Princess Princess (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1983 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo , Japan |
Career
Formed through an open audition held by TDK Records in 1983, selecting from 1,400 candidates, the group initially operated under the name Akasaka Komachi. They underwent rigorous training for over two years in Tokyo's Nishi-Nippori district and made their television debut in Japan in March 1984. In 1985, after changing management, they adopted the name Julian Mama, though no recordings were issued under this title.
Their official entry into the recording industry occurred in May 1986 with the release of the EP Kiss de Crime via CBS Sony. Later that year, management shifted to Shinko Music Entertainment, largely influenced by employee Emiko Ichimura, who was impressed by their live performance. During this period, the band performed at various small venues throughout Tokyo to hone their skills.
In 1987, the band rebranded as Princess Princess and launched their first single "Koi wa Balance," featuring lyrics by guitarist Kanako Nakayama and music composed by producer Saburo Suzuki. From this point onward, they assumed creative control over their music; Nakayama and drummer Kyōko Tomita wrote lyrics while lead vocalist Kaori Okui composed most of the melodies. Despite extensive live performances and releasing a second single titled "Sekai de Ichiban Atsui Natsu," widespread commercial success remained elusive.
The group's breakthrough arrived in 1988 with the album Here We Are, which included hits like "19 Growing Up" and "Go Away Boy," both reaching the Oricon Top 20 charts. Their follow-up album, Let's Get Crazy, sustained this momentum. Between late 1987 and early 1989, they played approximately 100 concerts, progressing from small clubs to regional halls and culminating in a sold-out performance at Shibuya Public Hall. In January 1989, Princess Princess made history as the first all-female band to perform at Tokyo's Nippon Budokan.
The pinnacle of their career occurred in 1989 when they released the chart-topping single "Diamonds," which became Japan's first CD single to sell over one million copies. Additionally, a reissue of "Sekai de Ichiban Atsui Natsu" achieved number one status, granting them the two highest-selling singles of that year. Their inaugural nationwide tour, alongside the No. 1 album Lovers, firmly established their presence in the market.
In 1990, their prominence continued with a nationwide tour covering 56 locations and hit singles such as "Oh Yeah!" and "Julian." Their self-titled album also reached the top position on charts.
The year 1991 brought further success with the No. 1 single "Kiss," although subsequent releases experienced a decline in sales. Their album Dolls in Action was released in December of that year.
Production slowed in 1992 to a single new release plus their first greatest hits collection Singles 1987-1992. The double-A side single "Power"/"Regret" preceded their seventh studio album Bee-Beep, which debuted at number one upon its January 1993 release.
During a summer tour shortly thereafter, keyboardist Tomoko Konno endured temporary complete hearing loss in one ear but had recovered by June. This era marked a downturn in both popularity and sales, accompanied by a stylistic transition toward more mature themes and softer easy-listening sounds evident in their later albums.
Their eighth studio album Majestic (1993) showcased more restrained breakup-themed tracks. In 1994, Konno and Okui pursued solo projects while releasing a fan-selected compilation entitled Presents.
By April 1995, disagreements regarding musical direction led to the decision to disband. Okui pointed to increasing challenges in songwriting as a significant reason for this choice. The group announced their dissolution alongside releasing their lowest-selling single "Fly Baby Fly." Their final studio effort, The Last Princess, served as a farewell message to supporters. A nationwide farewell tour concluded in 1996 with a final concert at Budokan.
Following a sixteen-year hiatus, Princess Princess reunited in November 2012 for benefit performances aimed at aiding recovery efforts from the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. They staged six concerts including appearances at Sendai Sun Plaza Hall, Nippon Budokan, Tokyo Dome, and participated in the prestigious Kōhaku Uta Gassen New Year's Eve show of that year.
Activities Following Disbandment
Soon after the ensemble's concluding performance, Kaori Okui entered into marriage with actor Goro Kishitani. Okui, who debuted as a solo artist with the album Renaissance in 1994, went on to release Shout (1997) and Kaori (1998) under her birth name. Later works include Ring to the Heavens (2006) and the compilation The Best And More (2014), credited as Kaori Kishitani. She continues to appear sporadically in live solo performances. In 2018, Kishitani established the band Unlock The Girls, collaborating with guitarist Yuko, bassist HALNA, and drummer Yuumi.
Kanako Nakayama issued two solo albums during the 1990s: Howling and Nakayama no Ippatsu. She co-founded the hard rock group VooDoo Hawaiians in 1999, which produced five albums between 2000 and 2014. Nakayama also participated with Tokyo Rocks and contributed tracks to various tribute compilations throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Prior to the band's dissolution, Tomoko Konno released her solo debut 24 Hours, followed by two additional albums titled Torch and Prime of Life. She also composed musical scores for the films Chloe (2000) and Kikyo (2004).
Atsuko Watanabe joined Tokyo School of Music as a special instructor in 1997 and advanced to Vice Dean in 1999, a role she continues to fulfill. In December 2014, Watanabe and Nakayama collaborated with "Grace" and "Ban-Chan" to create "Go 50 Go," a group named after the members' age at that time.
Kyōko Tomita serves on the faculty at Tokyo School of Music and hosts the radio show "Shonan Beat Land" on Radio Shonan FM 83.1 in Tokyo.
Collaborative Songwriting
On their debut six-track EP, songwriting credits were limited to one song ("Tokyo Kanojo"), with lyrics provided by outside writers. For their initial full-length album, the band composed all music except for the single "Koi wa Balance."
From this album forward, lyric duties were divided among members: Nakayama authored 39 songs, Tomita 35, Konno 19, Watanabe 9, and Okui 7.
Okui holds the majority of music composition credits—69 out of 118 songs—including nearly all singles. Nakayama is credited with composing 18 songs, Konno 14, Watanabe 8, and Tomita 1.
Individual songwriting credits are as follows: Nakayama (7 songs), Konno (6), Okui (6, one being instrumental), Watanabe (4), and Tomita (1).
Prominent lyricist/composer partnerships include Nakayama/Okui and Tomita/Okui with 27 songs each; Konno/Okui with 9; Tomita/Nakayama with 6; and Watanabe/Konno with 3. Other collaborations have fewer credits. Notably, there are no songwriting credits involving the Okui/Watanabe pairing.
Nakayama also performed a duet of Kiss's "Hard Luck Woman" alongside Jeff McDonald from Redd Kross.
Past Members
- Kaori Kishitani (岸谷香; born February 17, 1967; formerly Kaori Okui) – lead vocals, guitar, piano, tambourine (1983–1996, 2012, 2016)
- Kanako Nakayama (中山加奈子; born November 2, 1964) – lead guitar, vocals (1983–1996, 2012, 2016)
- Atsuko Watanabe (渡辺敦子; born October 26, 1964) – bass guitar, vocals (1983–1996, 2012, 2016)
- Tomoko Konno (今野登茂子; born July 15, 1965) – keyboards, synthesizers, piano, vocals (1983–1996, 2012, 2016)
- Kyōko Tomita (富田京子; born June 2, 1965) – drums, percussion, keyboard, vocals (1983–1996, 2012, 2016)
Discography
- Teleportation (1987)
- Here We Are (1988)
- Let's Get Crazy (1988)
- Lovers (1989)
- Princess Princess (1990)
- Dolls in Action (1991)
- Bee-Beep (1993)
- Majestic (1993)
- The Last Princess (1995)
Appearances on Kōhaku Uta Gassen
| Year / Broadcast | Role | Song Performed | Performance Order | Competitor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 (Heisei 24) / 63rd | First Appearance | "Diamonds" | 23rd of 25 | Masaharu Fukuyama |