Yoko Blaqstone

Yoko Blaqstone
Yoko Blaqstone
Also known as	Yoko Ishiguro; Yoko Black. Stone; Yoko B. Stone;
Origin	Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Genres	R&B; J-pop;
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, record producer, lecturer, entrepreneur
Years active	1997–present
Labels	Styling Records; Giza Studio;

Yoko Ishiguro, known professionally as Yoko Blaqstone, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, record producer, lecturer, and the owner of Japanese independent record label Piza Studio. Based in Osaka, Japan, she has worked with a range of popular Japanese artists, including Mai Kuraki, Zard and Yumi Shizukusa. Ishiguro signed with Styling Records in 1997 and released her first extended play 's All Right (1997), which has sold approximately 15,000 copies nationwide.

Biography

1997–1999: Debut as a solo singer

In 1997, Ishiguro signed with an independent record label Styling Records and released her first extended play 's All Right under the stage name Yoko Black. Stone. The extended play has sold more than 15,000 copies, attracting a big attention from the audience especially in Osaka, Japan.

In 1998, she released the lead single from her second extended play Long Fore-Play, "No Need 2 Worry".^[1] Ishiguro signed with a major label Giza Studio in 1999, and released "'s All Right" as the lead single from her first compilation album, The One About Me. The single peaked at number 74 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart.^[2]

In 1999, Japanese singer-songwriter Mai Kuraki covered Ishiguro's song "Baby I Like" and released it as her debut single in American market.^[3]

2000–2004: Fame as a songwriter

After launching a career in Japan with "Love, Day After Tomorrow", Kuraki became one of the most successful singers in Japan in 2000's. Ishiguro wrote three songs for her debut album Delicious Way, which sold over 3,500,000 copies nationwide. After the success as a songwriter, Ishiguro started to launch the career as a songwriter for the artists including Zard, Yumi Shizukusa and Garnet Crow.

2005-present: Back to My Base and Piza Studio

In 2005, Ishiguro released her first studio album Back to My Base^[4] under the name Yoko Blaqstone. This was her first release in six years, and remains as her last release as of June, 2020.

In 2014, she founded an independent record label Piza Studio and produced the debut extended play by Jam Flavor.^[5]

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Title	Album details
Back to My Base	Released: 16 March 2005 Label: Styling Records, Giza Studio Format: CD, digital download

Compilation albums

Title	Album details
The One About Me	Released: 4 August 1999 Label: Styling Records, Giza Studio Format: CD

Extended plays

Title	Album details
's All Right	Released: 11 November 1997 Label: Styling Records Format: CD
Long Fore-Play	Released: 9 October 1998 Label: Styling Records Format: CD

Singles

Single	Year	Peak chart positions	Album
Single	Year	JPN	Album
"'s All Right"	1998	—	's All Right
"No Need 2 Worry"		—	The One About Me
"Calling U"		—	's All Right
"'s All Right" (1999 re-release)	1999	73	The One About Me

Songwriting credits

Title	Year	Album	Artist(s)
"Baby I Like"	1999	Secret of My Heart	Mai Kuraki
"'s All Right	1999	Secret of My Heart
"Stepping ∞ Out"	2000	Delicious Way
"Baby Tonight (You and Me)"
"Can't Get Enough (Gimme Your Love)"
"Get U're Dream" (Third version)		Non-album song	Zard
"Think About"		Perfect Crime	Mai Kuraki

References

[1] "YOKO Black.Stone / No Need 2 Worry [廃盤] – CDJournal".

[2] "Yoko Blaqstone".

[3] "Baby I Like 輸入盤".

[4] "Yoko Blaqstone / Back to My Base – CDJournal".

[5] "pizastudio.com".

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