Kakuko Yamagata (山形 香公子, Yamagata Kakuko[2], born 23 September, 1969), known professionally as Anju Suzuki (鈴木 杏樹, Suzuki Anju), is a Japanese actress, television presenter, and singer (under the stage name Kakko).[1]
Anju Suzuki | |
|---|---|
| Born | Kakuko Suzuki 23 September 1969 Minoh, Osaka, Japan |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Musical career | |
| Also known as | Kakko |
| Origin | London, England |
| Genres | Eurobeat[1] |
| Instrument | Vocals |
| Labels | CBS Records, Yoshimoto Kogyo |
Career
editSuzuki was born in Minoh, Osaka and raised in Kobe, Hyogo. At age 17, she was spotted by a CBS records scout when she was commuting to school. Soon after, she moved to the United Kingdom to pursue a singing career.[3] Suzuki worked behind the scenes at PWL Records, doing office duties and familiarising herself with the business side of operations, before she was given the chance to record.[4] Her first single "We Should Be Dancing" (produced by Stock Aitken Waterman) was released in February 1990 and peaked at number 101 on the UK single chart.[4] Her second release "What Kind Of Fool", released in June 1990, reached number 123 in the UK singles chart.[5] Met with little success, she returned to Japan in 1991 and began working as an actress. She has become a popular actress in TV dramas and appears in many commercials.
Suzuki hosted Music Fair from 1995 to 2016.[6]
On 8 July 2022, Suzuki released her first single in 32 years, a re-recording of “We Should Be Dancing” performed as a duet with comedian and singer Takashi Fujii.[citation needed]
Personal life
editSuzuki married surgeon Motoo Yamagata in June 1998.[7] The couple met in January 1998 when Suzuki was admitted to hospital for abdominal pain. Yamagata was her operating surgeon.[7] He died of liver disease on 1 February 2013.[8]
Filmography
editFilm
edit- High School Teacher (1993)
- Birthday Present (1995)
- ZOO SO-Far (2005)
- What a Wonderful Life!! (2011)
- Aibou Series X DAY (2013)
- Waka Okami wa Shōgakusei! (2018)
Television
edit- Asunaro Hakusho (1993)
- Wakamono no Subete (1994)
- Music Fair (1995–2016), Host
- Natsuzora (2019), Ranko Kameyama
Discography
editSingles
editSolo
edit- We Should Be Dancing (CBS, 1990)
- What Kind Of Fool (CBS, 1990)
Kakko and Takashi Fujii
edit- We Should Be Dancing (Yoshimoto, 2022)
Night Tempo feat. Anju Suzuki
editLive Once (2023)
Awards
edit| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Golden Arrow Award | Graph Award | Herself | Won | [9] |
| 1994 | Drama Academy Awards | Best Supporting Actress | Chōnan no Yome | Won | [10] |
| 1995 | Elan d'or Awards | Newcomer of the Year | Herself | Won | [11] |
References
edit- ^ a b 鈴木杏樹、女優になる前はロンドンで歌手 藤井フミヤと出会っていた！. sanspo.com (in Japanese). Sankei Digital. 13 December 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ 杏樹、夫危篤知りながら生出演していた (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports. 14 February 2013. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ 「あすなろ白書」同窓会“あすなろ会”にキムタク参加 鈴木杏樹が明かす. Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. 30 July 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ a b "A Journey Through Stock Aitken Waterman: Ep 55: We Should Be Dancing to Use It Up And Wear It Out on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2023-07-03.
- ^ "UK Singles Charts: 1990 (including chart panel sales)". UKMix. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
- ^ 鈴木杏樹『MUSIC FAIR』涙で卒業発表 恵俊彰と3月末でラスト. Oricon News (in Japanese). Oricon. 19 February 2016. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ a b 鈴木杏樹ショック 夫の山形基夫さん急死 生番組本番中に悲報. Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). Sports Nippon. February 3, 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ^ 鈴木杏樹、帰国後の生出演で「皆さんに支えられています」と感謝. Sankei News (in Japanese). Sankei Shimbun. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 11 November 2018.
- ^ "List of Golden Arrow Award Winners" (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Magazine Publishers Association. p. 9. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 June 2006. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ "1st Drama Academy Awards". The Television (in Japanese). Kadokawa Corporation. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
- ^ "Elan d'or Awards Winners List" (in Japanese). Nippon Producers Association. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
External links
edit- Anju Suzuki at IMDb
- [1] Official Homepage