AKIKO
Genres: Vocal Jazz, Pop, Art Song, Folk, Bossa Nova • Japan

Japanese jazz singer. Born: 14 December 1976 in Saitama, Urawa (now Saitama City), Japan. In the year 2001, Akiko became the first Japanese jazz singer to sign with the renowned jazz label, Verve Records. She recorded her first album "Girl Talk" (2001) in France with the famous French producer, Henri Renaud, released in June the same year. She was initially famous for her repertoire of over 500 standard jazz songs, but also for her flexibility towards different genres, always molding in new styles for each album she releases. Other than in Japan, she has recorded in Paris, London, New York, Rio De Janeiro, and Oslo. In previous albums, she has worked with producers such as Swing Out Sister, Tatsuo Sunaga, Yasuharu Konishi (of Pizzicato Five), Bugge Wesseltoft (of Jazzland), et al. At the same time, she has participated as guest vocalist for artists in different genres such as [re:jazz], Hajime Yoshizawa, Studio Apartment, Quasimode, read more...