Ikuko Harada

Unknown date, proudly showing her colorful hair.

***Ikuko Harada*** (born **原田郁子**; October 20, 1975) is a Japanese vocalist, multi-instrumentalist and venue host. Born in Fukuoka, Japan, she is known mainly for her activity in rock group Clammbon, wherein she performs as vocalist and keyboardist. In May 2010, she started Kichimu Event Space & Cafe with her sister Nana Harada, which has since hosted a multitude of musicians and acts. She is also known for working with bands such as Fishmans, LaB LIFe, Polaris, Tokyo No.1 Soul Set and Toe, and worked with solo musicians such as Hanaregumi and Asa-Chang. In Fishmans, she most commonly performs lead or support vocals.

In her early life, Harada wished to learn to play an Electone keyboard from influence by her friends, but couldn't afford one. Instead, she learned classical piano from playing her grandfather's piano at his home. Later, in high school, Harada happened to study alongside Number Girl guitarist Hisako Tabuchi. Her favorite musicians include Akiko Yano, Fishmans, Thelonious Monk, Dr. John, The Band, Rickie Lee Jones and others.

In 1995, Harada met fellow musicians Mito and Daisuke Ito, who she later founded Clammbon alongside the same year. They met at a vocational school, and performed alongside each other before Clammbon was officially founded in 1996. Mito encouraged Harada to begin writing lyrics on top of her music performances, and she became known for her lyrics involving life and love. The band is still active today, and possesses a catalog of dozens of albums, singles and videos.

Harada began her solo career as a musician in 2004 with the release of her first single in August, たのしそう かなしそう. The same year in September, her debut solo album ピアノ was released, followed by her first solo live performance at Kudan Kaikan. This first solo album peaked at 30th place on Oricon charts. In 2005, she performed a solo tour "*生ピアノ☆生バンドツアー　たのしそう！うれしそう！*" (English: *Live Piano ☆ Live Band Tour Looks Fun! Looks Happy!*"), which had 5 shows in 4 locations (Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, and two shows in Tokyo). In the same year, she founded band ohana with Yusuke Oya and Takashi Nagazumi, which released an album in 2006, オハナ百景. Still in 2005, she founded a different band alongside Hiroshi Tanako, tatsu, and Manabu Sakata called "4B" (pronounced "Yonbi". This band held a tour, *B+B+B+B=4B very first tour*, which held 3 performances in 3 locations (Tokyo, Osaka and Fukuoka). In 2006, ohana held tour *魅惑のエメラルドツアー* (English: *Enchanted Emerald Tour*) which held 6 performances in 4 locations (Tokyo, two shows in Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and another in Tokyo). The same year, she also appeared alongside Rei Harakami for a collaboration album, Colors of the Dark.

In August 2006, Harada would feature on Fishmans live DVD The Long Season Revue, wherein she performs their songs Weather Report, いい言葉ちょうだい and エヴリデイ・エヴリナイト. Since this performance, Harada has become a regular staple of Fishmans live concerts, appearing in a multitude of their projects in recent years. This includes their 2020 livestreamed concert June 14, 2020 @Dommune Japan and February 19, 2019 @Zepp Tokyo, and at this stage has become a frequent stand-in for their original vocalist, Shinji Sato.

In 2008 Harada would return to releasing solo music, beginning in March with her mini-album 気配と余韻. In June she would release her second studio album, ケモノと魔法, peaking at 29 on Oricon charts, and in November she'd release her third, 銀河, which peaked at 33. She would also close the year in December with her first DVD release, ケモノと魔法がとびかうツアー 管と弦とバンド!-2008.6.25 東京 Bunkamura ORCHARD HALL-. The title track of her third album would also have a music video made, directed by Kensuke Kawamura. Two years would pass before Harada and her sister, Nana Harada would found cafe and live venue Kichimu Event Space & Cafe in May 2010. She's since performed here twice with Fishmans, once in 2021 and again in 2022. In 2013, she would release a collaboration album alongside Wisut Ponnimit titled Baan. From 2013 to 2015, she was music conductor for a theater stage, "cocoon" owned by theater company "マームとジプシー" (English: "Marm and Gypsy"). From 2018 to 2019, she was music conductor for the same company's theater stage "めにみえない みみにしたい" (English: "I Want to Make It Invisible").

Today, she still works as a regular vocalist for Clammbon, as well as stand-in vocalist for Fishmans, appearing on dozens of other projects by fellow musicians. Her most recent project was the 2023 release of her fifth studio album いま, which was recorded at-home from 2020 through to 2023. The final song, いまここ features lyrical and musical contributions from poet Shuntaro Tanikawa.

## Discography

### Albums

* ピアノ (2004, Triad)
* Colors of the Dark (Collaboration with Rei Harakami, 2006, Sublime Records)
* ケモノと魔法 (2008, Columbia Music)
* 銀河 (2008, Columbia Music)
* Baan (Collaboration with Wisut Ponnimit, 2013, Nippon Columbia)
* いま (2023, Universal Music Japan)

### Compilations

* Solo Trilogy Box Set (2008, Columbia Music)

### Video Albums

* 気配と余韻をたのしむツアー 弾き語り！ (2008, Columbia Music)
* ケモノと魔法がとびかうツアー　管と弦とバンド！ (2008, Columbia Music)

## Sources

* https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%8E%9F%E7%94%B0%E9%83%81%E5%AD%90
* https://www.discogs.com/artist/165433-Ikuko-Harada
* https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/%E5%8E%9F%E7%94%B0%E9%83%81%E5%AD%90
* http://www.clammbon.com/ikuko/
* https://web.archive.org/web/20210410181522/http://ooo195ooo.cc/contact/