Anna Tsuchiya

Anna Tsuchiya
土屋アンナ Birth name Anna Marie Heider Tsuchiya Also known as ANNA Born March 11, 1984(1984-03-11) (age 24) Origin Tokyo, Japan Genre(s)J-pop
J-rockOccupation(s) Singer
lyricist
actress
model Instrument(s)VocalsYears active 2002–present Label(s)Mad Pray RecordsAssociated acts Spin AquaWebsite Anna T.com

Anna Tsuchiya (土屋アンナ, Tsuchiya Anna?, born March 11, 1984 in Tokyo, Japan) is a singer, lyricist, model, and actress.[1] Anna was born to a Japanese mother and a Russian American father. She has an older sister called Angela, who is a model as well.

1 Modeling career
2 Music career
3 Acting career
- 3.1 Filmography
4 Private Life
5 Controversy
6 Discography
7 Filmography
- 7.1 Dramas
8 Photobooks
9 Awards
10 References
11 External links

Modeling career

Tsuchiya was scouted by Seventeen magazine at age 14 to start a modelling career. Her demand as a model grew, and by 2002 she was doing television ads for UNIQLO, Edwin, and KOSE products. Even though she got involved in other projects afterwards, she today still remains an in-demand model for magazines like Kera, Soup, Zipper, and other youth punk fashion magazines. [2]

Music career

In late 2002, Tsuchiya joined with former Oblivion Dust member K.A.Z to form Spin Aqua.[3] They released three singles, one album, and a video collection, but didn't fare well commercially. They later slipped into hiatus before permanently disbanding in 2004, due to Tsuchiya's pregnancy.

Tsuchiya was quiet musically until 2005, when she announced plans to go solo for the first time. She would write the lyrics to almost all of her songs in Japanese/English, having better command of an English accent than her peers (however is not a fluent speaker of English). On August 24, 2005 she released her first mini-album, Taste My Beat under Avex's sub-label, Mad Pray Records.[4] Then released her first single Change your life and the second single called Slap that Naughty Body / My Fate. She also released her first remix album, Taste My Xxxremixxxxxxx!!!!!!!! Beat Life! on the same day. Her third single, Rose was used as the opening theme from the Nana anime, alongside fellow Avex artist Olivia Lufkin who would be singing the ending theme song. The hype brought from this release boosted Tsuchiya's music career a lot, as Rose managed to reach a position of #6 on Oricon charts (her first top 10 placement, and 21 placings above her next best placing product at the time). [1]

Then, Tsuchiya made her first overseas appearance at the Japan Expo in Paris, France in July 2006.[5]

And to reinforce her growing popularity in Japan, Tsuchiya's debut studio album was released shortly afterwards. The album, Strip Me? features a growing number of commercial tie-up songs (including ones for Whiteen, Kirin, and Kosé Visée).

She returned in early 2007 with a new single called "Kuroi Namida", which was used as the new ending theme song for the Nana anime. This was followed by the third Nana anime opening single, "Lucy" in early February which directly preceded an album self-titled Anna Tsuchiya Inspi' Nana (Black Stones) which contains the singles from the show and some news songs; then an album called Nana Best which includes popular and some unreleased songs by both Olivia Lufkin and Tsuchiya from the TV series. Both Lufkin's and Tsuchiya's songs from these albums were played at Shibuya AX in March 2007.[6]

Then, Tsuchiya did a called "world fes tour", starting in June 30 at Anime Expo 2007 in U.S., following in July 27 at Pentaport rock festival in Korea and in July 29 at Formoz Festival in Taiwan, then a summer tour in Japan, incluiding a performance for second time at Summer Sonic Festival.[7] Among that, she released the single Bubble Trip / Sweet Sweet Song in August 1.

The single Cocoon was released on January 30th of 2008. In June of the same year, Tsuchiya would collaborate with Japanese artist AI with "Crazy World".

Acting career

Tsuchiya made her acting debut in Novala Takemoto's adapted runaway hit Kamikaze Girls (下妻物語, Shimotsuma Monogatari?) in 2004 as punk yanki "Ichigo Shirayuri". Her role brought her both immediate attention and critical success; winning several awards in Japan. This was followed by Sakuran, a movie based on a manga series created by Moyoco Anno. The movie is about a kamuro named Kiyoha, who becomes a tayu or oiran courtesan.

Tsuchiya has continued to act/voice in various movies and dramas as The Taste of Tea, Dororo, Sakuran and provided the voice of Lindsay Lohan's character "Maggie Peyton" in the Japanese dub of Herbie: Fully Loaded.[2] Her latest film is

Filmography

Kamikaze Girls (下妻物語, Shimotsuma Monogatari) 2004
The Taste of Tea (茶の味, Cha no Aji) 2004
Sakuran 2007
Paco and the Magical Picture Book.[8]

Private Life

In 2004, she announced her engagement to fellow model/actor Joshua Niimura[9][10], the younger brother of the model Friedia Niimura (Rin Kozue). Joshua worked in the same modelling office as her. On 2004.11.19 Anna's first child, Sky (澄海, sukai?), was born. Sky even features in a photobook with her mother, Happy Days - Anna, Mama ni Naru!.[11] But in early July 2006, it was announced that Tsuchiya and Joshua were getting divorced.[12] Anna has remained undaunted by being a divorced single mother, to the adoration of her legions of mostly high school girl fans, who've taken a liking to her non-conformist approach to life.

Controversy

But Anna's fame has not been without controversy. She has stated that her deep sultry voice is the result of "boozing and smoking from an early age," and is known for speaking in "improper ways" (i.e., using rude language in Japanese). Nevertheless, her mother, who is also her manager, insists that Anna did not drink while underage, and her legions of fans seem undaunted by the rumors.[13]

Discography

Note: For Spin Aqua discography, please see Spin Aqua.

Albums

# Title Release date Peak rank Copies sold Album type – Taste My Beat 2005-08-24#27 – Mini – Taste My Xxxremixxxxxxx!!!!!!!! Beat Life! 2006-03-23#117 – Remix 1 Strip Me?2006-08-02#11 49,527 Studio 2 Anna Tsuchiya Inspi' Nana (Black Stones) 2007-02-28#16 – Studio – Nana Best 2007-03-21– – Compilation

Singles

# Title Release date Peak rank Copies sold 1 "Change Your Life" 2006-01-25#35 5,095 2 "Slap that Naughty Body / My Fate" 2006-03-23#68 – 3 "Rose" 2006-06-28#6 47,615 4 "Kuroi Namida" (黒い涙, Black Tear?) 2007-01-10#7 14,145 5 "Lucy" 2007-02-14#18 10,257 6 "Bubble Trip / Sweet Sweet Song" 2007-08-01#21 8,569 7 "Cocoon" 2008-01-30TBA TBA 8 "Crazy World feat. Ai" 2008-06-11TBA TBA

DVDs

# Title Release date DVD type 1 Anna³ 2004-06-16Documentary 2 Anna Tsuchiya 1st Live Tour Blood of Roses 2007-01-10Concert

Vinyls

# Title Release date 1 Taste My Xxxremixxxxxxx!!!!!!!! Beat Life! 2006-03-232 Ah Ah (Shinichi Osawa Remix 12' Inch Version) 2006-09-02

Collaborations

Artist Album Song Peak rank Release date Brian Jones† Tribute to Brian Jones "My dear" #4 2006-08-09 Fake?Marilyn is a Bubble "Butterfly (Don't Let My Sun Go Down)" #4 2006-11-22 Hotei TomoyasuSoul Sessions "Hotei vs. Tsuchiya Anna - Queen of the Rock" #1 2006-12-06 AIDON’T STOP A.I. "BUTTERFLY （feat. ANNA TSUCHIYA, ANTY the 紅之壱, PUSHIM）" #5 2007-12-05

† This collaboration was made as a cover version not with him.

Filmography

2004 – Kamikaze Girls (下妻物語, Shimotsuma Monogatari?)
2004 – The Taste of Tea (茶の味, The Taste of Tea ?)
2005 – Bashment
2005 – Herbie: Fully Loaded (Japanese dub)
2006 – Memories of Matsuko
2007 – Dororo
2007 – Sakuran
2008 – Paco and the Magical Picture Book

Dramas

2005 – Arbeit Eye ~Hyaku Man-nin no Hyouteki~ (アルバイト探偵(アイ) ～100万人の標的～, Arbeit Eye ~Hyaku Man-nin no Hyouteki~?)
2005 – Dublin no Kane Tsuki Kabi Ningen (ダブリンの鐘つきカビ人間, Dublin no Kane Tsuki Kabi Ningen?)

Photobooks

# Title Release date 1 White Ice Sherbet 2003-01-202 Anna Banana 2004-07-123 Fleur 2005-01-194 Happy Days - Anna, Mama ni Naru! (アンナ、ママになる!, Anna Became a Mother!?) 2005-12-205 Tsuchiya Anna Photo Album 2007-03-026 An-san Hostess Shuugyouchuu (あんさんホスティス修業中)† 2007-08-03

† this is a compilation of her column at Flyman Postman Press

Awards

2004 – Kinema Junpo Awards (Best New Actress)
2004 – Mainichi Film Awards (Best New Actress)
2004 – Houchi Film Award (Best new Actress)
2005 – 28th Japan Academy Prize (Best New Actress, Best Supporting Actress (nominee))
2005 – 26th Yokohama Film Festival (Best New Actress)