Ishii Rika

Ishii Rika (石井里佳) is a former Japanese singer, songwriter, actress and model. She debuted in October of 2000 under the name Peachy, releasing three singles. In October of 2001, Ishii transfered to , changing her name to Ishii Rika (石井リカ), leaving Hello! Project in late 2002. She began performing live under her real name once again in May 2003, releasing the single Kotoshima. She continued working as an independent artist, signing to a record label in 2006 releasing her major debut single. She went independent after that release, until she signed to a record label in 2010, releasing her major debut album Aoikuma. She went independent after that release, until she signed to a record label in 2015, releasing her major debut single Chinrenka. Sometime after this, Ishii stopped updating her web site. The content of her blog was also deleted and her twitter account made private (and later deleted in late 2019/early 2020. Same goes for her page at her model agency).
==Biography==
===Early Life===
As an elementary school student, Ishii was influenced by her older sister, who was 10 years her senior, and ahe listened to songs by Madonna and Seiko Matsuda. Her mother was also a big fan of Takarazuka Revue.
Ishii went to see various other musicals a few times, she was fascinated by expressing it.
She learned the piano, dance, and swimming from the second year of elementary school.
When she became a junior high school student, she was into Dreams Come True's Miwa Yoshida's vocals, and she sang in a karaoke box everyday. At that time, a friend who was listening to the song shed tears and was moved, which awoke her dream of singing..
After graduating from high school, Ishii moved to Tokyo. She enrolled in the Vantan School of Arts, Vocal Department for two years. She was selected to participate on compilation CD produced every year by vocal students. She started vocal lessons, learns lyrics and composition.Old Official Web Site (2001) After graduating, Ishii took part in an audition. This is what made her enter the entertainment world.Hello! Magazine Interview
===2000===
Ishii Rika debuted on October 25, 2000 under the name Peachy, releasing the single Super Jet Shoes. Her producer was former Princess Princess member Okui Kaori (now known by her married name, Kishitani Kaori).
On December 6, Peachy released her second single, "Snow Paradise".
===2001===
After the release of her second single, Peachy was in the Chukyo TV production "Pink Paparazzi"'s New Winter Project "Koi no Cupid Project" as Cupid.
On April 18, she released her third single "Yumemiru Chikara".
On June 16, the Bowling Tournament event "Peachy no Momoiro Kanzume", sponsored by Sapporo AIR-G, was held.去る6月16日、札幌AIR-G'「Peachyの桃色缶づめ」主催の“Peachy杯争奪　桃缶ボウリング大会” が行なわれました！当日は3人1組14チームと、たくさんのリスナーの方々が集まってくれました。 もう、Peachyは感涙! と～っても楽しいボーリング大会になりました。みなさんありがとう!! 表彰式では豪華賞品も贈呈。BMGファンハウス太っ腹! AIR-G'さんからも参加賞品が配られ、みなさん喜んで頂いたようです。 最後にPeachyから歌のプレゼント付き! 「ユメミル チカラ」を熱唱しました。 さらに優勝チームには、その後から放送された「Peachyの桃色缶づめ」 の生放送へゲスト出演というさらに豪華プレゼント付き!!! 生放送中に参加したリスナーの方々からうれしい感想メールが届き、またもやPeachy感涙! とっても想い出深い1日となりました。
あたたかいリスナーの方たちに応援して頂いて本当に嬉しい限りです。ありがとうございました。
 After the performance, a handshake event was held.
In 2001, Peachy had three columns in different magazines: "WHAT'S IN?" featured the column "Sumomo mo Momo mo Momo no Uchi" (スモモもモモもモモのウチ) with the final printed July 14, 2001, "Oricon Week The Ichiban" featured the column "Peachy no LOVE LOVE Dai Sakusen 2001" (PeachyのLOVELOVE大作戦2001) with the final printed on June 14, and Sapporo Town Information featured the column "Peachy's Boom Boom Boom" with the final printed on June 25.
In October, Ishii transfered to .
===2002===
Ishii appeared regularly in the TV Tokyo mini-drama Shin Bishoujo Nikki which starred Fujimoto Miki. A month later, she appeared on the Hello! Project Douyou Pops series album The Douyou Pops 1 Christmas to Fuyu no Uta Shuu as Ishii Rika (石井リカ).
Her first on-stage performance was at a Hello! Project concert in January 2002. She was introduced as a new member along with Fujimoto Miki and Satoda Mai.
Ishii continued to appear in various Hello! Project releases, and was a member of the 2002 shuffle unit Odoru 11.
In December 2002, after the release of Shinsaku Douyou Pops 1, Ishii left Hello! Project to explore her own music. She said in a 2009-interview that "As an idol in Hello! Project, I did some concerts on big stages, I also spent time on television programs. These experiences were very pleasant. However, when I spent all these days as an idol, a thought came to my heart; "I want to convey my words in my songs with everyone and directly" and it became stronger every day. When I discussed my desire to end my career as an idol, my family, my friends and of course the music industry teams of course objected to this idea. I was really sorry to my fans and the team who supported my career and I was keeping this to myself about this idea. I was imagining my future. Two years after what did I want to be? Ten years after what did I want to be? The answer to that was very clear to me. I have only one life, I wanted to be myself and I still continue to question myself today."https://yasudakei.blogspot.com/2010/05/ishii-rika-french-november-interview.html?m=1
===2003===
In May 2003, Ishii held her first live performance, playing original songs written by herself. She also released the self-produced single "Kotoshima".
===2006===
In 2006, Ishii starred in the horror movie "zoku", directed by Kobuta Shouji. It was released on November 25 at Shibuya Uplink. She also released her major debut single Ao in August, which was featured in the movie. As a DVD extra you get the official music video of "Ao".
===2007===
In 2007, Ishii started appearing in several commercials. She also released several event singles in 2007 and 2008.
===2009===
In 2009, Ishii was chosen as the image girl for Aprecio (a comic & internet cafe).Official site She also appeared on the compilation album (Myspace.cafe Presents) Such A Beautiful Girl Like You, contributing with the song Rainbow Rain. She also provided the image song for commercials for OLYMPUS PEN.
===2010===
Ishii said in a 2009-interview that she would release a mini album in spring 2010. She also said: "Through this release, I will wish to expand my activities across the country and around the world. And as the next stage of my musical career, I'd like to produce artists one day. I learned many wonderful things from artists that I respect and I would like to convey these things to the next generation."
In 2010, Ishii released her major debut album Aoi Kuma, holding a live performance called Aoi Kuma no Daiippo (あおいくまの第一歩). She was also featured in a commercial for gamecard for which she sung the theme song Gamecard Official FacebookOfficial Site (archived) and Akita View Hotel, for which she also provided the music. Ishii's radio show Rika's Music Laboratory started airing on radio. She also was the presenter for Osakana Hikousen Vol. 1 (おさかな飛行船 Vol.1).
===2012===
In 2012, Ishii provided music for Kanagawa Solar Center's theme song. She was also the runner up for Daiichikai Mudle Grand Prix (第一回ミュードルグランプリ). She also was the presenter for Osakana Hikousen Vol. 2 (おさかな飛行船 Vol.2).
===2013===
In 2013, Ishii held a live show called “Romance Again”. She also joined the weather news group HARENOHI, and FM Yokohama started broadcasting her radio show “Le son de La mer”.
In April, Ishii released her second album SLOW LOVE. With the release, Ishii held the commemoration live “Romance Again Vol.2".
On September 25, Ishii released her third album La mer. The whole album is tied up to the movie “Tobe! Dakota", and the special edition of the album featured several instrumental songs from the movie. Two of her songs from SLOW LOVE was re-used for this album.
===2014===
In 2014, Ishii held the live events; Rika Ishii One Man LIVE “Etoile de La mer-A Step to Tomorrow-” at Aoyama CAY (石井里佳ワンマンLIVE「Etoile de La mer 〜明日への一歩〜」, and Rika Ishii One Man LIVE “Retro Style” (石井里佳ワンマンLIVE「レトロスタイル」開催).
===2015===
On January 14, 2015, Ishii released her major debut single "Chinrenka" (her 2006 single Ao was also marketed as her major debut single). "Chinrenka" was used as the theme song for the TV show Kaiun! Nandemo Kanteidan (開運!なんでも鑑定団).
In 2015, the radio show Ishii Rika no Music Photo Book started broadcasting.
Sometime after this, Ishii stopped updating her web site. No live events have been announced after this. The content of her blog was also deleted and her twitter account made private. Her twitter account was later deleted in late 2019/early 2020. Same goes for her page at her model agency.
==Profile==
==Discography==
:All albums and singles released under the name Ishii Rika (石井里佳) unless otherwise indicated
==Publications==
===Magazines===
*[2001.07.14] WHAT'S IN?
*[2001.06.14] Oricon Week The Ichiban (オリコン・ウィーク The Ichiban)
*[2001.06.25] Sapporo Town Information (さっぽろタウン情報)
==Works==
===TV Programs===
*[2001.10 - 2001.12] Shin Bishoujo Nikki
*[2002.04 - 2002.09] Bishoujo Kyouiku II (美少女教育II) (TV Tokyo)
*Hello Land (ハローランド) (Fuji TV)
*HEY! HEY! HEY! MUSIC CHAMP (Fuji TV)
*Utaban (うたばん) (TBS)
*Music Station (ミュージックステーション) (TV Asahi)
*Pop jam (ポップジャム) (NHK)
*COUNT DOWN TV (TBS)
*Hello Kids (ハローキッズ) (TV Tokyo)
*Kinniku Bijo -Muscle Venus- (筋肉美女-Muscle Venus-) (TV Saitama)
*View Style (Akita TV)
*Bokura no Nostalgia ぼくらのノスタルジア) (Aomori Asahi Broadcasting)
*2-Jicchao! (2時っチャオ!) (TBS)
*Arigatoh! (ありがとッ!) ( TVK )
*Iikoto (イイコト! ) (TVK
===Radio===
*[2001.03.31-2001.06.30] Peachy no Momoiro Kandzume (Peachyの桃色缶づめ) (AIR-G')Transcript of the radio show episodes
*Freak☆Rush! (FM Akita)
*Ishii Rika Le son de La mer (石井里佳Le son de La mer) (FM Yokohama)
*Ishii Rika no Retro Style (石井里佳のレトロスタイル) (MUSIC BIRD)
*Hot Spice (Ibaraki Housou)
*Ishii Rika no Music Photo Book (石井里佳のミュージックフォトブック) (KBS Kyoto)
===Movies===
*Zoku 
===Internet===
*CodeG! ga Dausukiki♪ with Ishii Rika (CodeG!が大好き♪ with石井里佳) (Ah! Toudoroku Housoukyoku)
*Rika´s Music Laboratory (Odaiba TV)
*Rika to Kujira no Jikken-shitsu "Rikurabo" (りかとくじらの実験室「リクラボ」) (Odaiba TV)
==Trivia==
*Ishii has an older sister, ten years her senior
*Ishii's official site when she went under the stage name Peachy, said Ishii is a girl whose cheeks are always round and pink like a peach. She was given (or chose herself) the name Peachy, which has the meaning of being nice, like a peach.
*During her years in high school, she released a CD through an independent label of Hiroshima. https://yasudakei.blogspot.com/2010/05/ishii-rika-french-november-interview.html?m=1
==References==
==External Links==
*Official Website
*Official Website, Peachy (archived)
*Official Blog (inactive)
*YouTube Channel (inactive)
*Social Media Pages: Twitter (deleted), Myspace (deleted)
*Model Agency (deleted)
*Pink Paparazzi (archived)
*Graduation Rumours (archived)
Category:Members from Hiroshima
Category:Soloists
Category:Odoru 11
Category:1980 Births
Category:Blood Type O
Category:February Births
Category:2001 Additions
Category:2002 Departures
Category:Members born in Showa Period
Category:Members born before Hello! Project's formation
Category:Members featured on Utaban
Category:Ishii Rika
Category:Pisces
Category:Monkey