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Keiko Masuda

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Keiko Masuda
増田 恵子
Born
Keiko Kobayashi (小林 啓子)

(1957-09-02) September 2, 1957 (age 67)
Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Japan
Other names
    • Kei (ケイ)
    • 増田けい子
    • kéi
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • actress
AgentKei-Office
Spouse
Tomoji Kuwaki
​
​
(m. 2002; died 2024)​
[1]
Musical career
Genres
InstrumentVocals
Years active1976–present
Labels
Japanese name
Kanji増田 恵子
Hiraganaますだ けいこ
Katakanaマスダ ケイコ
Transcriptions
RomanizationMasuda Keiko
Websitewww.kei-office.net

Keiko Masuda (増田 恵子, Masuda Keiko) (born Keiko Kobayashi (小林 啓子, Kobayashi Keiko) on September 2, 1957, in Shizuoka, Japan) is a Japanese pop singer and actress. She is better known by her nickname Kei, and is one half of Pink Lady, the top idol group in Japan in the 1970s. In the United States, they are known for their self-titled TV program.[2][3] Masuda is represented by her own management firm Kei-Office (ケイ・オフィス, Kei Ofisu).

Biography

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Early life

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Keiko Kobayashi was the second daughter of Shōhei and Fusae Kobayashi. After her father was killed in a vehicular accident on April 14, 1961, she was adopted by the Masuda family (from her mother's side) and moved to Yaizu.[2][4] In 1972, a year after transferring to Suehiro Junior High School, Masuda met Mitsuyo Nemoto. A year later, they attended Tokoha University and the Yamaha Music School in Hamamatsu. In May 1974, the duo formed a folk group called "Cookie" (クッキー, Kukkī) and passed Yamaha's "Challenge on Stage" (チャレンジ・オン・ステージ, Charenji on Sutēji) audition.[5]

Pink Lady

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After winning an audition on the talent show Star Tanjō! in March 1976, Masuda and Nemoto signed with Victor Entertainment and became Pink Lady. Masuda became "Kei" (ケイ) while Nemoto took the stage name "Mie" (ミー, Mī). After their debut single "Pepper Keibu" peaked at No. 4 on Oricon's singles charts in August 1976, Pink Lady's second single "S.O.S." reached No. 1, beginning a nine-song streak of No. 1 hits from November 1976 to December 1978. Their biggest single was "UFO" which spent 10 weeks at No. 1 and sold over 1.55 million copies.

When their popularity took a downturn in 1979, Pink Lady turned their focus on the United States, with their first U.S. single "Kiss in the Dark" reaching No. 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming the first Japanese recording act to chart in America since Kyu Sakamoto in 1963. In 1980, the duo starred with comedian Jeff Altman in the NBC variety show Pink Lady and Jeff. Unfortunately, the show was plagued by the language barrier between the duo and the production crew. Poor ratings and scathing reviews resulted in Pink Lady and Jeff being cancelled after five episodes, with a sixth episode remaining unaired.

Following the failure of Pink Lady and Jeff, as well as the decline of disco music, Pink Lady held a press conference on September 1, 1980, to announce their disbandment within six months.[6] During the press conference, Kei stated that she would revert to her real name for her solo career. Pink Lady performed their final concert at Korakuen Stadium on March 31, 1981, before going their separate ways. Mie and Kei have since reunited several times to record new songs and perform special concerts.

Solo career

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Following Pink Lady's disbandment, Masuda signed with Reprise Records and released her first solo single "Suzume" (すずめ, "Sparrow") on November 28, 1981. Written by Miyuki Nakajima, the song made it to No. 9 on Oricon's singles chart and sold 267,000 copies.[7] In contrast to Pink Lady and Mie's pop style, Masuda's solo efforts focused on more traditional kayōkyoku with her uniquely deep voice. "Suzume" was followed by "Tamerai" (ためらい, "Friends in Love") (written by Yumi Matsutoya), "Rasen Kaidan" (らせん階段, "Spiral Staircase") (written by Mariya Takeuchi), and "Joyū" (女優, "Actress") (written by Keisuke Kuwata).

Masuda put her solo career on hiatus in 1986, but in 1989, she made her debut in France with the album Simples Confidences, which consisted of six French-language and four English-language songs. The album was released in Japan as Voice Cologne. During this time, Masuda used the stage name "kéi" as a singer while retaining her real name as an actress. She also released her gravure book C'est un Amour ― Keiko Masuda Photo Album (セタナムール―増田恵子写真集, Setanamūru ― Masuda Keiko Shashin-shū) in 1990.

In 2001, Masuda starred as Vi Moore in the Japanese adaptation of the Footloose stage musical. The production also featured her Pink Lady partner Mie as Ethel McCormack.[8]

In September 2004, Masuda released her autobiography Akogare (あこがれ, Longing). A year later, she released "Kiseki no Hana" (奇蹟の花, "Miracle Flower"), her first single in 15 years. In 2008, Masuda released Moichido Asobimasho: Now & Then (もいちど遊びましょNow & Then, Let's Play Again: Now & Then), her first solo album in 19 years. The album features self-covers of her solo singles and the Pink Lady hit songs "UFO" and "Nagisa no Sindbad".

On February 21, 2018, Masuda released the single "Saigo no Koi" (最後の恋, "Last Love")/"Fujisan da" (富士山だ, "It's Mount Fuji"), 13 years after her last single. The songs were composed by Tokiko Kato and Yū Aku, and previously recorded by Kato.[9]

In 2019, Masuda starred as Julietta in the stage musical Tom and Jerry: Purr-Chance to Dream (トムとジェリー 夢よもう一度, Tomu to Jerī Yume yo Mōichido).[10][11]

In April 2022, Masuda released the single "Del Sole" to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her solo career.[12] She also announced the release of the compilation album Soshite, Koko kara..., which will include her past singles and five new recordings, plus the recording of her 40th anniversary concert in November 2021. The limited edition release of the album will include a DVD of the concert.[13]

Personal life

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In 1979, Masuda had a publicized relationship with singer Goro Noguchi. This affair put a strain between her and Pink Lady's management T&C Music, who forbade the relationship, especially when the duo were preparing to work in the U.S. Eventually, Masuda's engagement to Noguchi led to Pink Lady's disbandment two years later. The relationship was dissolved in 1984 when Noguchi had an affair with actress Keiko Saito.[14]

On June 23, 2002, Masuda married Tomoji Kuwaki (桑木 知二, Kuwaki Tomoji), president of the sound production company Guild Japan (ギルド・ジャパン, Girudo Japan).[2] Kuwaki passed away from pancreatic cancer on August 21, 2024.[1]

Health issues

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On December 16, 1977, Masuda collapsed backstage after a Pink Lady show. She was rushed to the hospital, where doctors discovered that she had burst an appendix. Following the surgery, she went against doctors' orders and continued to perform by wrapping her midsection with plastic wrap to keep the stitches closed and prevent any pus from ruining her costumes.[15][16][17][18]

Masuda suffers from Graves' disease. In an interview with Yomiuri Shimbun, she first felt the symptoms of the disease in 1990 and temporarily stepped away from her singing and acting career when her tremors and sudden weight loss became evident. She revealed that her elder sister also has Graves' disease. Masuda struggled with a swollen thyroid during Pink Lady's 2003 tour; despite concerns from fans, she refused to conceal her neck. She has since kept her condition stable with proper treatment.[19][20][21][22]

In 2013, Masuda revealed that she also has Ménière's disease. She said that she experienced sudden hearing loss during her late 20s and was diagnosed with the disease in 2010 when she started developing the same symptoms.[23]

Discography

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See also: Pink Lady discography

Studio albums

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Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position[24] 		Sales
 RIAJ certification[25]
1982 Hitori ga Suki —
1982 Koisuru wo Tomodachi
  • Released: November 10, 1982
  • Label: Reprise Records
  • Formats: LP, cassette
 —
1985 Tawamureru Sakanatachi —
1989 Voice Cologne —

International releases

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Year Information SNEP weekly
peak position 		Sales
 Certification
1989 Simples Confidences
  • Released: 1989
  • Label: Mazères Disques
  • Formats: CD, cassette
 —

Compilation albums

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Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position[24] 		Sales
 RIAJ certification[25]
2005 Kyūkoku no Best! —
2012 Colors ~ 30th Anniversary All Time Best
  • Released: November 7, 2012
  • Label: Warner Music Japan
  • Formats: 2CD, digital
 298
2022 Soshite, Koko kara...
  • Released: July 27, 2022
  • Label: Victor
  • Formats: 2CD, 2CD+DVD, digital
 118

Cover albums

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Year Information Oricon weekly
peak position[24] 		Sales
 RIAJ certification[25]
2008 Moichido Asobimasho: Now & Then —
2014 Ai Shōka —

Singles

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List of singles, with selected chart positions
Title Date Peak chart positions Sales (JPN) RIAJ
certification[25] 		Album
Oricon Singles Charts
[24]
"Suzume" November 28, 1981 9 267,000
  • Gold
 Hitori ga Suki
"Tamerai" June 12, 1982 37 50,000 N/A Koisuru wo Tomodachi
"Rasen Kaidan" October 9, 1982 70 8,000 N/A
"Joyū" May 21, 1984 58 31,000 N/A Tawamureru Sakanatachi
"FU・RI・NE" August 21, 1985 63 19,000 N/A
"Aiiro no Inshō - Avec le Feu" October 25, 1989 — Voice Cologne
"Unmei ga Kawaru Asa" October 25, 1990 —
"Kiseki no Hana" December 7, 2005 147 Non-album single
"Saigo no Koi"/"Fujisan da" February 21, 2018 —
"Del Sole" April 27, 2022 — Soshite, Koko kara...
"Et j'aime la vie ~ Ima ga Suki" May 25, 2022 —
"—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Bibliography

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  • C'est un Amour ― Keiko Masuda Photo Album (セタナムール―増田恵子写真集, Setanamūru ― Masuda Keiko Shashin-shū) (Wani Books, 1990 October)
  • Akogare (あこがれ, Longing) (Gentosha, 2004 September)

References

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  1. ^ a b "ピンク・レディー増田惠子、夫の死去を公表 ７０歳 膵臓がんで ８月のライブ「必ず」の約束かなわず". Daily Sports (in Japanese). October 7, 2024. Retrieved October 7, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c "ピンク・レディーとは". Music & Move. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  3. ^ "増田けい子". Idol.ne.jp. March 11, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2020.
  4. ^ "ピンク・レディー増田惠子、93歳で亡くなった"産みの母"の想いに号泣". TV Asahi. November 17, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
  5. ^ "Profile". JVCKenwood Victor Entertainment. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  6. ^ Billboard Magazine, September 1980. September 20, 1980. Retrieved February 26, 2020. {{cite book}}: |magazine= ignored (help)
  7. ^ "Yamachan Japanese Chart History" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on October 16, 2007. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
  8. ^ "ブロードウェイミュージカル FOOTLOOSE ～みんなヒーロー～". Viva! Pink Lady. Retrieved February 13, 2020.
  9. ^ "13年ぶりとなるシングル「最後の恋／富士山だ」2/21発売！" [First Single in 13 Years - "Saigo no Koi"/"Fujisan da" - to Be Released on February 21]. Nippon Columbia. Retrieved January 17, 2020.
  10. ^ "音楽劇「トムとジェリー 夢よもう一度」オフィシャルホームべージ". 音楽劇「トムとジェリー 夢よもう一度」. meteodesign. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  11. ^ "遠藤章造が！竹若元博が！山本亮太が！増田惠子が！『トムとジェリー』誕生80周年特別企画 音楽劇「トムとジェリー 夢よもう一度」にゃーにゃー、チュー、チュー会見". The Theatertainment News Japan. September 12, 2019. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  12. ^ "ソロ40周年記念の新曲「Del Sole」を配信リリース". JVCKenwood Victor Entertainment. March 27, 2022. Retrieved April 23, 2022.
  13. ^ "増田惠子（ピンク・レディー）、ソロ40周年記念新曲「Del Sole」配信リリース＆アルバムの詳細を発表". Yahoo! Japan. April 27, 2022. Archived from the original on April 27, 2022. Retrieved April 27, 2022.
  14. ^ "仕事優先した野口五郎 2度の煮え切らない恋愛スキャンダル" [Goro Noguchi Puts Priority on His work - Two Never-Boiled Love Scandals]. Nikkan Gendai. December 27, 2012. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  15. ^ "Pink Lady". Idol.ne.jp. January 11, 2019. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  16. ^ "ピンクレディー、当時の過酷すぎる労働に騒然 「ブラックすぎて笑えない」". Excite. February 13, 2019. Archived from the original on March 22, 2020. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
  17. ^ Ren'ai Shōsetsuka (February 11, 2019). "ピンクレディーって無茶苦茶してたんだなぁ。ラップを巻いてコンサートって。". Ameba. Retrieved March 22, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  18. ^ "Memory Lane - 6". Pink Lady America. Retrieved March 9, 2020.
  19. ^ "［歌手 増田恵子さん］バセドー病（１）マイク持つ手が震える" [Singer Keiko Masuda: Graves' Disease (1) The Microphone Hand Shakes]. Yomiuri Shimbun. August 4, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  20. ^ "［歌手 増田恵子さん］バセドー病（２）同じ病 姉の存在が支えに" [Singer Keiko Masuda: Graves' Disease (2) Elder Sister Has the Same Disease]. Yomiuri Shimbun. August 11, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  21. ^ "［歌手 増田恵子さん］バセドー病（３）ツアー中、甲状腺腫れ上がる" [Singer Keiko Masuda: Graves' Disease (3) Thyroid Swelling During Tour]. Yomiuri Shimbun. August 18, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  22. ^ "［歌手 増田恵子さん］バセドー病（４）病気公表 無理せず我慢せず" [Singer Keiko Masuda: Graves' Disease (3) Revealing the Illness]. Yomiuri Shimbun. August 25, 2011. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  23. ^ "ピンク・レディー増田恵子、メニエール病を患っていた" [Pink Lady Keiko Masuda suffers from Meniere's disease]. Sankei Shimbun. December 7, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  24. ^ a b c d "増田恵子". Oricon. December 2019. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  25. ^ a b c d "ゴールドディスク認定" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved August 14, 2020.
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