YUI

From Wiki.theppn

YUI is a Japanese pop artist, born March 26, 1987. She was born and raised in Fukuoka, Japan. She grew up in a fatherless house and, consequently, holds no memory of her father. She sings and plays acoustic guitar, and writes her own songs. She is still relatively unknown outside of Japan, but her song "LIFE", from her single by the same name, was the 5th ending theme for BLEACH, a popular Japanese anime series, which has brought her some international fame.

Her first full album, FROM ME TO YOU, was released on February 22, 2006 to great acclaim. Among its 13 tracks, 9 of them were brand new, and these have been well received from her fans. The album has already sold quite well, reaching as high as the weekly 9th most sold album in Japan, and the main track, TOKYO, has reached the number 4 spot on the MTV Japan song charts. She released her second album entitled CAN'T BUY MY LOVE on April 4th.

Profile

 * Stage name: YUI
 * Real name: Yoshioka Yui (吉岡唯))
 * Nickname: Kuu-chan, Kuu-tan
 * Birthplace: Fukuoka, Japan
 * Birthday: March 26, 1987
 * Blood Type :  AB
 * Height: 155 cm / 5'1"
 * Favorite place: Shingu Sea in Fukuoka
 * Hobbies: Movies, reading, acoustic guitar, badminton

Information
YUI began writing poems in ninth grade. At the age of 16, by recommendation of a friend, she began studying singing, songwriting, and guitar at a private music school in her native Fukuoka. Aspiring to become professional, she carried her guitar around and performed at local areas like the seashore of Shingu and the middle of Kaminofu's rice fields.

In March 2003, at an audition hosted by Sony Music Japan, all of the judges evaluated her with the highest score, which caused a fierce scramble among labels. At this audition, she sang three songs: "Why me" (which was later coupled with her debut single), "It's happy line", and "I know" - though the audition rules stated that a participant could only sing two songs. Sitting cross-legged on the floor, she strummed her guitar and sang. The judges and the others present at the audition claimed that "the performance created a tremendous aura from her heavenly voice, and captured the hearts of the whole audience". It's happy line was then released as an indie single in December 2004, with "I know" as the second track.

Upon leaving Fukuoka for Tokyo, YUI wrote the song "feel my soul". She was planning to release it on an indie label as a tribute to her hometown, when the song caught the ears of Fuji TV producer, Mr. Yamaguchi, who happened to see the demo video clip. He claimed YUI's voice haunted him so much that he went out of his way to visit the recording studio himself. He even made his channel's prime-time drama "Fukigen na Gene" an extraordinary tie-in with YUI's debut track.

Although she is not the most comfortable when it comes to talking to people, YUI enjoys communicating with her audience at street performances in the Tenjin district of Fukuoka.

YUI has been honing her acting and singing skills in a movie released in 17 June, 2006 called "Taiyou no Uta" (The Sun's Song), and has since been released in various Asian countries as well.

Albums

 * [2006.02.22] FROM ME TO YOU #4
 * [2007.04.04] CAN'T BUY MY LOVE  # 1
 * [2008.04.09] I LOVED YESTERDAY #1
 * [2008.11.12] MY SHORT STORIES #1

Singles

 * [2004.12.24] It's happy line (Indies Release)
 * [2005.02.23] feel my soul #8
 * [2005.06.22] Tomorrow's way #15
 * [2005.11.09] LIFE #9
 * [2006.01.18] TOKYO #15
 * [2006.06.14] Good-bye days #3 (YUI for Amane Kaoru) (雨音薫)
 * [2006.09.20] I remember you #2
 * [2007.01.17] Rolling star #4
 * [2007.03.14] CHE.R.RY #2
 * [2007.06.13] My Generation / Understand #1
 * [2007.09.26] LOVE & TRUTH #1
 * [2008.02.27] Namidairo #3
 * [2008.07.02] Summer Song #1
 * [2009.06.03] again#1
 * [2010.01.20] GLORIA

DVD

 * [2007.11.14] Thank you My teens

Movies

 * [2006] Taiyou no Uta as Amane Kaoru