Chisato Moritaka


Chisato Moritaka is a Japanese pop singer who also is notable as a songwriter and a multi-instrumentalist. She is affiliated with the Up-Front Group.
Moritaka's singing career as the unrivaled "Dance Queen" began in May 1987 with the release of her debut album New Season. She differed from many other female Idol singers in Japan in that she wrote her own lyrics and some music for majority of her albums. Moritaka also played drums on most of the tracks, as well as piano, guitar, recorder, clarinet, and other instruments. Her musical style was influenced by Pink Lady, Janet Jackson, Roger Taylor, and The Beatles. Moritaka's advertising jingles were hits into the mid-1990s in television commercials for goods and services such as consumer electronics, chocolate, beer, gin, and travel packages. She has also made numerous appearances on Japanese game and talent shows and is still a household name. In twelve years after her debut, she released 13 studio albums and created a strong following of devoted fans.

Biography

Early history

Born in Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan, Chisato Moritaka was raised in Kumamoto, Kyushu. Her father,, was a member of a rockabilly band called. While studying at , Moritaka played drums in a band that mainly covered Rebecca songs.

Entertainment career

Moritaka's big break into show business came when she won the Grand Prix of the first Pocari Sweat Image Girl Contest in 1986. She appeared in a series of Pocari Sweat commercials with Shigesato Itoi, who was one of the judges of the contest. While pursuing her new career, Moritaka transferred to Horikoshi High School in Tokyo.
In 1987, Moritaka starred in the Toho film, which premiered on May 30. She also made her music debut with her first single "New Season" on May 25. Following her first concert at Shibuya Live Inn on September 7, Moritaka focused on her music career. In 1988, she wrote her first song, "The Mi-ha". During a rehearsal in the middle of her first tour, Moritaka suffered abdominal pain and was hospitalized for a week. Her experience at the hospital inspired her to write "The Stress".
On May 25, 1989, Moritaka released "17-sai", a cover of Saori Minami's 1971 song. The single peaked at No. 8 on Oricon's singles chart, making it her first top-10 hit. The song's catchy Eurobeat arrangement, combined with Moritaka's dance choreography and colorful costumes with flashy petticoats, defined her musical style and image throughout the first half of her career and made her a hit with male fans. Her fifth album Kokon Tozai in 1990 became her first and only album to hit No. 1 on Oricon's albums chart.
On June 25, 1992, Moritaka released the single "Watashi ga Obasan ni Natte mo", a song she wrote when she was 20 after being told by male staff of her management that women reach their prime at age 19. The song peaked at No. 15, but has since become a popular hit among women, especially after actress Hikari Ishida announced it as during the 43rd Kōhaku Uta Gassen on NHK. Her Rock Alive tour featured female musicians as members of her band. Starting with her album Pepperland, Moritaka started recording drums, guitar, bass, piano, and other instruments on most of her songs. In addition, she began playing instruments on her concerts more frequently. This also marked a change in her image from her vibrant outfits to a more contemporary look.
In 1993, Moritaka scored her first No. 1 hit with the single "Kaze ni Fukarete". However, she was forced to cancel her national tour in 1994 after suffering a temporomandibular joint dysfunction, and she was unable to tour for two years. While recovering, Moritaka played drums in Shigeru Izumiya's band at a fundraising concert at the Nippon Budokan to aid victims of the Great Hanshin earthquake. Also in the band was actor and bassist Yōsuke Eguchi, whom Moritaka would eventually marry four years later. Moritaka resumed touring in April 1996 with the Do the Best tour, starting at the Yokohama Arena. During the later half of the 1990s, she fulfilled some lifetime goals through two albums. Her 10th anniversary album Peachberry saw her recording her tracks at the famous Abbey Road Studios and take a pilgrimage to Liverpool as a Beatles fan. Moritaka worked with veteran producer Haruomi Hosono on her 1998 album Kotoshi no Natsu wa More Better. However, 1998 saw a decline in sales, with her singles no longer making the top-10.

Retirement and return

Moritaka retired at the end of 1999 after her marriage to focus on raising her children. During her retirement, she made a few commercial appearances with Eguchi for House Foods Java Curry. After an eight-year hiatus from public life, Moritaka recorded a song for a Nissan Lafesta commercial in early 2007. In 2008, she made a guest appearance at Sharam Q's 20th anniversary concert at the Nippon Budokan, performing "Watarasebashi" and "Kibun Sōkai". A year later, Moritaka made her first TV appearance in over 10 years on Bokura no Ongaku. From 2010 to 2018, she served as a host of TBS Television's travel show. On April 9, 2011, Moritaka joined other members of the Up-Front Group roster in the charity event at Yamashita Park to support the victims of the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
On May 25, 2012, Moritaka celebrated her 25th anniversary by renewing her official website and opening new accounts on YouTube, Facebook, and Google+. As part of her anniversary celebration, she challenged herself to cover 200 of her songs on her YouTube channel, which she accomplished in 2017 with "Oshare Kaze". Moritaka and Warner Music Japan also released the three-disc compilation album The Singles on August 8; it reached No. 5 on Oricon's Albums Chart, making it her first top-five album since Peachberry. In 2013, Moritaka and producer tofubeats collaborated on a single titled "Don't Stop the Music." She also recorded the song to celebrate Kumamon's third birthday.
In 2018, Moritaka and dance choreographer Mikiko were inducted into the Fourth Women of Excellence Awards. On May 27 and 28, Moritaka hosted a two-day concert at the Hitomi Memorial Hall, performing The Singles in its entirety. The concert was released on Blu-ray on May 22, 2019 as 30th Anniversary Final Project "The Singles" Day 1・Day 2 Live 2018 Complete Version. In 2019, Moritaka hosted the, her first national concert tour in 21 years. The tour was well received, prompting her to announce a second national tour for the next year.
In 2020, Moritaka became the brand ambassador for DHC's Queen of Serum anti-aging skin cream. On March 21, she performed "La La Sunshine" on Fuji TV's music special, which was broadcast to cheer up the public during the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 4, Moritaka was among the 121 members of Up-Front Group to participate in a YouTube telework to support the frontline workers during the pandemic. On June 25, Moritaka announced that she will host an online concert on July 25. In addition, Warner Music Japan announced the release of Moritaka's Kono Machi Tour 2019 Blu-ray and DVD on August 26. The video covers her concert at Kumamoto Castle Hall on December 20, 2019, which was her first show in her hometown in ove 26 years.
Moritaka currently serves as a co-MC with Ken Watabe in the Fuji TV program Love Music. She also hosts Nippon Broadcasting System's All Night Nippon Music 10 every second Wednesday of the month.

Personal life

Moritaka married actor Yōsuke Eguchi on June 3, 1999 after discovering she was pregnant with their first child. She gave birth to a daughter in February 2000 and a son in May 2002.
Moritaka's father runs a coffee shop in Aso, Kumamoto called "Orange Hill", named after his old band.
In an interview with AndGirl magazine, Moritaka revealed that her secret to retaining her youthful looks and toned legs was regular skin moisturizing and exercise, including an hour of swimming. In an interview with Vogue Japan, she said she has also been doing hot yoga.

Legacy

;Studio albums
;Compilation albums
;Remix albums
;EPs and Mini-albums

Film