Ataru Nakamura

Nakamura's second single "Tomodachi no Uta", which details her struggling with the sexuality and unrequited love for her friend, became her breakthrough hit, reaching number nine in Japan. Her debut studio album, Ten Made Todoke, was released in January 2007 and certificated Gold by Recording Industry Association of Japan. Her fourth studio album Shōnen Shōjo (2010) won the 52nd Japan Record Awards for Excellence Album Award. In May 2011, Nakamura released her first compilation album, Wakage no Itari.

• Name — Ataru Nakamura 中村 中 • Birth Name — Ataru Nakamura • Born — 28 June 1985 • Origin — Sumida, Tokyo, Japan • Instrument — * voice • piano • drums • guitar • Genre — Pop • Occupation — * Singer-songwriter • actress • Years Active — 2004–present • Label — * P-Pro Music (2005) • Avex Trax (2006–2010) • Yamaha Music (2010–2013) • Imperial Record (2014–present) • Website — http: www.nakamura-ataru.jp/

Ataru Nakamura was born on 28 June 1985, in Sumida, Tokyo. Her parents divorced when she was little, and she was raised by her mother. Nakamura began studying music early in her life, teaching herself to play the piano at the age of ten, and beginning to write her own songs at fifteen.

In 2006, she switched to a major label, the popular Avex Trax. Her first major label single, "Yogoreta Shitagi", was released on her birthday, and received minor attention. "Yogoreta Shitagi" was written about an ex-boyfriend who was cheating on her and is written from the former boyfriend's point of view. Nakamura called this individual on the telephone to explain that the song she had written about him was to be her debut single. Her second single, "Tomodachi no Uta", received greater attention, and placed at number 150 on the Oricon charts. However, it was not until Nakamura came out as a transgender female that she received major attention. Her explanation garnered a lot of media attention, and her single rose to number 9 on the Oricon charts. "Tomodachi no Uta" became the theme song for the popular television drama Watashi ga Watashi de Aru Tame ni, a primetime television drama about a young transgender woman. Nakamura even received a small cameo appearance on the program. Nakamura wrote "Tomodachi no Uta" when she was fourteen years old; notably, it was the first song she ever wrote. She wrote the song to say goodbye to the friends in junior high she would never see again. "Tomodachi no Uta" was featured in an Avex Trax musical titled "Kokoro no Kakera". The soundtrack featured 21 songs chosen from the company's hits over the past two decades. Her third single, "Watashi no Naka no Ii Onna", entered the Oricon charts at number 39. On the same day "Watashi no Naka no Ii Onna" was released, the song "Chewing Gum" written by Nakamura for the band AAA, debuted on the Oricon chart. Her two songs competed with one another for four weeks. Her first album, Ten Made Todoke, was released on 1 January 2007. A month later, she released "Kaze ni Naru", her fourth single. "Kaze ni Naru" was the theme song for the film Sakebi. Her song "Kakeashi no Ikizama" was used as the closing theme for the anime series Reideen.

Nakamura's fifth single marked the promotion of her second album titled Watashi wo Daite Kudasai. The album was released on 5 December 2007. "Ringo Uri", the album's first single, premiered on 27 June 2007, and peaked at number 30 on the Oricon charts. The album's second single, "Hadaka Denkyū", premiered on 21 November. "Tori no Mure", the album's third single and her seventh overall, received minor airplay.

"Kaze Tachinu" debuted on 9 July 2008. The song was used as the theme song for the live-action film GeGeGe no Kitaro Sennen Noroi Uta. The single did well and was received much like "Tomodachi no Uta". Nakamura appeared at AP Bank Fes' 08, a musical festival, on 20 July 2008, to promote the single. Nakamura released "Kotonakare Shugi", a rock song produced by Kameda Seiji, on 17 December 2008. She wrote a song called "Hare-butai" for Jero, Japan's first black enka singer. Ashita wa Haremasu You Ni was Nakamura's third studio album, released on 25 February 2009 in both standard and deluxe editions, the latter containing a DVD containing various performances and music videos.

In 2010 Ataru Nakamura switched her management from Avex Trax to Yamaha Music Communications. She released the single "Iede Shoujo," which debuted at No. 90 on the Oricon charts and sold 796 copies the first week. On 9/22 her album came out titled Shōnen Shōjo it debuted at No. 65 on the Oricon and sold 2,103 copies the first week. The album was later awarded a Japan Record Award, despite its lack of commercial success.

Nakamura was assigned male at birth but transitioned after struggling with issues of gender identity. This was mentioned in her official biography short during her appearance at the 2007 Kouhaku Uta Gassen.

Nakamura is notable for the two different styles in which she sings. Her first style is a modern rock/pop sound. Her second style is an enka-inspired sound; thus far her enka-styled ballads have been her largest successes. Her singles have thus far alternated between these two styles.

• Title — Details — Peak chart positions — Certifications • JPN Oricon — JPN Hot Sales • Ten Made Todoke — * Released: January 1, 2007 * Label: Avex Trax * Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download — 26 — — — *RIAJ: Gold (physical) • Watashi o Daite Kudasai — * Released: December 5, 2007 * Label: Avex Trax * Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download — 38 — — • "May Tomorrow Be a Clear Day" — * Released: February 25, 2009 * Label: Avex Trax * Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download — 59 — 74 • Shōnen Shōjo — * Released: September 22, 2010 * Label: Yamaha Music Communications * Formats: CD, digital download — 65 — 73 • "I Can Hear It" — * Released: April 18, 2012 * Label: Yamaha * Formats: CD, digital download — 76 — 61 • "Friend to the World" — * Released: September 3, 2014 * Label: Imperial Records * Formats: CD, 2CD+DVD, digital download — 67 — 52 • "Last Year, This Year, and Next Year Too" — * Released: November 18, 2015 * Label: Imperial * Formats: CD, digital download — 106 — 91 • Rutsubo — * Released: December 5, 2018 * Label: Imperial * Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download — 114 — 89 • Mijuku Mono — * Released: January 15, 2020 * Label: Imperial * Formats: CD, digital download — 89 — 60

• Title — Details — Peak chart positions • JPN Oricon — JPN Hot Sales • Wakage no Itari — * Released: May 11, 2011 * Label: Avex Trax * Formats: CD, CD+DVD, digital download — 101 — 79 • Watashi — * Released: September 29, 2021 * Label: Imperial * Formats: 3CD+3BD

• Title — Details — Peak chart positions • JPN Oricon — JPN Hot Sales • Niban-senji — * Released: May 11, 2011 * Label: Yamaha * Formats: CD, digital download — 102 — 69 • Better Half — * Released: June 21, 2017 * Label: Imperial * Formats: CD, digital download — 144 — —

List of singles, with selected chart positions • Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Certifications — Album • JPN Oricon — JPN Hot • "Yogoreta Shitagi" — 2006 — 155 — — — Ten Made Todoke • "Tomodachi no Uta" — 9 — — — *RIAJ: Platinum (digital) *RIAJ: Gold (physical) • "Watashi no Naka no "Ii Onna"" — 39 — — • "Become the Wind" — 2007 — 103 — — • "Apple Seller" — 30 — — — Watashi o Daite Kudasai • "Naked Light Bulb" — 87 — — • "The Wind Doesn't Blow" — 2008 — 29 — — — Ashita wa Haremasu Yō ni • "Peace at Any Price" — 65 — — • "Runaway Girl" — 2010 — 90 — 61 — Shōnen Shōjo • "Relentlessly Looking at You" — 2012 — — — — — A Sower of Seeds: Original Soundtrack • "How Many Years and Months" — 2014 — 103 — 67 — Sekai no Mikata • "Koko ni Iru yo" — 2015 — 103 — 76 — Kyonen mo, Kotoshi mo, Rainen mo, • "—" denotes items that did not chart.

List of singles, with selected chart positions • Title — Year — Peak chart positions — Album • JPN Hot • "Until the World Burns Out" — 2012 — 50 — Kikoeru • "Night of Snoring" — 2012 — — — Kyonen mo, Kotoshi mo, Rainen mo, • "Ureshii" — 2020 — — — Mijuku Mono • "—" denotes items that did not chart.

• Junction 29 (2019) • Hazard Lamp (2022) • Blue Boy Trial (2025), Mei • This Is I (2026), Aki