Mariya Takeuchi

Takeuchi was born in Taisha, Hikawa district, now the city of Izumo, Shimane, and attended Keio University. She signed with RCA in 1978, releasing five albums under the label which appeared on the Oricon Charts, including her chart-topping third effort Love Songs (Mariya Takeuchi album) (1980). She terminated her contract with RCA in 1981 and announced a temporary hiatus. In 1982, she married singer and songwriter Tatsuro Yamashita. She signed with Moon Records in 1984, and internationally released her sixth studio album Variety that same year to commercial success. She has since released seven more studio albums and one live album. All of her works have continued to appear on the Oricon Charts, and since 2001, each one of her albums have topped it. Takeuchi has stayed with the Moon record label, working with the different branches since signing in 1984; since 1998, she has also been signed with Warner Music Japan. Her single いのちの歌, when re-recorded in 2020, made her the oldest Japanese singer to have a single top the Oricon Charts.

Mariya Takeuchi studied at Keio University and Shimane Prefectural Taisha High School. The recorded working language is Japanese. The field of work recorded is music composing. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are city pop, J-pop, funk and soul. Works named in the authority record are Iro White Blend and Genki o Dashite. Distinctions recorded are Japan Record Awards.

• Name — Mariya Takeuchi • Native Name — 竹内 まりや • Birth Name — Takeuchi Mariya • Alias — Miyabi, MAKO (as a lyricist) • Born — 20 March 1955 • Birthplace — Kizukiminami, Taisha-machi, Hikawa-gun (Current: Izumo-shi), Shimane Prefecture, Japan • Occupation — Singer-songwriter, record producer • Genre — * J-pop • Kayōkyoku • city pop • funk • soul • disco • Years Active — 1978–present • Label — RCA (1978–1982) Alfa Moon (1984–1987) Moon / MMG (1987–1993) Moon / East/West Japan (1994–1997) Moon / Warner Music Japan (1998–present)

• Illustration — Takeuchi's yearbook photo, 1973 Takeuchi was born in Taisha in the Hikawa district of Shimane Prefecture in Japan. She grew up in the family Shinise Ryokan (Japanese long-established inn) business by the name of Takenoya, that her paternal great-grandfather 竹内繁蔵 founded in 1877. Her family always played records from all over the world. She had already learned to play piano and guitar by third grade, but the Beatles left an impression that inspired her to travel. In 1972, for her third year of high school, she studied in Rock Falls, Illinois, United States, as an international exchange student through the AFS Intercultural Programs. Her nickname was Mako, as one of the AFS yearbooks has a caption that reads Mariya "Mako" Takeuchi. She entered the Japanese Keio University in 1974, majoring in English literature and won a nationwide English recitation contest by The Japan Times in the spring of that year. She married fellow musician Tatsuro Yamashita in April 1982. They have one daughter.

Takeuchi joined the music club of her university and there she was invited to participate in 杉真理's recordings and in March 1978 so-called the omnibus album Loft Sessions recordings. In August that year she signed up with the RCA recording label, and in November her debut single "Modotte oide, Watashi no Jikan", and her debut album Beginning (Mariya Takeuchi album) were released. The 1979 singles ドリーム・オブ・ユー〜レモンライムの青い風〜 and September (Mariya Takeuchi single) were hits, and with that she won the 1979 Japan Record Awards, Tokyo Music Festival, Japan Music Awards, Shinjuku Music Festival, and Ginza Music Festival best new artist awards as a singer. The 1980 single 不思議なピーチパイ was also another hit. Takeuchi has had one song アップル・パップル・プリンセス (1981) that appear on the NHK program Minna no Uta.

From the late 1970s to the early 1980s, she recorded five albums and several singles. Those recordings featured dozens of prominent Japanese and North American songwriters, instrumentalists and producers, including Kazuhiko Katō, Tetsuji Hayashi, Shigeru Suzuki, Masamichi Sugi, Takashi Matsumoto, Al Capps, Peter Allen, David Lasley, Alan O'Day, David Foster, Jim Keltner, Jay Graydon, Steve Lukather, Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate, and a fellow RCA artist and her future partner and husband, Tatsuro Yamashita. One of her songs from the 1980 album Miss M, "Heart to Heart" (music by Roger Nichols), was given English lyrics and a new title, "Now". It was recorded by the Carpenters, released in 1983, and was the last recording by Karen Carpenter before her death. At the end of 1981, after the release of her fifth album PORTRAIT, she announced she was going to take a break for a while and paused holding concerts and new releases, and got married six months later. While taking a break she continued composing for numerous different idols and singers such as Naoko Kawai, Hiroko Yakushimaru, Yukiko Okada, Akina Nakamori, Miho Nakayama, Hiromi Iwasaki, Masahiko Kondo, among many others.

Several of these songs scored top-ten on the Oricon, such as けんかをやめて and Invitation (Naoko Kawai song) performed by Naoko Kawai, -Dreaming Girl- 恋、はじめまして performed by Yukiko Okada, and 色・ホワイトブレンド performed by Miho Nakayama. Takeuchi has often re-recorded those songs for her own album. 駅, a song originally written for the album by Akina Nakamori, became known by the composer's recorded version, and had been covered by many artists. "Genki wo Dashite", a song first recorded by Hiroko Yakushimaru, is recognized as one of Takeuchi's notable compositions. The song was later covered by Hitomi Shimatani in 2003, and became a moderate hit. Since her return to the Japanese music industry in 1984, she has recorded seven successful studio albums that mainly consist of her self-written songs, and all of them had reached No. 1 on the Japanese Oricon chart. As a singer-songwriter, she has produced eight top-ten hit singles on the Oricon chart, including シングル・アゲイン, 告白, 純愛ラプソディ, 今夜はHearty Party, and her only No. 1 hit カムフラージュ. In addition to her work as a performer, she has continued writing songs and lyrics for other singers, including Ryōko Hirosue, Takako Matsu, Riho Makise, Seiko Matsuda, Masayuki Suzuki and Tackey & Tsubasa. Several of these songs scored top-ten on the Oricon, such as 5 Seconds Before I Fall in Love Seriously performed by Ryōko Hirosue, "Miracle Love" performed by Riho Makise, Everybody is Alone performed by Takako Matsu, and みんなのハッピーバースデイ performed by Mana Ashida.

In 2021, Takeuchi formed a new duo called Peach & Apricot with Anri, a Japanese pop singer-songwriter. "Peach" refers to Takeuchi's popular hit 不思議なピーチパイ, while "Apricot" comes from Anri's debut album title Apricot Jam. On 3 November 2021, they released their first song together, "Watching Over You". The lyrics were written by Takeuchi, while the music was composed and arranged by Tetsuji Hayashi. The song marks the first collaboration between Hayashi and Takeuchi in 40 years since "Ichigo no Yuuwaku", and Hayashi's first with Anri in 38 years since "You Are Not Alone".

Her husband is Tatsuro Yamashita, a singer-songwriter and record producer, whom she married in 1982. They have one daughter. Takeuchi has a niece. Kiyoshi Matsuo, a Japanese record producer, who had mentioned Johnny Kitagawa's sexual harassment allegations in various media, had his management contract terminated in the middle of the period by Smile Company, to which he had belonged. He stated that Takeuchi and her husband Tatsuro Yamashita, who also belong to the company, agreed with the company's policy.

• Year — Title — Label — Chart positions (JP) — Certifications — Sales • 1978 — Beginning — RCA — 17 — 113,000 • 1979 — University Street — 7 — 236,000 • 1980 — Love Songs — 1 — 358,000 • Miss M — 14 — 73,000 • 1981 — Portrait — 14 — 103,000 • 1984 — Variety — Moon Records (Warner Music Japan) — 1 — 483,000 • 1987 — Request (Mariya Takeuchi album) — 1 — * IFPI Hong Kong: Gold — 1,072,000 • 1992 — Quiet Life — 1 — * RIAJ: 3× Platinum (old threshold) — 1,155,000 • 2000 — Souvenir: Mariya Takeuchi Live (live album) — 3 — * RIAJ: Platinum (old threshold) — 335,000 • 2001 — Bon Appetit! — 1 — * RIAJ: 3× Platinum (old threshold) — 1,224,000 • 2004 — Longtime Favorites (cover album) — 1 — * RIAJ: Platinum — 348,000 • 2007 — Denim — 1 — * RIAJ: 2× Platinum — 466,000 • 2014 — Trad — 1 — * RIAJ: Platinum — 262,000 • 2024 — Precious Days — 1 — 129,349

• Year — Title — Label — Certifications — Sales • 1982 — Viva Mariya!! — RCA — 32,000 • 1990 — Morning Glory — Moon Records — 21,000 • 1994 — Impressions — * RIAJ: 3× Million — 3,052,000 • 2008 — Expressions — * RIAJ: Million — 947,000 • Sincerely... The Mariya Takeuchi Songbook Complete Edition (English covers of her songs by various artists) — Universal Music • 2013 — Mariya's Songbook (Songs written for various singers) — Moon Records • 2019 — Turntable (Other best songs that did not collected in Expressions, and Mariya's rarities, Premium covers) — * RIAJ: Gold — 128,456 • Yukiko Okada, Mariya's Songbook (Songs written for Yukiko Okada) — Pony Canyon

• Year — Title — Chart positions (JP) — Album • 1978 — "Modotte oide, Watashi no Jikan" — 84 — BEGINNING • 1979 — ドリーム・オブ・ユー〜レモンライムの青い風〜 — 30 — UNIVERSITY STREET • SEPTEMBER — 39 — LOVE SONGS • 1980 — 不思議なピーチパイ — 3 • Vacation for Two — 42 — Miss M • "Sweetest Music" — did not chart • 1981 — Temptation of Strawberry — 80 — PORTRAIT • "Special Delivery: Tokubetsu Kokubin" — did not chart • NATALIE / アップル・パップル・プリンセス — 70 — PORTRAIT (#1) Turntable (#2) • 1984 — もう一度 / 本気でオンリーユー (Let's Get Married) — 20 — VARIETY • "Mersey Beat de Utawasete" — 78 • 1985 — "Plastic Love" — 5 • 1986 — "Koi no Arashi" — 20 — REQUEST • 時空の旅人 — 46 • 1987 — Continuation of the Dream — 43 • 駅 / AFTER YEARS — 55 — REQUEST (#1) Quiet Life (#2) • 1988 — "Genki o Dashite" — 70 — REQUEST • 1989 — "Single Again" — 2 — Quiet Life • 1990 — 告白 — 3 • 1992 — マンハッタン・キス — 11 • 家に帰ろう (マイ・スイート・ホーム) — 18 • 1993 — "Shiawase no Sagashikata" — 42 • 1994 — "Ashita no Watashi" — 19 — Impressions • 純愛ラプソディ — 5 • 本気でオンリーユー (Let's Get Married) / "Forever Friends" (Re-issue) — 48 — VARIETY (#1) Quiet Life (#2) • 1995 — 今夜はHearty Party — 3 — Bon Appetit! • 1996 — ロンリー・ウーマン / Tell me, tell me — 13 • 1998 — カムフラージュ / WINTER LOVERS — 1 • 1999 — 天使のため息 / ソウルメイトを探して — 6 • 2001 — 真夜中のナイチンゲール — 7 • Every Day is a Special Day — 40 • ノスタルジア — 30 • 2006 — 返信 / "シンクロニシティ (素敵な偶然) — 8 — Denim • スロー・ラヴ — 30 • Love Without Tomorrow — 19 • 2007 — The Fortune by the Forelock (duet with Yuko Hara) / 人生の扉 — 23 — Expressions (#1) Denim (#2) • 2008 — 幸せのものさし / うれしくてさみしい日 (Your Wedding Day) — 6 — Expressions • Thread of Fate — 12 — TRAD • 2010 — ウイスキーが、お好きでしょ — 18 • 2012 — いのちの歌 — 10 • 2013 — たそがれダイアリー — 15 • Dear Angie〜あなたは負けない / それぞれの夜 — 7 • Your Eyes (download limited) • 2014 — "Aloha Style Love Instruction (download limited) • "Shizukana Densetsu (legend)" — 10 • 2016 — "Let It Be Me" (duet with Tatsuro Yamashita) (download limited) — Expressions • Today's Feelings (download limited) • 2018 — "Chiisana Negai" / Let's Live Today (Seize the Day) — 6 • 2019 — Continuation of the Journey — 3 • 2020 — いのちの歌 (スペシャル・エディション) — 1

• Year — Singer — Title — Chart positions (JP) — Album (Mariya's self-cover) • 1980 — Ann Lewis — "LINDA" — PORTRAIT • 1982 — Naoko Kawai — けんかをやめて — 5 — REQUEST • Invitation — 8 • Chiemi Hori — 待ちぼうけ — 26 • Hiromi Iwasaki — My Darling *Music only — 14 • Keiko Masuda — "55 page no Kanashimi" • Spiral Staircase • KINYA — Tears of Date • 1983 — Masahiro Kuwana — "Sweet Rain" • 1984 — Hiroko Yakushimaru — "Genki wo Dashite" — 1 • Album chart — REQUEST • トライアングル — Turntable • Yukiko Okada — ファースト・デイト — 20 — Turntable • 憧れ • -Dreaming Girl- 恋、はじめまして — 7 • リトル プリンセス — 14 • さよなら・夏休み • 1985 — Hiroko Yakushimaru — 過去からの手紙 *Lyrics only — 2 • Album chart • Yukiko Okada — 哀しい予感 — 7 • 恋人たちのカレンダー • "Lonesome Season" — Quiet Life • 1986 — Akina Nakamori — 駅 — 1 • Album chart — REQUEST • OH NO, OH YES! • 約束 — Turntable • 赤のエナメル — VARIETY 30th Anniversary Edition • ミック・ジャガーに微笑みを — Mariya's Songbook (First Limited Edition) Demo source • Miho Nakayama — Colored White Blend — 5 — REQUEST • ときめきの季節 — Mariya's Songbook (First Limited Edition) Demo source • Eri Morishita — "Hey! Baby" — Turntable • Midwinter Date • Masahiko Kondō — Eve's Confession *Lyrics only • 1987 — Hiroko Yakushimaru — アフタヌーン・ティー — 3 • Album chart • Satomi Fukunaga — 夏のイントロ — 14 — Mariya's Songbook (First Limited Edition) Demo source • 1988 — Hiroko Yakushimaru — 終楽章 — 8 • Album chart — Denim • Masayuki Suzuki — Guilty *Lyrics only — 12 • Album chart • Misty Mauve *Lyrics only • 1991 — Riho Makise — Miracle Love — 4 — Turntable • 1997 — Ryōko Hirosue — 5 Seconds Before I Fall in Love Seriously — 2 — Turntable • とまどい — Bon Appetit! • 恋のカウンセル — 3 • Album chart • 言い出せなくて • 2004 — Tackey & Tsubasa — You & I *Lyrics only — 2 • Album chart • 2006 — Takako Matsu — Everybody is Alone — 10 — Denim • 2007 — リユニオン — 10 • Album chart — TRAD • 2008 — Mitsuki Takahata — 夏のモンタージュ — 30 — TRAD • 2009 — ManaKana — いのちの歌 *Lyrics only — 18 — TRAD • 2011 — Seiko Matsuda — "Tokubetsu na Koibito" — 14 — TRAD • Let Me Hear Just Your Voice — Turntable • Mana Ashida — みんなのハッピーバースデイ — 8 • Album chart • Aya Matsuura — Subject:さようなら • 2017 — Saori Hayami — To the End of the Dream — 21