I Wish (band)
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Defunct | 2005-03-24 |
| Fate | Disbanded; brief reunion in 2008 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Parent | Sony Music Entertainment Japan |
| Website | www |
I WiSH was a Japanese pop duo consisting of two artists: Ai Kawashima, who provided vocals and occasionally played piano, and nao, who handled keyboard and piano duties. Their most distinguished song, , achieved a remarkable presence on the Oricon charts, maintaining its position for more than twelve months.
Starting piano lessons at age five, Nao composed several original pieces such as "Asu e no Tobira," "Futatsuboshi," and "Yakusoku no Hi." He earned Yamaha's grand prix award and is said to possess perfect pitch.
Ai Kawashima endured significant early life challenges—her father was absent before her birth, and she lost her mother at three years old. After spending time in an orphanage, she was adopted and began learning piano at age three. Ai made her debut as an Enka singer in 1999 but did not achieve notable success. In 2002, Ai joined forces with Nao to create I WiSH, performing primarily with electric piano accompaniment. The group ceased activities on March 24, 2005, allowing Ai to concentrate on her solo career, though they reunited briefly in 2008 for a final single release.
History
Nao encountered Ai while she was performing along Shibuya Road and collaborated with her to establish the group, supported by their management team. Sony Music signed them after reviewing their demo recordings.
Their debut single "Asu e no Tobira", released in October 2002, was used as the theme for Fuji TV's variety program Love Bus, enhancing their visibility alongside acts like Yuzu and Glay. This track reached the top of karaoke rankings, and their subsequent single "Mukai Mukai Mirai" sold approximately 900,000 units.
On March 24, 2005, I WiSH issued the album WiSH before disbanding to pursue individual projects. A greatest hits collection titled Best Wishes was released on February 8, 2006.
Ai held a one-night reunion concert on February 21, 2008, named Ai Kawashima Anniversary Live ～Birth Day だからお祝いしNight!～, where she performed popular songs including "Renai 3 Busaku" and "Eien to Iu Kono Shunkan Ni."
Studio albums
| Title | Release Date | Label | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tsutaetai Kotoba ~Namida no Ochiru Basho~ 伝えたい言葉 ～涙のおちる場所～ |
October 1, 2003 | SME Records | Words I Want to Express ~Where Tears Fall~ |
| WiSH | March 24, 2005 | SME Records |
Singles
| Year | Title | Release Date | English Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | "Asu e no Tobira" 明日への扉 |
February 14 | Door to Tomorrow |
| "Futatsubochi" ふたつ星 |
August 27 | Two Stars | |
| 2004 | "Yakusoku no Hi" 約束の日 |
May 19 | Promise Day |
| "Kimi to Boku" キミと僕 |
August 18 | You and Me | |
| 2005 | "Precious Days" | February 9 | |
| 2008 | "LOVE SONGS 4 YOU" | February 14 |
Compilations
| Title | Release Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| Best Wishes | February 8, 2006 | SME Records |
| The Complete Collection of I WiSH | February 14, 2008 | SME Records |