# Yuki (singer)

Yuki Kuramochi (倉持 有希, Kuramochi Yuki, born February 17, 1972), known professionally as Yuki (stylized as YUKI), is a Japanese musician and singer-songwriter. She is best known as the lead vocalist for Judy and Mary. She founded Judy and Mary in 1991 and became a solo artist in 2002. She has also been a member of the bands NiNa (1999, with Kate Pierson of the B-52's, bassist Mick Karn of Japan, former members of the Japanese New Wave band the Plastics Masahide Sakuma and Takemi Shima, and session drummer Steven Wolf) and Mean Machine (alongside Chara, 2001).

## Biography

Yuki was born Yuki Isoya (磯谷 有希, Isoya Yuki) in Hakodate, Hokkaido. After graduating from Hakodate Otani College, she worked as a beautician. She met Yoshihito Onda who visited Hakodate to make a movie, The Triple Cross. The meeting triggered the formation of Judy and Mary in 1992. After Judy and Mary disbanded, Yuki made her solo debut in 2002. She married Magokoro Brothers frontman Yoichi Kuramochi in September 2000, and gave birth to her first child, a boy, on April 18, 2003. However, the child died from unknown causes (SIDS) on March 17, 2005. She gave birth to a second child on August 29, 2006, and a third child in June 2009.

## Backup band
### Band Astro

They perform in her tour or recording.
* Guitar: Jun Matsue (Spoozys)
* Drums: Atsushi Matsushita (Zazen Boys)
* Bass: Hiroharu Kinoshita (ex. L⇔R, curve509)
* All keyboard instruments: Makoto Minagawa (ex Shiina Ringo)
* DJ / manipulator: Yohei Tsukasaki

### The Urah

They performed in her tour or recording in 2010.
* All keyboard instruments: Kiyohide Ura (ex Diamond Head)
* Guitar: Tsuneo Imahori
* Guitar: Akihito "Akkin" Suzuki (ex. Heart Bazaar, ex Shiina Ringo, ex Kaela Kimura)
* Bass: Kenji Ueda (ex. The Pillows)
* Drums: Tsuyoshi Miyagawa

## Discography
### Original albums

| Year | Album information | Chart positions | Total sales | Certifications (sales thresholds) |
| 2002 | Prismic Released: March 27, 2002 Label: Epic (ESCL-2300) Formats: CD, digital download | 3 | 298,240 | Gold |
| 2003 | Commune Released: March 26, 2003 Label: Epic (ESCL-2400) Formats: CD, digital download | 11 | 90,000 | Gold |
| 2005 | Joy Released: February 23, 2005 Label: Epic (ESCL-2634) Formats: CD, digital download | 1 | 343,000 | Platinum |
| 2006 | Wave Released: September 6, 2006 Label: Epic (ESCL-2865) Formats: CD, digital download | 1 | 358,000 | Platinum |
| 2010 | Ureshikutte Dakiau yo (うれしくって抱きあうよ, "Happily Holding Each Other") Released: March 10, 2010 Label: Epic (ESCL-3392) Formats: CD, digital download | 1 | 166,146 | Gold |
| 2011 | Megaphonic Released: August 24, 2011 Label: Epic (ESCL-3756~3757, ESCL-3758) Formats: CD, digital download | 1 | 119,980 | Gold |
| 2014 | Fly Released: September 17, 2014 Label: Epic (ESCL-4277~8, ESCL-4279) Formats: CD, digital download | 2 | 58,591 | |
| 2017 | Mabataki (まばたき, "Blink") Released: March 15, 2017 Label: Epic (ESCL-4837~9, ESCL-4840, ESJL-3088~9, ESTL-4) Formats: CD, digital download, LP | 1 | 50,888 (phy.) 8,544 (dig.) | |
| 2019 | For me Release: February 6, 2019 Label: Epic Formats: Digital download | 5 | 29,783 (phy.) 5,340 (dig.) | |
| 2021 | Terminal Released: April 28, 2021 Label: Epic Formats: CD, digital download | 2 (phy.) 1 (dig.) | 22,909 (phy.) 2,972 (dig.) | |
| 2023 | Parade ga Tsuzukunara (パレードが続くなら, "If the Parade Goes On") Released: February 1, 2023 Label: Epic Formats: CD, digital download | 7 (phy.) | 11,371 (phy.) 802 (dig.) | |
| 2024 | Slits Released: June 12, 2024 Label: Epic Formats: CD, digital download | 5 | 12,053 (phy.) | |

### Other albums

| Year | Album information | Chart positions | Total sales | Certifications |
| 2007 | Five-star Greatest hits album Released: October 3, 2007 Label: Epic (ESCL-3015) Formats: CD, digital download | 1 | 362,000 | Platinum |
| 2010 | Yuki "The Present" 2010.06.14,15 Bunkamura Orchard Hall Live album Released: December 1, 2010 Label: Epic (ESCL-3555) Formats: CD, digital download | 9 | 29.982 | |
| 2012 | Powers of Ten 10 years greatest hits. Released: February 1, 2012 Label: Epic (ESCL-3838) Formats: CD, digital download | 2 | 112.818 | Gold |
| 2022 | Free & Fancy EP Released: May 11, 2022 Label: Epic (ESCL-5655) Formats: CD, digital download | 9 | 5,000 | |
| 2022 | Bump & Grind EP Released: November 2, 2022 Label: Epic (ESCL-5658) Formats: CD, digital download | 14 | 5,000 | |

### Singles
#### As lead artist

| Release | Title | Notes | Chart positions | Chart positions | Chart positions | Oricon sales | Album |
| Release | Title | Notes | Oricon singles charts | Billboard Japan Hot 100† | RIAJ digital tracks† | Oricon sales | Album |
| 2002 | "The End of Shite" | | 6 | — | — | 125,000 | Prismic |
| 2002 | "Prism" (プリズム, Purizumu) | | 11 | — | — | 87,000 | Prismic |
| 2002 | "66db" | Re-cut single | 30 | — | — | 9,500 | Prismic |
| 2002 | "Stand Up! Sister" (スタンドアップ！シスター, Sutando Appu! Shisutā) | | 10 | — | — | 33,000 | Commune |
| 2003 | "Sentimental Journey" (センチメンタルジャーニー, Senchimentaru Jānī) | | 17 | — | — | 24,000 | Commune |
| 2003 | "Humming Bird" (ハミングバード, Hamingu Bādo) | | 23 | — | — | 11,000 | Commune |
| 2004 | "Home Sweet Home" | | 9 | — | — | 57,000 | Joy |
| 2004 | "Hello, Goodbye" (ハローグッバイ, Harō Gubbai) | | 6 | — | — | 43,000 | Joy |
| 2005 | "Joy" | Certified Gold for cellphone downloads | 10 | — | — | 61,000 | Joy |
| 2005 | "Nagai Yume" (長い夢, "Long Dream") | Certified Gold for copies shipped and cellphone downloads | 4 | — | — | 86,000 | Wave |
| 2005 | "Dramatic" (ドラマチック, Doramachikku) | Certified Gold for copies shipped | 2 | — | — | 77,000 | Wave |
| 2005 | "Yorokobi no Tane" (歓びの種, "Seeds of Happiness") | Certified Gold for copies shipped | 5 | — | — | 69,000 | Wave |
| 2006 | "Melancholinista" (メランコリニスタ, Merankorinisuta) | | 10 | — | — | 43,000 | Wave |
| 2006 | "Fugainai ya" (ふがいないや, "Cowardly") | | 6 | — | — | 39,000 | Wave |
| 2007 | "Biscuit" (ビスケット, Bisuketto) | Digital single, certified Gold for cellphone downloads | — | — | 18* | — | Five-star |
| 2007 | "Hoshikuzu Sunset" (星屑サンセット, "Stardust Sunset") | Certified Gold for cellphone downloads | 4 | — | 36* | 44,000 | Five-star |
| 2007 | "Wonder Line" (ワンダーライン, Wandārain) | | 4 | — | 19* | 35,000 | — |
| 2008 | "Kisha ni Notte" (汽車に乗って, "Riding on the Train") | | 5 | 9 | 61* | 35,000 | Ureshikutte Dakiau yo |
| 2008 | "Message" (メッセージ, Messēji) | Digital single | — | 46 | — | — | — |
| 2009 | "Rendezvous" (ランデヴー, Randevū) | | 6 | 8 | 45* | 36,000 | Ureshikutte Dakiau yo |
| 2009 | "Cosmic Box" | | 6 | 42 | 13 | 30,000 | Ureshikutte Dakiau yo |
| 2010 | "Ureshikutte Dakiau yo" (うれしくって抱きあうよ, "Happily Holding Each Other") | | 5 | 5 | 8 | 24,000 | Ureshikutte Dakiau yo |
| 2010 | "Futari no Story" (２人のストーリー, "Our Story") | | 4 | 9 | 17 | 27,000 | — |
| 2011 | "Himitsu" (ひみつ, "Secret") | | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | "Playball / Sakamichi no Melody" (プレイボール / 坂道のメロディ, "Playball / Melody on the Slope") | | — | 4 | — | — | — |
| 2012 | "Watashi no negaigoto" (わたしの願い事, "My wish") | | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | "STARMANN" | | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | "Daredemo lonely" (誰でもロンリー, "Everyone lonely") | | 15 | — | — | 15,000 | FLY |
| 2016 | ポストに声を投げ入れて( Mailing Out My Voice) | Ending theme for Pokémon the Movie: Volcanion and the Mechanical Marvel | | | | | |
| 2019 | "Sunday Girl" | Limited Vinyl Release | 44 | — | — | 1,270 | forme |
| 2021 | "Baby, it's you / My lovely ghost" | Double A-side Single | 7 | — | — | 7,000 | Terminal |
*charted on monthly Chaku-uta Reco-kyō Chart †Japan Hot 100 established February 2008, RIAJ Digital Track Chart established April 2009

#### As featured artist

| Release | Title | Chart positions | Chart positions | Oricon sales | Album |
| Release | Title | Oricon singles charts | Billboard Japan Hot 100 | Oricon sales | Album |
| 1999 | "Ai no Hi Mittsu Orange" (愛の火 3つ オレンジ, "Fire of Love, Three, Orange") (Chara+Yuki) | 6 | — | 230,000 | — |
| 2010 | "Bedtime Story" (ベッドタイムストーリー, Beddotaimu Sutōrī) (Jazztronik feat. Yuki) | 27 | 53 | 4,400 | TBA |

### DVDs

* Yuki Videos (ユキビデオ) (March 2, 2005)
* Sweet Home Rock'n Roll Tour (March 2, 2005)
* Yuki Live Yuki Tour "Joy", May 20, 2005 at Nippon Budokan (ユキライブ YUKI TOUR "joy" 2005年5月20日 日本武道館) (January 25, 2006)
* Yuki Videos 2 (ユキビデオ2) (March 19, 2008)
* Yuki Live "5-star": The Gift Will Suddenly Arrive (May 28, 2008)
* Yuki concert New Rhythm Tour 2008 (March 4, 2009)

### Books

* Yuki Girly Rock – Yuki biography (1997)
* Yuki Girly Swing – Yuki autobiography & diary (1997)
* Yuki Girly Folk – Yuki biography (2000)
* Yuki Girly Boogie – Yuki autobiography & diary (2000)
* Yuki Girly Wave – Yuki biography (2004)
* Yuki Girly Tree – Yuki autobiography & diary (2004)

## Appearances
### Movies

* Mizu no Onna (水の女, Water Woman) – cameo appearance

### Radio

* Yuki: Hello! New World (2017–present)