polydor Records)<ref name=":0" /> * ''Comics Image 「Compiler」・Assembler'' (コミックスイメージ「コンパイラ」・アセンブラ) (1992 CD)<ref>{{Cite web |title=KICA-102 {{!}} Comics Image 「Compiler」・Assembler - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/49325 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Perfume'' (1992 album by Megumi Hayashibara)<ref>{{Cite web |title=KICS-215 {{!}} Perfume / MEGUMI HAYASHIBARA - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/64743 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Tomodachi de Iikara'' (友達でいいから) (1994 album by Yumiko Takahashi)<ref>{{Cite web |title=VIDL-10484 {{!}} Tomodachi de Iikara / Yumiko Takahashi - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/122218 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Dark Savior Sound Factory Series Vol. 3: Original Vocal Track'' (ダークセイバー サウンドファクトリーシリーズVOL.3オリジナル・ボーカルトラック) (1996 CD)<ref>{{Cite web |title=VICL-5327 {{!}} Dark Savior Sound Factory Series Vol. 3: Original Vocal Track - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/2876 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''GALAXY FRAULEIN Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust Works'' (銀河お嬢様伝説 ユナ あきたか みか イラストワークス) (1996 soundtrack album)<ref>{{Cite web |title=GALAXY FRAULEIN Yuna Mika Akitaka Illust Works - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/release/22329 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Caravan on the Radio'' (キャラバン・オン・ザ・ラジオ) (1997 CD featuring music from games by Hudson Soft, primarily Bomberman)<ref>{{Cite web |title=HCD-7082 {{!}} Caravan on the Radio - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/6424 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Dress Down'' (2017 LP vinyl) * ''FINAL BOUT ~ SiIvaGunner: King for Another Day Tournament Original Soundtrack VOL. 3'' (2020 CD)<ref>{{Cite web |title=FINAL BOUT ~ SiIvaGunner: King for Another Day Tournament Original Soundtrack VOL. 3 - VGMdb |url=https://vgmdb.net/album/154268 |access-date=2026-05-18 |website=vgmdb.net |language=en}}</ref> * ''Cologne + 1'' (2021 album) * ''Narcissist'' (2022 single) * ''Night Tempo Presents The Showa Groove'' (2022 album)
== References == <references />
Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:Singers from Tokyo Category:J-pop musicians Category:Japanese pop singers Category:Japanese women singers